"New Generation " Rainbow Just Arrived

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow arrived

Mark,
Thanks for the tip. I never had any problems with my old Rainbow. Of course I would not pick up most of the non wetable things with ANY of my vacuums.
I know the Rainbow is expensive but when I plugged in the handy inflation calculator look at what some older vacuums cost in todays money:

(1) my folks old Air-Way 66 in 1951 was $92.50 but in today's money that
would be $828.45
or (2) Electrolux 1205 and power nozzle was $219.95 in 1968 and in today's money it would be $1420.12
or (3) my folks next Air-Way was $249.95 in 1965 which today would be
$1731.22
so I guess it is all relative when you figure inflation

 

[mark40511]

Yes. I use the inflation calculator a lot

I don't purposely vacuum anything non-wettable.........But I put a couple of drops in just in case.

 

[trav-styles]

It's a beautiful machine! A far cry from the D4/SE version one that I had, with the long rectangular P/N. This looks like something I'd actually enjoy using. I wonder if I could get over all of the cleaning, though...empty and clean the pan, clean the machine, dry it, clean the separator...it was like being in a relationship.

 

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow has arrived

Mark,
Do you have the Rainbow storage rack? It makes the storage so much easier.
The new desgin of the water pan (not like the SE) empties so much easier and the fact that the machine clicks on the dolly without the water basin is better too.
My old SE had all the separate hoses,wands to store. It was a hassle.

Travis:
If you store the water pan where you can fill and empty it it makes it so much easier. I have to admit I NEVER washed my saparator in my old SE very often and my machine was very clean after 18 years. I just dumped the water and rinsed the basin. It never got washed and dryed each time.
I think my secret was to not clean too long with one filling. I would fill once and clean the first floor and dump it before I cleaned the upstairs. I also never picked up non wettable things with my Rainbow like fireplace ash or flour but then I never used any good vacuum to pick up those types of materials.
I do ALWAYS wash the separator if I am doing a real dirty job like the garage floor.

 

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow arrived

Mark,
The inflation calulator is a fun tool. When I think something costs a lot in todays world and then I go back and look at what my dad was making in 1951 and what it cost for new appliances it sure puts it into a different perspective.
My folks were newly married and mom did not work. He made $300.00 when they stastd out and the Air-Way was $92.50 and I found the paperwork when they bought their first automatic Bendix washer for $149.00. That was 1/2 of his month's paycheck at the time.

 

[mark40511]

Yes........

Rob I do......The E series basins are much easier to deal with as are the separators. Sorry this picture is so small. My camera battery died before I could adjust anything. I'm charging it now.

 

[mark40511]

Forgot to mention

Rob.

You notice those two little clips on the end of the hose that snap into the main unit........I do not like the fact that those are plastic.......Why? Because I had put the hose over my shoulder to take it with me to the next room, and as the hose was sort of swaying that part of the hose slightly hit the wall and it broke. I couldn't use the hose.......Rainbow gave me another one and took the broken one. I even emailed Rexair letting them know I thought that part should be metal or stronger plastic.......Not that it did any good.

 

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow arrived

Mark,
Is this what you are talking about? It feels like a combination of plastic and sort of hard rubber.
Since I never used an E series, does the hose switch have the 3 positions?
(1) brush on
(2) brush off
(3) brush runs when switch held
It works nice when cleaning throw rugs.
My old SE was doing a good job of removing the embedded dirt or I would have been able to take my Kirby or Hoover Windtunnel get some dirt but this new power nozzle really makes the carpet nap look so much better. It leaves no streaks or missed paths. I had NO IDEA that a RAINBOW would have this much air flow and suction on the carpet.
Do you ever use the air cleaning feature? I am tired of buying the expensvie hepa filters for my air cleaner every year.
Here is something else I noticed this year:
Since I have been using the Rainbow ONLY my hepa filter on the air cleaner lasted about 4 months longer. Tells me I have less dust in the air.

 

[trebor]

cleaning the separator...

Years ago I acquired two additional separators, and always switch it out when I am finished cleaning. It does in the dish pan or top rack of the dishwasher, "One dirty, one clean, and one on the machine" When I was a Rainbow dealer I included two extra separators with every sale, and tried to get Rexair to make that standard. Would have cut motor warranty issues drastically. Penny wiser and pound foolish...

Trebor

 

[mark40511]

Rob.....Those two little grey clips on each side of the hose.....Yes like hard plastic or whatever broke when it hit a wall...........It wasn't like I smashed it against a wall purposely. Imagine throwing the hose over your shoulder and the hose sort of swinging and it sort of hit the wall the perfect way I suppose and it chipped off a piece of the clip, enough so that it wouldn't snap into the unit........To me that's kind of a critical area since the hose it bound to bump into things every now and then............

About the E series (prior to yours)......No. It has a trigger on the hose. You hold the trigger to power the PN and let off the trigger when you want the PN to turn off, yet the Main unit will still be running.

I never use an air cleaner anymore quite honestly.........I'm not in an area of the country that is very dry ......Not sure where you are....

I'm amazed looking at your caddy. There's barely anything on it.......That's awesome!

With my Rainbow I have the electric hose, the standard non-electric hose, and another non-electric hose that's actually 14 feet long, and I LOVE it because it's the only way I can get up to reach high areas.......I used to have to get someone to hold a vacuum while I was up on a ladder so I could clean ceiling fans and up above kitchen cabinets.......With that 14 foot hose.......I'm good to go on my own.

