Using the Air Hog Plus and Customer Tap Water Pressure

[Art Kelley]

This is a particularly obnoxious job I do every year. Normally I would prespray and prescrub with the 175 (for a good long while) and then extract with the TM. This year I just used the Air Hog and the 360i, and it took about the same amount of time and there was no gas used or wear and tear on my van.
Before:

And after:

 

[hogjowl]

How come theirs no picture of the air hog? Embarassed?

 

[Art Kelley]

Sorry Marty. Didn't take one on the job as I keep it outside on the front porch. Here's one on Thursday (Openind Day shiteatinggrin ) at a rental in NW Detroit where I used it as a vac booster so I can run my TM at idle saving more ga$:

 

[hogjowl]

Seriously? You lug that thing around just to save $3.00 in gas?

Did you win it for free or something?

 

[Art Kelley]

I've been using it a lot as a stand alone extractor or a vac booster, takes just a couple of minutes to set up. My fuel bill has dropped from $75/day to $25/day. Not to mention it should lower the repair bills on my direct drive van which practically equals my $12000 annual fuel bill. I'm guessing this Air Hog could save me $10000/year and extend the life of my 9 year old van. So yes, it's worth it.
Plus it's nice to have a convenient back-up if the TM dies.

 

[Connor]

Art, that's pretty cool, heck, get another airhog plus and forgo the TM altogether.

 

[Connor]

You really oughta letter your van.

 

[Art Kelley]

My old van was beautifully done up by a sign painter with nice lettering and a lovely rainbow. People would bother me all the time when I was working asking me to "just come look" at their dirty living room or give them a quote. I got a lot of business from it. But I like the anonymity of an unlettered truck. I have all the work I can do and don't like to be bothered by wierdos.

 

[Connor]

I have all the work I can do and don't like to be bothered by wierdos.

Ok, Art, I can take a hint.....

 

[hogjowl]

You're fuel bill was $75 per day? Are you sure?

My fuel bill is $15 per day, COUNTING my personal running around AND my TM time.

If I ran my TM continuousy for 6 straight hours, my fuel bill would be only $35.

 

[ACE]

Hooking up to the customer’s inside water is a last resort for me. The liability is not worth it if there are other options. I know you work in an economicaly depressed, god forsaken area, but you are obviously doing a much better job than the hagopin chimps who are rocking each truck for $200k +. Your customers like you and will pay a slightly higher rate to cover your fuel and deprecation cost.

 

[bob vawter]

My old van was beautifully done up by a sign painter with nice lettering and a lovely rainbow. People would bother me all the time when I was working asking me to "just come look" at their dirty living room or give them a quote. I got a lot of business from it. But I like the anonymity of an unlettered truck. I have all the work I can do and don't like to be bothered by wierdos.

which wierdos are ya speakin' of Art....?

 

[Out of Character - 0]

You're fuel bill was $75 per day? Are you sure?

My fuel bill is $15 per day, COUNTING my personal running around AND my TM time.

If I ran my TM continuousy for 6 straight hours, my fuel bill would be only $35.

We use roughly $60-$75 per van for a day shift.

 

[Jim Martin]

You're fuel bill was $75 per day? Are you sure?

My fuel bill is $15 per day, COUNTING my personal running around AND my TM time.

If I ran my TM continuousy for 6 straight hours, my fuel bill would be only $35.

We use roughly $60-$75 per van for a day shift.

Holy crap...what are you all doing...$75 bucks will fill my big ass truck 3/4 of a tank and pending on how far I have to drive I won't need gas for another 2 or 3 days...

 

[John Buxton]

Thats sounds like alot for fuel, dont blame you for cutting the tm time. You must do alot of driving like I have to.

 

[Connor]

Can you plug two Air Hog Plus' on one circuit?

 

[Art Kelley]

You're fuel bill was $75 per day? Are you sure?

My fuel bill is $15 per day, COUNTING my personal running around AND my TM time.

If I ran my TM continuousy for 6 straight hours, my fuel bill would be only $35.

We use roughly $60-$75 per van for a day shift.

Exactly. I run my Pro1200 (or I used to) from 8AM to 6PM with just 10-20 minutes between jobs with no breaks for lunch. The WM (and I'm sure the Butler or any large TM) is a pig at 2 gal/hr gas use. So if I can replicate the vacuum using custy's power and turn my truck down (or off) it is a huge savings. This is all new to me so I am very excited with the results.

