Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: fresh on November 06, 2009, 09:47:45 pm
-
am hopefully going up north to purchase a prowler next week any advice any 1 has would be sound
-
Joe uses one and he is very happy with it, he knows all the wrinkles.
Mr B
-
What are you hoping the Prowler will do for you?
-
Iv got one, i like it has speeded things up for me gives a great clean easier. Takes couple weeks to really see the benefit. You will have no worries with any teething problems or advice as John Kelly is a top bloke and will sort anything out.
-
Never had the chance to see a prowler in action, but what i can tell you is that John & Lynn at Restoremate are really nice people who will go the extra mile to ensure that their customers are happy, you will not be dissapointed.
Mark
-
Got one, had it for two years now, wouldn't be without it, simple straightforward machine that does the job and earns the money, more powerful than and any porty and faster too.
What I really like is the fact that there is no waste tank and also it is easy to get in and out of the van, thus allowing the van to be used for other things than just carpet cleaning.
-
Yes there is a growing number of Prowler owners, and I have not yet heared any owner grumble about them yet - tells you something.
Mine is the larger 15 hp machine, but the latest 13 hp machine is just as good IMO for all domestic and most commerical jobs you would do.
The 13hp has a Honda engine that is used in a lot of power washers, meaning parts are readily available.
In the hands of a trained operator these machines will do a lot of good for the bank balance.
Life becomes easier with no bucketing - either clean or waste water.
13 hp will fit in a Cit Dispatch type vehicle, but room left over for ancillary bits, but obviously a bigger van will hold more.
-
How much fuel does a prowler go through in an hour?
Shaun
-
errr - pass.
Its like asking me how many mpg does my van do.
I havnt a clue - all I know is I have to feed it to earn some money. Same with the Prowler.
Revs out at about 3260 - if thats any use (and it probably isnt).
-
No not really, I usually (honest) know how much I put in my tank in a week and I check the hours because I need to know that for maintenance and then a quick sum and mine comes to £2.30-£2.50 an hour LPG though.
Shaun
-
I suppose that would be accurate to a good degree over a longer period of time.
To check the hours over a short period (say a week) could throw the figures. I say that on the basis the next time you fire up, within a minute (say) the meter may jump to the next hour.
I suppose I could go back over the months I have had the machine and work it out that way - may do that when I have time.
-
Perhaps you are right may be over 2o hours but I do that every week so it's an easy calculation.
Shaun
-
£3 p/h on my 318 imagine the Prowlers a tad less?
-
thanks for all coments cant wait glad to hear they are good people to deal with hopefully the work keeps coming in to earn some money back on it.
they explained to me they have just upgraded the prowler but still at same cost so cant grumble.
-
Yeah the best people in the business to deal with BY FAR!
-
Good luck with the prowler. Always fancied one myself. I like the idea of being able to empty the van and use it for other things if need be.
I see you are calling yourself fresh. We need to work out how much you are going to pay me for using my company name :o
How about 10% of all the business you do. ;D
-
For a semi TM it's vacuum is only the same as my porty.
Thought it might have been a bit more powerful.
John
-
Lyn and John are dean nice people. Easy to deal with and very helpful.
-
Once you get used to the prowler if going from a portie you wont regret it .
You can get through the work far quicker it makes life so much easier and John kelly is always on the other end of the phone if you need him top bloke.
Regards Andy Locke.
-
John, can you expand on how the vacuum is the same as your portable.
-
Love mine, next best purchase was the Envirodri ;)
-
£6898.85 for a Carpet cleaning machine, you need your heads testing! Work harder with what you've got.
You could set up a viable little business with that sort of money, not p*** it up the wall on a declining market.
Matt
-
For a semi TM it's vacuum is only the same as my porty.
Thought it might have been a bit more powerful.
John
John
Time for you to take a trip across the Pennines and into north Cheshire - Warrington.
Come and have a go with my Prowler - you will see and feel the difference.
