Advice please

[pauluscarpetcare]

A year ago I purchased a cimex from ES. Ihave grown to enjoy encap carpet cleaning and would like to incorporate VLM for my resi. clients. I recently put my Butler TM up for sale and begun the process of researching OP machines. My understanding the Trinity is the most powerful and will not tip bloom cut pile though very pricey. I love yhe price point of the Vario and the look but will I get the same performance as aTrinity or am I over thinking the whole process. Thank you in advance for your help. Kurt

[Ed E]

Kurt-

First, there are multiple factors involved with tip bloom that no brand of machine will eliminate. The biggest cause of tip bloom, in my opinion, is poor operator technique. So I would not focus on a particular machine with the notion that it will not cause tip bloom. I think the whole tip bloom subject is quite overblown anyway....

I think you have to weigh the cost and efficiency of any OP machine you purchase. Your personal preference of how you want to operate, and how much you want to spend, will be key factors.

I can only tell you of my preference. I have two Sprayborgs, one I purchased new from ES and one I purchased used. I want an on-board sprayer on my resi machine, plain and simple. I use a two gallon pump up sprayer for pre-spray, and the on-board sprayer while scrubbing. I have a power sprayer that has sat unused in my shop for over a year, simply because I do not want to haul extra equipment in/out/around a residence. For me, that is the biggest drawback on the Vario, although I think it sits at a great price point. The sprayborg and trinity have terrible price points (hence my last purchase was used...). But if the notion of using a power sprayer doesn't bother you, then it might be a great fit. I think the actual scrubbing motions of the machines are probably similar, all things being equal.

[pauluscarpetcare]

Thanks Ed. Yea the Trinity with on board sprayer is 5k. Ouch.

[encapman]

I want an on-board sprayer on my resi machine, plain and simple. I use a two gallon pump up sprayer for pre-spray, and the on-board sprayer while scrubbing. I have a power sprayer that has sat unused in my shop for over a year, simply because I do not want to haul extra equipment in/out/around a residence. For me, that is the biggest drawback on the Vario, although I think it sits at a great price point.

I think you may be surprised if you were to use the Vario's spray & showerfeed system. Not having the weight of a detergent tank added to the machine helps the machine to handle very smoothly. It's seriously smooth and nimble! Being able to switch between spray and showerfeed on the fly is a cool option too. Another advantage is that the battery powered sprayer holds a full 5 gallons of detergent, as opposed to 2 or 3 gallons. Of course you're probably thinking - "yeah but it has the hose dangling behind the machine". Well oddly enough, the 50' foot solution hose for some reason seems to want to naturally mate up with the 50' power cord as you run the machine, and the two of them come together and trail behind the machine very neatly. In a real world application, I can't see a disadvantage to having the solution mounted off of the machine. In fact it brings advantages to the table. Try it, I'm sure you'll agree that in a real world application the Vario is easier to work with than a machine that has a solution tank mounted to the handle.

You've already nailed one of the the Vario's other BIG advantages... the Vario comes in at roughly half the cost of the other OP machines on the market. I might add that the Vario won't rust or chip paint like the other machines that are made out of pressed steel. Instead the Vario has a solid cast aluminum deck. The switch box is aluminum. The handle is chromed. The axle is solid stainless steel. The swingarm is made from a solid block of aluminum. In other words, it's built to last. Added to that it comes with a Leeson motor (one of the best in the industry).

Give the Vario a try and I think you'll agree that it's one of the nicest machines presently on the market. As Mike Pailiotet observed this past weekend... "The Vario was the smoothest OP I've ever ran. Rick loaded it up with some really cool features." http://mikeysboard.com/forum/showthread....WE-VLM-VFW

Here's an offer that I think may help to get you guys to confidently give the Vario a test drive... "Buy it, try it, and if you don't love it - return it for a refund."

[Ed E]

Oh, I like the Vario, Rick. A lot. Many sweet features to appreciate for sure. However, we will run two trucks for a single customer (property manager) from June-August, cleaning 6-9 units per truck per day. All of these apartments/townhomes have stairs. The power sprayer represents two trips per unit, 12-18 trips per day, 5-6 days per week. All up and down 1-3 flights of stairs. That kind of labor effort has really focused my attention on efficiency and round trips. With my system now, I roll the orbot in, and I have a cart I roll in that holds everything else I will use. I do not carry anything, and my round trips are at a bare minimum. Hence my bias for an on board sprayer, and why I no longer use a power sprayer. Too much additional labor ( and back ache...) during my prime money making season.

[pauluscarpetcare]

Thanks for the responses guys. I have no problem buying a basic Vario and using the Hoss srayer to preconditon the carpet first, let dwell then cleaning with the Vario. I wouldn't need the whole set up. My main concern will it do a good job cleaning resi carpet. I would probably purchase a porty as well. Thanks.

[JuddBowers]

Thanks for the responses guys. I have no problem buying a basic Vario and using the Hoss srayer to preconditon the carpet first, let dwell then cleaning with the Vario. I wouldn't need the whole set up. My main concern will it do a good job cleaning resi carpet. I would probably purchase a porty as well. Thanks.

It will not do a good job, it will do a great job! Pair it up with some microbeast pads and you'll be shocked at how well you'll clean residential.

The only time I pull my porty out is when I want to claw some urine stains.

[pauluscarpetcare]

Thanks Judd. I think I'm sold onthe Vario. Anyone want to buy a Butler?

[TheCleaningDude]

Vario + BrushEncap = WIN!

Curious, what are you asking for the Butler?

[pauluscarpetcare]

20,000 firm. 2008 Butler, all 3 packages, most major components replaced in iast 300 hrs. 2500hrs on system, 94000 miles on van.

[Anthony Hernandez]

I'd trade my Orbot for you cimex. I live in Yonkers NY


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[Hoss]

I love the Vario for CGD and for ceramic tile cleaning. The on-board sprayer is a great feature, however for ceramic tile I like to use the sprayer independently to pre-treat and allow some dwell time. A typical highly efficient method is to pre-spray, follow with the Vario and a red-pad, follow with the Orbot with the brush, and then do a clear water mop. That will clean the grout and surface of some of the worst ceramic tile you have ever seen. Even though it is a 4 step process, with two people it goes very fast.

[Ed E]

Robert- What chems are you using for ceramic tile? Thanks-Ed

[Hoss]

I like Aqua Mix. It works fairly well, inexpensive (about $15 makes up to 128 gallons), neutral PH, no VOCs, no COV and is biodegradable. We try to be environmentally responsible as possible with all of our activities. It is good for us and our ongoing exposure as operators and good for the customers when we have left their environments healthier.

There may very well be cleaners that are more powerful, but when combined with the Orbot, Vario, Oreck and the edge scrubbing tool offered by Ex Sup, I haven't run into anything that can't be removed.