Power supply
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Mains. Connection to a regular household outlet. The advantage of this option is the almost unlimited operating time. On the other hand, the power cord restricts mobility and does not allow you to move away from sockets, and in their absence, the device becomes useless. In addition, in some cases, the power cord can interfere with work — for example, it will be redundant for a heavy machine with a steering wheel and a seat for the operator.
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Battery. Battery-powered devices are as mobile as possible: they do not depend on outlets and do not have a wire that restricts movement. In addition, the absence of a wire has a positive effect on the overall convenience of work. On the other hand, the continuous operation time of such a device is limited by battery charge, and the machines themselves are heavier, bulkier and more expensive than similar models powered by the mains. However, in some cases, the described advantages outweigh the disadvantages: in particular, battery-powered floor cleaning robots (see "Type"), as well as heavy professional machines with steering wheel (see below).
— Mains/battery. Devices that can operate both from the mains and the built-in battery. The features of these types of food are described in detail above; their combination is rarely used. In particular, this method of power supply is provided in some window robots: the device uses a battery as a standard
..., but if it is possible to stretch the wire, you can connect it to the mains, saving battery power.Performance
The performance of a cleaning machine is the area that the unit can process in an hour.
Usually, the specs indicate the maximum performance achieved under perfect conditions. It may turn out to be somewhat lower due to the specs of the room, the presence of old dirt and other factors. However, the theoretical difference is usually quite consistent with the actual one. For example, models for 1000 m2/h and 2000 m2/h will differ in performance approximately by two times. So, according to this parameter, it is quite possible to evaluate different models and compare them with each other.
Note that high performance requires a powerful motor and capacious tanks, which affects the dimensions, weight and cost of the unit. Therefore, excessive performance is just as undesirable as insufficient. In addition, more powerful machines usually have a larger working width and are not well suited for rooms with an abundance of narrow passages and nooks and crannies.
As for the actual values, models
less than 1000 m2/h belong to the entry-level. It is the specs that most household machines have (see "Type"). A value
from 1000 to 2000 m2/h is relatively low for professional sweepers and the average for scrubber dryers.
2000 – 3000 m2/h is considered a fairly solid performance, and models of
more than 3000 m2/h is extremely ra
...re. These are mostly high-end sweepers (it is extremely difficult to achieve such characteristics in scrubbers).Motor power
Rated power of the motor installed in the machine.
Most often, in this paragraph, it is the total motor power that is given. However, in units with suction functions, such as scrubber dryers (see "Type"), only the power transmitted to the brushes can be indicated here. In such cases, the total power can be determined by adding the motor power and the suction power (see below). These details should be clarified separately. Also note that in self-propelled models (see above), part of the motor power is spent on moving the unit, which is why the useful power of such machines is lower than that of similar non-self-propelled vehicles. Thus, only models with the same movement format can be directly compared by this parameter— only self-propelled or only non-self-propelled.
In general, higher motor power results in higher efficiency and productivity. However, there is no rigid dependence here, and devices with similar motor specs can differ markedly — productivity, working width, etc. So when choosing, it makes sense to pay attention primarily to these characteristics — especially since for some units (in particular, many robots) the motor power may not be given at all. As for specific power values, in the most modest equipment — in particular, household scrubbers — it
does not exceed 600 W;
600 – 1200 W can be called an average,
1200 – 1800 W is above averag
...e, and more solid values are found in powerful heavy units.Brush speed
Sweeper brush rotation speed in standard operating mode. This parameter is relevant mainly for scrubbers (see "Type"). However, it can also be indicated for sweeping units powered by an electric motor (in a mechanical drive, the brush speed will depend on the actual speed of movement).
Theoretically, the higher the speed, the more thorough the cleaning is, and the more efficiently the machine handles old, dried dirt. However, there are two important points. The first is that modern technology can use not only rotating but also vibrating brushes. In the latter case, the number of revolutions is indicated by the number of vibrations per minute. And if the speed of rotating brushes usually does not exceed 400 rpm, then in vibration brushes it ranges from 700 to 1500 rpm and even higher. The second point is that the quality of cleaning depends not only on speed but also on the diameter of the brush: the edges of a larger brush at the same speed will move faster. With all this in mind, only models with the same principle of operation (rotation or vibration) and a similar working width can be compared in terms of the number of revolutions.
Working width
The width of the space that a harvester can cover in one pass. In models with removable side brushes (see above), this paragraph indicates figures only for the unit itself, and the width of the grip with brushes is specified separately (see below).
The large working width is convenient when working in large open spaces - it allows you to complete the job in fewer passes. In turn, machines with a small working width - and, accordingly, a relatively narrow body - are more passable, they are better suited for environments with a large number of hard-to-reach places. So you should choose based on this parameter taking into account the characteristics of the premises/territories being served.
Suction width
Suction width provided by the unit. It is indicated mainly for floor scrubbers and window vacuums (see "Type"). In the first case, it refers to the width of the suction beam; in the second — the width of the working nozzle.
The width of the suction beam in scrubber dryers is usually slightly larger than the overall working width — it allows one to collect the water used in cleaning effectively. The size of the suction beam in some models of this type reaches 75 cm. In turn, in window vacuum cleaners the suction width corresponds to the actual working width. Most often, this figure is about 28 – 29 cm. it is believed that such values give an optimal ratio between performance and dimensions/weight of the unit. However, there are also more miniature models — in some devices, the width of the nozzle does not exceed 17 cm.
Brush pressure
The pressure of the brush on the surface to be cleaned, provided by the machine.
This parameter is relevant mainly for scrubbers (see "Type"). The higher the downforce, the more effectively such a machine handles complex tasks such as removing old, stubborn dirt or cleaning bumpy floors. On the other hand, higher pressure requires more weight for the entire unit and a more powerful motor, which affects the cost and dimensions. In addition, too intensive processing can damage some types of flooring.
In light of all this, when choosing a scrubber for brush pressure, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the planned application. For a flat floor with a delicate covering, which is not subject to severe pollution, a pressure of 20 – 30 kg will be enough. If the covering does not require careful handling, but the high intensity is not critical, you can choose a unit with a pressure of up to 50 kg; and in the most powerful and heavy models, this figure can be 60 kg or more.
Detergent tank
Объем бака для моющего раствора, установленного в уборочной машине.
Данный параметр напрямую связан с типом устройства (см. выше) и некоторыми особенностями его функционала. Так, в мощных самоходных поломоечных машинах (см. «Тип») могут предусматриваться баки объемом в десятки литров, тогда как в роботах для мытья пола вместимость не превышает 1 л (а в отдельных моделях составляет всего 120 мл). Так что сравнивать по этой характеристике показателю можно только агрегаты одного типа со схожим функционалом. При таком сравнении стоит исходить из того, что более вместительный бак, с одной стороны, позволяет дольше работать без перезаправки, с другой — сказывается на габаритах и весе.
Waste detergent tank
Объем бака для отработанного раствора, установленного в уборочной машине.
Такими баками оснащаются исключительно поломоечные машины (включая бытовые) и модели для окон (см. «Тип»): напомним, и те, и другие рассчитаны на всасывание раствора с обрабатываемой поверхности. В целом чем вместительнее бак — тем реже придется его опорожнять, однако тем больше будут габариты и вес агрегата. Поэтому производители обычно выбирают данный показатель с учетом типа и особенностей применения машины. Так, в устройствах для окон, которые при работе удерживаются в руках на весу, вместимость баков под отработанный раствор невелика — обычно порядка 150 – 200 мл; этого вполне достаточно с учетом формата применения и в то же время такой дополнительный вес не создает неудобств при работе. В свою очередь, в поломоечных машинах применяются емкости на несколько литров или даже десятков литров; как правило, конкретный объем напрямую зависит от общей «весовой категории» и производительности машины.
