Carpet Extractor Vacuum Motors
Carpet extractors are an invaluable piece of
floor equipment for any commercial cleaning company. There are three
main types of carpet extractors, self contained extractors, tank
extractors and truck mount extractors. All three of these types of
extractors work on the principle of using high pressure to force water
into carpet fibers and then sucking the water and any debris out of
the carpet thus cleaning the carpet fibers. Most of these extraction
units use a pump to pressurize the water and a vacuum motor to create
suction. Over time these motors degrade and breakdown and at some
point will need to be replaced. Replacing a vacuum motor yourself can
save on downtime and money and in most cases are very easy to replace
with some simple tools.
Some of the simplest ways to tell that a motor
is failing is loss of suction from the carpet extractor, a grinding
noise coming from the vacuum motor or a high-pitched sound when using
the carpet extractor. The main reason these parts fail on extractors
is that water can corrode the internal parts of the vacuum motor over
time causing them to lose suction and power. A vacuum motor is an
electrical component and electrical components do not mix well with
water. On most carpet extractors this part is easy to get too and with
only a few bolts holding them in most units are easy to replace. To
find out if you are vacuum motor is easy to replace consult your
operation manual and parts diagram for your extractor.
When changing out a vacuum motor there are
usually two different options to pick from. The first of these options
is to purchase an OEM vacuum motor from the manufacturer that built
your machine. These motors are usually the easiest to find and can be
found in any floor equipment dealer and most are willing to help you
look up parts numbers and acquire the model you are looking for. The
second way to obtain one of these motors is to go through an
aftermarket company that has a comparable motor that will fit in your
unit. When choosing an aftermarket vacuum motor is important that you
find one that is the same size and design as the unit currently
installed in your carpet extractor. Some of these motors run on
different voltages and different amps so it is important to find an
exact match to your existing floor equipment. The two main types of vac motors for carpet cleaning floor equipment are Ametek Lamb motors
and G2K motors. The only difference between these two motors is that
Ametek motors have a metal Armature cover and G2K motors have a
plastic Armature cover. In some instances a plastic cover has more
venting and the vac motor will run cooler making them last longer.
Vac motors in carpet extractors are extremely
easy to replace in most cases. Usually the vac motor is held down by 2
to 3 bolts or even a restraining strap which can easily be taken out
to free the vacuum motor from its holder. The electrical connection to
the vacuum motor is usually connected with a simple plastic electrical
connector that can be snapped apart in order to remove the unit. The
only other part to look at when replacing a motor is the gasket that
is in between the carpet extractor and the vacuum motor itself. If
this gasket is ripped or is on bad repair it should be replaced when
replacing the motor. Once you have removed the old unit from your
machine, clean the immediate area and install your new motor in the
reverse procedure that you used in taking out the old one.
Once you have your new motor installed there are
many ways to prolong its life. The main way is to use a deforming
chemical that is added to your recovery tank or hose to reduce the
amount of foam that is created from your extraction detergent. If this
is not used foam from your recovery tank can easily get into your
vacuum motor causing premature wear, rusting and electrical failure.
Another good way to prolong the life of your motor is to regularly
clean out the hose that connects to the top side of the motor and
remove any dirt, debris and moisture.
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