Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Darren O on February 06, 2009, 10:34:02 pm
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A question for Scorpion owners can you use chemicals like Formula 90 with the Scorpion or will it foam up to much because of the suction on it cheers Darren.
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You shouldnt have any major problems however, if you do just add a cap ful of Prochem Liquid Defoamer to the waste tank.
Richie.
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I would only use 35ml in a full tank and not more than 50ml, take no notice of F90 instructions IMO because if you follow them you will get foam problems.
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It does create a lot of foam due to the suction power - if i ever use Crystal Green it foams up massively with just one bucket load unless i use some de-foamer.
As long as de-foamer in it though it is fine.
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Always good to put some de-foamer in your tank just in case :o
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and the tip I got re defoamer..... was to mix it in a bucket with some water and then suck it up thro the hose - thus it lines the hose on the way to the tank.... same way as the suction water travels.
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Thanks for the replys also how many plugs does it have iam thinking of buying one in the summer if i cant get my Raptor fixed once and for all would also be buying a Ashbys steamate but its pricey £649+vat.I was thinking of buying a truckmount before Christmass got all the info from Hydramaster was looking at the Boxer 318 but my van is a swb Nissan Primaster and there wouldnt be enough room the time i put my WFP gear for the window cleaning in it to and cant afford a new van and truckmount the Scorpion is one Ugly machine but if its as good as every one says it is then i think it will be worth getting.
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The Scorpion has 4 switches, one for each vac and then one for the pump.
Two cables and have worked them from the same double socket in a hall or lounge (wherever).
Not had a problem tripping out.
Scorpion is one ugly machine! ........ maybe Clinton will reply to that. CLINTON.
Weight is 90lbs so it is a lightweight by comparison to some.
That seems a lot for a heater. They are not on Solutions website but I reckon Nick could do one cheaper.
The one I have is dual chamber with separate switches.
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Joe compared to my Raptor i think the Scorpion looks flimsey at best but iam not bothered how it looks just totally fed up with the Raptor i have a powermax to but iam not going back to 120psi agree with you on the price of the steamate thats for the 400psi version but they are supposed to be the best inline heaters out and has anybody got one and what do you think of them. cheers Darren.
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Hi darren :)
Like the idea of the scorpion and till i saw one in the flesh last week i didnt think it was a bad looking machine mate,I could say a few other makes that were uglier ;D
They are really light and not to hard to load into your van.
Think the heater exchanger from nick will be cheaper and as joe said am sure he will do a deal ???
The ashbys seems expensive mate at that price ???
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I know ashbys have got the new dual heat system in there machines so maybe thats why there so expensive as they are trying to sell the new machines ???
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Darren
when you read the first line of this machine on ebay - does it sound familiar
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Carpet-Cleaner-Carpet-Cleaning-Machine_W0QQitemZ320338891419QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item320338891419&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1121|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318
Darren - dont be worried if you think the Scorpion LOOKS flimsey - I have not heared of one imploding due to its power.
and dont worry about you think it looks ugly - I have not had any client say "thats an ugly machine - just take it away, I dont want it here".
I have heard them say "oh, my carpets look lovely and feel nice and soft".
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Joe just read it does sound familiar iam not realy bothered what the Scorpion looks like iam more interested in the heat exchangers i dont no how good the one Solutions sell but ive got the one Prochem sell £399+vat and its crap thats why iam looking at the steamate the spec for it looks good not bothered how much it is as long as it gets the water hot enough.
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Would i have to buy another wand to i see you can get it with 2inch vac hose was thinking of running 40ft of 2inch and 10ft of 1.5inch to the wand or am i better running 50ft of 2inch to the wand just means spending more money on a wand for 2inch vac hose.
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The 2" hose is standard buy would think you could ask for 1.5" ............ but dont do that.
Go for the 2" and if you dont want to go for a 2" wand at this time then you can either
a) put 2" to 1.5" reducing cuff on the end of the 2" hose
or
b) as 2" hose can be a bit awkward to some people especially in tighter spaces ie bedroom, then you can have say 10' 1.5" hose. Still need the 2" to 1.5" reducer.
The 2" hose Solutions supply is quiet flexible and therefore you may feel no need for the 1.5" whip hose to the wand, but you may still find it advantageous for a upholstery/stair tool.
However, a 2" wand would be better then a 1.5", but is heavier.
I manage ok with my 1.5" wand. Still very good drying times.
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Joe what size of wand do you use with your truckmount.
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Same 1.5" I use with the Sorpion.
12" wide, one a 2 jet and another a 4 jet.
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IMO a 3kw inline heater will struggle to heat to a high temp continuously and most heaters seem to be only 2 kw. I used to fill the tank and put an open hose on the heater and recirculate the water to heat the tank while I prepped through. Putting warm water into an inline will give better results. I dont use a heater now as I use cold water rinsing.
Trevor
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Joe
Your heater exchange was pretty good when i used it with the scorpion last week and we had steam coming from the wand :)
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Do you think there is anyway you could stick a heating element in the tank and wire it up to the existing electrics in the Scorpion i wouldnt be using the element when cleaning just to heat the water up when iam pre vac pre spraying and then switch it of when the pump and vacs are running and would also be using a heat exchanger nearer the wand or is this just getting to complicated like to hear your thoughts Joe.I was reading through old posts and iam sure somebody managed to fit a element in there Scorpion tank.
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There are heaters available, Darren, that you can just hang in the tank. I suppose they're bigger versions of the single tea cup heater. I know Cross American supply one stateside, but this will be 110 volts only. I feel sure that some CIU members have talked about them in the past. Try WCS. Failing that, give Solution UK a ring.
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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Ken whats WCS thanks Darren.
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Woodbridge http://www.wcsuk.com/index.html
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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I think Stuart Clarke from Middlesborough way has an in tank heating element.
Dont think he uses it now as he does cold water rinses as he uses the right cleaning fluids for this.
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Joe
Is it just a matter of just dropping the element in the tank ???
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Not seen it Clinton but yes I think it was just a drop in the tank element.
Stuart comments on here infrequently, but if you do a search back you may be able to get his details to contact him.
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Joe
Wouldnt fancy it myself doing that not sure if it would be safe inside or outside the house when working :(
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Drop in tank heaters are shrouded so that the element never makes contact with anything else.
safe and happy heating :)
Ken
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In the Scorpion manual there is a temerature restriction to 70 degrees/c as any higher can deform pump valves. I've tried drop in Element pain in the butt.
I use my Aqua 40 as a tank, heat 40 litres of water to 65 degrees/c and then the Scorpion has drop hoses that I place in the tank, I use it like this on the van.
For extra heat away from the pump I had a 2kw inline heater but it melted.
Alltec now do the Advance on special order £2500 with the vat (machine only), 3x3stage vac in parallel ,600psi pump 3kw heater. you would have to heat water first so not to blow customers consumer unit or go on seperate ring main.
Regards Rob
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Formula 90 was my choice for synthetics till I got a speedster a couple of years ago, then found it foamed too much in the waste tank. I now use hydramaster hydra dri which is fine.I would think all the 'new' generation portables will be sensitive to foaming .
Mike.
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Robert
Have heard about that machine from alltec,wonder if the vac power would be same as the scorpion ???
You could always heat the water up and then if wanted put a heater exchange to keep it hot :)
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Clinton,Vac power is same 3x5.7" in parallel but not sure on lift/airflow configuration.
Regards Rob
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What do you know Stubbsy? with your vax machine!
Do you know everyone Stubsy only has a tooth brush and a bucket, only Scorpion he's been near is the one that stung him up the arse (or was that Billy?)
Shaun
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Shaun ,see your stopping Sunday night at CCDO,fancy a curry with me and Billy.
Rob
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erm
Shaun
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Am missing something ;D
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Rob
Thanks tought they were the same or v similar :)
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Billy needs a curry teach him what his arse is for ::)
Shaun
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;D
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Clinton, the Alltec Advance also comes with 2" port so should be very similar but AO or VO depends on tank size, lid and internal stacs.
Rob
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Rob
Was going to say does it come with the 2" port for the hoses cheers.
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Emailed Nick at Solutions there he said he can fit a element inside the fresh water tank but would have to use another cable and would only charge for the part no labour costs brilliant all i need is things to pick up and will be buying one in the summer.
