How to Solve These Common Floor Scrubber Problems-Part 1

Floor scrubbers are a needed tool for keeping floors clean and dry. It is where floor scrubber dryers come into their own because, as the name suggests, they scrub and they dry almost instantly, making the floor immediately usable, without the need for wet floor warning signs or the potential for slipping accidents.

But they can be complex pieces of machinery, and occasionally things can go wrong with them. It is frustrating when a scrubber is not working, and a job needs to be done. As with any type of equipment, they do require some maintenance to continue working properly. Many problems can be avoided just by having the operator become somewhat familiar with the basic functions of the machine and the common issues that may arise. Most of these can be prevented by routine maintenance.

PS: Maintenance and service only be performed by certified technicians or the warranty will be voided. So pls check the manufacturer’s warranty before performing any service from maintenance.

If those problems might happen while you’re operating one, here are a troubling shooting guide to the most common floor scrubber problems.

Problem No 1. The scrubber doesn’t power on

Possible Cause: Not plugged In or dead battery ?

For the cord electric floor scrubber:?

First, check the outlet to be firm or not.

If the machine is plugged in. Moreover, you can counter-check by plugging another device into the same outlet. See if it is getting sufficient power or it is fully dead. If the process doesn’t show evidence of power, it assumes the outlet is quite faulty. So get resetting the circuit breaker for the faulty wall outlet. ?

Second, check the power cord is good or faulty.

If it is seen the problem continues, make sure that the problem is not with the outlet. The power cord may have run out. It needs to be replaced immediately.?

For battery-powered auto floor scrubber:

First, check outlet is good or faulty.

Check to make sure the plug hasn’t fallen out of the outlet and that the outlet isn’t faulty. If the device is plugged in, test for a faulty outlet. Plug another device into the same outlet to see if it is getting any power. If the device is not getting any power, the outlet is likely faulty. Try resetting the circuit breaker for the wall outlet.?

Second, check power cord or charger is good or faulty.

If the problem is not with the wall outlet, try below possible solutions:?

If the machines come with an onboard charger, then the power cord of it may have damage or a loose wire and may need to be replaced. ?

If the machine comes with an offboard charger, then the charger may have damage or a loose wire and may need to be replaced.

Third, check the battery is dead or not.?

If the problems are not rooted in the plug, outlet, power cord, or charger, check the battery is dead or not.

Testing the amp draw is a good place to start when the machine is not moving forward or backward.

Test the batteries to make sure they are charged. If they will not hold a charge they will need to be replaced.

Make sure you are using the correct batteries for the scrubber. Because the scrubber requires a significant amount of power means that using the wrong batteries can result in a faster drain.?

Check the battery charger to make sure it’s working correctly. It’s not uncommon to have perfectly good batteries that cannot charge due to a defective charger.?

Problem No 2: The scrubber doesn’t release water

First, check the solution tank sight gauge for water level, to make sure there is water in the tank. If empty, fill the tank with a cleaning solution. ?

Second, Check the switch on the dashboard to make sure that it’s operating correctly. Most floor scrubbers use a switch to control the water flow. And ensure that the switch is adjusted to the solution flow level you desire.

Third, if there is a solution in the sight gage and the solution flow adjustment with the switch is properly positioned, then the water solution tank and the filter are likely clogged with debris and need to be cleaned. Solution filters of a scrubber are commonly forgotten. Very often they are left unclean. As a result, they easily get clogged and do not work properly. A clogged filter will not pass water to floor cleaning procedures. Start by draining the solution tank. Unscrew the inline filter, located on the underside of the unit between the wheels and the casters, and clean out the debris. Once clean, re-attach the filter and tighten it until snug. Ensure the screen filter element is aligned properly with the body of the filter during reassembly. Fill the solution tank and check for solution flow. If the solution is flowing, you’ve identified the issue and you can return to cleaning.

Tips： In fact, these should be cleaned regularly to prevent clogging. ?

Forth, check the wire connections to the valve.

Fifth, check the pump (if applicable) and the solenoid to make sure they are getting power. If there is power flowing and one of them is still not working, that component will need to be replaced.

The final step is to check the computer board. If the board is not working then power cannot flow to the pump, solenoid, or switch and will prevent water from coming out. ?

Problem No 3. Poor dirty water pick up

Possible cause No 1: The recovery tank is full and needs to be drained. ?

First, check if the recovery tank is full or not.

If the vacuum seems to have a higher pitch than normal. The ball float in the recovery tank has tripped because the recovery tank is full and needs to be drained. Once drained, check that the water recovery is working. If it is, then you’ve identified and corrected the issue.

Second, check if these flow ball gets stuck blocking the air even when the tank is not full.

However, scrubbers also have some way to filter the air going into the vac motor. These paper filters need to be pulled and cleaned and dried after each use. Always keep a spare one. Others use a stainless steel screen cage to filter the air. They also have ping pong balls to block the water from getting into the vac motor. When the recovery tank gets full these balls float up and block the water from getting into the vac motor. The vac motor will still run but there will be no suction. Sometimes these balls can get stuck blocking the air even when the tank is not full. ?

Tip: It is a good idea to take these off periodically and clean them. ?

Possible Cause No 2: Suction can also be lost by cracks in the gaskets on the recovery lid. There will be some type of lid to get into the recovery tank. Here is an example of some problem vac lids. Notice the gaps in the gasket. Suction is being lost there.

If there is decreased suction but no leaks in the hose, clean the debris tray as well as the recovery water tank. ?

Doing this after each use will prevent suction loss. ?

Check to make sure the float in the recovery tank is not stuck in the closed position. This will also create a loss of suction.

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Clean the lid gaskets. When the gaskets get dirty it can prevent water pick up. Cleaning the gaskets after each use will prevent this issue in the future.

And look inside the recovery tank. ?

You may have a debris tray that collects things that didn't get swept up. The debris tray helps to keep the tank from getting solids in it that doesn't drain out well. Keep this tray cleaned out. If it gets full and packed with trash the machine will begin to lose suction.?

One other thing to check when troubleshooting a lack of suction is to make sure the vac motor is secured to the tank. An improperly installed vac motor can be losing suction by not being pressed against the tank firmly.?

Feel the vac motor. Is there any movement? It should be firmly against the gasket that is in between the vac motor and the tank. Notice the vac motor is mounted securely to the tank.

Possible cause No 3: The recovery hose has a clog.

If still not picking up water, then it is likely you have a clog in the recovery hose.

Start by checking the recovery hose at the lower elbow connected to the squeegee assembly. Then, check the upper elbow and the recovery tank orifice. If debris is found, clear the clog with your hands or a tool. Should you have a hose available, rinse the recovery hose and tank orifice to ensure all the debris is removed.

Tips 1： By doing a backflush on the hose after each use you will prevent future clogs.

Possible Cause No 4: The hose has cracks or is not attached properly.

First, check the drain cap is secured to the hose or not. An open-drain hose will be allowing suction to enter the recovery tank. This will cause there to be very little suction on the vac hose. ?

Second, if the drain cap of the hose is ok and there is not enough suction follow the vac hose to where it is attached to the recovery tank. Make sure it is attached to the tank.

Third, also check the vac hose for cracks or holes. You could be losing a lot of suction that way.?

Tips 2: It is a good idea to keep a spare replacement vac hose on hand.

Possible Cause No 5: The Squeegees are worn or damaged or getting debris & Leaving streaks

The auto scrubber dryer should leave a perfectly clean floor, but sometimes it can leave unsightly streaks. This is likely to be an issue with the squeegee being either worn or damaged or perhaps having debris of some kind stuck in it. check the squeegee neck to see if the squeegee blade edge for wear or debris. Loosening the easy-grip knobs, removing the squeegee assembly, and flipping it over. Then remove the debris first before trying to test the machine again.

If the squeegees are worn or damaged and be aware that even very small. you will need to turn to another side of the squeegee blades or replace them. If the edge is worn to half the blade thickness, flip to a new blade edge or order a replacement blade.

Possible Cause No 7: The recovery hose to have the loop hose trap between the squeegee assembly neck and left easy-grip knob.

The squeegee is designed to swing fully from left to right to the point where the squeegee system almost touches the casters. Should it be stopping well short of this, then it is likely that the recovery hose is not routed properly and has become an obstruction?

To fix this, route the recovery hose to have the loop hose trap between the squeegee assembly neck and the left easy-grip knob?

Problem No 4. Poor Scrubbing Results

First of first, starting by below 3 steps:

No 1: make sure the brush deck is lowered.

No 2: Check on the charge indicator that the batteries are charged?

No 3: Check that the electrical connector on the brush deck is correctly connected.?

Possible Cause 1: The brush motor does not function.?

Possible Cause 2: The brush deck cannot be raised or lowered. Check that a thermal shutoff has not tripped.

Possible Cause 3：The brush, pad, or squeegee are not fit

If the floor scrubber is not cleaning correctly: It’s worth making sure that the brush or pad or squeegee is the correct type for the floor you are cleaning. For instance, a concrete floor will need a harder, more aggressive brush to clean effectively. ?

First, Brushes or pads are the main equipment for the auto scrubbers to scrub the floor clean. There are different types of pads and brushes used for auto floor scrubbers. So it depends on the type of floor finish that you require. Check the pad or brush or squeegee, and make sure you are using is the correct ones. Evaluate the type of squeegee and pads/brush you have about the finish.

For example, some finishes require a more dense type of squeegee or a less aggressive pad. Some floor types need to have some extreme pads while others will require some smooth and softer floor pads. Before getting demand to meet, check with an experienced technician to be firm that— what types of floor pads or brushes are appropriate for your floor finish. If you are dealing with harder floors like concrete, you will likely need to use harder, more aggressive floor pads.?

Also if you are properly regular cleaning & changing pads/brush/squeegee?

Floor pads/brushes/squeegee blades are not for a lifetime. They have limited time expectancy. So this is important to inspect any damage or excessive wear before starting the floor cleaning procedure. Make sure they are being properly maintained. ?

So before completing floor procedures, the pad should be inspected for any damage or excessive wear. Replace the floor pad or brush if it is damaged or excessively worn. If you are using the correct brush or pad, and it is not damaged, poor scrubbing results may be caused by the wrong pad pressure settings or improper chemical usage.

Tips: A dirty machine will not clean effectively. Create a daily preventative maintenance schedule to keep the scrubber cleaning at its best.?

Possible Cause 4: The pressure settings is not the right one

Check the pressure settings. Automatic floor scrubbers have a different pad or brush pressure settings. So the situation is very important when you are going to deal with the different floor types. Sometimes it is critical for performing heavy restorative movements for a floor scrubber. If you have too much or too little pressure in combination with the pad type can have an adverse effect.

For facilities that are experiencing scratched floors or a loss of finish after scrubbing, your automatic floor scrubber may be using a combination of too much pressure and the wrong pad/brush. Reduce the pad pressure setting. For facilities that do not feel their auto floor scrubber is adequately removing dirt and stains, you may need to increase the brush pressure settings.

Possible Cause 5: The unsuitable cleaning chemicals.?

Read the label on the cleaning chemicals. Some cleaners have chemical components that are too harsh for the type of floor you are cleaning and can remove the finish.

If your floors aren't t reaching the desired outcome, you may be using the wrong cleaning chemical with your floor pad or brush. Cleaning chemicals emulsify soil and allow the scrubber to easily squeegee the floor, removing dirt and water. Selecting the right floor cleaner for your floor type and cleaning procedure is critical to achieving the desired results. So pls confirm that the chemical you are using is compatible with your floor type. Normally, concrete floors will require an alkaline floor cleaner. Waxed surfaces will require a neutral floor cleaner.

Besides, make sure you are using low foam cleaner. If necessary add a small amount of defoamer liquid to the recovery tank. Please note that more foam will be produced when the floor is not excessively dirty. If necessary, use a more dilute detergent solution.

Tips: If you are not sure you are using the appropriate floor cleaning supplies, contact your sales specialist.

Possible Cause 6: Low or Dead Battery

Battery-operated floor scrubbers will restrict use to certain features when the equipment senses that its battery is low. One feature it will restrict when the machine does not have enough battery is the ability to lower the brush deck to perform scrubbing procedures. So just check the battery. If the battery is low or dead, charge the battery. If the battery is adequately charged, the brush deck may be jammed or damaged.

It does not end, and we will continue