Cold water pressure cleaners blast off mud to expose the machine components for inspection, but steam cleaners deliver faster cleaning when searching for oil or hydraulic leaks.
One Australian company has designed a range of powerful hot wash and steam cleaners specifically for the Australian transport and heavy earthmoving industries.
“We designed these machines to suit ‘time poor’ truck operators who want to minimise time spent on maintenance and cleaning gear,” said Aussie Pumps’ operations manager Hamish Lorenz.
“Using a combination of pressure and steam makes pre-service cleaning efficient and effective. Steam melts away any oil or grease enabling service technicians to identify any leaking seals fast.”
The Aussie Sizzler is designed to give the market a hot water machine that is great value, easy to use and simple to service. It is a single phase 240v machine suitable for professional cleaning with capabilities up to 1800 psi and 80°C steam. Adding a turbo for tough applications increases the effective working pressures to 3100 psi.
“Of course, the turbo doesn’t apply when using the machine at high temperature. The turbo will work like a charm but only at cold to warm temperatures,” said Lorenz.
Built to last
The Sizzler, like all Aussie hot wash and steamer machines, has a stainless steel cover. It also features a robust steel chassis with built in bumper, four big wheels for easy mobility and the integrated dashboard is conveniently located for easy control. These machines have been a huge hit with truck operators.
Users told Aussie Pumps they needed a full day’s operation from the fuel tank. An 18-litre fuel tank was designed into the machine to hold the diesel fuel that powers the burner.
Bigger machines too
Aussie’s Australian conceived and designed range also includes steam cleaners that go up to 4000 psi with 15l/pm flow and temperatures to 130°C. These machines are favoured by workshops or wash bays where efficiency is key.
“From our experience, we’ve found that you get just as much impact on a greasy surface with 90°C steam (yes it looks like steam although it’s hot water) as you would running the machine at 130°C or even hotter. Using the machines this way conserves fuel and expends the life of the unit,” said Lorenz.
Protecting the steamer
Safety controls built into Aussie steam cleaners make them robust and efficient. There’s dry running protection that prevents damage to the pump, a timed total stop that automatically shuts down the boiler when the gun is closed and a micro-leak detection warning that alerts the operator to leaks in the hydraulic circuit.
For further information from Australian Pump Industries visit the website at aussiepumps.com.au.