I own an orbot less than a year old. Seems to run fine but it chews up the cotton pads and cotton blends. It does it whether I run them wet or dry. It primarily does it in the center of the pad. The pads are coming apart within 5 or 6 uses. I have the gliders but don't really care to use them and on alot of carpets I find that the glides do not stay on. I would like to clean more with it as a stand alone method but as I said it is hard on pads and it also more often than not the pad does not stay on the velcro. I do regularly clean the velcro of lint. Any thoughts or experience?
Thanks, Jim

Use Microfiber pads, I have similar problem with cotton pads not lasting or staying on long after the Velcro driver has been used several times.

Microfiber pads have been my answer,the scrub pads stay on fine no mtter what, the only other thing I found is the axles can get bent and you wont notice it for a while or until the alignment gets really out of whack making the machine a bear to drive. I am going on my third set of bolts on it now, this time purchasing the hardest ones we could fine.

The reason for the heads up is I noticed pad wear faster and get spit out more when the this occured

David, Thanks for the reply. Microfiber pads or bonnets? Or are they the same? Where do you buy them and do you like a certain brand. I will check on the axle thing.
Jim

I'll let the answer come right from the horses mouth. Jeff Hruby of HOS saw this message and he sent me an email about it. Not sure why he didn't just post a response here. But I'm happy to copy and paste what he said. I hope this adds some insight to the discussion...


Hey Rick,

It's like a knife to the gut when I read that people are having problems when there are simple quick fixes.

The person with the pad problem sounds like he isn't using our SuperZorp pads and he hasn't changed out his Velcro driver plate in ages. Some try to scrape the lint out of the Velcro with a wire or plastic brush. When doing so, the hooks of the Velcro break down causing the problem that the pad will not be able to stick much any more. Sometimes people just simply let the velcro drive plate fill up with too much lint. For either scenario, the pads will not stick as well, which would be why his pads are wearing and why the cleaning performance is lost. Overall, it is a good idea that Orbot owners keep on hand spare VDP's so that they can change them out when needed.

Best Regards,

Jeffrey T. Hruby
Hruby Orbital Systems, Inc.






Rick Gelinas

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Jeff, I appreciate your reading and responding to my problem. I apologize for the knife in the gut feeling but it is my issue and there may be a simple solution(or not) but the solution comes from asking questions from those who know even if the answer is simple.
I have two Velcro plates and regularly change them out. I do brush the pad driver out and doing so may affect the tines of the Velcro but I know of no other way other than buying a new one each time I need a new one. Frankly, that seems expensive but I am open to suggestions.
My main issue is the pad developing a hole in the center of the pad after only a few uses. Would using superzorb pads correct that? Again,I am doubting it but I have been wrong before. I am due again.
Any suggestions that you or others have I will be glad to hear.
Thanks, Jim

Jim, by any chance are you having that issue with the so called new and improved Glad pads or is it any cotton pads your using.
I recently purchased 30 of the new Gald pads and have been having the same issue, but if I use the older version of the Glad pads or Micro Fiber pads I have no problems. I don't think your problem is the Orbot or the velcro disks. I clean mine out the same as you and have had no problems with the velcro loosing it's grip on any pads except for the new glad pads for some reason. I sure feel ripped off for trying those for the price I paid.
If you look on the CCSOP site they now sell two versions of the Glad pads and admit they are having issues with the newer version and won't gaurantee them. So why are they still selling them if they know they are a crap product?




















Brad Whiteman
EcoDry Carpet Cleaning

Brad and Jim,
The SuperZorb pads that Jeff referenced above are premium cotton pads that HOS has introduced. I think you could compare them with any top pad on the market today...http://www.excellent-supply.com/SUPERZORB-Cotton-PadsTerrycloth-Bonnets-20-inch-Case-of-10-Carpet-Cleaning-Bonnets_p_87.html

Jim, if you'd like to give us a call at the office I'd like to speak with you and see if there's anything we're missing, and if there's any way we can troubleshoot or assist you further.

And for all you OP users, one of our customers has suggested taking the OP pad driver plates to the car wash and blasting them off with the pressure spray gun. You might try this technique for removing the lint from the velcro drive plate too.








Rick Gelinas

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