Dyson upright differences

[vintagehoover]

The DC15 has a longer cord and a larger bin, but as I see it, that's all it has going for it. The DC25 is much better designed, because they took all the user-feedback from the DC15, and ironed out any 'issues' people had with it.

Here's the 'Which? Magazine' evaluation of the DC15 All Floors:

 

[vintagehoover]

And here's their evaluation of the DC25 Animal:

 

[sleepdoc]

DC17

Being a multi-Dyson owner, including the DC17 Animal and the DC25 Blueprint, I have to say that the DC17 is amazing. It does have stiff bristles, but it picks up so much fine dust that even I am astounded. My house is two years old and is regularly vacuumed with TOL machines: Kirby, Miele, Dyson upright or canister, brand new Filter Queen, new Tri-Star, etc. My house is clean. But this DC17 finds the dust. All the Dysons do - they're all great vacuums - but I can't overstate how impressed I am with this brand new DC17.

Jack, your posts and videos are first-rate, and I want to tell you how much I enjoy reading your writings and watching your videos. I really appreciate all the time you put into this. You've made collecting Dysons fun, and I've expanded my collection a lot because of you.

Patrick

 

[sleepdoc]

DC15

Three characteristics really contrast between the DC15 and DC25, all of them in favor of the DC25. First, the mass. The DC15 is ungainly. It's really big and heavy. The DC25 is nimble, by contrast. Second, the structural rigidity. The DC15 feels as though it has too many joints or moving parts, even brand new. It doesn't feel stable, and I wouldn't expect that to do anything except worsen with use. The DC25 has much less laxity. Third, the DC15's brush motor was ear-piercing. I don't know what they did to change it, but the DC25 isn't so shrill.

The only advantages the DC15 has are that its handle is a little taller and it has a bigger dust bin.

I wanted a DC15 when it came out and didn't get one after I tried it. Thereafter, I've been skeptical of the Ball. When Jack posted pics of the new Blueprint, I liked it enough to try one to see if Dyson had improved the design enough to buy one. They had, and I bought a DC25 and love it. By contrast, the DC15 is the only Dyson I can think of that I would not want. Hope that helps.

 

[rolls_rapide]

DC15

Didn't it have a geared drive to the brush, rather than the toothed belt of the DC25?

I do agree - the DC15 is an awkward beast to manoeuvre. Even more so, when compared to the Vax Mach Air (which is a dream to push about).

 

[williamr1248]

Dyson differences

Patrick,
You are correct about Jack. After I got my Dyson DC07, I NEVER wanted another Dyson. Thanks to Jacks postings, he helped create an interest in Dyson. I LOVE my DC23 and am now becoming interested in another Dyson. It is amazing not only how much my DC23 picks up but the type of dirt it pulls out of my heavy carpets. I wasn't a Dyson fan but Jack made me give them a second look. Thank you Jack. Not a hint of dusty oder or leaking dust. Now if Dyson would just get my parts I have on order.
Rob

 

[vintagehoover]

Hi Patrick and Rob,

I'm delighted you both enjoy my posts - my greatest 'vac fascination' has always been the vintage Hoover models - the older, the better! Dyson are the only modern company I find as interesting as Hoover. Rather than just following the crowd, they encourage their teams of intelligent, young, uni-grad engineers to push boundaries and come up with new technology, and I really enjoy being surprised at what they come up with!

Dysons aren't for everyone; I totally understand and accept that! However, I currently have 22 Dyson vacuum cleaners (and one Dyson fan!), and I've never had anything but great service from them. I like the constant performance, I like never, ever having to buy consumables, I like the thought that goes into the design and functionality... they just work for me!

Over the past two years, I've bought 6 brand new Dysons, not to mention all the older, second-hand models I've bought off eBay (the DC31 was a press sample, and the AM01 is a pre-production prototype). I wouldn't have spent a single penny of my money of any of them if I didn't believe in the technology and engineering. That's the most powerful proof I can offer of how much I like the products!

Also, this year alone, I've been fortunate enough to have (briefly!) met Sir James Dyson in person, as well as some of the most senior members of his Design and PR teams. They've all been extremely pleasant and interesting to talk to - and each time, I've come away feeling even more strongly about their work!

