Rainbow Performnce

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Mark:

I can honestly say that my Rainbow experience has been far different than yours then. Back when I had my Rainbow D4 Performance Edition, I had it as well as my Fakir S220 German-made canister vacuum that has self-sealing paper micro-filtration bags & Encapsulated True HEPA filtration (meaning the HEPA is before the motor). I have a Eureka Express PN, Plastiflex hose & Dirt Sensor lower wand I use with it. I was sharing a house with 3 other people at this time, & the house had light brown, cut medium pile carpeting in the living room, dining room, & all the bedrooms. I used the Rainbow as my main vacuum when I vacuumed every couple of days, as I wanted to save money on bags, & didn't mind the setup & cleaning. This house needed it BADLY once every couple of days, due to the amount of foot traffic & sand. Now, once every couple of weeks, I would take my Fakir S220 out & use it....EVERY TIME I used it, I wound up having the Dirt Sensor go off CONSTANTLY when cleaning the living room & dining room, where the heaviest traffic was, On top of that, the bag would be 1/4 full of sand & fine dust....and these rooms would have JUST BEEN VACUUMED with the Rainbow. This was only to make sure everything was getting picked up. Now, bear in mind I was using the Rainbow properly, filling it to the proper level, changing water every 20 minutes, & cleaning it's Separator after each vacuuming. I never was impressed seeing the dirt on the Separator, & even less so with seeing the dirt in the bag on my Fakir canister. Just to give an idea of performance here....the Fakir canister I have pulls 90" Waterlift, Rainbow D4 60" Waterlift.

As far as your assertion you have never seen dust on your HEPA filter & it remains white & clean smelling, & you never see dust on your Separator or in your motor fans....don't take this the wrong way, but since you are a Vacuum Collector, you would have taken FAR BETTER care of it than the average consumer who probably just follows the instructions & maybe even some who downright abuse their Rainbow vacuums. Therefore, your results you have seen with yours are irrelevant when we're talking about dust emissions & what is actually getting to the HEPA filter. In my town, whenever we do see an E Series Rainbow come in for repairs, they ALWAYS have lots of dust on their HEPA filters, even if the Separator is clean. The fact of the matter is, THERE'S A REASON why Consumer Reports always gave Rainbow the lowest scores for dust emissions when the D3 & D4 were out....in my opinion, Water Filtration does NOT work as well as Rexair would have everyone believe, & it does let out a LOT of dust. Come on now! Can you NOT see that Rexair putting the HEPA filter on the E Series was basically an admission they KNEW their system was flawed?! Why would they go from 1936 to 1998, go all those years with water alone, & then suddenly add a HEPA filter to it? It's obvious that Consumer Reports's testing trapped them in a corner....and they knew it.

Mark, tell ya what....if you REALLY think your Rainbow is doing the job you think it is, try using ONLY your Rainbow for 6 months. Then give your carpets a thorough cleaning with your Electrolux with a fresh bag installed....and be prepared to be disgusted with the results! I respect your decision to use Water Filtration vacuums as your primary vacuum of choice, but until Rainbow DRAMATICALLY improves the Waterlift rating on the E Series, I won't even consider using one in my home, & I'll stick with Electrolux & high-end European canisters with HEPA bags & filters.

Rob
 
Oh, and one thing I nearly forgot....I agree with Josh when he says the Kirby is built better than the Rainbow. I have always felt the E Series was very plasticky & didn't have the feeling of quality. And like I said before, I don't like that the Switched Reluctance motor hasn't been in the market longterm with a proven track record of quality & reliability. For my home, Kirby is the way to go if you want a quality, long-lasting lifetime system.

Rob
 
I'm not a collector. I actually use my vacuums........I rotate with the Rainbow and the Lux......But I will tell you that I used my Rainbow only for way over six months before without using any other vacuum, especially the first two years, and I used it a LOT. I still do, but not as much as I did the first two years......and when I used the bagged canister, it still took a long time for the bag to fill. The Rainbow WAS doing it's job. Had it not been, I'm sure that all the dirt that you say was staying in the carpets and not getting properly cleaned would have eventually caused a dusty mess in my house just simply from walking on carpet and stirring dust up.

The E series has a different material and style separator than those earlier SE or D3 rainbows. I do remember those separators would get dirty and dirt would stick to them. My Grandma had a D3 in the 80s and I vividly remember cleaning it and it was a pain......However, we abused the hell out of that Rainbow. We didn't change the water and it would get thick.......I guess we didn't know any better. I honestly can't remember changing the water EVER when we vacuumed.....

