Good portable to start with

[cleandaddy]

I'm taking suggestions on a good heated portable extractor to purchase for residential/commercial carpet cleaning. I'm looking at a few models such as U.S. Products King Cobra Pro, Cleanmaster Raptor,Rota vac /Mytee. Give me some feedback. Whats the significance of single cord or dual cord machine? :wink:

 

[cleandaddy]

Typo (start)

Ez fellas

 

[Tile Nerd]

You might throw the Olympus portables into the mix. We have the 1200 for tile and stone work. Olympus also makes good machines for carpet cleaning. Having said that, I've never used any portable for carpet before, only truckmounts.

Machines have 2 cords because of the power they require (heat, pressure, & vacuum). Having 2 cords allows you to plug into 2 different circuits, preventing you from tripping the circuits.

Hope this helps.

 

[Larry Cobb]

cleandaddy;

I would forget the heat and get more vacuum and pump power in a hi-performance portable:

1. Two Hi-perf 3-stage vac motors (486 air watts each)

2. Hi-pressure pump w/AC motor delivering at least 1.6 GPM @ 450 PSI. High FLOW is the key parameter here.

These two factors plus a functional durable rotomolded housing with 10" Wheels will give you top portable performance. 2" Vacuum Inlet is desirable for maximum air flow.

Current draw should be less than 15 amps on each cord to eliminate circuit breaker issues.

No Heat, all available electrical power is applied to the pump & vac systems.

Pump Out & Auto Dump if desired.

If you want to do "Tile & Grout", make sure the pump system will deliver over 2 GPM for hi-pressure grout cleaning.

Larry Cobb

 

[steve g]

haven't you heard resoils are like a portable truckmount, people just run a generator and viola instant truckmount, in fact if you ran 2 of them together you would have a dual wand portable with power exceeding that of a vortex

 

[Tile Nerd]

cleandaddy;

I would forget the heat and get more vacuum and pump power in a hi-performance portable:

Larry Cobb

I disagree. Heat is an important part of carpet cleaning because it helps clean and facilitates the drying. You can have both heat and vacuum.

I do agree with Larry on the auto fill and pump. This will have a huge impact on the your work efficiency.

You can get an Olympus 200H with dual 3 stage vacs, heat, auto fill, and auto pump out at a fair price with a solid warranty.

Again Olympus 1200 has high psi for tile, stone & grout work.

 

[MikeN]

This Olympus does look good...
http://www.vacuumcleaners.net/vacuum_cl ... 10088.html

 

[steve g]

all the heated portables I have used, only really produced noticable heat for cleaning upholstery, they could not keep up with the heat demands for CC, I agree with larry on this one, and for cases where you must have heat, use a bucket heater

 

[Larry Cobb]

Mike N;

You can get a 400 or 450 PSI pump instead of the 200 PSI for a similar amount.

Larry Cobb

 

[Tile Nerd]

Mike N;

You can get a 400 or 450 PSI pump instead of the 200 PSI for a similar amount.

Larry Cobb

I do like psi, but flow and heat will out clean the extra psi without heat. Just my opinion. I will always pick heat over more psi. Again you can still get great flow depending on the jets you use. I just saw a thread in the "High Performance Equipment" forum discussing flow and psi.

I saw the link MikeN posted. It doesn't include the auto fill or pump out. You can get it with the auto fill and pump out for $2500 plus shipping.

 

[Tile Nerd]

Here's the post I saw:

Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 11:29 pm�� �Post subject: WOW WOW FLOW! FLOW FLOW WOW WOW!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, so let's just say I am completely impressed with High flow. With all the hype, I just thought it was another one of those "things". But, I've been a little bit shy of adding oversized jets and increasing my flow by double or more. But, while getting a new impeller for my APO at LPM(sup scott!), I picked up a set of 9503's. Slapped them on my holed quadjet and WOW!. Wanna talk about flushing, sizzling, sauna action.

I was absolutely amazed at how easy the carpet cleaned up in just one stroke up and back. After the drypass the carpet was barely even damp, contrary to my thinking. All I can figure is that the water is so hot, and when properly controlled with a glide, that it just flushes the crapola out of the fibers resulting in a RDM type of cleaning. Low PSI, massive water, lots of crud removal. If you have the machine to do it, heck, even if you don't. Tweak your VAC, buy a glide, and double your flow. Not only is the water massively hotter ATW, it is a better flush. My lint basket was so crudded today, even after prevaccing. FLOW is AMAZING! Not only that, but my max470 held 250 ATM even at that flow. I may bump it up even more, and you can bet your life I'm gonna use it as a USP.
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Last edited by Kevin Bunce on Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:42 am; edited 1 time in total

 

[Jay D]

