By Colin Croteau
Evolving Times for the Carpet Cleaning Industry
Over the past couple of years, the Electric Truckmount (ETM) has emerged from a simple concept into a legitimate tool for those considering professional carpet cleaning equipment. In that same time frame, it’s also been improved upon, in innumerable ways.
From the original Mytee Escape, which utilized four, three-stage vacuums; drawing a huge amount of power amperage, to the new, Vortex Lite, with dual LX motors which are extremely more power-efficient, without hindering the vacuum power of the original Escape – the question is often asked, can an ETM really perform like a gas carpet cleaning truckmount?
Not a Portable Anymore
The Vortex Lite produces 14” of mercury lift with 240 cfm. This is greater than a #33 blower, and more than enough vacuum to support residential work, all the way up to 200 feet away on most cleaning jobs. The truth of the matter is that the extra cfm is only needed on extremely long hose runs. The extra cfm helps the water travel down the hose, whereas the lift, actually lifts the water out of the carpet. Should you need the extra cfm, a Mytee air hog can be purchased which can produce up to an additional 250 cfm, making the Vortex Lite + Air Hog combo has more vacuum capabilities than essentially every professional carpet cleaning extractor or truckmount, aside from a select few.
As far as the pressure pump, it is a specific pump made for the Vortex Lite by Pumptec. It is 800 psi, yet it draws 1.5 fewer amps than similar pumps.
This brings us to the heat question. The Vortex Lite heat is optional. You can choose from an Electric or a Diesel. The Electric is sufficient for “on…off” operation for carpet cleaning. The Diesel, on the other hand, does not drop even with the trigger open.
I live where it gets pretty cold during the winter. An installed truckmount has many disadvantages for me because I don’t have dedicated heated parking for when the van is not working. So, a removable machine is always my best choice.
Still 100% Mobile when Needed
So, the question always comes up, “what about a generator? you’re still using gasoline.” Well, the truth is, a generator is certainly optional. However, you can easily run extension cords into the home, find two circuits, and be on your way. Plus – the diesel heater can run off of a 12V battery in your van, and a little giant heater requires no power at all.
The auto-fill and auto pump out in the Vortex Lite also make this an extremely user-friendly machine. Don’t worry about running out of water, and save the time it takes to dump out wastewater at the end of each day – not to mention the hefty fines that can come with pouring a large amount of wastewater into an improper spot.
To wrap this up, we will answer the original question of can an ETM perform as well as a gas than a traditional carpet cleaning truckmount? The answer is simple; yes! It can. Sometimes, even better.
Electric truckmounts are as good a choice as any professional carpet cleaning machine and that is why I have one.
Taf Baig, IICRC Instructor, contributed to this article as well.