Product overview
The Razorback Floodmaxx Auto is the high-airflow flood pumper in the Razorback range. It is built for one job: lifting standing water out of a building as fast as the site allows, and pumping it away continuously rather than stopping to empty a tank.
It is a suction-only machine. There is no solution tank, no solution pump and no heater, so it does not spray, rinse or clean carpet. On a water damage job it works alongside your extractor and your sub-surface tools, not instead of them.
What separates it from the Flood Mate Auto is the vacuum system: two 6.6 inch 1600 W motors instead of the 5.7 inch motors, for considerably more airflow. The trade-off is power. The Floodmaxx needs two separate 10 amp circuits.
Important — what this machine does not do
The Floodmaxx Auto has no solution tank, no solution pump and no heater. It cannot apply chemical, rinse carpet or perform hot water extraction. If you need a machine that cleans as well as recovers, look at the Razorback extractor range instead.
Who it suits
- Restoration contractors working larger losses, where the volume of water and the time on site are the constraints.
- Operators running long hose runs or sub-surface tools, where airflow is what does the work.
- Anyone who can rely on two separate circuits being available at the properties they attend.
Specifications
| Model | Floodmaxx Auto (machine only) |
| Machine type | Flood pumper — suction only, no cleaning function |
| Vacuum motors | 2 x Ametek 122236-18, 6.6 inch two-stage tangential bypass, 1600 W, 7.4 A each |
| Airflow | Approximately 280 CFM. Calculated from vacuum motor free airflow (139.9 CFM per motor, Ametek data sheet), not measured at the machine. |
| Vacuum | 11 inHg, measured at the machine |
| Recovery tank | 78 litres |
| Solution tank | None |
| Solution pump | None |
| Heater | None |
| Automatic pump-out | Stainless steel submersible, rated 195 litres per minute |
| Discharge hose | Layflat, or standard vacuum hose with extra fittings |
| Vacuum plumbing | 50 mm (2 inch) |
| Power | Dual 10 amp cords — two separate circuits required |
| Dimensions | 56 cm W x 75 cm L x 110 cm H |
| Weight | 42 kg |
| Lid | Heavy-duty flip-top lid or clear perspex dome |
| Warranty — body | Lifetime |
| Warranty — defects and workmanship | 2 years |
| Warranty — labour | 2 years |
Power supply — read this before you buy
The Floodmaxx Auto has two power cords and they must go to two separate circuits, not two outlets on the same one. Each vacuum motor draws 7.4 amps at full load, so putting both cords on one circuit will trip the breaker.
On a residential loss this matters. Power boards, extension leads and the two nearest power points are frequently all on the same circuit, and the breaker is often the only thing that tells you. If the properties you attend routinely have limited power, the single-cord Flood Mate Auto is the machine that will run.
Vacuum motors and replacements
The Floodmaxx Auto uses two Ametek 122236-18 6.6 inch two-stage tangential bypass motors, rated 1600 W and 139.9 CFM each. These are a different frame size to the 5.7 inch motors used in the rest of the Razorback portable range and are not interchangeable with them.
Note that this motor has a tapered base of more than half an inch. Compare the base of the motor you are removing before ordering. Fit a new motor gasket with every motor and check the mounting spring at the same time.
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 filter keeps lint and debris out of the vacuum system, protecting the motors and making the machine easier to clean out at the end of a job.
- Automatic pump-out using a stainless steel submersible pump rated at 195 litres per minute, so the machine discharges while it recovers instead of stopping to empty.
- Discharge through layflat or standard vacuum hose. Layflat rolls up small and suits long runs to a drain or kerb; standard vacuum hose needs extra fittings.
- Fibreglass body with a choice of heavy-duty flip-top lid or clear perspex dome.
Operating advice
- Plan the discharge before you start. The pump-out only earns its keep if there is somewhere legal and practical to send the water. Run the layflat out to the discharge point before the first pass, not after the tank fills.
- Keep the lint basket in the machine. Flood water carries carpet fibre, grit and building debris. The basket is what stands between that and the vacuum motors.
- Control foam. Detergent residue in the carpet will foam in the recovery tank. Foam suspends debris and can carry water past the float shut-off and into a motor. Use a defoamer as soon as foam appears.
- Do not keep running the vacuums once the float shut-off has closed. That is how water gets drawn into a motor, and it is not a warranty failure.
- Dispose of recovered water lawfully. Category 2 and 3 water carries obligations in most council areas. Sewer, not stormwater.
Maintenance
- Empty and rinse the recovery tank at the end of every job, and periodically clean it with an antimicrobial cleaner. Flood water is not clean water.
- Clear the lint basket daily and check the float shut-off moves freely.
- After cleaning the tank, run the vacuum motors for about five minutes to dry moisture from around the motor bearings. This makes a real difference to motor life.
- Inspect hoses, cuffs and gaskets for splits. A leaking cuff costs lift on every pass.
- Have the machine electrically tested and tagged every three to six months. It works on wet floors with the lead lying in water.
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 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. Detergent residue lifted out of a carpet will foam in the tank, and foam carries plenty of moisture without having the density to lift the float. The float stays where it is, the foam goes through, and moisture reaches the motor.
On a flood pumper this matters more than on an extractor. An extractor meters its own work — it runs out of solution before the recovery tank fills. A flood pumper draws from the building, so there is no natural limit and the float is the only protection the motors have. Watch the tank, not the clock.
How to avoid it
- 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.
- Expect foam on any loss where the carpet has been cleaned or shampooed before, and on grey water.
- Keep the lint basket in the machine and clear it regularly. Flood water carries fibre, grit and building debris.
- 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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Floodmaxx Auto clean carpet?
No. It has no solution tank, no pump and no heater, so it cannot apply or rinse. It recovers water only. Cleaning is done with an extractor.
Do I really need two circuits?
Yes. Two 1600 W motors at 7.4 amps each will not run on one 10 amp circuit. Find two circuits before you start, and test them rather than assuming two separate rooms are separately fed.
How much faster is it than the Flood Mate Auto?
On airflow, roughly 280 CFM against 185 CFM, both calculated from motor ratings. In practice the difference shows up most on long hose runs and sub-surface tools, where restriction is high and airflow is what carries the water. On a short hose into a small room the gap narrows.
Does 78 litres mean I have to stop at 78 litres?
No. The tank is a buffer, not the limit. With the automatic pump-out running and a discharge line laid out, the machine keeps recovering and discharging continuously. The pump is rated at 195 litres per minute.
What does 11 inHg mean in practice?
It is the vacuum the machine pulls against a sealed inlet, measured on a machine rather than calculated. Vacuum is what lifts water through a tool and holds a seal; airflow is what moves it along the hose. Flood pumping needs both.
Why is airflow calculated but vacuum measured?
Because that is how each number was obtained. The vacuum figure came from a gauge on a machine. The airflow figure is the motor manufacturer's free airflow rating doubled for two motors, and real airflow at the end of a hose is always lower. We would rather tell you the basis of each figure than present both as though they were the same kind of measurement.
Related products
- Razorback Flood Mate Auto — the single-cord machine in the same family
- Layflat ducting for the pump-out discharge
- Water Claw Large Deluxe flood extraction tool and the SOS Pro sub-surface extraction tool
- Clear perspex dome or heavy-duty flip-top lid
- Dri-Eaz HVE 3000 Flood Pumper — the imported alternative, with a narrow profile and large rear wheels for stairs
- Everything else in flood extraction
Not sure whether the Floodmaxx Auto or the Flood Mate Auto suits the work you do, or whether site power will run either of them? Contact Carpet Cleaners Warehouse before you order and we will work through it with you.
