A3 Floor Cleaning Machines

Earlier this year we published an article regarding a service visit to British Telecom in London to service some of their floor cleaning machines and we touched on the topic of PAT Testing. If you missed the article you can read it here: http://service.a3machines.info/fulfilling-corporate-service-contracts/ . Since then we have been back to BT’s headquarters in Central London, to complete the servicing of their machine including Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Testing). UK Health and Safety Law Whilst PAT Testing is not a legal requirement, UK Health and Safety legislation does stipulate that employers (which includes the self-employed) ensure that all electrical equipment that they provide in their business is safe and properly maintained.  The Health and Safety executive have published a brief guide on this topic which you can download for free via the following link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.pdf The relevant section is copied below: What do the Regulations requ

Having an excellent reputation for hygiene is essential for any businesses operating in the food industry and ensuring you have the right factory floor cleaning machinery such as a Hako B750R in place to manage that is an important part of maintaining a high standard. Morning Foods of Crewe Morning Foods of Crewe are an award-winning premier supplier of Milled Oats & Oat based products made for direct consumption and as Ingredients for the further processing across a wide range of uses from Cakes to Cosmetics as well as their popular Mornflake brand of cereal products.  The company have a long history which dates all the way back to 1675 when William Lea started milling at Swettenham Mill, near Congleton in Cheshire and the business is now run by his decedents of fourteen generations. Winners of over 50 awards for Quality, Consistency and Purity Morning Foods understand the need to maintain the highest standards of food safety and have contracted the hire of a

Last week we discussed the hire of a Karcher BR 45/40 by Essential Hygiene of Bury, this week we discuss the  Viper Fang 20HD hire machine they also sourced from us. If you’re a contract cleaning company like Essential Hygiene and need to access cleaning equipment on a short or long-term basis to fulfill your cleaning contracts do get in touch about our flexible fully serviced hire machines. Viper Fang 20HD Hire Machine With productivity rate of 2,000 m2 per hour the Viper Fang 20HD Scrubber Drier is classed by Viper Cleaning as the “Heavy Duty” model in their medium sized Viper Fang range. The number 20 relates to the 51cm cleaning width of the machine, i.e. 20 inches. The Viper Fang 24T with a cleaning width of 61cm (24 inches) is probably the best-selling machine in the range however it’s also larger so if your requirement is for a “Heavy Duty” machine that’s more agile with a similar capacity then it worth looking at the 20HD. Not only is the machine flexible and suitable for

The goal of our team of A3 Engineers is to keep your cleaning team operational, normally this means making repair on-site however if that's not possible an alternative solution has to be found. One such alternative is to make a temporary repair to the machine as long it is still safe to operate. This was one such occasion where a call came in from a customer at a supermarket, informing us that the throttle lever was not working on their floor cleaning machine. The store was up in Carlisle , Cumbria , a city 10 miles south of the Scottish border. Repairing the Throttle Lever Control The machine in question was a Viper Fang 24T Scrubber Dryer; the throttle lever controls the forward and reverse movement of the machine and naturally if the throttle lever malfunctions the machine cannot be operated properly.  We already had an Engineer in the area visiting other customers at the time so we asked him to include the supermarket in his route and take a look at the machine.   It was

More often than not, our engineers can repair a machine on site as they carry an extensive range of spares on their vans, but occasionally its necessary to bring it back to our in-house workshop for repair. This was the case recently, with a customer at a furniture showroom in Blackpool , Lancashire , whose floor cleaning machine had a drive motor failure and would not move. The seaside resort is very popular and notable for its 3,000 hotels and guest houses. Retail is also a major contributor to Blackpool's economy and many Blackpool residents work in the retail sector, either in the town centre or the retail parks on the edge of town. Diagnosing the Drive Motor Failure Our engineer travelled up to Blackpool, Lancashire, to visit the furniture showroom and repair the machine on-site. It was imperative our engineer found a solution to their problem quickly, as the machine sees daily usage to keep the floors free of scuffing and looking presentable for customers. The problem th

The following engineers report shows how the inappropriate use of white spirit resulted in the breakdown of a Viper Fang scrubber dryer and highlights how so many problems we encounter are down to user error.  It started with a call to our head office from one of our regular customers to report an issue they were having with their recently serviced Viper Fang floor cleaning machine.  The customer was based at a large retail store in Leek , Staffordshire , where  the unspoilt town centre provides multiple retail opportunities for businesses and customers alike. Diagnosing the Scrubber Dryer Breakdown One of our engineers set off for the retail store in Leek, Staffordshire, perplexed by how a machine that had been serviced a mere six weeks prior could be in need  of repair so quickly.  The machine was purchased new from A3 Machines three years ago and had always been serviced on a regular basis.  This was necessary, as the machine, a Viper Fang 24 battery powered pedestrian scrubber d

A3 Machines work closely with numerous commercial cleaning companies around the UK who tender for cleaning contracts in all sorts of environments. Being able to source the right equipment for a contract is key and we find that machine hire is a popular solution. Once such customer is Essential Hygiene for who we have supplied several pieces of equipment including a Karcher BR 45/40 hire machine. Karcher BR 45/40 Hire Machine The Karcher BR 45/40 is a powerful and versatile scrubber drier ideal for use in the healthcare, food and small manufacturing sectors. The model hired to Essential Cleaning is battery powered but a mains cable version is also available. It’s a flexible machine that’s easy to operate and maintain which make it perfect for a wide range of cleaning applications. Not only is the machine flexible and suitable for several applications but a Karcher BR 45/40 Hire is also a flexible financial solution that’s ideal for contract cleaning companies. Some of the advantage

One of our customers in Chester asked for one of our engineers to pay them a visit due to an unusual problem with their Viper Fang 20HD floor scrubber. They reported that their floor cleaning machine was vibrating badly and as you will find out below was due to the pad retaining board. The store was situated in Chester, Cheshire, a walled city notable for its local retail trade, including the large Cheshire Oaks Retail Park and Broughton Retail Park. The store cleaning team had a responsibility to keep the floors in the store looking to a high standard and clear of any obstacles for customers. Given that the store had a number of fixtures, shelving units and other bays designed to display clothing, the staff needed a machine that could move around the store and deliver a rigorous clean. They chose the Viper Fang 20HD Battery Operated Walk Behind Scrubber Dryer . However due to the vibration problem it had been taken out of use and so urgently needed the problem resolving so the mach

We service floor cleaning machines across the UK so its always nice to receive calls from customers who are close to our base of operations in Shropshire. This was one such case, where we were asked to send an engineer to repair a viper floor buffer just twenty miles away.  The customer had reported to our staff in the office that one of the wheels on their Viper floor buffer was not turning at all which was making it tricky to move around. The customer was based in a cafe in Shrewsbury , Shropshire . Shrewsbury boasts a decent visitor and tourist industry, so cafes there tend to be busy with travellers and commuters alike. Repairing a Viper Floor Buffer As the customer was based in Shropshire, it didn’t take too long for one of our engineers to make the trip to the cafe, where hygiene and cleanliness are, for obvious reasons, extremely important. This means the floors have to be kept very clean at all times. For this reason, the customer had purchased a Viper VE 17P Floor Buffer .

We received a phone call from a customer who reported an unusual issue with their floor cleaning machine. According to the customer, a rear viper fang caster (to give its full title) had come loose from their scrubber dryer a few weeks earlier. It seems they still been able to use the machine although it felt “a little lopsided”, however realising this problem needed to be resolved they decided to give us a call. The customer was based in a retail store in Rochdale , Greater Manchester , where the Rochdale Exchange and the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centres offer a wide variety of shops for customers in the town. With a population of just over 200,000 the retail stores in the area and very busy, as are the machines cleaning their floors, so it’s not surprising they kept on using the machine for so long before reporting it. Refitting a Rear Viper Fang Caster We sent one of our engineers North, to the town of Rochdale in Greater Manchester to pay the customer a visit and install a replace

This was another occasion where, rather than being sent out to service or repair a machine, one of our engineers was sent to provide staff training. This time to provide Viper AS430B Training for a frozen food company located in Warrington , Cheshire . Warrington is close to Liverpool and Manchester and is connected to them by the M6, M62 and M56.  Warrington is also on the main west coast train line and a competitive local retail industry with high streets and retail parks offering variety for consumers. Viper AS430B Training At A3 machines, we would prefer machine users to prevent problems themselves by avoiding misuse and mistreatment of their cleaners, which is why we are always happy to offer comprehensive training on the correct use and maintenance of machines. Sometimes, when a store is newly opened, and they have hired an entirely new team, this fresh group of staff will need additional training from one of our engineers. This was the case with the frozen food store in Wa

We took a call from a customer at a family run convenience store, complaining of a "catalogue of issues" with a second hand Viper Fang 24 scrubber dryer.  The store was situated in Manchester , one of the UK’s largest and most densely populated cities, so convenience stores provide a valuable service to locals and commuters alike. Servicing a Second Hand Viper Fang 24 The machine sounded in quite a bad state over the phone so armed with spare parts for a Viper Fang 24 our engineer hit the road and travelled north to Manchester to see just how bad this machine was and if it could be repaired.  On arrival it soon transpired that the family had purchased their machine from an unreliable source on the internet.  I'm sure they got a good deal but there are few guarantees with products on second hand sites like eBay or GumTree so I wouldn't recommend this approach.   The floors of the convenience store needed to be kept clean and hygienic for customers, so the family had

Although you mainly here about our engineers being called out to repair machine we also find they are best people to provide training to our customers. This was one such occasion where an engineer was needed to provide Viper Fang Training to the staff at a large retail store. The store was located in in Evesham , Worcestershire , a town where the traditional 15th century style high street and the Riverside Shopping Centre, as well as a retail park, provide locals and tourists alike with a number of places to shop and eat. Prevention is better than the cure Wise Dutch Philosopher Desiderius Erasmus once said " Prevention is better than the cure " and we completely agree as many of the callouts we attend are to correct problems that could of easily been avoided by a bit of simple preventive maintenance. We often state that one of our goals is " Reduced Down time for your Equipment " and for this reason A3 Machines offer full on-site training with the delivery of

A specialist flooring company based in Coventry , called us recently to ask if we could repair their Viper VE 17P Floor Buffer. It seems a member of staff had broken a lever on the handle of their floor buffer that they used for polishing floors and being a flooring company they needed the machine back in operation quickly.  We already had the required part in stock and with Coventry being only an hour away from our service center we were able to schedule in a visit by one our engineers that afternoon.  We have numerous customers in the West Midlands which has a long industrial heritage due to the discovery of coal in the Black Country and was very active during the industrial revolution. Replacing a Broken Viper VE 17P Handle The flooring company has a showroom to display the different flooring materials they sell and of course the showroom flooring had to be kept looking clean and polished in order to give customers a good impression! For this purpose, the customer owned a Viper

The new head of cleaning services at a school in Blackburn , Lancashire recently made contact with us about repairing a Karcher BR40/25 after finding us via the Google Search Engine. She wanted to know if we carried out repairs and services on machines that hadn't been purchased from ourselves. We confirmed that indeed we did. She then went on to inform us that she had recently took on the role of head of cleaning and whilst going through all the equipment, had found the Karcher BR40/25 walk behind scrubber dryer which was in a sorry state. Servicing a Karcher BR40/25 One of our engineers set off North to Blackburn out to take a look at the machine and see if it could be brought back into service. Together with the head of cleaning, they were able to establish that the machine was around six years old. He checked over the machine and it was agreed that it was beyond economical repair . This simply means that it would cost more to repair the machine and replace worn parts than

It's worth noting that many of our call outs could in fact be prevented if simple maintenance measures such as filter cleaning are followed – this would in turn save the customer the inconvenience and expense of having to have one of our engineers travel out to the site.  This was one such case. The customer called us from a car rental company in Droitwich Spa , Worcestershire , complaining that their floor cleaning machine was no longer sucking up any dirty water from the floor. Droitwich Spa, being close to the manufacturing giant Birmingham, has a decent industry for new and used car sales and car rental. Scrubber Dryer Filter Cleaning Our engineer made the journey to the car rental company in Droitwich Spa, and upon arrival, began his thorough diagnostic inspection of the machine to see what the problem could be.  The company were using a Viper Fang 24 Battery Powered Pedestrian Scrubber Drier , which was ideal for keeping on top of the tyre marks and shoe tread that may bui

A representative of a flooring company contacted us to notify us of an issue with a Victor Europa Floor Buffer and asked if we could send someone to take a look at it. The problem seemed to be that no power was going to the motor. The company are based in Hereford , Herefordshire , a town notable for its manufacturing, particularly in the ale industry, being home to a number of breweries. But on top of this, there are many other independent manufacturers and industrial businesses in the area, much like the one our customer represents. Victor Europa Buffer Repair We sell, rent and service Victor floor machines so having taken as much detail as we could over the phone an Engineer was assigned and sent down to the flooring company in Hereford. The machine in question was a Victor Europa Floor Buffer , which was used on a weekly basis to polish the floor of the main showroom and reception area of the premises. Upon arrival, our engineer carried out a thorough set of tests on the f

We received a call from a customer representing the cleaning staff at a superstore, regarding issues they were having with their Viper AS5160 floor cleaning machine. According to the customer, the fuse in the charger would occasionally blow during usage. The superstore was situated in Buxton , Derbyshire , in the heart of the peak district, attracting a decent number of tourists, bringing with them their custom in the local retail outlets, such as the Springs Shopping Centre . Fault Finding on a Viper AS5160 The cleaning staff in the superstore had to ensure that the floors were kept clean and kept free of any potential trip hazards to customers, so to make this task manageable, they used a Viper AS5160 Battery Operated Scrubber Dryer . The staff had reported that the fuse kept blowing out when the machine was being charged and it was, as far as they were concerned, a mystery as to why this was happening. Therefore, they decided to call us, and we were only too happy to send an engi

Warehouse Cleaning needs a large machine so when Office Outlet asked if we could recommend a machine for their distribution warehouse in Manchester we recommended a Comac C130 Scrubber Dryer . Office Outlet was formed in 2017 when they bought out the Staples Retail chain however the name Staples was not included in the transaction and so the whole operation was re-branded. Some of the Staples stores were closed but there are still over 90 high street branches from Aberdeen to York now branded as Office Outlet. It’s worth noting that we also supply and service floor cleaning machines for the stores as well, albeit it smaller machines than the Comac C130, in fact we recently wrote about servicing a machine at an Office Outlet in Berkshire . Warehouse Cleaning with the Comac C130 Scrubber Dryer The C130 is a powerful ride-on scrubbing machine, designed for warehouse cleaning or any large space such as at airports, railway stations, car parks, logistics centres as well as in indu