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Useful information in making your decision
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Boilers - Bigger is not always better
- In looking for a steam vapor cleaner, a larger
boiler may sound like the better way to go for
longer running time but remember.....when
pressure is released during the cleaning
process, the longer you will wait for it to
recover pressure (up to 7 minutes) and more
power is needed to heat larger mass. Larger
boilers 3 - 4 qt., will take longer ( Avg.
20-25 min.) to heat for use, and of course
heavier to move around.
Hence, the smaller the capacity,
the better the ability to maintain pressure and
temperature consistently with less power
consumption. Boilers (1.5 - 2.5 qt.) or continuous
fill boilers also heat up far quicker (3-9 min)
for very little "down time". For average cleaning,
chances are you'll run out of steam before your
machine does. Heavy commercial users can be
recommended to look at continuous fill or single
boiler units meeting their needs.
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Pressure is important - but it doesn't have to
blow the roof off -
Typically homeowners and light commercial users
should look for 58 psi (4 bar) and above
from a Vapor Cleaner. While some of your jobs
will require to maximize your pressure, much of
your cleaning will require you "turn it down"
instead of up. More is not always better!
Remember, the clean is in the steam and the
temperature. If you are using your cleaner for
commercial cleaning you may need a heavy duty
high temperature, high pressure unit designed
for really tough jobs. Look for that temperature
-
low priced "Steam" cleaners will always
yield a lower temperature and pressure.
-
Heating Elements - Do they really "die" and what is the difference?
Steam cleaners have two
possible types of heating elements. External
plates attached with no contact to water or
Internal elements encapsulated in the boiler
with direct contact with water. Our experience
has shown either has proven functional as each
machine should be properly designed to utilize
the heat in the most efficient way for the
unique product.
Our products have both designs and we find both
favorable.
For the record, do heating elements fail? No!
Heating elements are one of the most reliable
components on a steam vapor cleaner next to the
boiler. In our years of retailing/servicing we
have replaced one element. The "death" of a
heating element is either a poor design (we have
never encountered) or introducing a foreign
agent to the boiler which is an absolute "no".
When using a steam cleaner and adding a
chemical, it will corrode the element
itself, and this is only if it the element is an
internal coil. I do not remember a single Iron
in my years that the heating plate failed.
Frayed cords, dials, switches,
wiring...everything but the element.
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Temperature = Pressure - We know
that you see different temperatures and
pressures stated by various steam vapor cleaner
retailers, which becomes confusing.
Looking at the saturated steam tables will
simplify this for you. Here are standard
measurements that you should see:
|
Pounds Per Sq. Inch /Pressure |
Bar (European measure)
|
= Internal Boiler Temp |
|
50 PSI
|
3.5
|
281 F. |
|
58 PSI
|
4
|
293 F. |
|
65 PSI
|
4.5
|
298 F. |
|
75 PSI
|
5
|
315 F. |
Overall, almost all steam vapor
cleaners you will see on the market are designed
by the mfg. for 65 psi or less, unless
specifically designed for commercial use with a
heavier gauge boiler. Many of our products carry
the higher pressures/temperatures and are
produced with the proper materials and
components to meet proper certifications.
Confirm with your retailer if their advertised
specifications match the manufacturer's stamped
specifications on the bottom of their machines,
then you can purchase with confidence. One rule
of thumb, machines with aluminum boilers should
never exceed 4 bar (58psi). If you are unsure,
please ask the retailer what pressure is
displayed on the pressure gauge on their
machine.
-
What function does a pressure gauge have?
Machines offering pressure gauges
will either show Bars, PSI or both. A pressure
gauge will help you to be assured that
your machine is functioning properly, and that
you are maintaining your desired temperature for
proper operation. It is anyone's guess if you
feel there may be a problem with your product
and have no indicator whether it is operating
properly or not at the expected temperatures.
-
BOILERS - Stainless / Aluminum / Commercial vs. Home units - Is
there really a difference?
- Stainless is the premium material used
in boilers, therefore look for this feature.
Higher safety points, better handling of
lime-scale as steel is more resistant
(lime-scale will eat aluminum). Pitting and
deterioration will also occur at a faster rate
than stainless steel. Ultimately, there is
only one reason that aluminum boilers are used
in "steam" or "steam vapor" cleaners -
lower manufacturing costs.
However, beyond all this, true "vapor cleaners" feature
the same 18/10 AISI 304 boiler integrity and
design. You can spend $400 or $1400 they are all
similar if not identical. Therefore, there is no
measurable difference from advertised "home" or
"commercial" when considering the boiler, be not
afraid! There is a heavier gauge 12/10 AISI that
we note in only a couple of models on the
market, which yes, happen to be ours. Either
gauge are excellent in our opinion.
Boilers, do they
fail? Rarely, sure, leaks can occur
anywhere there is not a complete welded seal
i.e. drain plug, removable heating rods,
sensors, however it seems that most
purveyors offer lifetime boiler warranties on
your purchase (we also offer this) therefore
telling you that the odds are....the boiler is
not going to fail. Who would warranty a part
that had a short operating life?
-
Don't make a decision based
on bad information
- While the internet is an
amazing gateway to a world of information and exciting possibilities, it
can also become a forum for inaccurate information about products or the
companies that sell them.
We at Vapor Clean Products pride ourselves in offering informative,
helpful insight, honest and completely accountable facts in a somewhat confusing new market. A good example of this, is the
VX 5000,
an advertised "commercial" machine operating at
1600 watts, 70 psi and 316° boiler temperature.
However, the manufacturers label on the bottom
of the machine and operating manual tell a very
different story.
This machine actually operates at 1500 watts, 58 psi and 293°.
-
Continuous Fill vs. Single Boiler Cleaners
- Either
machine can meet your cleaning needs. Continuous
operation means there is an additional reservoir
that enables the user to never
have down time or a pressurized cap system.
Single boilers fill directly into the boiler and
when the machine runs empty of water it will
need to be refilled and heated. Look for a small
boiler when purchasing a continuous fill as this
heats quickly and maintains excellent pressure
as the and steam for those Commercial and/or
heavy cleaning jobs. A favorable design, as the
boiler normally remains 90% full at all times
adding approximately 1 - 2 oz per injection of
water into the boiler. This dilution rate will
keep pressure or temperature unaffected. Please
read more on our TR6 / Continuous Fill
FAQ's page to gain more information and
dispel the uneducated statements being made by
companies that do not offer such a machines.
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Hand Nozzles, buttons, switches or triggers -
Just what is the difference and are they
safe?
- Absolutely, all "steam vapor
cleaners" on the market must adhere to strict
guidelines or they would not achieve their CE,
ETL and / or UL certifications required. Wiring
in the internal insulation of hoses range from
3v to 12v - equal to a battery. There are 3
basic designs of the nozzle handles on the
market. Button, switch or trigger. All are
clearly functional in their own design but you
may want to look closely at the type of cleaning
that you will be doing when considering your
purchase. We strongly
recommend for arthritic, fibromyalgia, lupas or
similar conditions restricting function to call
us as we can offer alternative hoses and
switches to ease the challenge and offer steam
cleaning availability.
-
Hose Length - Does it matter?
- Quality manufacturer's should design
their hose length for optimal pressure and
temperature to maintain the standards of
sanitizing and cleaning test results, a 7
- 8 ft hose is the length of choice primarily by
most manufacturer's. Extending length beyond
what a machine is designed for can compromise
temperature necessary for sanitizing and optimal
cleaning. Be sure that lab test results are
provided with products with longer hoses such as
our Vapor Clean 3000 and Sanipack (9ft) to
assure confidence.
-
Steam Vapor vs. Steam Vapor/Extractor
- This is a decision based primarily on what
your needs are. Hard surfaces, combination
cleaning, personal priorities apply when making
this decision.
Do not however, hold true to companies that state
you cannot clean carpet with a Steam Vapor
"Extractor" System. Yes, you can! With the
proper machine and process, Websites that state
this is impossible do not have our machines!
Vapor Clean steam extractors have the added
feature of heated liquid injection with
extraction that no other machine in the USA
can offer. Basic dry steam cleaners with
extractors do not have this ability. Please call
us for more information at 800.758.3141 and read
the consumer reviews on our equipment.
-
Plastic, Stainless or Painted
Metal - Most models on the market
today are plastic or stainless. There are a few
painted metal models available. Remember
"non-stainless" steels can and will most likely rust
in time. Plastic or stainless are perfect for home
use, however we never recommend plastic in
commercial use. Stainless is far more durable,
acceptable, and quite often required within the
commercial marketplace. From a manufacturing
standpoint, stainless steel is the most expensive
material to use when designing this type of
equipment therefore going the extra step in
constructing a quality piece of equipment inside and
out.
-
Mono-block (detachable hose)
systems vs. attached hoses -
Detachable hoses make far more sense and mean less
repairs. Storage is easier, and if you have to
send in for repair, quite often it may just be a
switch on the hose. Why send the whole machine in
for service? Mishaps occasionally occur, we
have had to replace chewed hoses (new puppies),
crushed nozzles (spouse backed over it with the car)
and so on......Pulling cleaners by the hoses of
direct wired machines can put stress on the
connection eventually loosening the connections and
wiring of attached hoses. Detachable hoses "lock"
into place thus relieving the stress and potential
repairs.
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