A little Kenmore Evolution

[fan-of-fans]

To me the hose and wand connection on the new Progressives is very similar to that of Aerus. It appears the Pet Powermate is the same actually as the Aerus Sidekick.

And the new Intuition Elite use the same hose ends as the Progressives. However the attachments are different. It has the angle brush and an oval dusting brush. Not sure about the crevice tool, but the attachments all store on board. Makes me wonder if it was complaints about the Progressive's attachments that led them to decide to not use them for the new Intuition Elite.

I think the Progressive tools were meant to be more convenient and modern. Many new canisters have the tools stored on the handle. I will say its convenient to remove the wand and have the dusting brush already in place.

 

[DesertTortoise]

First generation Progressive vacs had conventional wands and tools. The diameter of the wands on the current version of Progressives are much larger than that of the Elite Intuition or previous Progressive and other Kenmore vacs. The connection to the Powermate is different too. The Intuition wand will attach to older Powermates and any older Kenmore tool while the Progressive wand won't, and you cannot connect a Powermate intended to work with a Progressive to any other vacuum. Interestingly Panasonic still sells the previous generation of the Progressive with conventional wands and tools, and since there is no compartment on that vacuum for a Pet Powermate they put it on a holder on the wand.

You are right in that the wands work somewhat like an Aerus/Electrolux wand (wish I could plug my Electrolux tools into the Progressive wand but they don't fit and yes I tried) but thankfully the Kenmore wands are steel and the wire runs outside the wand. I am not in love with Electrolux wands or the hidden wires in the swivel neck.

The Kenmore Pet Powermate is narrower than a Sidekick 2, has a smaller motor and is smaller overall. I have both.

 

[fan-of-fans]

The older blue Intuition still used the metal end hose and wands that would work with older attachments. But, the new silver Intuition Elite does not. It uses a hose and wand connection like the Progressives. However the attachments are different than the Progressives use and store on board. It has an angle brush as well as a small dusting brush.

 

[jaker15]

If you want some Kenmore history....

well, have I got a piece of ancient history for you! I know it's not a canister, but it's still VERY vintage.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Now there's a Kenmore worth owning.

 

[jaker15]

Gr8DaneDad,

Thanks! I picked it up from a friend yesterday along with a beautiful Hoover 28 and a bunch of parts, bags, and odds and ends. He's moving out-of-state, and I'm a little disappointed because I've gotten a bunch of cool machines from him.

Anyways, the Kenmore is in sort of rough shape, I will probably replace the cord and give the whole machine a once-over one of these days. It'll probably end up being more of a show machine than a daily driver.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Jaker15,


 


It's definitely a show piece. I'd get it as nice as possible without bojacking it completely and use it only sporadically just to keep the bearings and everything else turning as it should.

 

[jaker15]

As far as I know, it's all original. There is a strange little switch on the back of the motor housing and I believe that it's to turn the headlight on and off. I don't know for sure, but I will see if that's what it does once I replace the bulb.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Wow ! That is an amazing vacuum. How old do you reckon it is? Does it run and have a brush?

 

[jaker15]

Thanks DT! It's from the 30's, I know that much, and it does indeed have a revolving brush roll. I finally found a belt that fits it, a Dirt Devil Style 15 flat belt. It runs great now. I will post a video shortly.

 

[DesertTortoise]

1930's! Double WOW. And she still runs. Very cool, you really scored.

 

[super-sweeper]

Tortoise guy, my 1929 Eureka runs like day one thanks to a few parts Calem kindly mailed me. Thanks again for that, Calem! 

 

[DesertTortoise]

I won't live long enough to see any of my vacuums grow that old.

 

[jaker15]

Well, here

it is in action!

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIs71EsuZco&feature=youtu.be

 

[suckitup]

Can you identify the model# for this Kenmore Canister?

This is a Kenmore 2.0 Power-Mate, but I can't find a model number on it anywhere. No plates or imprints. I need to order bags and a filter for it. I'd also like to locate an user's manual.

The current bag size is approx 10" x 6" x 4". The filter is 5.5" diameter foam.

I figure it to be late 70's - early 80's perhaps. It runs like a tank!

I called Sears, but they can't help without a model number.....

Thanks!

 

[rugsucker]

Bags & Filter

This style Kenmore probably had dozens of model nos but the bag needed is the 5023(or5033)style.Easily found at vac stores,possibly hardware/furniture stores and even Sears.Any foam filter such as for the front of window air conditioners would work.
These were good vacs available everywhere and still fixable in most cases.The new Sears is still a good choice but is not having the motor life of the 'oldies'.The one above is 70s-80s and has an uncommon cord wrap.

 

[human]

My ex-wife insisted we buy a burgundy Progressive back in late 2001. It worked okay, but the plastic was ridiculously flimsy. The part where the hose connected to the canister cracked all too easily. We got it replaced once under warranty, but when I left her and that POS vacuum behind in the fall of 2003, the second connector was already broken and held together with nylon cable ties. What a waste of $375. I'm glad to be rid of both her and the vacuum.

 

[suckitup]

Thanks! I found some bags, now to track down some foam....

 

[countvacula]

I have one of those Suckitup. That was the small budget Kenmore canister from the 70's and early '80s. Use a NACE bag for a Numatic Henry/Robert/Hetta, etc.. It is a cloth HEPA bag that has a nice stretchy opening that fits the Kenmore spout perfectly. It is a large bag. There is also a Riccar/Simplicty HEPA bag with a stretchy opening that is smaller that might be a better choice for the small machines but I haven't tested that one yet. With the NACE bag you have to bend the cardboard bag end over at the bottom a little for the red bag adapter to seat fully.

Filter foam can be bought at hardware stores. I use the thin replacement filter foam for window air conditioners. You can also use some modern bulk filter media if it is thin enough.

The premium versions of this canister, the ones with the attachment tray cover, came with full sized two stage Lamb motors just like the full sized canisters have. In theory you could put a 5.4 motor in one and have a real powerhouse. I'm not sure if the little exhaust opening at the rear could handle the airflow.

I haven't had Rucksuckers success with Lamb motors however. About 3/4s of the old vacs I have with Lamb motors have needed rebuilding. One stage or two, it doesn't seem to matter, most have bearing noise. The most recent one sounds like a garbage disposal full of ice or bones. There is more than bad bearings going on in this one. I ran it for all of two seconds before shutting it down. I didn't want to scatter it and frag my patio, and me!

Prowl ebay. Hoses for these turn up pretty regularly. Any old Kenmore Powermate works with them. The one that came with it is pretty awful but the full sized Powermate works fine. It's a good little vacuum.