back pack vacuums...

[vacuumfreeeke]

We don't talk about back pack vacuums very much... has anyone had experience with them? My best friend cleans houses on the side and he mentioned that he would like to find a back pack vacuum some time ago.... but even used, they usually go for around 300 dollars on C/L here.... so when I saw a Royal Back Pack vacuum for 50 dollars, I had to tell him about it. He wanted it so we got it yesterday. It's really light and powerful and the 50 foot cord is really nice. Only flaws seem to be no way to store the cord and the switch is hard to get to. I got him some old electrolux attachments that friction fit just fine.... this one just came with the machine and hose, no attachments. I love the clear dome on the top!

Can you wash the shake out bag? What about the post motor filter? Anyone else use these or any other back pack vacuums? I do wish it would have had a power nozzle and the original attachments... but I think it's rare to find a back pack vacuum with a power nozzle... maybe I'll get him a turbo cat for his birthday!

 

[kloveland]

Backpack vacuums

<p style="text-align: justify;">Our custodial service, here at work uses the Pro Team backpack vacuum. We have about ten thousand square feet with commercial carpet and heavy student traffic. My biggest complaint is the floor tool, it has no brush. It doesn't pick up string or human hair I don't see how it pickups up ground in dirt. When I run my non electric sweeper the brush always has a fair amount of hair wrapped around it. It's really disgusting. The custodial staff are not very efficient and probably vacuum at least once a week if that.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When I talked to one of the workers, he said he didn't like the backpack either; it's loud and doesn't cover enough area. He said his boss pushes them to use the backpack, rather than the Windsor they have (it's beat up and the brush roll is worn down). I wish the supervisor would check the vacuums to see if they are being maintained. Or have some kind of maintenance schedule for their equipment. By the way the company is ABM.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sorry Bobby, I don't care for backpack vacuums. I've seen some with power nozzles online and they may actually work well.</p>
 

 

[JDrums0789]

When I used to work in a hotel, the company that provided all the cleaning equipment brought in some ProTeam back packs for the cleaning staff to demo. I got to use it, and found it to be bulky and annoying. It was also rather amusing to see the day custodian try to strap on the machine. She was very small woman and could barely carry it.

Long story short, after a few days it was decided that we would just keep the Riccar Commerical units. We also had a small fleet of Dysons, and I have to say, it is very clear that they were not designed for a commerical enviroment. Poor things...

 

[scvacuumguy]

We sell a ton of the Royal backpacks to restaurants- they work great for polished concrete, bare floors, and other bare floor settings. In terms of being used on carpet- we would not even offer one as an option when consulting a commercial client. Without a powernozzle, it will not be as effective as other options.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

I should say that he has a Prolux for carpets... this will only be for bare floors and dusting... Of course the Prolux isn't the most powerful vacuum either, but he adores his for some reason. As a collector and lover of vacuums, I would not want a backpack vacuum for anything... I like real vacuums!

Chris, since you sell them you may know... is it OK to wash the cloth bag?

Thanks guys!

 

[tolivac]

Royal Backpack vacuum have one of these in my collection.I don't know if its OK to wash the cloth "Hypercone" bag-if its really nasty would be worthwhile just to get a new bag and filters.You can get a paper bag conversion kit for this vacuum-have the kit and it works well-but BEWARE-this machine is so powerful the paper bag will BREAK with a loud "pop" when it gets too full.The conversion kit uses a diffrent cloth bag-the paper bag goes inside it.I like the Proteam backpacks better than the Royal-have a Proteam,too.It uses both a cloth bag(kinda like a TriStar)and a paper bag that goes in the cloth one.Overall-the backpacks are AWKWARD for home cleaning--too many "bump into tradgedies"A floor canister is better.For heavy work-prefer my NSS M1 to any backpack.the NSS is actually more versatile.

 

[kirbylover]

My Kirby 510 has a strap and in the owners manual shows you how to wear it on your back. But that is really a joke more than anything! LOL

 

[trebor]

Back pack vacuums...

require some training to use properly. A curved back and forth stroke is most efficient and keeps the tool FLAT to the floor which is required for effective cleaning. Tools with brushes are available

Most commercial carpet is low pile, glued down over concrete. Back packs were designed for this type of cleaning. Revolving brushes, especially with beater bars literally pound the vacuums to death in this type of application.

Taking into account the required belt changes which are too infrequently done, and the ability of the backpack to get under furniture, it is easy to understand their popularity with maintenance personnel and supervisors. Properly used, a back pack vacuum can clean in excess of 10,000 sq ft/hr, including edges, with less operator fatigue and fewer orthopedic injuries. For stadiums, theaters, and open reception areas with plentiful seating a back pack is the unit of choice.

 

[scvacuumguy]

Freeke- Hand wash the bag if necessary.

 

[kloveland]

For dusting and bare floors..

The backpack vacuums would be fine for that purpose. Even on commercial carpet I still believe the nozzle needs some kind of brush.

 

[trebor]

The need for a revolving brush...

includes the need to maintain said brush and change the belt. Failing in those stipulations, the properly operated back pack will out clean the poorly maintained upright.

For years rugs were adequately cleaned by straight suction canisters, until carpets and pads became thicker. Daily use of a back pack will do a very good job of keeping a low pile glue down carpet clean. Pro Team has proved it time and again and has documentation to back it up

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Thanks Chris.... the guy who owned it before had a wood shop so it smells like sawdust when we turn it on!

Here's a link to the article on Pro teams web site... I read the one titled "Capturing more dust with suction only vacs" and found it very interesting....

 

[gmerkt]

My wife and I were on a cruise ship on the Baltic Sea recently and I noticed NCL workers using some back-pack vacs. Here's a picture of Jack Tacotaco using a Raven unit:

 

[gmerkt]

Back of machine. "HK" stands for "housekeeping," a division on the ship.

 

[gmerkt]

The Raven units were used mostly, so far as I could see, only in common areas. The housekeepers had dozens of Windsor uprights for cleaning cabins. Here at a couple of the Windsors:

 

[gmerkt]

Another Windsor:

 

[tolivac]

Airliner cleaners use backpack vacuums-they have motors in them that run from the airplanes 208/120V 400 Hz 3ph power supply.for aircraft cleaning FAA regulations require vacuums with sparkless motors.the 400Hz motors are 3 Ph induction-since it runs at 400Hz the speed is very fast and the motor is compact for its power.A 2hp 400Hz 208V 3 Ph motor is about the size of a 1 pound coffee can.

 

[tolivac]

I have a training video for the ProTeam backpack-think it came with my machine when I bought it-DVD.for vacuuming floors-you swing the floor tool and wand in a similar manner to a mop.the video points out you can clean a large floor area quickly with the method.The hand tools are used in the same manner as a regular canister vacuum.Proteam also makes a combo backpack vacuum or canister.You can put a longer hose on it and put it on a caster base.It could be used either way.and the place where I bought my ProTeam backpack from has a wall mount rack you store the backpack vacuum on-it assists you in putting on or off.the machines switch is on a little pigtail so its easy to reach.You can clip it to your belt,or one of the backpack straps.