I've had 6 different portables. I used 2 heated portables with the 2-2stage vacs and 100 psi pump. The heater could not keep up with the flow of the 100psi pump with 2-10002 jets, I needed more vac definately more than I needed the heater. The heater is GREAT for upholstery or a wand with very little flow, but with a portable FLOW helps to clean better. The two cords will only bring a certain amount of amperage to the portable it is just up to you how to split it up. I would get 250psi min and 2-3 stage vacs for a 2 cord machine. I asked someone one day (when I decided to buy a new portable) which one would be better the 2-2stage with heat or the 2-3 stage with more vac, they suggested the heater so thats what I got, BIGGEST MISTAKE I made. Go with vacuum and pressure for carpet cleaning you won't regret it. If you need more heat get a bucket heater and a 5 gallon bucket and heat your water that way.
The heaters in the machines are a pass thru design to heat the water passing thru a little heater and a bucket heater heats 5 gallons at a time. much better. Any questions call me. I use a truckmount but have a ninja with 2-3 stage 250psi pump and a glide on the wand, a good way to go IF I have to use it, hopefully NOT. I agree with Larry on this one. And I have nothing to sell.

Mister Sir 8)

 

[Mikey P]

Wow, no mention of the Resoil.




Probably a first in BB history.






What ever porty you get make sure you have a 175 rotary to break the dirt loose.

 

[Brite N Kleen]

The Steamin Demon has the most flow 3-4 gals per minute.
The best recovery 94%
Simple to use.

 

[Jeff Higdon]

Let me weigh in on this one! I was a portable guy from 1990 to 2000 when I went to mostly truck mounts. Heat does make a huge difference! For a long time I used Dirt-X-Tractor portables and they worked really well for me. The concept of the machine is essentially it is a big wet vac. It uses a weighted tubular drag wand of their own design fitted with two 11006 jets. An adapter is hooked to the faucet, a solution hose is screwed onto that and it uses the hot water from the faucet. If we were in a place with no hot water, we used a little giant hot water heater. We presprayed hot solution down, then rinsed it out with the drag wand. It was a really effective cleaning system, and that company today is still doing the majority of the carpet cleaning in the town they are in, including all of the high end work. The only thing I didn't like was the dry time was 6-12 hours or sometimes longer if the carpet was really dirty. If I owned rental property and had employees that would be running the machine, I'd buy a Dirt-X-Tractor in a heartbeat. They are indestructible.
I went to using a ninja high pressure 500psi portable w/heat, and that worked really well for me. On a hot, low humidity day I had a one hour dry time, on really humid days it might be as long as 8 hours (In Louisiana it is REALLY humid!) The heater had no trouble at all keeping up with the pump. I run two 11002 jets in my wand. If I put hot water in
the portable, the wand would "pop" while cleaning, and it would definitely burn my hand on the connectors. It was setup with two two stage vacs, heater, and a 500 psi DC motor pump. With this setup, I rarely had circuit problems. Like Larry Cobb mentioned, I like the AC motors better for durability, the only thing is that they draw more amps. Both motors power the same pump head. The dc motors will last about two years. I personally would rather pay the price every two years and enjoy the benifits of lower amp draw and high heat.
As to what machines offer this, the Ninja by Century 400 of course, the Olympus series (One thing I like about the Olympus is it is taller so easier to get up stairs), TMI (Timbucktoo Mfg. Inc.) also makes a good one. I would steer clear of Mytee. I've heard some people are really happy with theirs, but when I run a service center I had a lot of quality control issues we fixed. The same problem with Century 400's Ginsu.
Addressing auto-fil, auto-dump issue: It depends on what you are doing. You run into the problem of too many amps per cord, and it adds weight to the machine. Don't get me wrong, I like those two features, but there is a tradeoff. If you are doing commercial, you need it, or very large residential you may could justify it. Other than that, I wouldn't get it.
Use this as a stepping stone to get the cash flow to buy a kerosene or diesel fired truckmount. Then you'll really be cooking!
Jeff H.

 

[Jeff Higdon]

Oh, I forgot. The U.S. Products machines are good also!
And I agree with Mikey P, you need to invest in a good 175 rpm floor machine with a carpet brush and a pad driver. Use carpet brush on the trashed pile carpets, and use a bonnet pad on wick back problems for commercial. If you get commercial contracts, you can sell them on interim bonnet cleaning between extraction cleanings. Also, you can use it for picking up vct jobs.
Jeff H.

 

[Guest]

I would get one that has Heat.. Heat breaks surface tension just like a surfactant, except better. It keeps the water from forming the water spots.

Whatsmore,

Think of how you can use heat to cut your labor, time, chemicals, and agitation.

Heat costs you nothing. You actually save money by decreasing the other elements.

 

[Jay D]

Heat counts with a t.m. but a portable you will be Sorry cause the vac will be weak at best. Get the better vacuum setup. How much heat can you get from a passthru 2000watt heater? Not enough. BuY the better portable with more vac and add a exterior hot box heater later for $300.

 

[Carpet Dude]

I have a Raptor 230H 2-3 stage vacs and an adjustable 300 psi w/heat

Good machine and built like a tank. I got mine through JonDon.

I no longer need it or use it...comes with wand and 50ft hose. If interested contact me and I'll make you a deal. You are located maybe 1-2 hours from me. I have relatives around Burlington.

