Product Overview
The Rug Rat is an air-driven vacuum powerhead for stairs, upholstery and the areas a full-size powerhead cannot reach. It is the handheld version of the larger TurboForce powerhead, built to the same construction.
There is no motor and no power lead. The brush is turned by the airflow through the head, so the tool runs off whatever vacuum source it is connected to.
Important — Vacuum Relief Is Required, and It Affects Your Warranty
Because the head is driven by suction, high vacuum spins it faster than it is designed to run. Over-speeding generates heat, and the failure that follows is a melted head mechanism.
Damage caused by overheating or melting as a result of increased operating speeds due to high suction is not covered by warranty.
Fit a vacuum relief valve so the vacuum reaching the head can be regulated — Vacuum Relief Valve 1.5 Inch (AW54). On a truckmount in particular, this is not optional advice; it is the difference between a tool that lasts and a warranty claim that will not be paid.
Where It Is Used
- Stairs, where a full-size powerhead cannot sit flat
- Upholstery and lounge suites
- Vehicle interiors
- Edges, landings and confined areas
- Dry soil removal before extraction
Why Dry Vacuum Before Extraction
Dry soil removed before water goes down is soil that never turns into slurry in the pile. On stairs and upholstery, where extraction is slowest and drying takes longest, the dry pass does more for the result than any extra chemical will.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Hydro-Force (Aramsco) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer part number | AC170 |
| Drive | Air driven — powered by vacuum airflow, no motor or lead |
| Requires | Vacuum relief to regulate head speed |
Hydro-Force does not publish the cleaning width, hose connection size or weight for the Rug Rat. Rather than estimate them, we have left them out — tell us your hose size and we will confirm the connection before you order.
Operating Advice
- Fit and set the vacuum relief before the first job, not after the head sounds like it is over-revving.
- Listen to it. An air-driven head running too fast is audible, and that is the warning you get before the heat damage.
- Clear hair and fibre from the brush regularly. A loaded brush drags, and the head compensates by working harder.
- Do not use it to pick up water. It is a dry vacuuming tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it need power?
No. It is driven by the airflow through it, so there is no motor and no lead to run.
Do I really need the vacuum relief?
Yes, and especially on a truckmount. Without it the head can over-speed, and the resulting heat damage is explicitly excluded from warranty.
Can I use it on carpet?
It is made for stairs and upholstery. For open carpet a full-size powerhead such as the Turbocat Zoom (AC160) covers ground far faster.
Can it pick up water?
No. Dry vacuuming only.
What hose does it connect to?
Tell us your hose size and we will confirm before you order — the connection is not published by the manufacturer.
How is it different from the TurboForce?
Same construction, smaller head. This one is handheld, for the areas the full-size tool cannot reach.
Related Products
- Vacuum Relief Valve 1.5 Inch (AW54)
- Turbocat Zoom Vacuum Powerhead (AC160)
- Dry Vac DustDowner 2 Inch (AH128)
- Hydro-Filter Inline Waste Filter (AC10)
What We See in the Field
Air-driven heads fail for one reason more than any other, and it is not wear — it is being run on full truckmount vacuum with no relief fitted. The tool works beautifully for a while, which is exactly why the relief valve gets treated as optional.
The second pattern is a brush wrapped in hair on stair work. It looks like the head has lost power; it has simply been asked to turn a brush that is bound up.
