Heat or Flow

[Guest]

When doing residential carpets, what is better?

Seems to me that 95015 jets at 450psi on any machine will give good heat 210 - 225. unless you keep the trigger open for a long period of time the temp will drop.

If we open the jets to says 11002 that means more flow and your heat will drop.

I still feel that even though there is more flow you sacrifice cleaning by losing heat. We need good heat to clean or should we just use a porty. Pemberton's told me that years ago with my first unit.

Just thinking.

Bye.

 

[KBRENNY]

I just found out yesterday by watching my temp gauge that if I switch from 1.0 GPM at the carpet to 2.0 GPM at the carpet my temp actually goes up. Possibly because the solution is sitting in the line for twice as long thus giving it time to cool, I can run 215 to 225 coming out of my wand valve at 2.0 GPM but the temp drops to around 175 to 185 when I switch to 1.0 GPM. I never really played with it and watched the temp until yesterday.

I would have to say every TM model has different heat and capabilities with its method of heating the solution. There might be a magic number for each different model to deliver the most heat to the carpet without over working the heating systems capacity or letting it sit in the lines too long and cool off.

 

[Ricky Thurman]

I would guess that there is a median point in there that the temp is at its maximum compared to flow. What the gauge reads ATM really means nothing. All that counts is what you are getting ATW.

With Low flow, the readings will probably be higher at the machine (more time for the machine to heat the water), but lower at the wand (more time for the solution to cool between the machine and the wand).

With High flow, the readings should be lower ATM (less time in the HTX), but you will not loose as much heat in the solution line.

I would image that there is a point somewhere in the middle (which will be different for every machine/wand combination) that will give you maximum heat ATW, and that point will most certainly not be at very low flow or at very high flow.

Now go test my theory it and get back to me. Or just wait on Greenie to chime in and tell us the truth

 

[Dolly Llama]

ya'll do yourself a favor.

Go to Harbor Freight and get a digital quick rise candy thermometer.
Cost you less than $5 bucks.

now you can measure the the solution temps at the fiber and you won't have to speculate and guess

ya'll may be quite surprised at the findings


..L.T.A.

 

[KBRENNY]

I already know there is a major drop in temp at the carpet, even more so if your jets a raised off the carpet further. I have a temp gauge mounted in the outlet of my wand valve. It gives me a general idea what temp I am running and lets me know when there is trouble or a temp difference. I am not too worried about the actual temp at the carpet as I run full temp all the time and would not be able to increase. As of now I get 235 ATM, and 215 to 220 coming out of my wand valve. I am fairly pleased with it. If I ran much hotter I would have burns from my hoses all over my pretty legs which would ruin my pantyhose modeling career.

 

[Farenheit251]

What actually matters is how hot you are raising the temp of the fiber and any gum, grease,soil etc. The actual temp will be somewhere in the middle between your water temp and the fiber temp which is room temp.
For most heat exchangers the fiber temp reached will be the same regardless of flow. You are tranfering the same amount of heat. For example 240 w/06 jetting may be equal to 200 w/ 10 jetting. You do gain a little w/ flow from less time in the hose to cool.
For fire burners or heat exchangers not being used to full capacity you can get more heat to the fiber without the hassle of using extreme temps.

 

[-JB-]

It used to be that we were trying to "steam clean" carpets with a high mist, fine spray of super hot water. Now it seems that big blower/high heat machine owners are putting down so much water they refer to it as "Carpet Washing".

I think the later is much more effective.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[Ron Lippold]

more water is better if you can pick it up. Thank god for the mighty power of the Vortex for I am able to run 18 flow on 1 want and 24 on the other I still maintain 220-230 a true dual wand set up. I just need more tank and a way bigger pump out. More flow

 

[rhyde]

both..... heat and flow

 

[B&BGaryC]

I have never had my water get cool as a result of keying my wand. It always rises in temp steadily. Getting it to the wand faster means you are using more of your heat, instead of letting it radiate into the floor through the sides of your hose.

When I am doing upholstery I will take a spray gun and key it (squirt it down the vac hose) while I talk to the customer until the fitting gets so hot I can barely touch it, then I connect it to the upholstery tool and clean with it. As soon as it cools down, I do the same thing again.

 

[J Scott W]

The temperature at the carpet is what matters. A low flow of water will not raise the temperature no matter what the temperature. You have to have the combination of flow and heat.

Flow aids in flushing out particulate soils. Heat improves the cleaning of oils and grease that hold many of the soils onto the carpet. Most carpets have both types of soil. Another reason to have a balance of both heat and flow.

I see the question as being similar to "What is more important amperage or voltage?" Neither one alone will be very useful. You need to have the proper balance.

Scott Warrington

 

[truckmount girl]

Great posts here, especially Shawn's. You can make or purchase an inexpensive "lie detector" to measure your temp at the wand, or if you want to be even more accurate, get a candy thermometer and test it at the fiber. I'm not sure however if the candy thermometer is completely accurate as it is meant to be immersed in a pot of liquid, not squirted on...but it seems to work okay.

For our application (not pressure washing) in general, the higher the flow, the hotter the water at the fiber/wand, though the temp at the machine will drop. Certainly if you have an anemic tiny HX or one which is scaled up or leaking, that may not be the case, but in general that is the rule.

Take care,
Lisa