Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: clive ware on July 28, 2012, 09:22:02 pm
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Has anyone tried getting an Airflex Storm upstairs? I bought as a powereful portable but not finding it very portable! I struggle to get it in and out of my Citroen Relay and getting it up a flight of stairs seems impossible. It surely needs a handle on the front or something to hold on to!
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i have the airflex turbo and yes there bloody heavy ,i wouldnt even contemplate taking it up stairs :o . I either put outside of custy's house or run from the van with 50/75ft of hose
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Its quite easy no? ??? Is the machine totaly empty of water when your lifting?
Tilt it on the back wheels and away you go.
Also, if your not lieing the machine on its back when its in the van, then remove the wheels on the handles as you'll get a better grip on the handle.
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You lot need to eat more shredded wheat, get it on it's back wheels and balanced. I wouldn't take it up more than 1 flight but it's not the heaviest thing in the world.
You wanna try getting 7m x 5m of 42oz twist up a flight of stairs.
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I have the Storm, why would you want too take it upstairs, you can run up to 150 hose off it. That being said flats are a different matter and yes they are a little bit heavy to lift. I don't do many flats and have done one since I got it and the landlord was a really good bloke and helped me up two floors but I got it down on my own, never again though. Previous to the Storm i had two other machines and although easier to get up stairs they still presented a challenge. If you think you might be doing flats on a regular basis I would look at getting a smaller machine for these jobs. The Storm is still the best machine I have ever had, it is my third.
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I bet mrs.ware doesn't have a handle on the front and I bet you get her upstairs ... Sometimes ;D
Shaun
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I bet mrs.ware doesn't have a handle on the front and I bet you get her upstairs ... Sometimes ;D
Shaun
Yes, but i bet he hopes she's emptied her waste tank first!!!!
;D ;D ;D
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or maybe a good pair of handles on the side ;)
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Had an Airflex turbo for over two years and only once have i ever not been able to do a job because of the weight, it runs over 150ft of hose ??? the weight is an easy trade off for the power.
ps i have never struggled to get it into my dispatch if you do it right you never actually lift the whole weight.
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The Ninja with built in tank heater and in-line heater weighs somewhere around 70kg.
It's not much fun taking it up to a second floor apartment but there are occassions when I've had to do that more than once in a day.
Keeps me fit, though. :)
Rog
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Crikey Roger that V2 heater must weigh about 30kg?! My ninja without a V2 is only 35-odd ???
Shaun / Billy.... PMSL!!! classic!! ;D ;D
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I had an Airflex Turbo and it was heavy!
Sometimes flats are going to be unavoidable and your just going to have to get a friend to help you lift the thing up a flight of stairs... i would prefer to have the machine closer just to be able to monitor the waste water level etc..
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I had an airflex and never had any weight issues great machine i used sling over my shoulder and run up the stairs mind you i am a farmers son
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Maybe you need to get some more hose then clive..would not keep trying to take it upstairs..
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I was looking into a stair climbing trolley as used by removal and electric appliances shops. for doing hotels etc with my portable which also weight a ton and you do your back in using stair climbing wheels as handle is low ( yes i do have a stiff Back)
But I am concerned about shaking all the parts every-time I go up a step so decided if hoses cant reach through windows etc I will not do it
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I am surprised nobody has ever removed their standard wheels and fitted the 3 wheel versions.
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Clinton, I`ve got 400 ft of hose in the van! :D
The reason I got the portie is for jobs where I`m struggling to get the tm to.
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Hiya sos to but in, but would any of you chaps know if the storm is better than the Enforcer...I think its the next one up from the Ninja. :-\
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The only thing "up" from the ninja is the size of the tanks, the size of the machine, the weight and the cost.
It runs two 5.7 or 7.2 vac motors (in whatever combination for some incomprehensible reason) and whatever sized pump you want in it, exactly the same.
Ashbys are stuck in the 1980s development-wise but trying to charge 2020s prices for it. You can get much more bang for your buck elsewhere.
The ninja is pretty much unbeatable for what it is... a no-nonsense twin 5.7 vac in-series machine with a submersed heater that will work all day and all night for you if needed. Unfortunately since it was designed in the 80s it has been superseded but you could still do a lot worse.
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I would disagree that ashbys are completely stuck in the past ... the enforcer seems to an inhouse design and must be one of the most modern out there ...
for the price of a storm .. 2900 , you can get a 600 enforcer that includes the built in steammate ... only difference is series vs parallel , storm might have 6.6 with good cfm but has only about 125" lift compared to 230 for the series 7.2 .
as for pump reliability , its all pumptec , so could be just unlucky with failures .
