Industrial Scrubber and Sweeper Floor Cleaning Equipment

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do battery terminals corrode and what can I do to stop it?

• All battery brands will or could corrode. Flooded deep cycle batteries are much more likely when compared to SLI batteries, AGM or GEL to corrode as they gas everyday while under charge, need to have maintenance that is often poorly administered, and have different metal alloys.
• Other reasons that deep cycle batteries would corrode differently are due to different design, different termination, the age and maintenance of the manufacturing tooling, etc.
• Maintenance plays a big factor. If the batteries are over-filled, over-charged, or charged after filling, electrolyte will escape out of the battery and attack the terminals, wires, and everything else around the batteries. If the batteries are dry on top, it’s highly likely you will see very little corrosion.
• Design plays a role. The polyon batteries, the P and H series have a great dual terminal design that has always limited corrosion. These batteries also have the vent caps at an angle where they are as far from the terminals as possible.
• Some batteries have the vent caps very close to the terminals with the pressure vent aimed right at the terminals, corrosion is more likely when you see this…an easy way to improve this is when placing the vents on the battery, turn the pressure vent so it points opposite the terminals.
• Battery sprays really help to prevent corrosion. If those aren’t available, more common products like WD 40 or products like it can limit corrosion.

How long will the scrubber run on a charge?

Depends on which battery pack and what scrub pressure.

What breaks on these floor cleaning machines?

All of these machines are powerful and the many parts are in contact with the floor while working. So, there will be some adjustments and replacement of worn parts over time. RPS uses the best components available to provide our customers with machines that are acknowledged to have a very low cost of operation.

How available are parts for your scrubbers and sweepers?

All parts for our machines are stocked in our facility in Racine, WI. 85% of parts ordered ship same day.

What makes your battery scrubbers and floor sweepers better than “brand x”?

Better is a matter of opinion. However, I can tell you what makes us different. All of our machines are made by us in our factory in the USA, simple to operate and easy to clean etc. Rugged, simple and powerful.

If your automatic scrubber is so good, why do other manufacturers have a longer warranty?

Who has the longest warranty in the car business? Not Lexus, Acura or Mercedes. It is KIA and Hyundai. Are they the best cars? Warranty is to protect customers from defective parts or manufacturing oversights. Most occur in the first few months of ownership.

Can this scrubber clean VCT and rubber and my wooden gym floor?

With a simple change of brush or pad, scrub pressure and water flow one machine can easily clean your heaviest soils and your most sensitive floors. To protect expensive floors, we offer brush pressure lockout via a management key.

Do I need a sweeper or a scrubber?

How do you clean now? If sweeping by hand, a power sweeper will do a better job, control dust and be far more productive. If mopping, a scrubber is a great way to improve the quality of the end product while saving labor and water. Can I have one of our specialists visit your facility to see the specific challenges that you are dealing with when cleaning your facility?

How long do scrubber’s brushes and squeegees last?

Depends on floor type and downpressure, on average brushes will last 300+ hrs and squeegees about 40 hrs an edge for good performance.

How long do the sweeper/scrubber’s batteries last?

500 to 900 charge cycles. All depends how they are maintained. Some customers, who properly maintain their batteries(distilled water) can get upwards of 1200+ charge cycles.

Is there a training video for the burnishers, scrubbers and sweepers?

Yes. We have training videos and preventive maintenance videos for our machines located on their webpages found under the video icon.

Where do scrubber’s replacement parts come out of?

All of our equipment is American made with quality American made components. We make everything we sell, so we have everything in stock at our Wisconsin production facility.

Do you offer maintenance free batteries?

Yes, they are available if your facility absolutely requires them. But, they do cost twice as much and last 65% as long as a properly maintained flooded lead acid battery.

Who will service my scrubber?

Your local dealer will be more than happy to assist you with your equipment service and pm needs.

When should I replace my brushes?

Disk scrub brushes can be used to a length of approximately ¼” long. Their ability to clean into cracks, holes and irregular surfaces will diminish as they wear down, but it won’t damage the machine to use them until this length. The same applies to “Cylindrical” brushes, however you may see a reduction in sweeping performance as they wear to this point.

Why do my squeegees start to get bowed and curved?

Oil, fuels and other petroleum based products will be absorbed by some squeegee materials (gum or lynatex). We advise OEM “urenthane” blades for applications with cutting fluid, hydraulic fluids, etc...

How can I stop my Sweeper’s main broom from bouncing?

In this case, the broom either has a flat spot or is out of balance. To avoid flat spotting the broom it is vital that the machine is parked with the broom in the UP position. Weights are stapled in place to balance the brooms, so a new broom could be required.

How often should I clean and flip my squeegee blades?

The roughness of the floor’s surface has a big impact, as rough concrete will wear the edge faster than smooth epoxy. In addition the squeegee blade material is a factor as some are designed with more wear resistance. It is a good idea to flip the rear blade between 20 hours and 50 hours of use. We intentionally price our squeegee blades low to encourage regular replacement, as new blades offer the driest, cleanest and safest floor.

When should it check the batteries’ water level and fill if needed?

It is best to check the water level in the batteries after they are done charging. Be sure to use precaution and required safety gear (approved goggles, gloves, clothing, etc…). Only fill the battery to the required level. Overfilling will lead to electrolyte being expelled from the battery during charging, as the level will raise during charging.

Don't see the question you need? Contact us through our ask a expert form located here. We will do our best to answer your question and get it up on the web for others.