I am spoiled I guess

[Frank P.]

I bought an Eclipse portie and just got it last week. We planned on marketing carpet cleaning to our existing duct cleaning customer base. I have always used a TM in the past all the way back to 1978. We hooked the Eclipse up with 3 vac motors, 2 heaters, dump pump & 300 PSI water pump and could not get it to run on a 20 amp & 15 amp circuit. We turned off a heater and it still popped breakers. Finally we turned off the dump pump too and we finished my carpet in way too long a time. Next day my son took it to his house and had the same problems. It took far too long to clean his carpet & upholstery. Plus there were mishaps with water on the floor etc...Luckily we did not buy a van for the new venture until we got the Eclipse. We had to load it and unload it in my 14 ft cab over diesel truck. What a pain and not a 1 man job with duct cleaning equipment on each side of the box.

Making a long story short I am returning the Eclipse for a full credit and will wait until I want to invest in a TM to clean carpets.

Question: Would you buy a TM that is middle of the road to do what I intended with the Eclipse or would you go nuts and buy something huge to set our company apart from the rest of the rabble out there? I can't get into the YP's for 9 months & 11 months too.

Frank P.

 

[Jeremy]

Get the best that your BUDGET WILL SUPPORT YEAR ROUND.

 

[FastEddie]

Doesn't that porty require two 20 amp circuits?

 

[Frank P.]

Spoiled

No they say 1 20 amp & 1 15 amp.
Odin where would I find info on the Internet on the Nordic 1?
Frank P.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Frank P;

Look for a reliable engine driving a #4 blower.

A large Heat Exchanger to provide good heat.

A reliable pump & regulator system.

A large recovery tank and if needed, a fresh water tank.

A System that you can understand the operation of.

Larry Cobb

 

[Dolly Llama]

"or would you go nuts and buy something huge to set our company apart from the rest of the rabble out there?"

Frank, if you think it's a huge set up that sets you apart, there's plenty salesmen that will take your money.

It's your personality and service you deliver that sets you apart.

Your equipment makes you more or less efficient is all

Equipment doesn't separate you from the "rabble".
If that was so, Venturi (the outfit that put Vortex on the map) wouldn't of went OUT OF BIZ.


..L.T.A.

 

[Brian L]

How they can sell a portable and claim it can run on 2 circuits without popping breakers just ticks me off. That machine needs at least 3 or 4 separate circuits to run properly.

 

[GRHeacock]

Part of the electrical problem is- they most likely had other things taking part of the available amps, so instead of 15 amps there was only 5 or 6 amps available to run the machine, which will pop breakers and or blow fuses.

I started with portables in the 1960's and went through the same problems.

One answer is to have a 220 volt splitter plugged into the dryer or electric stove. I did that a lot.

But the better answer is to have a gas powered Truck Mount, or an electric Truck Mount that has a generator.

And it is not the truck that gets business, it is the man and the marketing.

I ran an Astro with the Truck Mount in it, and that worked just fine.

Gary

 

[Jim Morrison]

ditto what Meat & Gary said.

No need to get something huge (modern day fixation) get something good and go set yourself apart from the rest.

Jim

 

[Jim Williams]

Frank, if you are doing residential with one wand, there are plenty of machines out there for under $14,000 that can clean very efficiently. Get something with a distributor close by because it will break sooner or later.

As far as the YP go,,IMO there are much better ways to advertise.(postcards). Since you already have customers I would definitely start there.

Good luck!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Jeremy (Deer Hunter) is right, get the best you can afford, build your business and then upgrade your equipment.

Don't spend so much you cannot afford the payments. :shock: