CFM in relation to Vacuum Surface Cleaners?

Chris Tharpe

New member
whats the needed lift and cfm to run a 200 ft section of hose and also a 24' surface cleaner?

Looking into a blower that will flow 280cfm at 15 HG and wanting to know if thats enough to be efficient on a 24' steel eagle recovery unit
 
Do you mean the surface cleaner with 200' of hose attached? If so yes.
 
Tom what does 15HG mean?
 
Hg is the measurement of inches in mercury. 1 inch of mercury is equivalent to approx. 13.6 inches of water. So 15 Hg is equal to approx 204 inches of water.
 
Hg is the measurement of inches in mercury. 1 inch of mercury is equivalent to approx. 13.6 inches of water. So 15 Hg is equal to approx 204 inches of water.



so what is the ideal number per inch of surface cleaner concerning CFM and HG. Looks like I need to visit the local community college and take a few math classes. Between Nigel and others, I feel dumb concerning formulas and figuring this stuff out
 
HG refers to mercury lift. How much does the guy want for the vac, what kind of blower, what number, how many drums does it come with does it have auto pump out? Will you need a secondary generator with this vac? Is 15"hg the break or the lift. Most high end carpet cleaning machines have a break at 16 or 17hg. Remember you can only get 300cfm through 2" hose. Some will overate their vacs. If you can get me this information I will tell you if you ar getting a good deal.
 
so what is the ideal number per inch of surface cleaner concerning CFM and HG. Looks like I need to visit the local community college and take a few math classes. Between Nigel and others, I feel dumb concerning formulas and figuring this stuff out

Chris you would be surprise at the amount of stuff I dont know.

Looks like pressure washing machines of the future would have both the pump and the blower on the same engine, just like the carpet cleaning machines.
 
Here is a link to the Nikro dual head vacuum that I have:

http://www.nikro.com/mold_remediation/dp55230.htm

It has 230cfm and 110" of water lift.

It will work my 24" Steel Eagle vacuum surface cleaner good at 100' of 2" hose with my Hotsy 5.6gpm 3000psi machine with hot water.

I only had 100' of 2" vacuum hose at the time so I don't know if it will pull 200' of 2" hose or not.
 
Chris I am sorry I had to go yesterday. If I were you I would call steel eagle and ask them their required cfm and lift for their 24" surface cleaner. They will give you this information.
 
well the question here is then, is CFM more important of is lift

They are equally important because you need the flow (cfm's) to move the water but you need the vacuum lift (inches Hg) to lift the water from the surface. Without both it will not work.

I am sure that there is a minimum you will need for the Steel Eagle 24" vacuum surface cleaner, the basic Scirocco system works good for my friend with 200' of 2" hose. I think that system comes with the 9hp engine, not sure of the cfm or lift but it will be more than what my system does and mine works fine with 100' of 2" vacuum hose and 24" Steel Eagle vacuum surface cleaner.

Tom is right, call Steel Eagle and see what the minimum specs are.
 
They are equally important because you need the flow (cfm's) to move the water but you need the vacuum lift (inches Hg) to lift the water from the surface. Without both it will not work.

I am sure that there is a minimum you will need for the Steel Eagle 24" vacuum surface cleaner, the basic Scirocco system works good for my friend with 200' of 2" hose. I think that system comes with the 9hp engine, not sure of the cfm or lift but it will be more than what my system does and mine works fine with 100' of 2" vacuum hose and 24" Steel Eagle vacuum surface cleaner.

Tom is right, call Steel Eagle and see what the minimum specs are.

The 9Hp with a Tuthill Blower has 230 cfm with 14"Hg.
 
Blower vs. Fan-motors

Right On Larry !
as you'll find on our free "Vacuum Performance Guide"..
9hp with a blower can do the 230cfm at 14"Hg lift
When I do that You Tube video, I'll be sure tolet you hear the 9ph vac running a half-speed,
..with 100ft hose running our SC21v Vacuuming Surface Cleaner.
On the Steel Eagle version, it has to be run closer to full speed.
Also.. you guys should understand the positive displacement blower does the 230cfm
..at the same time as sucking it through at 14"Hg lift..
The Fan-style motors of the Nikko or shop-vac, are a centrifugal-style air-pump..
they "slip" flow past the impellers as you draw more suction..
At the 150cfm required for an 18 to 21" surface cleaner, you'll be at about 8"Hg
while the Blower-vac has power to spare, at a full 14"Hg.
let me say it like this..
Orr PEV2 does 200cfm adn 137" lift, but not at the same time..
the SGV3-7 does 200cfm AT 14"Hg lift..
that's why it can run the surface cleaner at 200 to 300 feet !