Matt
I cant believe you said that.
We all have viable little businesses already, and £7k is a small amount for a machine that will perform well on whatever job we throw at it.
3 vac portables will do a good job in the hands of a good operator, but a Prowler will do it quicker.
2 vac machines will take longer still.
True, the Prowler is not the machine to do the large cruise liners, but that is not the typical work of the vast majority of carpet cleaners. All domestics and up to med size commercial is well within its scope.
-
A declining market? have people stopped buying carpets and suites?
-
Think there will be less suites to clean as they are becoming cheaper each year i guess ::)
-
This has been my busiest year in many, so i disagree with Matts comment.
Mark
-
This has been my busiest year in many, so i disagree with Matts comment.
Mark
That Mark is a testament to how good you are at running a business. Many people are able to grow sales in a contracting market by hard work and persistence.
What you should never do is judge the whole market by you own performance, Ill give you an example.
If overall market in your sector declines 15% in one year.
Through hard work Mark you still manage to increase your turnover and profit by 10% on last year.
On The Other Hand
If the overall market had grown 15% in one year.
And you worked equally as hard during this period you turnover and profit would be 25% up on last year.
Matt
-
£6898.85 for a Carpet cleaning machine, you need your heads testing! Work harder with what you've got.
You could set up a viable little business with that sort of money, not p*** it up the wall on a declining market.
Matt
thought it was me that was best at talking b0ll0x on this forum, looks like ive been superceded.
hats off to ya matt
derek
-
Makes a change for some one to beat you Derek!!!!! ;D ;D ;D
G.
-
For that kind of money think I would have thrown another 4 grand in the pot
and got a mid range TM.
Can get one for £10,500 inc the dreaded.
John
-
A prowler is 15 hp so is just as powerfull as an entry level TM for 60% of the price, that extra £4000 on a good marketing programme would be better spent imo.
Mark
-
Wait for the 20hp Prowler, I think the Prowler range is the best value on the market they excel at the starter end of the market coupled with good service it's a marriage made in heaven.
Shaun
-
John are you going to explain how the vac is the same as your portys?
-
We've run them along side other truckmounts costing twice the price and swapped hoses and people couldn't tell the difference.
-
You can't tell manually but the numbers don't lie, I upgraded from a 21hp TM to a 27hp with a bigger blower and it does allow me to clean faster as I need less dry passes.
Like for like ie 15hp prowler and a 15hp other companies TMs then a prowler should out suck the competition because it has no waste tank meaning that it has less resistance on the vacuum.
Shaun
-
Its the same spec as mine.
John
-
my 313 prowler sucks so hard I am seriously considering getting some glides!!! and I am by no means a weakling fanny ....
I bit the bullet and upgraded after 1st year in biz about 2 months ago - the prowler is well on its way to paying for itself already - under £7k for full working setup with 200ft hosing and top quality backup is an absolute bargain for the quality and work rate it produces and is a very small price to pay for such potential earnings - shockingly stupid thing to say "work harder with what you already got" - I had a CFR paramount previously and working my off could only manage around the £150 in a day - can EASILY double that now! NO BRAINER!!
My bucket now is a container for my spotters ;D
and i love seeing the waste disappearing in the steam - it also sounds awesome - not the engine noise but the discharge pipe under the van sounds something like a big harley snarling away :P
Mingin nightclub carpets 150ft hoses on still steaming - used 300l of 400l water tank and just under a full tank of fuel - oh and 5 stockings to keep filter clean... Wouldnt have even attempted that job with my old porty....
" I love prowlers me!!!!!!!!!!!"
Best wishes
Stu
-
John
Remind me of what your machine is please.
-
All you lot that already own a Prowler. Where do you run the waste water hose to. I know that theres not such a great amount of waste water as most of it is vapouised, but you have to run it somewhere?
Dave.
-
10ft discharge pipe under van pointing in general direction of slope towards nearest drain. As you rightly state there is very little in the way of actual water on the average job. Also the "steam" is of the low pressure variety and will not burn you. I have an extra 40ft discharge hose if needed to take it across "sensitive" areas if req. Can always stick pipe in large bucket or container if needs must.....
Stu
-
£6898.85 for a Carpet cleaning machine, you need your heads testing! Work harder with what you've got.
You could set up a viable little business with that sort of money, not p*** it up the wall on a declining market.
Matt
Getting a prowler makes this business more than viable with it being a cheap investment for return
Mind you if you got a prowler you would have time on your hands to research a new "viable" business as you wouldnt be so knackered and you would get your work done quicker
Why pay 4 grand more when this does an excellent job and increases your speed from a porti with no bucketing etc.
-
sometimes do as Stuart outlines.
if I can get the discharge hose to a kitchen/bathroom external drain I do.
if lots of shrubbery next to the drive it goes there.
I also have a smaller wheelie bin I have adapted to accept the 2" hose thro a hole. I am going to put a tap close to the bottom and connect to this ordainary garden hose which I can then run to a "dirty" drain.
-
After I have used an envirodri on some carpets there are always loads of loose fibres and general 'crud' from the carpet.
Does the prowler pump this out ok if it is drawn up the wand or would you need to use a vac on them
-
There is a filter box before the blower which collects the rubbish.
Its amazing what does get collected even if you used a Sebo or any other vac beforehand.
The filter may require cleaning during a job depending on how big the job is but that is a easy job taking minutes.
-
Most TM's have a button trap and the prowler is no exception just a quick clear and your off just like the filter on a porti, starting to wish I'd have got one now.
Shaun
-
my 1st TM is the prowler 315, really Nice bit of kit. 33 ish hrs on the clock and mine has now paid for itself
John and Lynn very nice folk to deal with
Matt ::) PMSL . your star of the negative variety still PMSL
tears just keep rolling down
thanks matt your well funny!!
-
There is a lot of crud after the envirodri but that can be brushed and picked up, the rest as Joe says gets as far as the filter
-
That's £227 an hour Ricky.
Shaun
-
I'm glad someone mentioned the 'steam' from the Prowler, gives me the chance to show these photos i took last week, I love cold mornings the steam attracts more interest than the noise of the machine :D :D
-
Mike you don't need the steam the NOISE will get em every time lol ;D ;D ;D
CHEERS TONY
-
That's £227 an hour Ricky.
Shaun
is this right? for working mon to fri, 6hrs a day thats £354,120.00 a yr. i think im doin something wrong. would be nice to know the secret of his sucess :o
Mark
-
BENTLY NEXT ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
Two bentleys ;D
-
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
Private Maths Tutor, Priceless. ;D
-
MIKE ;) ;)
-
More like wellies to stand in the BULL poop!!!!!! :-\
Note to myself " must stop thinking out loud :'(
-
Don't know about a loud noise I'd rather have quieter one, wonder who does the quietest TM?
Shaun
-
That's £227 an hour Ricky.
Shaun
got 3.5 k off a hard floor job done over a few days and 2 visits
may not be carpets but still used the sx12 linked to the prowler so I would class
that as using the tm albeit just as a rinsing aide but still used non the less ;D
-
oops my mistake that's 31.43 hrs not 33
8)
-
Cheeky ;D
Shaun
-
Ricky
The bigger Prowler you get more PSI then so you can do hard floors yeah?
-
Sounds about right Ricky, three and a half grand in thirty five hours.
The average Truckmount earns £100 an hour on the clock! ;)
-
Thought a 15hp prowler was about £7500 + vat
-
Shaun, have you heard the Phoenix? That`s about the quietist machine I`ve heard.
Clive
-
My Prochem Performer the 1200cc Nissan engine really quite.
CHEERS TONY
-
Thought a 15hp prowler was about £7500 + vat
The red 13hp Prowler I understand now has the 2000psi pump fitted as standard.
But you can still clean tile & grout without the high pressure.
-
My Prochem Performer the 1200cc Nissan engine really quite.
CHEERS TONY
Is that watercooled Tony.
Watercooled will be quieter then an air cooled, as you will know being a motorcyclist.
-
Hi Joe hows it going m8 yes water cooled. Road bike going into garage for winter dirt bike coming out :o :o :o.
Cheers Tony
-
Ricky
The bigger Prowler you get more PSI then so you can do hard floors yeah?
No, As you very well know rotary+skirt, water, chems pads wet vac / sx12 or similar etc
:D
-
Sounds about right Ricky, three and a half grand in thirty five hours.
The average Truckmount earns £100 an hour on the clock! ;)
sound about right , The Average ! ;D
-
my 1st TM is the prowler 315, really Nice bit of kit. 33 ish hrs on the clock and mine has now paid for itself
Ricky are you saying in 33/35 hrs your 15hp prowler has really paid for itself already cos if so i really need to talk to you. :-* :-*
Cheers Tony
-
Ricky
The bigger Prowler you get more PSI then so you can do hard floors yeah?
No, As you very well know rotary+skirt, water, chems pads wet vac / sx12 or similar etc
:D
Ricky,
Sorry to dissapoint you but I can't keep up with all the different specs of the prowler I thought the bigger one had 2000psi or something, but thanks for answering the question anyways.
-
Mike
The 315 (yellow one) does have a 2000 psi pump.
The 13hp used to, then it went down to 1000psi but now its gone back up to 2000psi
I think the blower is now the same as the 315.
So you get the 315 except for the engine which is still 13hp.
I believe they have suspended production in the USA of the 315 due to demand of the 13hp and the bigger prowlers ie the red one JK had at CCDO, so now you get a better deal on the 13hp.
-
Simples ;D
-
::)
-
We've had a Prowler 313 (2000psi) for two years now and I wouldn't be without it. Got a job to do with it tomorrow (Sunday), two of us are doing it mainly to take turns on the wand and alleviate cramps from squeezing the trigger, job is priced at £1000 +vat.
We're starting at 8am and should hopefully be finished and back at home for roast beef dinner by 1:30pm. The machine is all prepped and ready to go, only time the machine should stop is when it needs the filter cleaned or refuelled.
As a concession we'll be running it directly from an outside tap, waste is getting fed directly into a surface drain.
Of course there are bigger and more powerful machines out there by different manufacturers, there's even a couple of bigger Prowlers, namely the Scirroco and the Inferno. However what I like about the Prowler is the ease of operation, the fact that theres no waste water and it can be lifted in and out of the van easily.
-
This is a silly queation I know, but does the prowler have heat?
-
The red one has a 13hp petrol engine, the yellow one a 15hp petrol engine.
Petrol engines develop heat. Capture that heat with a heat exchanger and you have hot water - very hot water - like 230 degree F. Thats enough.
-
Similar to the two Blazers I run then, and better than the powerflight porty?
-
With the Prowler you have high heat, high pressure, very good blower, but no waste tank.
No waste tank I think makes it a more efficient machine then a similar spec with a waste tank - it has'nt got to evacuate the air from a tank.
Much better then the Powerflite - and it should be cause it costs more.
-
Should a blower give up on the Prowler would it be easy to replace? Had one go on one of the Blazers a few months back. Nightmare, and almost £2200!!
-
I have not looked too closely at the "mechanics" of the red 13hp, but the yellow 15hp seems reasonably accessible - and I dont think the cost is anywhere near that.
-
Joe
Can you adjust the heat on the prowler ???
-
If it can be avoided I recommend it! Having to have the whole thing removed from the van just to see the blower is not good!
-
You can turn the revs down a bit, not as much heat produced thro the exhaust - so not as much heat transferred to the water in the heat exchanger. But how far you can turn the revs down before any possible damage to the mechanics - perhaps someone could advise.