Whatever material these E series separators are made of are different. Nothing sticks to them........OR.......If it does, it takes a LONG time for dirt to accumulate on them if you never clean them...

And regarding suction.........At least on my Gold 2 speed, the suction is more than adequate. It has a 14 foot non electric hose that I use and as an example, when I vacuum the blankets the cats lay on it tries to inhale them the suction is so strong.

I'm not really doing anything special. All I do is change the water, which NOW I usually only have to change it two to three times MAX to clean the entire house, clean separator and basin and put everything away. I've examined my hepa filter VERY carefully because I find it so hard to believe that it can still be good after all this time. Even Rainbow says the have it checked and possibly replaced after two years.......I bought a new hepa on Ebay for 15 dollars for my Rainbow. It's generic. I can't tell a difference at all.......But I put the new one on to see if the performance would change at all. No noticeable increase in airflow, the machine still runs cool, air pours out the back of the filter as if it was still new, so I put the old one back on and have the new one ready to use if I ever need it.......


Now with all of that being said.........Sometimes I DO NOT enjoy using it! Sometimes I don't even WANT to vacuum, period. I get tired of it. But the neat freak in me has to vacuum every day or at least every other day.

JOEL - I don't SOAK the cotton ball to the point that it's dripping wet. I just put a few drops on it.



SORRY to the OP.....Still on the topic of Rainbow vacuums, but I went off in another direction.
 
Rob,

With respect to Rainbow adding the Hepa filter....almost every vacuum manufacturer added a Hepa filter, including Electrolux, to their machines as that seemed to be the 'in' thing of the time so why wouldn't Rainbow do the same thing? I don't think it has anything to do with them being cornered by Consumer Reports. I've used my black Rainbow for 2 months now on a weekly basis and all I can say is that I'm pleased with it. To each their own.

Gary
 
@ Rainbowjoel

Rather than soaking the cotton ball, you might just try a few drops.  That's what I do.  I also just use a small piece of toilet tissue. 
 
CR used "wood flour" which is "non-wettable" & that's why Rainbows didn't score well on emissions.

I was disappointed when CR said the SE was the lowest rated vac back in 1993; a year after my parents bought the SE. I disagree with CR's ratings about the Rainbow; why did they say it scored Fair in deep cleaning, suction & noise level?
 
I'm glad someone besides me likes Rainbows and thinks they are quality machines, which they are. I've seen Rainbows last decades with no major repairs. I also find it funny that people on this forum take Consumer Reports' testing seriously. You all should know better, LOL. Years ago, when vacuum industry experts went to visit, they discovered thier "laboratory" for testing emissions was the lounge with plastic sheeting taped up. Not worthy of regard. Consumer Reports also informs people wrong on cleaning performance. For DECADES they rated the Kirby "below average" in rug cleaning ability. I mean really?? They're just not believable. Those magazine pages from 1954 and 1957 are posted right here on this forum, I read them recently. They always rated Elecrolux well and checked marked them as recommended, and a few times rated them the best (the 1205). Starting in the 1990's they rated the Electrolux EpicSR "very good" on carpets but noted on the side that "the machine shut off prematurely." Now they can't even recommend an Aerus new product at all. Did Aerus Electrolux get worse, or is something wrong with the methods used? For years they used a concoction called wood flour for the "dirt." Starting in the mid-1990's or so they switched to using SAND and TALCUM POWDER for the dirt. This gives most of the better cleaners a poorer rating in dirt pickup because most of the high filtration systems can't handle the talcum powder, which is deadly to suction/air flow. Aerus' new bags in particular can't handle it, the pores immediately start clogging and robbing it of airflow. All Luxes are automatic, and when airflow gets reduced they shut off. Same with Rainbows and Filter Queens. On Rainbows, the talcum powder is non-wettable and continues on to the HEPA filter and seals it. On Filter Queens the cone filters almost instantly seals with the powder, robbing it of airflow also. With regard to Consumer Reports, if you bought the LOWEST rated vacuums, you'd be buying the better cleaner/filtration vac. I read somewhere a vacuum collector club tried to replicate thier results with same methods and were unable. To me they are not worthy of a passing glace.
 
Consumer Reports

Among other comments from CR they stated that the Rainbow SE has NO way to store cord when every SE came with the tool rack with 2 cord hooks(one swivel).They also highly rated the Eureka Bravo which actually did well UNTILL it had repair problems,more often sooner than later.CR later tried to add information on expected reliabilaty,most likely after hearing from unhappy Bravo owners.
 
Adam, I hope you made your decision. I have a new Rainbow Black and love it. I also have an older SE which I no longer use, the black is so easy and fun to use. If you fell in love with the water tank, as I have, then you'll love the new model, your house will feel and smell clean, your carpets will be beautifully groomed and hard floors will be perfectly swept. Of all the vacuums I've used, I love this new Rainbow best. Good Luck.
 
I Love my Rainbow

D4 SE PE vacuum, it has excellent suction and is very quiet compared to the E Series. I also have a E2 2 speed and I used it maybe three times and put it back in the box and sent it to the garage. But now I have one of the newest E Series (Black one) And so far I love it it is quieter and has great suction and those LED lights can't be beat and the new Power Nozzle should be great if I ever get to use it. My dog chewed the cord off of the vacuum. I spliced the cord back together but not sure if it is safe or not, so I bought a new cord for it and since there are no Rainbow Dealers in the state of wyoming I have to put the cord on myself. I just hope I can figure out how to do it.... Dan
 
I have both. The E4 downstairs and a SEPE upstairs. Beleive it or not I like my SEPE more than the E4, don't ask me why because I don't know the reason myself. The SEPE gets used for everyday cleaning and the E4 once a week. As far as quality, I think they are both quality machines with the exception of the plastic clips on the E4 hose. To me the SEPE is not as heavy as the E4. I just replaced a latch on my aunts rainbow in august and it was bought new in 1986 and it was used EVERYDAY and I would hate to say how many times the latch had been latched and unlatched. For it to last this long that has to say something about the quality of a rainbow. If you can swing the money I would go ahead and get the new E4.
 
"What else can be done to improve the Black Rainbow?&#34

I can only think of two things I'd change about my E4: get rid of those cheap casters on the dolly and replaced them with solid urethane easy-roll wheels. These caster wheels are the ones that look they belong on inline skates and well made rolling luggage. I'm actually looking for some to fit my rolling dolly because the machine gets caught on every area rug in my house and I'm afraid it's going to turn over on me one day. Other than that, I'd like to see a power nozzle with a cogged belt. It seems I have to replace my belt about every 3 months- and this is with low to medium pile carpet.
 
I always hear

of people having to change their PN belt a lot.........It's so strange that every vacuum I've ever owned, I've never had to do this. I've never felt a slip or any sign that it needs changed......The Kenmore, the Phantom upright I had, the Rainbow, the Electrolux, all of them.......I've never had to change a belt.........Wouldn't there be some sort of obvious sign that they need changing? If there is, I haven't seen it on any vacuum I've ever owned.......I even changed my Rainbow belt once thinking it MUST need changing by now, and after changing it, there was absolutely no difference..
 
Rainbow Performance

Mark,
I have had the same thing with my sweeper. I have not had to change the belt on my machine. I did it once just because I thought I should and I could not tell any difference in the sound,speed or performance and mine gets used every day.
I have had much better luck with the dolly on this machine with the added wheel and a lead castor than my previous Rainbow SE. The worst I have used was the dolly on the Filter Queen and the small wheels on my Miele. They seem to catch on every rug edge and you end up dragging the machine on it's side or in the case of the Filter Queen it tips over.
Still that is a good idea to change the wheels.
 
I like the wheels on the new Filter Queens. I find it rolls very easily on floors and carpet. And if the wheel is positioned right under the hose inlet then it should never tip over when pulling it. The problem I have with the dolly on the Rainbow E4 is that the middle set of wheels are always getting hung up on the cord.

Gary
 
Not sure what is going on with the belts. My E4 is over a year old and no belt problems, and the belt on my SE is 6 years old and no problem. My aunt has an e-series she bought new in 2002 and has never changed a belt. My dealer told me before she went out of bussiness, that these belts are supposed to last ten years.
 
Some of my carpets are medium to thick pile.

I usually notice when it's time to change the belt if the power nozzle doesn't seem as aggressive to move by itself and I can also hear the turning of the brush start to slow down. I don't mind. I'd gladly change belts to keep my performance where it should be.
 

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