Product overview
The Razorback Balboa 700 is a 600 psi fibreglass portable extractor built in Australia for full-time carpet cleaning work. It carries 58 litres of solution and 58 litres of waste, runs twin 5.7 inch vacuum motors, and heats in the tank.
It runs from a single 10 amp outlet, which is the practical difference between the Balboa and the Drago. On residential work, where you are plugging into whatever the house gives you, a single-cord machine is one less thing to solve on site.
It is sold here as machine only. Hose sets, wands and upgrades are listed below.
Who it suits
- Carpet cleaners doing residential and light commercial work who want a full-size machine on a single circuit.
- Operators who want tank capacity rather than the smallest possible machine.
- Anyone who wants a machine that can take auto-fill and automatic pump-out later rather than buying it all at once.
It is not the machine for tile and grout. At 600 psi it is built for carpet and upholstery. For hard-surface work look at the Drago 1600 at 1600 psi.
Specifications
| Model | Balboa 700 (machine only) |
| Vacuum motors | 2 x 5.7 inch two-stage tangential, 1100 W (current build) |
| Airflow | Approximately 185 CFM. Calculated from vacuum motor free airflow, not measured at the machine. |
| Pump | Comet LW2520E triplex plunger, 9.4 litres per minute, 2000 psi maximum |
| Working pressure | 100 to 600 psi, adjustable at the machine |
| Pump motor | 1.1 kW |
| Solution tank | 58 litres |
| Recovery tank | 58 litres |
| Heater | 1200 W in-tank immersion. Does not operate at the same time as the pump. |
| Automatic fill and pump-out | Optional |
| Vacuum plumbing | 50 mm (2 inch) |
| Low-water pump cut-off | Fitted |
| Hour meter | Fitted |
| Waste tank filter | Fitted |
| Vacuum booster outlet | Fitted |
| Power | Single 10 amp cord |
| Dimensions | 56 cm W x 75 cm L x 110 cm H |
| Weight | 59 kg |
| Lid | Heavy-duty flip-top lid or clear perspex dome |
The pump — current and earlier builds
Machines built currently run the Comet LW2520E triplex plunger pump, rated 9.4 litres per minute and 2000 psi maximum, set to 600 psi working pressure and driven by a 1.1 kW motor.
Earlier Balboas were built with a General ET-Series pump set to 500 psi, driven by a 0.56 kW Lafert motor. If you are servicing an older machine, or comparing a used one, check which pump is fitted before ordering parts — the pressure and the drive motor both differ.
The same Comet LW2520E is now used across the whole Razorback extractor range. The Dragos run it at 1600 psi with a larger motor. One pump, one set of seals and one service procedure across the range.
Vacuum motors and replacements
Machines built currently are fitted with two 5.7 inch two-stage tangential 1100 W motors. Earlier machines were fitted with the Ametek 119625-00 5.7 inch two-stage tangential 1200 W motor. The two are a straight swap in either direction, so either motor suits either build.
Fit a new motor gasket whenever a motor is replaced and check the mounting spring at the same time. A new motor on a hardened gasket leaks air and costs lift on every pass.
Heating and power
The machine carries a 1200 W in-tank immersion heater, which heats the solution in the tank rather than in line.
The heater does not run at the same time as the pump. That is deliberate. It is what keeps the machine inside the current available from the supply it is built for, and it is normal operation rather than a fault.
An inline Heat-Mate heater is available separately where you want heat at the tool on demand. It draws 8.1 amps on its own lead, so it needs its own circuit.
Key features
- 50 mm (2 inch) vacuum plumbing from the hose connection port through to the vacuum collection chamber, which reduces restriction and keeps airflow up where it matters.
- Lint catcher fitted as standard. The basket keeps lint out of the vacuum system, protects the motors and makes the machine easier to clean out at the end of the day.
- Waste tank gate valve set at the right height to empty directly into a standard toilet, so waste goes to sewer without buckets.
- Brass and stainless fittings throughout, and a vacuum muffler and sound suppression system that make it one of the quieter machines of its size.
- Heavy-duty aluminium chassis with a rubber bumper and a chassis-mounted front handle, plus marine-grade stainless handles down the full length of the back so the machine loads into a van without chewing the fibreglass.
- Choice of hinged flat-top lid or clear perspex dome. The flat top gives you a work surface and removes the cost of replacing a lost or cracked dome.
- Large tank capacity at 58 litres solution and 58 litres waste, which extends the time between filling and emptying on a working day.
Built-in protection
- Low-water pump cut-off. The pump stops when the solution tank runs dry, so a pump is not destroyed because someone kept cleaning past the last of the water.
- Waste tank filter and lint catcher between the recovery tank and the vacuum motors.
- Hour meter, so servicing runs to actual hours rather than guesswork, and a used machine's real history can be read off the panel.
- Vacuum booster outlet, for running a Vac Mate booster box on long hose runs or upper floors.
Vacuum motor damage — what is and is not covered
Water or foam ingress damage to the vacuum motors is not covered by warranty. It is the most common warranty argument in this industry, so here is exactly how it happens and how to avoid it.
The shut-off float in the recovery tank is a level device. It stops water. It does not stop foam. Prespray and detergent residue coming back out of the carpet will foam in the recovery tank, and foam carries plenty of moisture without ever having the density to lift the float. The float sits where it is, the foam goes through, and moisture reaches the motor.
The machine is also set up so this should never be tested. At handover you are shown the level to fill the solution tank to, and the machine is built to run out of solution before the recovery tank ever reaches the float. The float is a backstop against operator error, not part of normal operation.
How to avoid it
- Fill the solution tank to the level shown at handover, not to the brim.
- Use a defoamer at the first sign of foam, not once the tank is full of it. Powdered defoamer is the cheapest insurance on the machine.
- Rinse prespray and detergent residue out of the recovery tank at the end of every day. Residue left in the tank is what foams tomorrow.
- Keep the lint basket in the machine and clear it daily.
- Stop the vacuums as soon as the float closes. Running on after shut-off draws water straight into a motor.
- After cleaning the tank, run the motors dry for about five minutes to clear moisture from around the bearings.
Maintenance
- Flush the whole system, including wand and upholstery tool, with about 10 litres of clean hot water at the end of each day. Periodically flush with an acid rinse to stop alkaline residue building up in the system.
- Check and rinse the pump inlet filter screen in the bottom of the solution tank daily.
- Change the pump oil with a quality synthetic multigrade every 500 hours, and watch for pulsation or cavitation as an early warning.
- Empty and rinse the recovery tank daily, and decontaminate it periodically with an antimicrobial cleaner.
- Strip, clean and lubricate the gate valve O-rings periodically to stop leaks and premature wear.
- Clean the wand daily, check the jets for blockage or wear, and grease the valve shafts and O-rings. Brass jets typically last about six months, stainless about twelve.
- Have the machine electrically tested and tagged every three to six months. The lead spends its life on wet carpet.
Warranty
- Fibreglass body: lifetime to the original purchaser against manufacturing defect.
- Assembly, components, parts and labour: 2 years.
- Pump, pump seals and vacuum motors: 2 years.
- Not covered: wear items including brushes, gaskets, hoses, jets and filters; and water or foam ingress damage to vacuum motors, as described above.
Options and upgrades
- Automatic fill and empty upgrade, or automatic fill on its own
- Clear perspex dome in place of the heavy-duty flip-top lid
- Vac Mate vacuum booster box for long hose runs
- 15 m hose set and wand or 7.5 m hose set and wand, available with a new machine
Frequently asked questions
Will it run on a normal power point?
Yes. The Balboa 700 runs from a single 10 amp outlet, with the vacuums and pump running together. The heater does not operate while the pump is running.
Can I clean tile and grout with it?
Not properly. 600 psi is a carpet and upholstery pressure. Hard-surface cleaning wants around 1000 psi or more, which is the Drago 1600.
What is the difference between the Balboa 700 and the Balboa 700 Auto?
The Auto comes with automatic fill and automatic pump-out fitted. Same pump, same pressure, same motors, same tanks.
Why does my older Balboa have a different pump?
Earlier machines were built with a General ET-Series pump at 500 psi and a 0.56 kW Lafert motor. Current machines run the Comet LW2520E at 600 psi with a 1.1 kW motor. Check the pump before ordering parts.
Are flooded vacuum motors covered under warranty?
No. Water or foam ingress damage to the motors is excluded. The section above explains how foam gets past the float and what prevents it.
Can I add auto-fill later?
Yes. The automatic fill and empty upgrade can be fitted after purchase.
Related products
- Balboa 700 Auto — the same machine with auto-fill and pump-out fitted
- Drago 1600 — 1600 psi for tile and grout, dual cord
- The full Razorback portable range
Not sure whether the Balboa or the Drago suits your work, or whether the sites you clean will run a dual-cord machine? Contact Carpet Cleaners Warehouse before you order and we will work through it with you.
