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question: 'Hi Sandy, I started using the machine and notice that the hot water temperature is inconsistent. Machine is being run on 2 separate 20A outlets, the red heater button does not light on as advertised... I left the heater on for 30 minutes before doing any work and the water coming out is lukewarm. After 10-15mins of use, it becomes hot for a minute or two and then turns lukewarm again, and then after another ~10 mins it turns hot again for a min or two. By lukewarm, I mean lukewarm, like cooler than the water I would feel comfortable taking a shower in in a winter night... Are these two issues considered as normal?'
I would like a explanation as to why the Red heater light did not light up, and the water is only lukewarm. I can provide water temperature readings, if necessary and/or a video record it while I'm reading the temperatures.
Tom
Answer: I can tell the heater works because it does heat up. Please note that these machines are to be filled with HOT water as the heating systems installed under the hood are only 1600 to 2000 watts of energy. Electric heaters are designed to reheat already hot water and NOT to heat cold water. The light only comes on if you hook up the power cords on different phases not just different breakers. If you hook the machine to different breakers and the light does NOT turn on but it will not trip. The heater only holds about a quart of water so when you squeeze the trigger on the cleaning tool you will empty the hot water tank pretty quick. I think that a lot of customer do not know what to expect out of an electric heater. The average temperature rise for a 2 jet carpet cleaning wand is 25 degree hotter than what you have in the machine. Example. If I pour in 110 degree F water in the tank and it cools down to 100 degrees F and then gets sucked into the pump and then into the heater it will clean the carpet at about 125 degrees F. If I stop cleaning for a while the 32 oz of water in the heater will heat up to 200 degree and the heater will turn itself off. Once I start cleaning again the heater will turn itself back on again. This will give you a burst of 200 degree water. If I place cold 65 degree water in the machine I would only expect to clean with 90 degree water. This will feel colder than hot tap water. How much electrical energy does an instant tank-less heater to take a shower at 1 gallon per minute to rise the water from 65 degrees to 105 degrees? Answer 50,000 watts of power. This means you would have to plug the heater in 8 outlets on 8 120 volt breakers to heat water 40 degrees. For some reason customer think that a 2000 watt heater in a carpet cleaning machine will do the same thing and the laws of physics will not allow it.
Some possible improvements: 1. convert the machine to pressure feed auto fill. This automatically adds 10 degrees to your hot water temperature as the water does not sit in the fresh water tank cooling down. http://www.steam-brite.com/clean-sto...s-p-13107.html
2. add an extra heater on the machine. We sell electric, propane, diesel, and kerosene high pressure water heaters.
I would like a explanation as to why the Red heater light did not light up, and the water is only lukewarm. I can provide water temperature readings, if necessary and/or a video record it while I'm reading the temperatures.
Tom
Answer: I can tell the heater works because it does heat up. Please note that these machines are to be filled with HOT water as the heating systems installed under the hood are only 1600 to 2000 watts of energy. Electric heaters are designed to reheat already hot water and NOT to heat cold water. The light only comes on if you hook up the power cords on different phases not just different breakers. If you hook the machine to different breakers and the light does NOT turn on but it will not trip. The heater only holds about a quart of water so when you squeeze the trigger on the cleaning tool you will empty the hot water tank pretty quick. I think that a lot of customer do not know what to expect out of an electric heater. The average temperature rise for a 2 jet carpet cleaning wand is 25 degree hotter than what you have in the machine. Example. If I pour in 110 degree F water in the tank and it cools down to 100 degrees F and then gets sucked into the pump and then into the heater it will clean the carpet at about 125 degrees F. If I stop cleaning for a while the 32 oz of water in the heater will heat up to 200 degree and the heater will turn itself off. Once I start cleaning again the heater will turn itself back on again. This will give you a burst of 200 degree water. If I place cold 65 degree water in the machine I would only expect to clean with 90 degree water. This will feel colder than hot tap water. How much electrical energy does an instant tank-less heater to take a shower at 1 gallon per minute to rise the water from 65 degrees to 105 degrees? Answer 50,000 watts of power. This means you would have to plug the heater in 8 outlets on 8 120 volt breakers to heat water 40 degrees. For some reason customer think that a 2000 watt heater in a carpet cleaning machine will do the same thing and the laws of physics will not allow it.
Some possible improvements: 1. convert the machine to pressure feed auto fill. This automatically adds 10 degrees to your hot water temperature as the water does not sit in the fresh water tank cooling down. http://www.steam-brite.com/clean-sto...s-p-13107.html
2. add an extra heater on the machine. We sell electric, propane, diesel, and kerosene high pressure water heaters.
