Rotovac 360i User manual

360i Rotary Extractor
Owner’s Manual
360i/4/30/2012

2
IMPORTANT!
BEFORE USING YOUR 360i ,
PLEASE
• Read Your Owner’s Manual
• Watch Your Training Video
• Call For Important Instructions
TOLL FREE –U.S. and CANADA
1-888-768-6822
OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA
1-425-883-6746
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time
CALL BEFORE USING FOR THE FIRST TIME
Before using the 360i for the first time, read the owner’s
manual, watch the training video, write down any questions that you
may have and then call Rotovac toll-free for valuable tips and pointers.
1-888-768-6822. (8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday -Friday PST)
Training video is available online at: www.rotovac.com

3
* WARNING *
* Allowing your equipment to freeze will void your warranty *
Thoroughly remove as much moisture from all lines and tanks
in the equipment system before storing in cold climates.
Equipment should never be stored where it can freeze.
Excess water can freeze during storage
and crack the internal components of powered equipment and accessories,
damaging them and voiding the warranty.
An unheated vehicle will not protect your equipment.
¡ ADVERTENCIA !
* Permitir que el equipo se congele anulará la garantía. *
Retire totalmente tanta humedad del interior de todas las líneas y de los tanques
en el sistema del equipo antes de almacenar en climas fríos.
El equipo nunca debe almacenarse dónde se puede congelar.
Cualquier agua restante puede congelar durante el almacenamiento
ypuede agrietar los componentes internos del equipo y de los accesorios, dañándolos y anulando la
garantía.
Un vehículo sin la calefacción no protegerá su equipamiento.
* AVERTISSEMENT *
* Permettre à votre équipement de congeler annulera votre garantie. *
Enlevez complètement autant humidité de l'intérieur de tous les lignes et réservoirs
dans le système de l'équipement avant d'être stocké dans des climats froids.
L'équipement ne devrait jamais d’être stocké où il peut congeler.
Toute eau restante peut congeler pendant le stockage et peut éclater
les composants internes de l'équipement actionné et des accessoires,
endommageant eux et annulant la garantie.
Un véhicule sans le chauffage ne protégera pas son équipement.

4

5
Congratulations on owning the new
Rotovac 360i Extraction System .
The patented rotary extraction cleaning head of the 360i
produces unparalleled cleaning results for carpet and hard
surface flooring while greatly reducing operator fatigue.
Operator’s responsibility
As with all equipment, proper operation and maintenance plays
a vital role in the performance of the 360i . It is therefore
extremely important that this operations manual is read and
understood completely before operating the 360i .
CALL US BEFORE USING FOR THE FIRST TIME!
If you are using the 360i for the first time read the owners
manual, watch the training DVD (also available on line at
Rotovac.com) and then call Rotovac toll-free before using for
valuable tips and pointers at 1-888-768-6822.
Our office hours are: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through
Friday P.S.T.)
Online Service Instructions
Service instructions are available online at our website
www.ROTOVAC.com under Rotovac Manuals in the left hand
column.

6
OVERVIEW
The Rotovac 360i maneuvers in the same manner as a rotary floor buffer with a
“heal and toe” left to right cleaning motion. If you have never operated a rotary
floor type machine, this will take a little practice to learn how to control properly.
Once mastered,operating the 360i is a nearly effortless self propelled side to side
motion. It may take a few jobs to learn how to operate the 360i efficiently. Be
patient and try it on some really dirty carpets and you will soon discover that the
Rotovac 360i cleans better, leaves it drier and is much more impressive to your
customers than a traditional wand cleaning. When presented and used properly, the
360i will impress your customers and lead to a major increase of referral and
repeat business.
CONTROL:
When operating the 360i for the first time, you can run it dry (not hooked up to an
extractor) in an open carpeted area to get used to the handling characteristics. Extend the
telescoping handle out to near its fully extended length. Adjust the handle angle to a low
enough position so that your arms are extending almost straight down during operation.
Before turning on, make sure the cleaning head is flat and level on the carpet and the
speed control dial is turned all the way up to 10. Learn how to “hover” the 360i in one
spot without fighting it. Once you have found the center of balance and proper technique,
you will find the 360i is very easy to control. The 360i maneuvers left and right like a
rotary floor scrubber (heel and toe). Lifting up slightly on the handle causes the 360i to
move to the right. Letting down on the handle causes the 360i to move to the left.
Slightly twisting the handles clockwise moves forward, counterclockwise rearward.
Combined handle movements allow motion in any direction. The on/off trigger is located
under the left handle grip. The head speed control dial is located at the front of the control
box. This allows adjustment of the head speed rpm. The solution valve trigger is located
under the right handle grip. A red lever solution flow control valve allows for the
adjustment of flow rate.
CLEANING:
With the solution trigger activated, make cleaning passes in a slow left and right motion
allowing the 360i to do the work. Overlap cleaning passes approximately 50% to assure
thorough cleaning. The more soiled the carpet, the slower you should make the cleaning
passes. Clean an area of approximately 4’ X 4’ with solution on and then let off the
solution valve trigger and go back over the carpet with a vacuum only "dry pass" to

7
provide maximum extraction for faster drying. For normal carpet cleaning spray pressure
we recommend operating between 50 and 300 PSI.
SPEED CONTROL DIAL
SLOW DOWN HEAD SPEED WHEN CLEANING NEAR OBJECTS THAT
HEADS COULD HIT.
The head rotation speed is adjustable from 0 to 250RPM. This allows the operator
to adjust the head speed for different types of carpets. When cleaning berber or
commercial glue down, a slower speed will sometimes give better cleaning and/or
drying results. Experiment for best performance. Examples of when you may want
to use slower speed:
1) Not handling properly, chattering or jumping on hard glue down carpet
2) Cleaning close to an obstacle you don’t want heads to impact such as, where the
tile floor meets the carpet, floor heat registers, metal thresholds, furniture legs or
anything else you don’t want the rotary heads to impact.
3) Dry pass on carpet that is difficult to dry such as Berber,
4) Hard surface cleaning.

8
HARD SURFACE BRUSH HEAD
OPERATION:
Recommended cleaning procedure: Pre-spray a section of the floor with the
proper cleaning solution and then clean with the rotary brush head. When cleaning
a tile floor with deep recessed grout lines you may want to use the broom stick
grout brush to pre-scrub the grout lines and edges before cleaning and rinsing with
the 360i brush head. You can pre-scrub with or without the vacuum turned on, and
then clean,rinse and extract by activating the solution valve. A vacuum only dry
pass can then be made for faster drying if needed. The brush head works well at
100 psi and it works even better at 800 psi when cleaning deep recessed grout
lines. The brush head is equipped with 1.0 spray jets as standard; however you can
customize with larger or smaller spray jets to suit your needs. When the nylon
brush bristles become worn out, a new brush head block can be purchased and be
refitted with all the other components.
PRECAUTIONS
Be careful not to allow the rotating vacuum heads to strike any stationary objects
such as metal thresholds, floor vent registers, furniture legs etc. Be extra
careful when cleaning up next to where the carpet meets the hard floor as the
rotating vacuum shoes could scratch and damage the hard floor. Reduce the head
speed to avoid hard impact when cleaning close to any object that the rotary could
impact.
SLOW DOWN HEAD SPEED WHEN CLEANING NEAR OBJECTS THAT
HEADS COULD HIT.
Transporting
Be careful that the 360i cleaning head does not come loose, unscrew and fall off
while you are carrying or rolling it around.
Before carrying or rolling the 360i check that the head is screwed on tight.

9
Warnings
* Never allow unit to freeze. Damage due to freezing water expansion
will NOT be covered under warranty.
* Keep motor and handle dry to avoid shorting out electrical
components.
* Do not use the 360i in standing water, such as on a flooded carpet.
* Always use a grounded electrical outlet. Keep the control box on the
handle dry. If the control box becomes wet, do not operate, call Rotovac
for instructions.
* Always wear rubber-soled shoes when operating the 360i
* Only trained personnel who have read this manual and understand
completely the information herein should operate the 360i.
* Regularly inspect the cleaning heads for any nicks or burrs. Grind or
sandpaper away any sharp edges, nicks or burrs before use.
* Maintain tightness of all screws at all times
.
Routine Maintenance
While facing the cleaning head, use the heel of your shoe to stomp down on the
right side of a vacuum head so that the head unscrews clockwise from the motor.
If the head is stuck try a rubber mallet and a block of wood.

10
Head Stuck on 360i Removal Technique:
If you do not regularly remove the cleaning head, it may be more difficult to remove.
Should initial procedure prove unsuccessful more force may be necessary. Place a 7/8” wrench
onto reducer bushing and rest it against the motor housing tube while repeating step 2 with more
force.
Replacing the Cleaning Head
Note: Always check that the vacuum is turned off and the felt seal remains
seated in position on the studs when replacing the cleaning head.
When screwing the head back on you should feel the felt seal engage (sandwich)
1/4 turn before the head bottoms out. This ensuresa good vacuum seal.
Felt Vacuum Seals
Check the felt vacuum seals on the vacuum head for damage or wear. A good felt
seal is important for maximum vacuum extraction performance. An
excessively worn or torn felt seal will result in poor extraction. The felt seal will
perform better and last longer if treated with a non-oily silicone spray. We prefer
Dupont Silicone/Teflon spray, available at Home Depot.

11
Carpet and hard floor head
Felt Vacuum Seal
Vacuum System Maintenance
To replace worn or damaged Vacuum Shoes, first remove the Head from the
machine (see previous). The stainless steel cover plate can then be removed by
removing the 6 screws holding it in place. This allows access to the screws holding
the vacuum shoes in place. If the shoes are being changed, remove the screws, and
reattach new shoes. Tighten screws down securely. Make sure that the seal retainer
clips are returned to their original position. When reinstalling the cover assembly,
make sure that the vacuum channels in the cover/seal match up with the
channels in the molded head. The Round Glide Discs are accessible from the
underside without disassembly.
Sprayer System Maintenance
Periodically tilt the 360i back and visually inspect the spray pattern of the jets to
make sure they are not clogged or aimed in the wrong direction. The spray fan
pattern should be aligned with the vacuum slots and should never go beyond the
outer edge of the vacuum slot.

12

13

14

15
Carpet Cleaning Head (RA -105A complete)
ITEM #
QUANTITY
ROTOVAC P/N
DESCRIPTION
1
1
RP-203A
VACUUM DISC
2
1
RA-106A
COVER/SEAL ASSEMBLY
3
1
S-027
FELT SEAL
4
3
RP-360
CAST VACUUM SHOE
5
3
RP-367
GLIDE SHOE
6
1
RA-196
SPRAYER ASSEMBLY
7
1
A-2329AL
MALE SHAFT (LH)
8
1
RV-412
SMALL O-RING
9
1
S-023
O-RING
10
3
S-026
SPRAY JET 1.5
11
12
RV-630
ROUND HEAD SCREW
13
6
RV-609
FLAT HEAD SCREW
14
3
RP-224
GASKET RETAINER
15
3
RV-439
GLIDE SHOE SCREW
16
1
RP-269
VENT CHECK (FROM S/N 1803)
17
6
RV-497
FLAT HEAD SCREW
18
1
RP-344
SPINDLE SPACER

16
360iTROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
1. Motor bogging down or stopping
*The 360i has a built in torque governor that will cause the motor to
bog down or stop if overloaded or used improperly. This feature
ensures long motor and gear box life because it forces the operator
to use the 360i correctly and not “fight” or abuse the machine
during operation. When operated correctly, the torque governor will
put out plenty of power to do the job while also protecting the motor
gear box from premature wear.
*NOTE: If you feel the 360i is bogging down due to too much
vacuum power, we recommend using our vacuum relief attachment
P/N RV-449.
Motor running Hot.
*The 360i drive motor is made to safely run at temperatures up to
160°F. Note that metal surfaces at 120°F can be comfortably
handled for only several seconds.
2. Overspray from cleaning head, slinging water.
*Make sure spray jets are pointing slightly inward and your psi is
not turned up too high. Recommend 100 to 300 psi
*Turn down the motor speed rpm.
3. Leaving carpet too wet.
*Make sure felt vacuum seal is not worn or torn.
*Turn down psi.
*Make slower vacuum only dry pass.
*Turn down motor speed during dry pass.
*Check to make sure your vacuum system is working properly and
the filters in your extractor are not clogged with carpet lint.
* Make sure top plate of cleaning head black foam gasket is aligned
properly with vacuum slots.
*Check vacuum on yourextractor for full power.

17
`
WARRANTY
Rotovac Corporation products are warranted to be free of defects in material for 1
year as noted below:
During this warranty period, we will repair or replace, at our sole option, free of
charge, any parts shown to be defective in either material or workmanship. Said
parts must be returned with postage or freight pre-paid. Specific parts, such as
switches, vacuum motors, pumps, fittings, etc., are also warranted for a period of 1
year from date of original purchase.
This warranty is for replacement of defective parts or workmanship only. IT DOES
NOT PROVIDE FOR REPLACEMENT OF COMPLETE UNITS DUE TO
DEFECTIVE PARTS. It does NOT cover normal wear items such as hoses, power
cords, bumpers, carbon brushes, gaskets, etc., which require replacement as a result
of ordinary usage. Also, failures caused by abuse, neglect, alterations or operation
contrary to manufacturer's recommendations are not warranted.
Replacement parts are warranted only for the remainder of the original warranty
period.
This warranty does not cover labor or other charges in connection with replacement
parts. NO LOCAL SERVICE OR REPAIR CHARGES ARE ALLOWED UNLESS
PRIOR AUTHORIZATION IS OBTAINED.
There are no other warranties, expressed or implied, made with respect to this
equipment. The manufacturer assumes no responsibility for damages resulting
from the use or misuse of this equipment. NOTE: This warranty is not transferable.
Rotovac Corporation
17905 Bothell Everett Hwy
Mill Creek, Washington 98012
Ph. [phone] Fax [phone]
http://www.rotovac.com