 

[hogjowl]

Ah, I see. I am happy for you.

 

[Art Kelley]

Can you plug two Air Hog Plus' on one circuit?

The Air Hog Plus is an energy hog. It take two 14 amp circuits. Two would take four lines plus the pump pressure line plus the 360i so that would be six cords. It would look like my old stereo only with six 50' heavy cords.

 

[Shorty]

I can appreciate the no signs on your van Art.

I've been that way for 3&1/2 years.

Looking at the smaller Air Hog, once it gets through all the legal hoops required.

shiteatinggrin

 

[Connor]

Can you plug two Air Hog Plus' on one circuit?

The Air Hog Plus is an energy hog. It take two 14 amp circuits. Two would take four lines plus the pump pressure line plus the 360i so that would be six cords. It would look like my old stereo only with six 50' heavy cords.

Ah, then just get a generator and leave 'em it in the truck.... :mrgreen: Ivebeensold

 

[bob vawter]

Can you plug two Air Hog Plus' on one circuit?

The Air Hog Plus is an energy hog. It take two 14 amp circuits. Two would take four lines plus the pump pressure line plus the 360i so that would be six cords. It would look like my old stereo only with six 50' heavy cords.

and you wanna be my latex salesaman....?

 

[rwcarpet]

Sorry Marty. Didn't take one on the job as I keep it outside on the front porch. Here's one on Thursday (Openind Day shiteatinggrin ) at a rental in NW Detroit where I used it as a vac booster so I can run my TM at idle saving more ga$:

I don't know......my custys would get a little "antsy" if I plugged into their electric for a machine running out on their porch.

 

[Art Kelley]

Hooking up to the customer’s inside water is a last resort for me. The liability is not worth it if there are other options. I know you work in an economicaly depressed, god forsaken area, but you are obviously doing a much better job than the hagopin chimps who are rocking each truck for $200k +. Your customers like you and will pay a slightly higher rate to cover your fuel and deprecation cost.

You bring up two interesting points. Hooking up to inside water is not for the faint of heart, but I did it for 12 years because that is how my porty got it's water pressure just like the modern day Steamin Demon does today. My point with posting this you have options if your TM dies altogether or the pump or vac fails.
As for you opinion about the viability of Metro Detroit for running a business, it will come as a surprise to you and most people outside the area that Oakland County where I do the vast majority of my jobs is one of the wealthiest counties in the America. It certainly keeps pontential competitors from moving here with all the bad publicity Detroit receives.

 

[Studebaker]

Hey Art,
You should blur out those customer family photos....

 

[ACE]

Hey Art,
You should blur out those customer family photos....

Looking at them I now understand why Art is not making more $$$

 

[dgargan]

I'm with Marty and Jim. What are you guys doing to burn that much gas? We are not even close to those numbers.

 

[royalkid]

I call BS on the $75.00 per day gas bill. I have a butler and that's way too high. You say you're running from 8am-6pm, 10 hrs....well, take the 10-20 minutes between jobs, the walk-thru/pre-inspections/set-up/break-down and you're no where near that 10 hr run time. My TM doesn't start until walk-thru, pre-inspection, pre-vac, hoses, corner guards, etc...all equipment in house ready to go...so TM might not get started til 15-20 minutes after arriving, then it's cut off when cleaning stops, then pack-up and get paid (another 15 minutes). In a 10 hr wk day (8am-6pm) I'd say my TM runs about 6 hrs or so...and at 2 gal per hour, that's 12 gals...12X$3.75=$45.00 and that's a 10 hr day....usually would be around $30-$40. I'd rather pay the gas bill then use custys water and power and lug that thing around. And your logic on the van not being lettered is silly to me, you don't want people to know you're running a CC biz, seriously, were you getting walk-ups all day long (don't think so)...I have a great van wrap, and I get some calls (not a lot), and a few walk-ups, but nothing that i'd consider bothersome...would you rather pay for ads or get free biz from walk-ups? Just my .2 Carry-on :roll:

 

[Connor]

I call BS on the $75.00 per day gas bill.

Interesting........ such doubt, I anticipate a rebuttal.

 

[Art Kelley]

Hey Art,
You should blur out those customer family photos....

Whoops.