That looks almost identical to my electric hose end though. I'm wondering if that hose would fit into my Rainbow. I'm actually thinking it might. When and if my camera batter charges, I'll take a pic............I have no idea why but my digital camera battery always takes like twelve hours to charge.

 

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow has arrived

Mark,
Thanks for the tip about the hose. I live just north of Indianapolis so we are about 3 hours away. We do have a very good Rainbow distributor in Indianapolis.
They do show a 14 foot electric hose as an option in the instruction book.
Ken is mailing my new Rainbowmate that just came in last week. It was included with mt purchase package and I went ahead and ordered a spare basin.
Thanks again for sharing all the information.

 

[mark40511]

Here's the end of the electric hose

wonder if this is the same? It looks like it

 

[mark40511]

Side view

 

[williamr1248]

New Generatikon Rainbow just arrived

Mark,
I got my electric hose out and as far as I can tell it looks the same. The only difference I could see was the color of the 2 side release buttons as everything that is "action related" is now color matched on the machine.
I could be wrong but I think a customner could buy the power nozzle but you would need to buy a new hose,electric wands and power nozzle.
I think al the otehr tools would fit except the floor brush if yours has the curved bottom wand like my SE used.
I think to be sure you might want to give Ken a call. He knows his Rainbows and is very customer friendly.

 

[whirlpolf]

A most wonderful machine, but...

Hey this Rainbow is the most beautiful one I have ever encountered.
Neat features, very innovative.

But one single thing remains that might make me have second thoughts about buying one myself:
Apparently this one is an eSeries model, so does it have this new brushless motor?
I remember having seen a youtube video with one of them, the sound was horrendously nerve-wrecking when ramping up. Even when on full speed, this strange grunting hum wouldn't go away completely.
A friend of mine has a Black&Decker wannabe-cyclonic plastic bomber, same thing: A blood-curdling scratchy humm, hair raising as hell! (It is kind of bearable when on full speed, yet not nice at all).

Rainbows with brush-type motors sound so much nicer and smoother.

This new electronic motor sound is a real nerve test for me: A mixture of a cranky subway dispatching and eating concrete gravel with aluminium foil bits, topped with toilet bowl cleaner dressing (with your third teeth, that is). It freaks me! Want to run, run and run away or nuke that terrible B+D vac.
Have you ever touched the bottom of a running industrial sized ultrasonic bath at an optician's?
Now imagine THIS inside your skull.

Please tell me that the new SuperRainbow sounds NICE! Please!

Thank you.
Joe

 

[mark40511]

NO

The two speed brushless motor is NOT loud........

I just heard back from Rexair about whether or not the hose would fit the e series prior to this latest model:


Dear Mark:



You can outfit your e series with the latest Power Nozzle.

And you can do this through purchasing a new hose and the Power Nozzle to convert your system to the updates that the new PZ has to offer.


It won't "match"..........but I may do this in the future, no sure. I still hate that I will be missing the coolest part....The LED light



Your local distributor will b e happy to help you make this adjustment.

Please forward your complete address for a local listing.

 

[williamr1248]

New generation Rainbow has arrived

Joe,
I can't stand a loud screeming vacuum either. I had heard the early E models and that is why I kept my SE series so long. The new E2 series (with blue trim)and this machine are very quiet. I does make a unique start up sound but that is only maybe a second.
To me it sounds much like an old Electrolux or Air-Way. Almost a pleasing tone.
This model is 11% quieter than the last according to the dealer and Rainbow info and the power nozzle is very quiet compared to most modern cleaners
No where near the loudness of my Hoover Anniversary Windtunel,Dyson DC7 upright or the early Oreck uprights.

 

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow arrived today

The new Rainbmate came today. It looks about the same BUT it has direct connect and you can use one or both electric wands if you need extra reach and it has a positive botton lock. All features that were lacking on my previous SE Rainbowmate.

 

[williamr1248]

New Generation Rainbow arrived

Here it is with the direct connect wand attached.
Thanks again to Ken for such FAST service.
It is kind of nice to see MADE IN THE USA on all the parts!

 

[whirlpolf]

say hi to Ken anyway

this looks all promising and sleek and "wanting to touch and use it".
Ken seems to be a person to take promises for a "must-be-done" (versprochen ist versprochen as we say in German = a promise IS a promise) - no matter if made in the USA or here or in France or anywhere. THIS is the kind of service we all want worldwide, don't we? Maybe some day there will be a label "made on Earth - human made". Wouldn't that make us proud? (provided the quick-rich-scheme money makers are gone, those guys that let us customers stay standing in the rain once there are problems inflicted by crap products not made with love)

Thanks for the friendly replies on the motor sound, but I will still reconsider and wait for first postings on video channels.

Btw: THIS model of a Rainbow doesn't seem to be available here on German Rainbow pages / only on the international ones (which means 120 volts for me ;-//. They still feature D and E models. What am I missing? And why can't I find my local dealer? There is some post code entry field but no real search engine. I cannot imagine that there would not be a dealer round my town, almost a million people here, neighbor cities and rural spots included, harbor, industry, full fledged public transport combining 5 cities and dozens of communities, high speed train connection, dual freeway nodes and a small airport. Why can't I look up Rainbow in the phone book? What makes them so secret-keeping?

Cheers
Joe