RotoVac CFX

[Danny Strickland]

anyone have and USE one to do furniture cleaning? Pro's/ Con's of the machine if you have one.

 

[Art Kelley]

I have the two cord 3 stage CFX that I bought used a year ago and have used it on hundreds of jobs. The standard one cord model would be enough for furniture cleaning, I'm sure. It's is the best moduar unit available and does exactly what I hoped it would. You need to put an inline vacuum filter on it like a Devastator or a Lint Hog because the sock filter in the machine will quickly fill up and the APO won't work. Once you figure out how it all works it's a perfect system for carpet and upholstery and tile (with an electric 1200 psi pump).

 

[Mikey P]

Any pics Art?


never seen one in person

 

[Art Kelley]

 

[Art Kelley]

It's very empowering to be able to do this level of work with the TM turned off; to have this available if your TM suddenly fails.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think they rent those at the grocery store. WELL not exactly like it, the one at the grocery store is much powerful.

 

[Rotovac]

I think they rent those at the grocery store. WELL not exactly like it, the one at the grocery store is much powerful.

Don't let the compact size fool you. The CFX has dual 3 stage vacuum motors and a great auto empty pump out system.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Sorry Chuck those stats are totally lost on me. So it IS as strong as those red box rentals at the grocery store?

 

[Mikey P]

Thats pretty cool, how much?

 

[Danny Strickland]

is it heated or just need 2 cords for the vac???

 

[Desk Jockey]

Daniel what are you cleaning? The airport again? Hundreds of pieces or onesey twoosey?

Are you looking for that direct supply and auto pumpout?

What cleaning psi?

I really like TM cleaning with the Sapphire tool but I can clean with a portable too if need be.

Slower production, takes a little more labor and chems but you can still deliver the same results if you try.

 

[dgardner]

is it heated or just need 2 cords for the vac???

Danny,
The CFX is only the extraction part - the water comes from somewhere else, either a faucet or separate pump.

 

[Danny Strickland]

Looking at doing warrentee work for Guardsman and maybe some commercial upholstery in Dr's offices etc?

 

[Desk Jockey]

So that's a much smaller scale than I thought.

Personally I'd go with a smallish portable 50-75psi .

That way you don't have to worry about hooking up to water or pumping it out. I'd carry 5-gallons of fresh in your van. Drop the porty down and pour in a couple of gallons, then added your rinse solution. Spot the spot and rinse and you're on your way.

 

[Art Kelley]

Looking at doing warrentee work for Guardsman and maybe some commercial upholstery in Dr's offices etc?

The CFX would work for those two situations. For the office upholstery work you would hook an upholstery tool directly to the faucet in the kitchen or bath

for the warranty work you could carry in a battery sprayer with a QQ hookup to the upholstery tool.

 

[Shorty]

Danny, I do warranty work for Guardsman, most times they are merely spots & they will tell you one panel, two panels, etc;

Because it's such as small area most times, I just take in a Bissell Spot Clean.



I always inspect prior to picking my equipment.

If I need more, I take more, ie; a small porty, etc;

Occasionally the CFX will need to go in.

If I need something self contained I take in a different porty, which will near enough do a 3 seat sofa.

 

[Desk Jockey]

The CFX would work for those two situations. For the office upholstery work you would hook an upholstery tool directly to the faucet in the kitchen or bath
View attachment 1004
for the warranty work you could carry in a battery sprayer with a QQ hookup to the upholstery tool.
View attachment 1005

Art you're working far too hard. I'd be done cleaning and you'd still be setting up.

If it were a days worth of cleaning, yes that would be the better choice since you can clean upholstery nonstop.

 

[Art Kelley]

Art you're working far too hard. I'd be done cleaning and you'd still be setting up.

If it were a days worth of cleaning, yes that would be the better choice since you can clean upholstery nonstop.

I'm just saying he could use the CFX if that's what he had. You could bring in some half-assed machine and do a half-assed job and be done in half the time. But this is a serious setup to do serious business.

 

[Dmreed4311]

Danny,
The CFX is only the extraction part - the water comes from somewhere else, either a faucet or separate pump.

View attachment 1003

Oh, not loving that

 

[Art Kelley]

Oh, not loving that

The point is, it's a modular system. You separate the pump and vacuum into easily carried sub 50# units. To get comparable power in a self-contained unit you need to load and unload a 150# machine. Not fun by yourself, not bad if you have a chimp. But then you have a chimp with you all day who's only purpose is to help lift a heavy porty. That's pretty wasteful and expensive.