I hope at least some of you apreciate the "technical guy"..
It's 2:30 in the morning, and I have a meeting at 8..
it will take about 5 minutes to fall asleep ..and start dreaming you guys will buy my reclaim equipment this week.
Hey, dreams come true, you know !
except for Tiger Woods.. that's all nightmares now. Eh?
what kind of an idiot lets his wife use his favorite clubs ? :killingme:

Glad to help !
Jerry McMillen
800-400-2532
jerry@PressureWasher.net www.PressureWasher.net
mfr. of BullDogPro Industrial Water Blasters,
VacuBerm Reclaim tools, and Sirocco Performance Vacuums.
 
Right On Larry !
as you'll find on our free "Vacuum Performance Guide"..
9hp with a blower can do the 230cfm at 14"Hg lift
When I do that You Tube video, I'll be sure tolet you hear the 9ph vac running a half-speed,
..with 100ft hose running our SC21v Vacuuming Surface Cleaner.
On the Steel Eagle version, it has to be run closer to full speed.
Jerry McMillen
800-400-2532
jerry@PressureWasher.net www.PressureWasher.net
mfr. of BullDogPro Industrial Water Blasters,
VacuBerm Reclaim tools, and Sirocco Performance Vacuums.

Why is that with the Steel Eagle Jerry, the secondary shell is to small on the Steel Eagles?

How does your vac 21 " compare with mosmatic vac 21"?
 
One way of looking at that Nigel is you are comparing a 21" surface cleaner to a 24" surface cleaner. Some people think that it is only 3" larger but in reality it is a whole lot more than that. So as the shells get larger, the vacuum needed gets exponentially larger because of the total surface needed to cover, not the 3" like what some would think.

So the 21" vacuum surface cleaner is really about 346.19 sq. in. in area where the 24" vacuum surface cleaner is about 452.16 sq. in. in area so you need more vacuum to lift the water and carry it to the recovery system.

You are probably thinking that the vacuum is only being pulled from between the two shells so that might not matter much but it does because the larger surface cleaner shell is physically larger so there is more area to pull from so more vacuum needed.

Hope this helps.
 
One way of looking at that Nigel is you are comparing a 21" surface cleaner to a 24" surface cleaner. Some people think that it is only 3" larger but in reality it is a whole lot more than that. So as the shells get larger, the vacuum needed gets exponentially larger because of the total surface needed to cover, not the 3" like what some would think.

So the 21" vacuum surface cleaner is really about 346.19 sq. in. in area where the 24" vacuum surface cleaner is about 452.16 sq. in. in area so you need more vacuum to lift the water and carry it to the recovery system.

You are probably thinking that the vacuum is only being pulled from between the two shells so that might not matter much but it does because the larger surface cleaner shell is physically larger so there is more area to pull from so more vacuum needed.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Chris, forgot the Steel Eagle is a 24"

Humm.........I wonder how much is need for the 30" Mosmatic vac SC?
 
The Mosmatic 30" vacuum surface cleaner is about 706.5 sq. in. surface area, if I had to guess I would think that the 15" lift minimum and probably at least 300 to 350 cfm minimum but I have no guidelines to go by, just a guess.
 
:meeting: There's a big difference in how the vacuum is directed to the surface, and the way the HP spray is deflected.
the size difference in the decks is only about 20% in the required cfm.
Also, the way the decks breathe, you'll only draw about 8 or 9"Hg at the required CFM to overcome 5 or 6gpm.
And Chris, ..you nailed the cfm for the 30" deck.. about 300 to 350cfm.
I just haven't done the test on the 30" deck at the workspeed required 7 to 8gpm
 
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