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Why would you want 7.2 motor often the advise on extracta is change them for 5,5
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I was of the understanding that the 5.5 vacs were better than the 7.2 because the motors in the larger couldn't turn fast enough to get the best out of them that may be why the 6.6 has been manufactured, imagine 3 x 6.6 vacs now that would pull the skin off a rice pudding ;D
Shaun
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Terry
Why not fit a 250 psi pump might save the hassle
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[/quote]
John, what experience do you have using the
ashbys enforcer and airflex storm?
[/quote]
I would have none of either :)
I like individual design features of both ...
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John do you really think 2 x standard vac motors is cutting edge? Or that 7.2 vac motors even have a place in modern cleaning machines?
The bodywork of the enforcer is just like putting lipstick on a pig, the core of an extraction machine is its ability to create vacuum and airflow which two of either of those style of motors are not the best at by a long way.
All the bells and whistles they offer as options make the machine hideously expensive for what it is.
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John do you really think 2 x standard vac motors is cutting edge? Or that 7.2 vac motors even have a place in modern cleaning machines?
The bodywork of the enforcer is just like putting lipstick on a pig, the core of an extraction machine is its ability to create vacuum and airflow which two of either of those style of motors are not the best at by a long way.
All the bells and whistles they offer as options make the machine hideously expensive for what it is.
I have tried to think why Ashbys have continued with 7.2's ....
Ashby's go to great lengths on its site to stress its belief in the importance of suction (lift ) and doesn't even mention airflow ...
If thats its philosophy then the three stage 7.2 is still one of the strongest performers ... if u look at the data pdf for the 7.2 it shows max 144" , a little more than the 5.7 at 137" .... the 6.6 is a two stage and makes even less 131"
That could be part of it , but also could be that in their experience its been reliable , or could even be there is more profit margin on the replacement sales !
But yes if i got an enforcer i would likely fit newer vacs .... either the ametek 8.4 , 6.6 or electro three stages .
I like the design and thought that went into it , the very large waste tank opening , rainproof switch housing , cable holders , recessed protection on outlet , sturdy construction ...
Any of these top end machines could be described as overpriced ...
the storm is 2900 for two 140 euro vacs a pumptec and a few inexpensive bit and pieces .... not even heat at that price
So for 2800 i would prefer the enforcer with built in steammate ... extra cfm of the storm might benefit longer hose runs but in the real world who runes 150ft from a porty .... I think thats why Ashbys haven't jumped on the parallel 6.6 high cfm bandwagon .... because in reality most jobs are <50ft and other features are just as important .
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What I find strange is that Ashbys have used 5.5 up to now so little experience of how reliable 7.2 are. I admit they know more about making machines than me .
But should explain their reasons without getting hot under the collar.
People who asked questions are usually good for sales
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yes , it would be interesting to ask them if any ones in :)
Its possible the latest 7.2 has seen some development ... going by the data it is a bit more powerful than before , extracta also mention 20% increase in efficiency .
http://www.alltemp.ca/vacuum/pdf/11750212.pdf
At 142" lift it is one of best performers lift wise ...
of coarse the ametek 8.4 two stage would have similar lift and 40% more cfm , but it likely to be about £250-300 for each unit judging by USA prices .
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I'm inclined to believe the mix of vac motors is to
reduce wear.
Problems always occured because the second motor
was effectivley over driven by the first, this is the reason
they started fitting one standard and one HD motor.
Presumably running one HD into a 7.2" makes for a much
better balanced pairing, with the 7.2 coping with a 5.7HD
without any stress.
When you look at the Scorpion/Jaguar you have to realise
Pig Ugly does actually work.
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I'm inclined to believe the mix of vac motors is to
reduce wear.
Problems always occured because the second motor
was effectivley over driven by the first, this is the reason
they started fitting one standard and one HD motor.
Presumably running one HD into a 7.2" makes for a much
better balanced pairing, with the 7.2 coping with a 5.7HD
without any stress.
When you look at the Scorpion/Jaguar you have to realise
Pig Ugly does actually work.
can you define ' heavy duty ' ... Ashbys also refer to the 7.2 as ' heavy duty ...
dont think its performance related .
I cant define it myself , i though it might refer to construction ... ie plastic horn vs metal horn , epoxy finish etc ...
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Your all forgetting one very important part of this equation, the enforcer has the "back up of Ashbys" lol
I started with a Ninja quite good but in my opinion an underpowered machine compared to the Airflex which i have been using for two years, the Enforcer may well be quite powerful but dealing with them was a depressing first experience in carpet cleaning, always the quick buck rather than develop a good customer/ supplier relationship.
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That's why you never go near Ashbys after buying ::)
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Thats all well and good just pray to god that nothing happens in its first year when its under its warranty!