What is your favorite Rainbow copy?

[eluxca]

I bought a Rainbow!

I bought it for $150 from the original owner, a divorced woman who is downsizing to a small home. She said she used it only for a short time after buying it because she did not like carrying it up a down the stairs.
It had been treated OK, but I noticed dust in the exhaust hose connection and the spider had some buildup. I removed the separator and spider and cleaned them, polished the complete ensemble, and the result is a Rainbow that looks and sounds like new.
We have a large ranch style home, two kids and two cats. There is plenty dirt to be found. It took five basins of water to do the job of cleaning the whole house, but what a fantastic job it did. I believe a 4 quart basin would be better suited to our home. Does it affect airflow or suction adversely?
May the Rainbow gods forgive me for slandering their product in the past!

John

 

[eluxca]

The water basin has a date stamp of April 12, 1997.

 

[mark40511]

Cool!!!!!! Looks great

Glad you changed the water. A lot of people don't. I think that's the secret to good filtration.

The Rainbow you bought doesn't have a hepa filter. I've wondered before if the E2's would work without their hepa filter in. The Rainbow manual warns not to operate it without the hepa....I wonder why, since the older Rainbows don't have one and obviously nothing is escaping the water onto the hepa on mine

 

[eluxca]

Thanks Mark. The manual suggests changing the water every 30 minutes so that is what I did. It's somewhat inconvenient, but I wasn't put off by it.
Airflow is great - that really impresses me. It picked up anything on the floor, including pennies. The power nozzle seems good, but the belt is stretched and brush roll stalls. I'll buy a new one tomorrow and try it again.
I lived in Lexington on and off for 14 years. There are or used to be some good vac stores there. Southland Drive had an nice independent shop and the Kirby distributorhad been in the same location for 40 years. Hope they're still in business.

 

[mark40511]

Hmm. I couldn't find anything in the e series manual that said anything about how often to change the water. Unless I looked over it. Strange because that's so important

Yes there are a few good vac shops, but I stay away from them because if I go in I will end up buying things I don't need.

Not sure about Kirby, but I know the Rainbow service center has been here since the mid 80's I think

 

[joshdonnell]

rainbow copy

i heard the wesel work was a good power head

 

[eluxca]

I THOUGHT I read to change the water every 30 minutes in the manual but it's not in there today. Maybe I saw it online when researching the D4 SE. Maybe I am entering dementia. 20-30 minutes seems like a good time frame to shoot for.
I understand about walking in to vacuum stores and walking out with a vacuum that looks fantastic but not needed. Too much temptation for the weak willed!

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy

John,
Looks like you got a good buy compared to what they bring on ebay. Your machines has a later power nozzle. I bought mine in 1992-3.
I have been ruined now. I had another machine out last week and now I really notice the dusty smell when I turned the bagless machine on and no matter how careful, when I empty the bin there is dust everywhere.
I have never owned or used the 4 quart basin. I empty mine out once every 30 minutes or once for each floor of the house.
If you use the Rainbow only for several months, you will see a difference in the dust level in the house. Good Luck!

 

[mark40511]

I've never heard of this

The Rexair CSD?

 

[goadie12]

iam just wondering how would that not wreck the vacuum when he put the whole vacuum into a container filled with liquid wouldnt it wreck the vacuum?????

 

[tolivac]

I think the circuit board that drives the motor is in a sealed compartment.and the motor-like an induction motor the Rainbow E2 motors don't have brushes.Don't think the immersion would harm it.However for some really toxic,radioactive, or infectous wastes-often the WHOLE vacuum is discarded in a hazardous waste container.In the scene where the vacuum was dipped into the water or whatever-think it would have to be many hours before it could be used again.and the vacuums water bin would have to be discarded as above-along with the water.and still keep in mind some toxic compounds cannot be contained in water alone.You need the filters for that.the time I reapired a "Certified" HEPA vacuum cleaner-was a large unit--the contractor that owned it used it for asbestos and lead paint cleanups.One of the filters in it was a watertrap filter bin.The other filters were HEPA.And a large multilayer paper bag as the main filter-could hold several gallons of debris.when yopu took the bag from the units drum-you put the paper bag into a red plastic bag marked "toxic Waste"The filters and bag were replaced after each job when this vacuum was used -so it could maintain its Certified HEPA ranking.So for the client that the contractor worked for-he paid for the cost of the new filters for the vacuum.I repaired the motor assembly for it-had two 10A lamb vacuum motors in it-the unit plugged into a 20A 120V outlet.Had a NEMA 20A plug.and on that Rainbow toxic waste vacuum-depending on the waste-you may have to discard and replace the hose,too.