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john martin

  • Posts: 2699
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #80 on: December 21, 2015, 09:57:46 pm »
I appreciate its not as compact but why can't you van mount an enforcer then have vac pipe to say an express at the the door where a right angled vac attachment could be put on the express to join the 2 ?

sure , could be done . I think its Luc here has joined two enforcers and run from the van , it comes down to convenience also , i like a boosters compactness like u said .   Express as an inline booster near the door ?  i would have to think  through how that would work performance wise .

Robin Ray

Re: New diy booster
« Reply #81 on: December 21, 2015, 11:27:01 pm »
I appreciate its not as compact but why can't you van mount an enforcer then have vac pipe to say an express at the the door where a right angled vac attachment could be put on the express to join the 2 ?

sure , could be done . I think its Luc here has joined two enforcers and run from the van , it comes down to convenience also , i like a boosters compactness like u said .   Express as an inline booster near the door ?  i would have to think  through how that would work performance wise .

It would work the same as the booster you have ie. twice the airflow but maintaining the high lift.

john martin

  • Posts: 2699
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #82 on: December 21, 2015, 11:39:49 pm »
I appreciate its not as compact but why can't you van mount an enforcer then have vac pipe to say an express at the the door where a right angled vac attachment could be put on the express to join the 2 ?

sure , could be done . I think its Luc here has joined two enforcers and run from the van , it comes down to convenience also , i like a boosters compactness like u said .   Express as an inline booster near the door ?  i would have to think  through how that would work performance wise .

It would work the same as the booster you have ie. twice the airflow but maintaining the high lift.

it wouldnt be for me  ...       easy for me to leave the enforcer/booster outside the door , easy setup .
I would use an ETM though  , im thinking just one five core cable running out to the van , two plug heads on the house side . 
I must do some more testing , looking at my booster lift gauge yesterday , i think im getting a healthy 10-11 hg  at the wand wand on in dense wool  .
funny what u notice  .... you gain one HG on the upstroke (dry stroke) it seemed with the same pressure .  Perhaps we should be using backwards wands , or clean both way wands .

CleanerCarpets

  • Posts: 1292
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #83 on: December 21, 2015, 11:41:57 pm »
So how does this all stand when it comes to CE approvals?

I am assuming manufacturers or distributors of products have to ensure the product meets CE approval before sale in the UK. When you modify a machine to such an extent i am assuming that voids the CE approval unless you submit it again. And if you make a DIY booster box that hasnt been checked for approval then that's an offence under HSE?

All i am saying is playing around with electrics maybe fun but experimenting with them in a customers house could surely put you on the wrong side of the law and land you in strife if something went tits up. Would maybe invalidate your insurance too.

Making machines like the suppliers do is constrained to keeping within certain boundaries - yes you can push them but are you within the limits of being all legal?

John Kelly

  • Posts: 4461
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #84 on: December 22, 2015, 11:31:18 am »
Equipment has to meet CE standards before it is sold in the EU. Don't think CE would come into it regarding owners modifications, Insurance issues could arrise though. Some equipment on sale at the moment would not pass CE certification as the electrics need to be fully isolated from any water ingress.

AJB

  • Posts: 775
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #85 on: December 22, 2015, 05:56:40 pm »
John

you get an increase in lift on the forward stroke because you
are imparting a downward force pushing the wand.
when pulling the wand you impart an upward force.
So forward increases the wand/carpet interface seal, and backwards
decreases it.
www.ajbcarpetcleaning.co.uk
At the end of the day a Satisfied Customer is all that counts, They'll come back and so will their friends!!!

john martin

  • Posts: 2699
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #86 on: December 22, 2015, 10:12:46 pm »
John

you get an increase in lift on the forward stroke because you
are imparting a downward force pushing the wand.
when pulling the wand you impart an upward force.
So forward increases the wand/carpet interface seal, and backwards
decreases it.
indeed  :)  and i tend to do a scrub style leaning on it too  ,  must get myself a lazy mans wand now i have a bit more power .
also I think there is a couple of all direction cleaning wands , sapphire Stryker , wonder wand ?

AJB

  • Posts: 775
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #87 on: December 23, 2015, 11:28:02 am »
I use a Wonderwand which is perfect on a vac optimised machine, you
can spray on the forward stroke, but it's not the old style push wand they
used to make. When I use my booster which increases cfm's then it can suffer
some lockdown.
The Stryker wand looks to me like an attempt to "pimp my wand", watched some
videos of it and I think it is too light, doesn't have a proper trigger so no real control
over water delivery, it may be great on large area cleaning, but domestically over this
side of the pond I don't think it's appropriate, also plastic head, just think floorboard
nails etc.
Also watched a video of wonderwand, basically slagged off by a truck mounter. It's not
designed to work with a truck mount, and the idiot had the roller set too high, so basically
it was used as a scrub wand, the roller wasn't working right!
You do realise with these easier to use wands, you may see a weight increase, I certainly did.  ;D
www.ajbcarpetcleaning.co.uk
At the end of the day a Satisfied Customer is all that counts, They'll come back and so will their friends!!!

dan paton

  • Posts: 492
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #88 on: December 28, 2015, 10:19:01 am »
@John Martin & James Jacob. Guys could one or both of you put a link up for the cooling fans you used ? I reckon my 5.7 booster needs a couple fitted

john martin

  • Posts: 2699
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #89 on: December 28, 2015, 11:04:52 am »
@John Martin & James Jacob. Guys could one or both of you put a link up for the cooling fans you used ? I reckon my 5.7 booster needs a couple fitted
is it cutting out ? 
I got mine in maplin , if u search the maplin site for axial fan  , the two at the top are 230v  AC 
They have a 120mm and an 80mm .  I fitted two 80s , i would have gone with one 120 but i didnt have a hole saw big enough to cut a neat hole and it would kill me to cut a jagged hole by hand  :-X   
either of them will do the job im sure , if u have the fan extracting heat , blowing out ...  put a hole on the opp side to allow air to be drawn in . Perhaps u have vents already anyway .

dan paton

  • Posts: 492
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #90 on: December 28, 2015, 07:49:49 pm »
Thanks John. No it's not cutting out but I keep the top opened but to be honest I'd rather keep it closed. Less noise  :)

James Jacob

  • Posts: 148
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #91 on: January 04, 2016, 06:41:52 pm »
My machine killed a kitchen double socket today :( Really don't know how? because its never done that before... at first when my machine went "off" i thought it had just tripped the breaker.... but on inspection of the fusebox nothing had tripped... so... wtf? lol My machine is working perfectly fine, as i completed the rest of the job without incident using one of the other double sockets in the same kitchen... It is not possible to press either on/off switches at the "problem" socket  because they are seemingly
unresponsive to pressing... So any ideas as to what may have happened here? :)
ps... i was "Not" using the booster box... it was just the enforcer machine that was running at the time.

Radek Jablonski

  • Posts: 956
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #92 on: January 04, 2016, 07:00:15 pm »
Was that two plugs in the same double socket?

CleanerCarpets

  • Posts: 1292
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #93 on: January 04, 2016, 07:02:56 pm »
hate to say i told you so but................you are messing with customers electrics when you aren't an electrician!

John likes to tell you this will be fine, that will be fine etc etc but ask an electrician about what you are plugging into the sockets with your 'modified' machines and you will get a different answer.

The way the cables are laid from the machine all come into the equation - whether they are completely uncurled etc. Add that to you overloading each socket you are plugging into and you have a recipe for problems.

Immersion heaters that are 3k in hot water tanks in the house are on their own ring for a reason. Its all about how the house is wired and how each plug is wired on the ring - none of which you know when you are plugging in.

You are risking you and the householder IMHO when you are messing with electric overloading.

When you fry something the buck stops with you and i don't think Ashbys or your insurance will want to know as you've modified the machine beyond 'maintenance.'


john martin

  • Posts: 2699
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #94 on: January 04, 2016, 07:29:53 pm »

Its easy to blame the vac setup  , but ye don't know exactly whats going on here   , believe me if i was damaging house sockets i would not be modifying my gear  .
like i showed on a recent post , its only about 13amps in use anyway .
james  , perhaps check your plug connections to make sure they are fresh , better still change to new heavy duty plugs . Also check for bad or oxidized connections on your machine in general at the machine switches and other connections .
Perhaps if u can get hold of an amp mater and see what you are drawing in general .
Apart from that who knows ... could have being a kitchen socket that had cloths irons and things in it most of life , internal socket could have being oxidized from kitchen condensation  ...  who knows

I have no problems   :)

Robin Ray

Re: New diy booster
« Reply #95 on: January 04, 2016, 07:46:31 pm »
I have melted a socket once but it was because I was drawing 3kw from it constantly for about 6 hours, the fuse in the plug was slightly loose which caused it to arc and get hot then the plastic insulation on the fuse prong  melted and welded itself to the socket. I had to prise it out  of the socked with a screwdriver which split the socket in half. I now check the fuse is fitted snugly in the plug every so often.

Robin Ray

Re: New diy booster
« Reply #96 on: January 04, 2016, 07:56:35 pm »
hate to say i told you so but................you are messing with customers electrics when you aren't an electrician!

John likes to tell you this will be fine, that will be fine etc etc but ask an electrician about what you are plugging into the sockets with your 'modified' machines and you will get a different answer.

The way the cables are laid from the machine all come into the equation - whether they are completely uncurled etc. Add that to you overloading each socket you are plugging into and you have a recipe for problems.

Immersion heaters that are 3k in hot water tanks in the house are on their own ring for a reason. Its all about how the house is wired and how each plug is wired on the ring - none of which you know when you are plugging in.

You are risking you and the householder IMHO when you are messing with electric overloading.

When you fry something the buck stops with you and i don't think Ashbys or your insurance will want to know as you've modified the machine beyond 'maintenance.'

All true.

But some simple rules can be followed which prevent any problems.

1 The maximum a circuit can take is 7200w.

2 Use appliances in different sockets in different areas of the room or preferably different circuits in a house to prevent overload.

3 The wiring in a house doesn't know or care if you are running a kettle an immersion heater a machine, a hairdryer or an electric toothbrush. If it is using too much power it will cause problems

4 Tell the custy not to turn on the kettle for a cup of tea before asking you to turn the machine off so as not to overload the circuit (and to prompt a cup of tea if you don't have one yet ;D)

James Jacob

  • Posts: 148
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #97 on: January 04, 2016, 08:03:42 pm »
Its not really "Massive" Modifications though is it.... Changing a vac motor for a more efficient one is hardly going "Overboard" Really... if i had put 3 vac motors inside the machine then i would be more inclined to agree... but, its still only 2 vacs inside... no dramatic changes :) My Poxy damp ridden flats "lounge" electrics can handle my machine no probs, Also everyone elses houses handle it no probs too... its just this one :(
The cord was fully extended & when i removed the plugs from the socket it was "Hot" But!... Not melting hot impossible to touch John... ive sent you another email :)

john martin

  • Posts: 2699
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #98 on: January 04, 2016, 08:44:55 pm »
Its not really "Massive" Modifications though is it.... Changing a vac motor for a more efficient one is hardly going "Overboard" Really... if i had put 3 vac motors inside the machine then i would be more inclined to agree... but, its still only 2 vacs inside... no dramatic changes :) My Poxy damp ridden flats "lounge" electrics can handle my machine no probs, Also everyone elses houses handle it no probs too... its just this one :(
The cord was fully extended & when i removed the plugs from the socket it was "Hot" But!... Not melting hot impossible to touch John... ive sent you another email :)
not sure if u should even have a ' hot ' plug  .  Sounds like resistance heating to me
i would describe my plug as a bit warm so as u know its been plugged in .... but not hot

Bit about oxide and arc heat issues here  ..
http://www.interfire.org/res_file/92114-10.asp

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: New diy booster
« Reply #99 on: January 04, 2016, 10:12:17 pm »
I once melted a socket with my Scorpion I never got to the bottom of the problem, the plug melted onto the socket I just replaced both and it never happened again.