 

[Desk Jockey]

That's pretty wasteful and expensive

That's where you trade off cleaning too. You'll be more productive and not as worn out at the end of the day. A two man crew is only good if they both work. Hiring a hose holder is as you stated an expensive proposition.

 

[Papa John]

I have the two cord 3 stage CFX that I bought used a year ago and have used it on hundreds of jobs. The standard one cord model would be enough for furniture cleaning, I'm sure. It's is the best moduar unit available and does exactly what I hoped it would. You need to put an inline vacuum filter on it like a Devastator or a Lint Hog because the sock filter in the machine will quickly fill up and the APO won't work. Once you figure out how it all works it's a perfect system for carpet and upholstery and tile (with an electric 1200 psi pump).

Hi Art-- I was thinking about buying a CFX as a backup too. one of my vans cant fit a full sized porty. but is the fauct water presure a little weak on carpet? If you use water pump then I take it you would need 3 separate outlets? How much did you pay?

 

[Ron K]

Art, nice set up. Have you ever tried this with a 360 I believe it would kick but in that situation. Also two people can always stay busy if you know how to work. Prep/Vac, move furniture/tab,block, pre-condition,groom move air-paths apply Scotch Guard ext.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I've used tap pressure very successfully for years in the past.

 

[dgardner]

The current crop of RE's are actually designed to use lower pressure, like the 360 with it's floodjet-type jets and the Hoss's spraybar and flow control orifice. I think one of these modern RE's would be a great fit for a CFX/hot water tap connection, and of course low pressure lends itself well to upholstery, though you may have to adjust jetting to get the flow you want.

 

[Russ T.]

I'm Thankful for my TM but I'd MUCH rather deal with one of these CFX things than a porty. I can definitely see the value in something like this.

Especially for cleaning upholstery.

Well, maybe ONLY for cleaning upholstery.

 

[Russ T.]

Warm water, weak extraction.

You could probably do a good job if you take your time and UP the agitation and spike your prespray on carpet.

It's nice that you're emptying into a toilet and pulling off the sink. Does that mean you can keep cleaning until your scum bag/filter is full? If so, GREAT for a upholstery tool like the HF or SS.

 

[Art Kelley]

Hi Art-- I was thinking about buying a CFX as a backup too. one of my vans cant fit a full sized porty. but is the fauct water presure a little weak on carpet? If you use water pump then I take it you would need 3 separate outlets? How much did you pay?

Art, nice set up. Have you ever tried this with a 360 I believe it would kick but in that situation. Also two people can always stay busy if you know how to work. Prep/Vac, move furniture/tab,block, pre-condition,groom move air-paths apply Scotch Guard ext.

Warm water, weak extraction.

You could probably do a good job if you take your time and UP the agitation and spike your prespray on carpet.

It's nice that you're emptying into a toilet and pulling off the sink. Does that mean you can keep cleaning until your scum bag/filter is full? If so, GREAT for a upholstery tool like the HF or SS.

This system works well at the low pressure of a tap, and matches TM cleaning, only because I use the 360i. You can use the 360i as a prescrubber with a pad or bonnet (or even with just the swoop head), you don't always have to rotary extract. A quick flyover with the red or white pad makes low pressure wanding very effective.

Sometimes I have to up the water pressure if it is below 60-80 psi by attaching a 220 psi diaphragm pump inline (rigged up in a tackle box) which only draws 1-2 amps.

Adjustable high pressure pumps are available up to 1200 psi for tile cleaning and high pressure carpet cleaning, but not necessary for the rotary extractor to work well. With a large capacity lint filter you can wand, rotary and upholstery clean nonstop for as many hours as you are able to work without ever touching water buckets, which is useful on huge commercial jobs.

 

[Ron K]

S M A R T !

 

[Papa John]

The current crop of RE's are actually designed to use lower pressure, like the 360 with it's floodjet-type jets and the Hoss's spraybar and flow control orifice. I think one of these modern RE's would be a great fit for a CFX/hot water tap connection, and of course low pressure lends itself well to upholstery, though you may have to adjust jetting to get the flow you want.

you are such a genius!! its hard to believe you are not CC full time!!-- we are blessed to have you!