central vac hoses

[ocscott3085]

I plan on purchasing a Volt powernozzle to use with my HAH central vac system. On the bedroom level of my house we have standard outlets and I'm thinking about buying a spare hose to keep upstairs that I can use to dust with and hook up to the Volt powernozzle to do the bedrooms. I'm torn between ordering a Vacuflo Turbogrip hose which is crush proof and has the on/off switch on the handle OR the old school wire-reinforced non electric hose that was so popular in the early 90's. I like the flexibility of the wire hose but realize that they won't last as long and might have reduced suction. Is the reduced suction really that noticeable? Just curious about your experiences.

 

[luxflairguy]

YES! YES!! It's REALLY that noticeable! If you don't want the Vacuflo on/off, why not just buy the basic Vacuflo hose? It's still 1 3/8 diameter and you'll love the extra suction! I've thrown away all my wire wound hoses and will never go back! (I only have 10-12 hoses in storage!)

 

[vacerator]

anything

except the least expensive hose should suffice. They have less rigidity and the suction power is used compressing the hose, rather than getting to the attachments.
I learned this from experience. I returned the cheap hose the next day.

 

[n0oxy]

hoses

No question here, get the hose with the wider diameter, the hoses made by plastiflex are the best. I actually just ordered some parts to make a hose from scratch, 40 feet of 1.5 inch diameter hose, this is commercial quality and is wider than typical central vacuum hoses, a cuff for one end to go in to the inlet, and a handle for the other end that will take standard attachments. The only thing I lose is a switch to turn the vacuum off at the hose, but I don't mind this. The volt power nozzle should work really well for you, they are great power nozzles, far better than any turbine air driven nozzle.

 

[durango159]

Since you're a collector...

Have you thought about the idea of getting an electric power nozzle hose capable of running an electric power nozzle?? It would still work with the Volt while also giving you flexibility in case it can work with other power nozzles in your vacuum collection of one's you get over time!

Just a thought!! You might like the flexibility on this floor to be able to try other power nozzles, including a full size Riccar power nozzle. You don't have that capability with the Hide-A-Hose system on your other floors.

 

[ocscott3085]

Our system actually came with a 30ft electric hose and the Vacuflo Edge powerhead (Wessel Werk-something). The hose constantly kinks and given the outlet placement upstairs, I'd rather a longer hose. I prefer the grip of a Vacuflo Turbogrip hose rather than the gas pump style that comes with most electric hoses. I will keep my electric hose on hand since that's what my cleaning ladies use around the house.

 

[durango159]

Is that hose a crush proof one or heavier, older style material. Contractor kits usually include 30' hoses. 35' hoses are also available. 40' is not a common find. Hide-A-Hose systems are generally 60'.

 

[myles_v]

I'd definitely say to avoid the wire-reinforced. There's a great video on Youtube showing the huge airflow difference between wire and crushproof with a Baird meter to compare them.



I have a 45-foot low voltage crushproof Nutone hose. It's gray in color and I've had no issues with it. Before that, I had a standard non-voltage Plastiflex hose that wasn't bad. They both retain airflow from my Honeywell central vac very well, and they both power my Turbocat nozzle extremely well.


http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qywb05o4ZzE

 

[vacerator]

I currently

have a Canavac grey crush proof hose, and it works well.

 

[luxflairguy]

Scott!
the Vacuflo Turbo hose is available in up to 50 feet. Check Central
Vacuum Store. A good price and free shipping!

 

[n0oxy]

homemade central vacuum hose works well

I mostly have hard floors in my apartment, and I already have an electric hose that I can use with my power nozzles for cleaning my area rugs. I also had a plastiflex low volt hose that I use for most of my central vacuum cleaning. Though it's crush proof, it was starting to get some indentations that would not disappear, so I decided to replace it, and I chose to go one step above the typical 1-3/8 size and use the commercial diameter of 1-1/2 inch. The airflow is amazing, better than any central vacuum hose I have used. Here is what I used to create the hose and then I'll talk about the advantages and disadvantages. First, you need the actual hose, and here is a link where you can purchase it by the foot, up to 50 feet.
http://www.centralvacuumstores.com/...32-1220-22-hose-1-12-inch-comm-grade-per-foot
You will also need a cuff to attach to the hose that will go in to the central vacuum inlets, and here is a link to that.
http://www.centralvacuumstores.com/dust-care-32-1399-01-hose-cuff-w-metal-end-comm-1-12-inch
And finally, you will need a handle on the other end to attach your wands and attachments, there may be others out there, but here is the one I used, this also works with backpack hoses since it's the same diameter. Personally, I prefer the pistol grip, and this handle is gas pump, but it's not a deal breaker. This will give you a gas pump handle that swivels, it also has a suction relief valve and will work with friction fit or button lock wands. It screws directly on to the other end of the hose, so no need for any adapters.
http://www.centecsystems.com/1-5-hose-to-1-25-premium-swivel-handle-locking/
Now for the advantages and disadvantages. The biggest advantage is airflow, it's quite a bit more than the hose I replaced. The sound is quieter as well, probably because the air has more room to travel. There are a couple disadvantages. The hose is a bit heavier, you don't really notice it while vacuuming, but when you want to put the hose away, it's not as flexible, I strongly doubt this hose could be crushed though, whatever it's made from is quite hard. Also, there is no way to turn the vacuum on and off from the hose, since I connect the hose directly to my units, this isn't a problem. You could use the volt power nozzle with this hose, or a cord is available that would allow you to use an electric power nozzle.
http://www.centralvacuumstores.com/...ons/central-vacuum-36ft-power-cord-06-5500-96
Again, if you want the best airflow, no question, this set up is worth considering.

 

[luxflairguy]

That's all great! But! Re-read what Tom Gasko says about having too much suction and using a Volt nozzle. For many power nozzles, having too much suction will "glue" them to the rug, cause premature belt and/or motor failure. There needs to be a balance between airflow/suction and the width of the nozzle and the belt drive system as well as how the nozzles distribute the suction across the nozzle. Many older flat belt nozzles stop working very quickly with too much suction. A good example are the Eureka nozzles. Even my favorite 15" Sebo nozzle doesn't need high airflow to do a good job. My favorite straight suction carpet tool is the Wessel Werk 12" "flip" tool. Floor to carpet. My Vacuflo power unit makes me open the suction relief to use on my basic floor mats and forget even trying to use it on the oriental carpets.
So while a lot of suction is great, it can be overdone! You aren't using your system in a commercial environment and now you have the added weight and size to drag around. And my final point is that your are asking your power unit to act as though there is NO hose on your system. Your are then asking the motor to work at the top of it's tolerance, which means the motor is working at it's peak, something no motor can be subjected to for long. It will lead to shorter brush life, shorter bearing life and ultimately shorten the life of the motor.
It's fun to experiment, but...

 

[n0oxy]

cleaning with commercial hose

I have no problems with my hard floor brushes sticking to the floor, and more airflow is usually a good thing for motors, the more airflow, the better. As with anything, you have to decide if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and for me, they do. Supposedly the 1.5 inch hose is also commonly used with swimming pool vacuums. I would love to know what this hose is made from, some kind of plastic I would guess, but with regular hoses, even those that are crush proof, if you squeeze it, it will flex a bit, but not this hose, so I'm wondering if the plastic is totally different.

 

[iann_nic]

I have a relatively new wire reinforced hose. I like it much better than the crushproof hoses. I have tried the larger crushproof hoses and I dint like it!