 

[Jay D]

There you go. that sounds like a good offer from Raf.

 

[Tile Nerd]

Heat counts with a t.m. but a portable you will be Sorry cause the vac will be weak at best. Get the better vacuum setup. How much heat can you get from a passthru 2000watt heater? Not enough. BuY the better portable with more vac and add a exterior hot box heater later for $300.

Jay, you most have missed some of the details of the thread. Plese re-read it. You can get heat with dual 3 stage vacs. The only thing you lose is psi which this thread also explains why that's not a problem.

Thanks,

 

[Jeff Higdon]

One factor I see missing from this thread is how long of a hose are you running with a portable? Two 2-stage 5.7" vac motors do just fine at 25' out when the motors are run in series. I personally haven't tried them in parallel. With two three stage motors in series, you can get 35' of 1 1/2 vac hose. With two 2-stage 7.2" vacs you can go 50'. Two 3-stage 7.2" can go further.
My point is that there are trade offs for any setup. Larger motors draw larger amps which take away from available amps for powering pumps and heaters. Smaller motors you can still get good suction but you have to shorten the hose down. For 11 years I cleaned carpet with a portable 25' or closer most of the time. You can work out a system to make it work. If I was cleaning a large commercial area, I used a larger machine if the building had the circuitry to handle it.
I used a drain vac that I think had 1.75" hose and I could get 150' of hose run off of it. It set on a toilet and dumped every four gallons automatically. It required three circuits, one for each vac, and one for the 1200 psi pump. I run the pump through a little giant hot water heater and it worked like a charm. I only used this setup on a job that took all day to do, due to the time for the setup and breakdown.
Several companies make a high pressure, hi vacuum portable coupled with a propane heater, and they do work well for large commercial. I know masterblend has one, and steam way makes one as well. I run a supply house and one of my customers has a steam way w/propane heater, wand, hand tool, hoses, etc. for $2000.
Jeff H.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Jeff;

Some good comparisons, but I have to disagree with the Lamb motor comments.

The most efficient vac motors in converting electrical power to vacuum power are the new 5.7" models. The "Air Watt" series are the most efficient at the present.

Flow is also important even in a portable. We don't distribute the 500 PSI Ninja because it's flow rate is LESS then 1 GPM.

We add a 450 PSI pump with a very efficient AC motor that delivers 1.6 GPM @ 3.2 amps.

Increasing GPM has more effect than the same % Pressure increase does.

Larry Cobb

 

[Jay D]

MR. nerd the more stuff you add on the higher the amp draw and the higher oppurtunity to blow circuits. Thats what I know from using portables for cleaning carpet. Its good to stay at 15 amp or less. the heater takes it closer to 20. And with good flow rates the heater won't help that much :!:


P.S. If you run 2-110015 or 2-11002 jets then the heater will help but 2-11003 jets or better you will flow too much water to benefit from the heater. And with a portable pump flow cleans better.

 

[Tile Nerd]

MR. nerd the more stuff you add on the higher the amp draw and the higher oppurtunity to blow circuits. Thats what I know from using portables for cleaning carpet. Its good to stay at 15 amp or less. the heater takes it closer to 20. And with good flow rates the heater won't help that much :!:

That's why the machine has 2 plugs

P.S. If you run 2-110015 or 2-11002 jets then the heater will help but 2-11003 jets or better you will flow too much water to benefit from the heater. And with a portable pump flow cleans better.

I'm talking about a 200 psi machine. Flow and psi are 2 different things. Others have already posted that their experience with lower psi and higher flow yields consistently good heat. That's what I'm agreeing with.

 

[Carpet Dude]

it's been my experience using portables between 150-200 psi is ideal...anything higher then that you run the risk of soaking and longer drying times unless you use air movers immediately after cleaning each room. it's nice to have an adjustable model so you can turn it down to clean upholstery.

 

[Jay D]

I said circuits as in more than one plug. :roll: Or no duh I should say. Most machines with heater, 2-3 stage and 200psi or better pump will go over 15 amps on one of the plugs which is ok on new houses but not old houses. New houses usually have 20 amp circuits in the kitchen and bath.
Anyhow more than enough information for someone to mill over before they buy a portable. Good Day!

Mister Sir

 

[diamond brian]

Yes, heat is important. The point Jay and others are making, is that the heat produced by an in-line heater is negligible when you're going all out on a nasty carpet. You will be much better off with a bucket heater. If it burns your hand through the wand, then good--that's my point.

In the carpet cleaner's economy, we're given a finite amount of resources; be it time, money, amps, etc. It's up to us to get the most productivity with these resources. A heated porty is a poor use of your resources.

 

[roro]

IMHO hot water causes more pump problems. Therefore we choose to heat water after it leaves the pump. Electric heaters are a waste of time ; our preference is a Little Giant 2HT or 3 HT instead.
On wool we operate at about 400 psi on poly about 200 psi.

roro