I thought these pictures might amuse you - I spent this afternoon cleaning at an office which belongs to a collegue of my uncle's. It's a great place to test out cleaners in a commercial environment, because it always gets really dirty! Most new cleaners I get are tested out there (to see how they handle 'office dirt' and low-pile carpeting), and the staff are always interested to see the cleaners I bring along!

Today, they wanted to know exactly how strong my DC08T was. So I showed them:

 

[vintagehoover]

Sorry this one came out blurred, one of the guys took the pics with my useless phone camera...

 

[vintagehoover]

I should add - after that demo, I threw the Contact Head and the bin/cyclone assembly down the stairs! Guess what...neither of them broke! If I thought they would, I wouldn't have attempted it with witnesses, lol. I was more concerned about the stairs!

 

[kirbyg4]

dyson hmmm.

i have actually owned a Dyson before dc14, and from experience they are the most intuitive and most technologically superior vacuums around, the company itself is great. i have never had trouble with the customer service nor the employees that worked there, i had my dc14 for about 4 years. and it out performed every wal-mart or sears bought vacuum i could imagine. another nice thing i like about the Dyson company and they're cleaners is the fact that the whole community it self seem very kind and always will to help somebody out, vintagehoover is an awesome guy i would be honored to have him as a friend i have only heard and seen videos on his "epic" hoover collection. and he seems like a pretty cool character. one thing i thought i would just throw out there, i have the most respect for Dyson, but at the end of the day i am a Kirby guy, lol i don't wanna start anything its just that... well i have grown up around Kirby's and absolutely love them, and as far as suction and durability goes, Kirby wins in my book, i have a 30 year old tradition that has probably seen over 900 hours of use during the course of it's life and it is like new, and my favorite my g4, is 16 years old and i have only ever replaced the belt and brush a hand full of times. anyhow, i am running my mouth. much respect for Dyson and to you vintage hoover, because of you i have been able to respect dyson more than i thought possible. and as far as the dc28 goes, it looks like quite a cleaner.

 

[joe22]

to new dyson digital canisters

anyone tried the new canisters with the digital motors. how do they compare with the regular canisters. i know they are smaller in size.

what makes the motor so special and different from the regular motors. how is the suction power. is it the same design in a smaller size?

thanks for the info jack (-:

 

[vintagehoover]

Dyson's problems with the conventional motor...

Carbon brushes:

Conventional motors rely on carbon brushes, which require constant contact with the commutator to complete the circuit required to switch polarities and create torque. The friction between the stationary carbons, and the spinning commutator, creates wasted energy in the form of heat, and causes the carbons to wear down, like the lead in a pencil.

Speed / lifespan / performance:

In order to give the motor an acceptable lifespan (generally around 500-600 hours), manufacturers limit the rate at which the carbons wear down by limiting the motor speed to around 30,000-35,000 rpm. However, limiting the speed means limiting the performance.

Fan:

The traditional centrifugal fan is a large and fragile aluminium structure, which can sometimes break apart at high speed.

Construction:

The copper windings used within the motor add to its size and weight – and thus, the overall size and weight of the appliance it’s installed in.

 

[vintagehoover]

...and Dyson’s solution: The DDM

Dyson’s DDM digital motor took over a decade to develop – the work of Dyson’s Malmsbury-based team of 45 motor specialists, and protected by 15 patents.

Unlike a conventional motor, the DDM uses a PCB to digitally switch between polarities up to 3000 times a second. No carbons, and no contact between moving and stationary parts.

Since there are no carbon brushes, the Dyson engineers didn't face conventional speed/performance restrictions. The motor used in the Airblade hand-dryer, DC12, and DC22, can run at 88,000 rpm, and the DDM Version 2, found in the DC30/31/31 Animal handhelds, runs at 103,000 rpm!

It’s half the size and half the weight of a conventional motor, which means the appliances built around it can be much lighter and more compact. Thus, the power-to-weight ratio is far more efficient than any conventional domestic appliance motor.

The self-regulating software utilised by the DDM is also self-diagnosing, and certain DDM-machines can actually recognise a fault in the system, and communicate their findings over the phone to the Dyson Service Centre!

The DDM is manufactured on an entirely automated production line in a clean-room environment, and no human hand ever touches it before it’s placed within the cleaner.

The DDM uses a 3-dimentional impeller made of carbon fibre-reinforced PEEK, similar in design to a car turbocharger. It spins with just a 0.3mm tolerance between the blade tip and the impeller housing. Although engineeringly-complex, it’s physically simple – a one-piece construction which can’t fail like a conventional fan.

Dyson used the techno-friendly Japanese market as a dry-run for the Digital Motor, where it’s been used in the DC12 canister since 2004. With a lifespan equivalent to over 1000 hrs of constant use, the rate of failure was so low that Dyson are now happy to use it in the DC22 Motorhead in the US.

 

[shanonabc]

DC12

In my experience with my DC12..... Before issues, It was brilliant. About the same suction as DC21, Brilliant performance

Loved it while it lasted... Think the Australian current screwed it up somehow

 

[vintagehoover]

DDM V2

Same concept as the DDM, but designed specifically to run off battery power. It's miniaturised for use in the new generation of Dyson hand-held cleaners - and of course, any future Dyson small appliances which may require such a motor!

It's 84% energy-efficient, making it twice as efficient as the motor used in the previous DC16 handheld. This allows it twice the runtime on normal power. It's also a third of the size of the motor used in the DC16, and weighs just 139g. It runs at 103,000rpm - three times faster than a conventional motor.

The DDM V2 is self-regulating to optimise efficiency. An internal microprocessor makes up to 3,300 adjustments each second to control its speed. It monitors, responds and self-adapts to airflow.

This year alone, the DDM V2 will power 1.2 million Dyson machines worldwide.

 

[eluxca]

I bit the bullet and bought a DC17...

and really like it! Thanks Patrick for your testimony on this model, it really cinched the decision for me.

I was not sure that I would like a Dyson and I did not want to spend a mint on something that may be given away, so I bought a very well-kept used machine. It is the Animal, sans the floor tool and the turbo brush. The performance is a 8.5 out of 10. A canister it is not, and if I didn't have an easy-to-use canister already I might not like the machine as much as I do.

For it's major intention, carpet cleaning, it is great. Just like Patrick said, it really gets up the sand. It grooms the carpet extremely well and is well suited to my low-medium pile carpeting. Bare floor pickup is better than expected, too. I ordered a new premotor filter even though they are washable, I like my own dust better than someone else's. Suction before the changeout was very good, now it's brutal.

The build quality is very good and solid. The plastic construction led me to believe that the machine would be light, but that is not the case. It's a chunk.

I like it so much, I believe I will buy a new Dyson next year. Since the DC17 is being phased out, I may go with the DC28 or DC23, or maybe a DC25 and the kitschy ball. No longer will I poo poo a Dyson. Thanks Jack, Rob and Patrick!

John

 

[vintagehoover]

Hi John - so pleased to hear you're happy with your choice! And thanks to Patrick for providing some personal input on the DC17. We don't have the 17 in the UK, and although I have seen and examined one myself, I haven't used one extensively enough to really make a judgement as to it's capabilities.

Speaking of getting up sand, here's the results of a little experiment I did last Friday evening. For the historical talk I did at the museum, I borrowed this rug from my aunt's house. It's usually placed in the hallway which connects the front door with the living room, dining room and kitchen. In other words, everyone walks on it in their outdoor shoes when they first enter the house, so it gets pretty dirty.

My aunt has a Miele Revolution 500 (same as I had, before I traded it for my S7 Autocare!). The family is what you might call 'houseproud', and they do vacuum regularly, and thoroughly. Before I borrowed the rug, I vacuumed it at their house with the Miele just to make sure no loose dirt fell out in the car on the way home.

Here's a quick pic of the rug in use at the gallery:

 

[vintagehoover]

Since I knew I'd be giving demonstrations on the rug, I was concerned about my vintage cleaners pulling dirt out of it - the exhibition runs until the end of January, and I didn't want them sitting about with dirt in their cloth bags until then! It wouldn't have been practical for me to clean the bags out at the gallery, either, so I had to make sure that it was free of as much dirt as possible before the demos.

First off, I ran my DC07 Origin over the rug until dirt seemed to stop coming out of it. The Origin has a good round brush-roll with 3 rows of bristles, and has extremely powerful suction (290 airwatts).

This is what it got out:

 

[vintagehoover]

Here's a close-up, with my hand for size-comparison! As you can see, there's a lot of fine dust, very dense fluff, and pet hair (they have a cat):

 

[vintagehoover]

Then, I took my DC25 Overdrive and vacuumed it again, and the results were interesting: