[davetherave]

Today I did my first professional carpet clean  on my dads carpets. The results were really good. The pro 35 crb and prespray did most the work.

The thing I couldnt figure out was how to get the magma heater on the airflex storm to work.  We just for the life of us couldn't seem to get anything but luke warm water out the wand. We were using stone cold water in the solution tank.

[Radek Jablonski]

Dave do not expect tm performance from 3000 w heater.
Fill the machine with a bit warm water and you can work with real heat on over 300psi, otherwise you need to work slower, extract pass and then at least 1 dry pass.
You no need heat on most of carpets if you have crb. Heater is must have but dont use it all the times, its for troublemakers carpets.

[Robin Ray]

Its probibly your technique. To get the maximum out of an inline heater it is best to only pull the wand trigger on the back stroke, do no more than 5 strokes before returning back over that area with dry strokes. This will do two things. 1, it will not allow any excess moisture left in the carpet to soak in and 2, it will give the heater time to reheat for the next 5 strokes.

Other things which can help an inline heater to produce the maximum heat possible are 1, put in the hottest water you can to the tank, then the heater does not have to raise the temperature so far. 2, use the lowest psi possible while still getting a good clean. I find between 250 and 350 psi is ideal for 99% of jobs. This will help as the heater will have less water to heat each time you pull the trigger. The less pressure means less flow which means higher temperatures.

After all that if you are still having problems with the heater check the thermostat is up full. If you still have problems after that you may need to send it back.

[davetherave]

It most likely is my technique being wrong that didn't help. I am complete beginner after all. I am gonna have to have a another crack at it.

I wasn't even entirely sure when the heater was set to the hottest 110 temperature and when it was in the stop position lol, the gauge was a little confusing. i think it was when you turn it to clockwise that the temperature increases. 

And I thought the whole point of the magma was it gives you instant hot water from cold. Maybe I expected too much from it.

It really didn't help that it didn't come with any fitting instructions or instructions on the how to use it. I couldn't believe that.  I realise some people are very technically minded and take to these things like a duck to water. For others among us it is a little more difficult.   

[scott johns]

I find it difficult as well you buy a machine and you would expect a instruction book after all if you
went to currys a brought a new tv you get a instruction book. at least you are doing the right thing
practicing on your relatives carpets rather than on clients a few more goes and im sure you will
have sorted it out all the best in your new venture happy cleaning

[Shaun_Ashmore]

What you could do is spray the clean water that comes from your wand back into the clean water tank therefore recirculating it the water should become warmer then hotter what psi were you using?

Shaun

[Lewis Newby]

Was there an airlock at all? Your say your not sure it was on but mine has a marker next to the dial.

From cold, within 5 mins wanding my wands qc is uncomfortable to hold for more then a few seconds
If you part fill your tank with warm water 40-60 degrees,  then you will get steam out the wand after a few mins wanding.

You can recirculate through the heater to heat the solution tank up. Simply setup the machine and heater first and then get on with vac,pre spray and agitate areas,. Then when your ready to start rinsing the tank will be fairly warm.

Was it purchased new? Mine had a instruction manual and my extractor had a dvd for those who can't be bothered to read, it contained a code for the warranty form so you had to watch it to register the warranty.

If it's 2nd hand it could be all scaled up? Perhaps run an acid rinse through it for a while to clear it out? What psi are you using? Too low and the water cools in the hose if running long runs so position it nearest the wand, too high psi and it can't heat that volume of water quick enough

The video on YouTube is accurate to how mine performed from new.


All else fails - TM!!

[davetherave]

I think i figured out the temperature gauge now.

I got the magma working today by using the 25 ft hose instead of the 50 ft one.

The psi i was using today and yesterday was 200psi. Is this too low with the magma?

Can you not really use a longer hose than 25 ft as the water just cools down along the pipe?

[Robin Ray]

I think i figured out the temperature gauge now.

I got the magma working today by using the 25 ft hose instead of the 50 ft one.

The psi i was using today and yesterday was 200psi. Is this too low with the magma?

Can you not really use a longer hose than 25 ft as the water just cools down along the pipe?

It shouldn't I have a minimum of 50 ft and have had steam pumping out the end.

[davetherave]

How long Robin does yours usually take to heat up the water from completely cold water Robin when you use 50 ft?

and what pressure do you use?

[Robin Ray]

Usually about 300 psi, I normally put the heater on well before i am going to extract so its usually as long as it takes for the cold water in the pipe to work through so 2 minuets or so.

[fibresafe]

Did you buy this new or second hand?

[davetherave]

It is brand new.

We done a couple carpets today, but still no warm water out the end with 50ft hose. The solution hose leading all the way up to the wand even gets warms as well.  Just don't understand it.

[davetherave]

Maybe it is the pressure I am using with the 50ft that is the problem, worked at 250psi today.

I will crank it up to 300 next time

[Robin Ray]

That will not help. You need to give cleansmart a call.

[Mike Halliday]

Dave what is the specific problem? Are you saying even when having hot water in you fresh tank then solution coming out of the jests is still not as hot as you had hoped? Or are you hoping for hot water from a cold start in th fresh tank?

What size wand jets are you using and how many? What's it like with an upholstery tool?

I think inline heaters are a booster rather than a heater unless the water passes through very slowly it won't reach a hot temp unless it's got a head start.

[Radek Jablonski]

Or purchase one more and join them together

[davetherave]

From cold water we can't get any heat on the 50 foot hose. Like absolutely nothing. I phoned cleansmart, and they said the magma is only any good with the 25 ft hose.

But then Robin Ray says he can get hot with the 50ft hose from cold. So I am just baffled.

I have no idea the type of jets on the wand. On the upholstery tool its still cold

 I just think it is a case of the magma being a bit  oversold to me, and it gives nowhere near the kind of performance i expected.

Case closed i reckon   

[Mike Halliday]

I agree with you, I think they performance of inline heater is over sold, I have had 2 and neither gave great heat with a 3 jet wand both were 3kw, with an upholstery tool using a fine single jet they did give good heat

can you place it closer to the wand? perhaps in the room you are cleaning with a short 20ft solution line

[davetherave]

In the house today we did we couldn't have used a shorter hose. Unless we wanted to take a very heavy airflex storm up another flight of stairs. We had the machine on the first floor, and that was enough stairs for me and my back.

It does work with the 25ft hose we have. It just is fairly limiting as 25ft doesn't go very far.