Or, there is a valve on the front of the machine which you can open a little and this allows more water flow thro the system (I have modified mine so this water goes back to the clean tank). Same effect as above but you can keep the revs up although pressure will drop slightly so this has to be tweaked.
-
Turning the revs down also proportionally slows the cooling fan so it wont be running much cooler if any - also both engines are designed to run at an optimum 3600 rpm which by no coincidence am sure is the same optimum rpm for the roots 33 blower fitted to both models - so turning down revs will also give less blower effect = less suction also I think could possibly even cause hotspots within the blower? JK will be able to advise more accurately. This particular blower is around 1200usd without shipping etc. and looks very easy to change out on both models - that said - the blower has been seriously tested for 3 years (with waste water running thru it) and properly certificated by some authority in that industry..
I lower temp (for light soiled upholstery usually) by just cracking the main bypass valve - it isnt an exact science - but you soon develop "the knack" so would conclude that the prowler doesnt have a dedicated temp control tho it can be lowered after a fashion.
Stu
-
I'm going to have to have a go with one of these Prowlers, they sound like the Mutts!!!!
-
Turning the revs down also proportionally slows the cooling fan so it wont be running much cooler if any - also both engines are designed to run at an optimum 3600 rpm which by no coincidence am sure is the same optimum rpm for the roots 33 blower fitted to both models - so turning down revs will also give less blower effect = less suction also I think could possibly even cause hotspots within the blower? JK will be able to advise more accurately. This particular blower is around 1200usd without shipping etc. and looks very easy to change out on both models - that said - the blower has been seriously tested for 3 years (with waste water running thru it) and properly certificated by some authority in that industry..
I lower temp (for light soiled upholstery usually) by just cracking the main bypass valve - it isnt an exact science - but you soon develop "the knack" so would conclude that the prowler doesnt have a dedicated temp control tho it can be lowered after a fashion.
Stu
I thought that they were both quoted as operating at a maximum of 3600. I think you will find that they are both able to quite comfortably operate at lower revs. Naturally this will produce lower power output, torque/ airflow and hg. I know that truck mount producers often recommend certain rpms as this gives a performance level stated in their specs. But as an example.
Lets say Simon Gerrad with his titan turns up to clean a small room. He can park right outside the door and only needs 25ft of pipe on a one wand job. Is it a crime if he doesn't rev his machine to the max. It may mean he can only get a measly 500 cfm and has to work at a tepid 240 degrees F. But I cannot for the life of me see that the machine will suffer because it isn't running at full revs. Or am I wrong?
-
Both engines alone will operate at any revs all day long - it was a question of varying heat output at different revs I think.... Bolting on ameaty blower and a high pressure pump adds significant extra load to the engine - Iam a firm beleiver in not labouring a relatively small engine with too low rpm / high load as it puts undue stresses on the bottom end ie crank bearings. As I say am no expert on these particular motors tho having used one for a fair while now in conjunction with my "natural aptitude" for merchanics (ex time served maintenance fitter who owns 8 trials bikes 4 stroke and 2 stroke) beleive my opinion to be a slightly worthy one...
Labour away as you will but I much prefer to give it full revs!!!!! why would you want less suction???? more mpg is my guess.... lol ::) DOH!
Stu
-
I thought they ran the blower at far high revs and that's why it steams the dirty water to vapour.
Shaun
-
3600rpm is relatively low but is the rcommended optimum for all units within the prowler - the honda engines can be tuned to run well over 7000rpm (in go kart circles) but think these speeds would pop blowers and eat carpets?!!! lol
Got your number Shaun - hope to meet you wednesday
Stu
-
Air cooled engines need to be run fast as the fan behind the front grill needs to suck in air to cool the combustion chamber. Running too slow can cause excessive heat build up which is bad for the bearings.
The beauty of the Prowler blowers is that they alway run cool due to the water going through. This should make the bearings last much longer.