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Darren
Just think of all the extra work you would get with a better set up ie repeats referals if you bought it now :)
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Clinton
Just think how much a better job you could be doing if you bought it now. ;D ;D ;D
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Joe ;D
Even better with a prowler ;D
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Clinton would love to buy it now but buisness is quiet at the moment saying that booked 4 jobs in today so might get it quicker but wont go into debt to buy it.As for repeats and referals wont make a blind bit of difference the machines ive got just now are more than good enough.
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Darren
Dont go into debt for it mate and in the current climate as the way to survive is get your debts down and keep the cash flowing in your set up :)
Least you getting bookings in mate :)
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Clinton ive more jobs booked in this week than i did the whole of last month so hopefully things are picking up as i said before if it wasnt for my window cleaning i would be snooked.
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Agree with Joe about the defoamer.It doesn't work when you put it in the dump tank,well at least Prochems stuff doesn't .According to the guys at Prochem (Chessington) you should follow what Joe Hatton says and run it down the hose .
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Darren
You haven't been doing them in the snow have you you naughty boy.
I kept 1 round on when I started up last April but was behind nearly every week with the cc.
Now I haven't a lot of cc on at mo but can't get on the windows for weather.
Averaged 3 and a half days cc and a day and a half windows once I got going.
Do you do what I do and get a 10 day weather forecast then try and book in cc for bad looking days?
Doesn't always work out but we can try.
John
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John i gave up trying to work out the weather in advance never works the way you plan it i still do window cleaning 3or4days aweek and have a mate working for me.I always try to do windows in the morning and carpets in the afternoon or usually put 3 days by for carpets with 3or4jobs booked each day also do a lot of jobs at night to i make to much money doing windows to give it up also get fed up doing the same job all the time.
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Joe can you tell me where you got your heater from and cost
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Des
I was very fortunate to buy my Scorpion 2nd hand - very rare thing.
The heater was part of the package.
I understand it was new with the machine and therefor it was supplied by Solutions UK in cornwall.
I understand it cost about £450.
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Joe can you get steam at the wand as clinton was saying with your heater and is it the same one thats on world of clean now Des
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Didnt know there was a heater on World of Clean - can you put the link up and I will tell you if its the same.
What Clinton saw looked like steam and maybe some of it was.
But, probably most was atomised water that looks like steam - but maybe Im incorrect.
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Joe, is this your heater
Rob
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No.
If I get time I will put a photo on tomorrow.
No manufacturers plate on it so no details.
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Sorry joe its a steamer .I must have seen one when i was down at solution s HQ
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Joe
Think you put a picie o while ago on here of your heater exchangermaybe it was jan ???
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I cant remember where Clinton, it could be brought up as a link :(
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Joe
Il try and have a look it when i was after a heater exchange after xmas ???
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I use this one with my Recoil, think it was one of the earlier ones as supplied by Cross American.
To be honest i only used it maybe once a month when no hot water, or on blacktop!!
Now have Bane tanks in van and water is heated for free on way to job via engine coolant system !!!
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Heater is made by
Windsor industries Inc
Englewood Colorado
230v 50hz 8.5amp
Does the job when needed
Andrew
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Yes Andrew that's the one I got with my Recoil produces good temps but very heavy.
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Sure is Mark,
would break your foot if it was dropped :'(
Andrew
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Andrew
Looks pretty tough :o
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For Des and anyone else interested in the heater I got with my Scorpion here it is on this link - just scroll down.
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=67251.0
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Thanks Joe
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Joe
Wasnot sure how to past and copy it thanks
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Do you eat a lot of curry andrew? ;D
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Do you eat a lot of curry andrew? ;D
Well spotted, a full pallet of quality 3 ply from china.
flog it on to my customers, double up on price !
prefer an indian curry
Andrew
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Yes I had one of those heaters when I bought the first Scorpion from the original importers, element packed in after about a year and it was going to cost as much to replace element as would buy a new one, so I bought something very similar from Solutions for about £100 less than having the old one repaired.
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Regarding De-foamer.....
If ever ive needed to use it when using a porty ive simply added directly to the waste tank and never had a problem. When ive cleaned night clubs that have either been cleaned by CCs that have left loads of foam in the carpet or after foam parties i then add some to a bucket of water then place the vac hose in the bucket to void the vac hose of foam. Another solution to foam in waste tanks is to place a couple of bars of hand soap in the tank. Works a treat.
Regarding the Scorpion.....
It is a good porty however, ive always felt its downfall is the fact it has no heater.
Richie.