Vacuums using H2O filtration

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Davinator1977

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Joined
Dec 11, 2011
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So today I decided to dig out my Aura Roboclean and I thought I would dedicate a post to vacuum cleaners using water. Most think of the Rainbow but nowadays you see so many others. Lets discuss all vacuums that use water as filtration.

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There are a whole lot . . .

You're Roboclean is a really nice looking machine AND you are the first person that I have encountered that owns one. I'm much impressed. Anyway . . .

I'm probably missing some but the brands that come to mind are Delphin, Hyla, Big Power (no separator), Rotelli, Aroma (if they're still in manufacture), the Rothco which may be trying to work in bags, the Ocean Blue (a barely masked Rainbow clone). Euro Pro made one, also sans separator, years ago. It strongly resembled what we call Hyla now. There's a European machine -- the brand is Poulti -- but I'm not sure if they are sold here though I believe its vapor steam cleaners are.

Not to forget, there is also the Gaya (or something like that) that employs suction and vapor steam separately or together for vacuuming and floor/above-the-floor cleaning.) I remember inquiring about them a good while back but learned that a shortcoming was that the 120 voltage version for the U.S. did not perform as well as the European counterpart that was intended to operate on higher current.

If you're thinking bagless, water-type vacs are a not bad alternative in that clean up means not having to deal with dry, airborne dust in the process of emptying the machine. When I was done working, I'd take the water pan straight to the toilet and flush away the contents. Nonetheless, the water pan would need a decent wash and rinse at the kitchen sink. And, of course, the separator did too.

There you have the fly in the ointment as far as water-type vacs go. They can't be just pulled out of the closet plugged in and used, then put away. They must be assembled, filled properly for use, then disassembled and properly stored if you want to protect a usually expensive investment. Rexair/Rainbow always insisted its motor unit not be stored on the water pan -- even though empty (bad for the life of the seals). Many makers of other machines call for the same in their user manuals.

Another hitch is that since the filtering medium is water you have to tolerate extra weight. Going for the option of a larger water pan to allow extended cleaning time means even more weight. Speaking of filtering medium, its suggested that you change the water in the machine after every 15 to 20 minutes of use. (That compensates for not only the amount of stuff you pick up but I think a certain amount of evaporation too.

All that said, by type, these vacuums are an acquired taste and not a lot of people learn to live with them -- especially those purchasing them as a sole vacuum.

I have always loved the pure science of Rexair and Rainbow and thus have owned a few. The suction was good enough though I could have lived without Rainbow's straight-suction rug tool with the louvers on top. The other nozzles -- the original vertically pivoting one and the two that used the knurled bolts you had to loosen and tighten to change the brush height gave me more of a feeling I was cleaning.

I very much liked the Eureka-cloned power nozzle that came with my D2 but have never been much impressed with the it followers through the years.
 
I had never heard of the Roboclean so I just Googled it. I would say that it must be licensed version of the Rainbow. Many, many similarities.
 
no way connected to Rainbow

Looking at it and not knowing I would call it a Rainbow. It may not be connected, but I was giving credit as a licensed copy. It is definitively a copy. A very good copy. Maybe a German copy, but it is a copy from what I see in the picture, and knowing nothing about the machine otherwise; Is this a separator machine?
 
The new Big Power...

is a separator machine, has a plastic tray that sets over the open pan. very quiet, uses a p/n I do not recognize, not Lindhaus, not Sebo, not Cen-tec, not Wessel, not Electrolux
 
I wouldn't mind having a rainbow, but over here in blighty, people selling them think they're made of solid gold and want silly money for them, so I'm not entirely confident I'll actually get one!!! :S

Given that they use water for filtering, they're also handy as a wet & dry vac I guess, and as already mentioned, no mushroom clouds of dirt when emptying it, so great for anyone who suffers from asthma or other breathing difficulties... :)

The only issue I'd have is using water to vacuum, and given that our useless water co's leak thousands of gallons a day from the nations reservoirs and pipework, there's been a lot of water shortages in recent years, so, yeah, probably wouldn't get used much when the ol' "water-saving" measures are put in place... :(
 
I own a polti lecoaspira (vaccum + steam) and a cheap make called hydra by gisowatt (vacuum). I hve a rainbow too.

I'm not keen on the rainbow, at all. Not for the £900+ anyway! I think I would like there latest model. I don't like how the dolly catches everything, and I don't think the suction is all that imo. It is the simplest maintain requiring a trip to the loo and a wash out in the sink.

The others machine water containers need to be cleaned in the bath afterwards. It's quite a task!

I'm a little fascinated by water filtration, I've always wanted to make something for Kirby using a similar method as I don't think it would impede on the airflow.
 
These are pretty similar to the original principle of the wet and dry canister - especially in the clear up afterwards. I recall my Vax canister principle - all very well until you come to empty it and then have to go through the work of cleaning everything out.

Unless you empty a vacuum down the toilet or in your garden, there's a strong danger in the UK that the kitchen drain gets clogged all too quickly. Not a bother in the U.S or Canada where waste disposal units have a much wider opening - even European fitted kitchens have systems that have narrow pipes.

I like the idea of the water filtration idea but I'm rather surprised after all this time that no portable canister/size of a traditional "Miele" cylinder vacuum has not been sold in the UK which offers water filtration and dust capture within the water. It would make a lot more sense to have this rather than cart something the size of a Vax canister around.
 
re: roboclean

the roboclean is very much like a d4 rainbow but the motor and serperator are very different and obviously has the added electronics, a cord rewind and the pump and water suppy are built in to the machine. And now everything is controlled by a remote handle even the pump for the shampooer. I really like the vacuum
 
@Davinator . . .

The Aroma was all over the place and still can be found but I have a strong feeling it has been discontinued.

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