Rotovac Ranger 250psi with Rotovac 360i just not cutting it. Advice?

Bay builders

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2022
Messages
4
Location
Seatty
Name
Leonard
Hello all! I'm new to the forums and in need of some professional advice. My portable setup just doesn't seem to be cutting it. I have a few side jobs that come in for carpet cleaning (mainly apt buildings). Here is my setup:

Rotovac Ranger Dual 2 stage 250psi
Rotovac 360i rotary with a 25' vac hose.

Spent a lot thinking this would work. Me being an idiot and not doing research and now I'm in this situation. Is there a way for me to convert this 250 to a 500 to have some decent power? Im currently using bio-break and using hot water from the faucet to add into my portable. I've tried different sprays as well, but the machine just seems too weak. Any advice would be great. Thank you all in advance!
 

Cleanworks

Moderator
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
26,929
Location
New Westminster,BC
Name
Ron Marriott
Hello all! I'm new to the forums and in need of some professional advice. My portable setup just doesn't seem to be cutting it. I have a few side jobs that come in for carpet cleaning (mainly apt buildings). Here is my setup:

Rotovac Ranger Dual 2 stage 250psi
Rotovac 360i rotary with a 25' vac hose.

Spent a lot thinking this would work. Me being an idiot and not doing research and now I'm in this situation. Is there a way for me to convert this 250 to a 500 to have some decent power? Im currently using bio-break and using hot water from the faucet to add into my portable. I've tried different sprays as well, but the machine just seems too weak. Any advice would be great. Thank you all in advance!
Your machine is fine. Adding more pressure won't get the job done much better or faster. For heavily soiled carpets, you need to add agitation. Either CRB or 360i with brush head.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kenny Hayes

Rick J

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
891
Location
Ohio
Name
rick Jones
I was thinking brush head as well.
I got the 360i here, on an auction, a while back, for the express reason the brush head came with it, and I wanted to try it out. Using it with a portable, it really did do well. However, he needs to know, it is SLOW!!!!!!!.
when using it , the situation is restorative cleaning. Of course, apts are often just that.!! I mix my prespray of choice, and to the strength I think is needed, and apply it through the roto, sans vacuum. And, lighter where appropriaate, and heavy where appropriate. Then flush, flush, flush,,, and flush some more. !!! Also, no need to hold it wide open, often I am bumping the trigger just occasionally, letting the tool's agitation do the work.

would help for yourself to learn what you are cleaning. A lot of the new fibers being put out esp, in the rental markets are trash, and do not clean well at all. for a variety of reasons.
 

Rick J

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
891
Location
Ohio
Name
rick Jones
funny, just today, a PET that really was not bad, but , it is poly, and the whole area around where a rug had been laying was going to be a problem , I knew. I used my original 2 head roto, as my 360i was stolen, took my time, even with a lot of effort, yes it looks ok, but, if you were to scutinize, ( which I do to myself, too much!!) you can still see the outline of the rug. Used the neo poly stuff from hydra master, as well as some Power Burst extreme

OH, and the 360i stole it without the heads. !!! So unless they have a source, it is useless.

20220617_101447.jpg 20220617_122526.jpg
 

Cleanworks

Moderator
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
26,929
Location
New Westminster,BC
Name
Ron Marriott
I was thinking brush head as well.
I got the 360i here, on an auction, a while back, for the express reason the brush head came with it, and I wanted to try it out. Using it with a portable, it really did do well. However, he needs to know, it is SLOW!!!!!!!.
when using it , the situation is restorative cleaning. Of course, apts are often just that.!! I mix my prespray of choice, and to the strength I think is needed, and apply it through the roto, sans vacuum. And, lighter where appropriaate, and heavy where appropriate. Then flush, flush, flush,,, and flush some more. !!! Also, no need to hold it wide open, often I am bumping the trigger just occasionally, letting the tool's agitation do the work.

would help for yourself to learn what you are cleaning. A lot of the new fibers being put out esp, in the rental markets are trash, and do not clean well at all. for a variety of reasons.
That's the beauty of the 360. You can use it just like a 175, scrubbing your prespray in, then turning on your machine and flushing it out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SamIam
Joined
Mar 29, 2008
Messages
9,345
Location
Hawaii
Name
Nate W.
That's the beauty of the 360. You can use it just like a 175, scrubbing your prespray in, then turning on your machine and flushing it out.

The twin head is what I cut my teeth on.. It has great agitation but leaves too much water down for my likings..

@Rick J The after picture looks fine to me.. You can't compare walked on carpet to covered carpet not walked on..
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Cleanworks

encapman

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
2,258
Location
St Petersburg, FL
Name
Rick Gelinas
Using a porty — the best way I know to get better results is to pre-scrub with a rotary, CRB, or OP; and then rinse with the porty. It's a 2-step process. But it doesn't take that much longer, because you can scrub pretty fast and then rinse more quickly than you're extracting now.
 

Rick J

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
891
Location
Ohio
Name
rick Jones
The twin head is what I cut my teeth on.. It has great agitation but leaves too much water down for my likings..

@Rick J The after picture looks fine to me.. You can't compare walked on carpet to covered carpet not walked on..
Years ago when it first came out I bought it direct from rotovac and the knock-on it was it used Too Much H2O. But you do not need to hold the valve open you can control how much water you put down and let the tool and agitation do the work.

And I experimented both ways and leaving the marks disguises a little bit the wear pattern
 
Joined
Mar 29, 2008
Messages
9,345
Location
Hawaii
Name
Nate W.
Years ago when it first came out I bought it direct from rotovac and the knock-on it was it used Too Much H2O. But you do not need to hold the valve open you can control how much water you put down and let the tool and agitation do the work.

And I experimented both ways and leaving the marks disguises a little bit the wear pattern

I have 5 og twin heads, 1 rv360, 2 rv 360i's, 1 rv360xl.. I even have the green glides for the og twin heads Greenie gave me.. I prefer the 360xl brush head myself..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kenny Hayes

Kenny Hayes

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
7,877
Location
Yukon, Oklahoma
Name
Kenny Hayes
Using a porty — the best way I know to get better results is to pre-scrub with a rotary, CRB, or OP; and then rinse with the porty. It's a 2-step process. But it doesn't take that much longer, because you can scrub pretty fast and then rinse more quickly than you're extracting now.
I’m a corn row hack! I do that regardless of what I use a porty, or truckmount.
 

Bay builders

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2022
Messages
4
Location
Seatty
Name
Leonard
Are you using the brush head with your Rotovac?
I am using the brush head.

You’ve wasted a bunch of money on that junk


Question for @Bay builders

How much time do you spend vacuuming the carpet prior to your portable work?
Im using a regular Hoover commercial backpack vacuum. I dont spend much time doing it. I just vacuum normally and then I'll take the attachment off to get the edges and cracks.

Sorry for the late response. I thought I would get an email if I got any responses. When I do my carpet cleaning I would vacuum everything, use my pre-spray on small sections, use my brush head to agitate, then I use my portable setup. I am taking my time to do the cleaning. It took me 8 hours to finish a 5 floor apartment that only has 3 apartments on each floor so the landings are not that long. A lot of the people Im seeing when searching seem to say 500psi is minimum that someone should have to get a good cleaning. Am I doing something wrong here? Thank you everyone for your input!
 
  • Like
Reactions: BIG WOOD and SamIam

Cleanworks

Moderator
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
26,929
Location
New Westminster,BC
Name
Ron Marriott
I am using the brush head.


Im using a regular Hoover commercial backpack vacuum. I dont spend much time doing it. I just vacuum normally and then I'll take the attachment off to get the edges and cracks.

Sorry for the late response. I thought I would get an email if I got any responses. When I do my carpet cleaning I would vacuum everything, use my pre-spray on small sections, use my brush head to agitate, then I use my portable setup. I am taking my time to do the cleaning. It took me 8 hours to finish a 5 floor apartment that only has 3 apartments on each floor so the landings are not that long. A lot of the people Im seeing when searching seem to say 500psi is minimum that someone should have to get a good cleaning. Am I doing something wrong here? Thank you everyone for your input!
A good carpet cleaner can clean with 500 psi or 100 psi. It's all a matter of adapting your process to your equipment. Sounds like you need to prespray more. Use an inline sprayer. Much faster and better coverage. Experiment with different presprays and extraction detergents. Make sure you are using something with some cleaning power through your portable. Don't depend on just the prespray to do all the work. Prespray, scrub with your rotovac with the water off, then rinse, still using the rotovac with the brush head.
 

Bay builders

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2022
Messages
4
Location
Seatty
Name
Leonard
A good carpet cleaner can clean with 500 psi or 100 psi. It's all a matter of adapting your process to your equipment. Sounds like you need to prespray more. Use an inline sprayer. Much faster and better coverage. Experiment with different presprays and extraction detergents. Make sure you are using something with some cleaning power through your portable. Don't depend on just the prespray to do all the work. Prespray, scrub with your rotovac with the water off, then rinse, still using the rotovac with the brush head.
Ill invest in an inline sprayer. Any recommendations on what prespray and extraction detergent to start with?

I normally do the prespray, scrub with the rotovac with water off, then rinse using the rotovac brush head. I'll try the inline sprayer, but it looks clean when I go through it. The next day I'll get a phone call saying black stains are showing up. I would then have to go back and then go over the areas again. Can it be just the prespray that Im not spraying enough? I went through so many videos and I feel like Im doing it right, but it never does. Sigh....
 
Last edited:

Cleanworks

Moderator
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
26,929
Location
New Westminster,BC
Name
Ron Marriott
Ill invest in an inline sprayer. Any recommendations on what prespray and extraction detergent to start with? Thanks!
There are so many out there. If you have a Prochem distributor near you, try Ultrapak or Ultrapak Extreme for heavily soiled jobs. Use Prochem Dry Slurry for a rinse. Don't worry about neutralizing anything.
 

Hack Attack

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
5,620
Location
further south than you
Name
Dan
Ill invest in an inline sprayer. Any recommendations on what prespray and extraction detergent to start with?

I normally do the prespray, scrub with the rotovac with water off, then rinse using the rotovac brush head. I'll try the inline sprayer, but it looks clean when I go through it. The next day I'll get a phone call saying black stains are showing up. I would then have to go back and then go over the areas again. Can it be just the prespray that Im not spraying enough? I went through so many videos and I feel like Im doing it right, but it never does. Sigh....
if showing up the day after, it's soiling that hasn't been removed "wicking" to the surface as it drys

rotovacs can put down a lot of water, I'd cut back the water flow and do more dry strokes

the faster it drys the less likely this happens
 

Bay builders

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2022
Messages
4
Location
Seatty
Name
Leonard
There are so many out there. If you have a Prochem distributor near you, try Ultrapak or Ultrapak Extreme for heavily soiled jobs. Use Prochem Dry Slurry for a rinse. Don't worry about neutralizing anything.
if showing up the day after, it's soiling that hasn't been removed "wicking" to the surface as it drys

rotovacs can put down a lot of water, I'd cut back the water flow and do more dry strokes

the faster it drys the less likely this happens
Great advise! I'll try that on my next job.

Inline sprayer using Ultrapak for the pre-spray and Dry Slyurry for the portable. Then using less water and more dry strokes. Hope this works. Thank you so much!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cleanworks

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom