electrolux ap 280 // health

[centralsweeper63]

Very popular designs they were. Did their job well.

 

[cheesewonton]

The grey one debut in the 1980's as the Eureka Express power head. Then Beam used it as their Rugmaster. The original Eureka type above was also used by Rainbow, Airway?, etc. Airway also used a Eureka upright motor base without a fan or a bag as a power nozzle.

Airway didn't remove the fan from that Eureka upright motor base. That was the first tandem air vacuum. Kenmore would follow with their own tandem air canister lash up in 1989, the Ultravac, but it only lasted a few months before being discontinued. The Powermate II tandem air power nozzle became the base for a series of light weight cheap direct air uprights sold by Kenmore and as the Panasonic MC-V100 Innkeeper.

 

[centralsweeper63]

I don't get why they would remove the fan, because they didn't.

 

[cheesewonton]

I don't get why they would remove the fan, because they didn't.

Tom Gasko has one and I seem to remember a write up about it years ago in the VCMA news letter. If memory serves it wasn't something Airway made but rather something a distributor cooked up. Wish Tom would chime in and set me straignt cuz those liberty calls in Asia killed a lot of brain cells.

 

[centralsweeper63]

I would love to learn more about it too. I have been digging for a couple of years on it and gotten nowhere.

 

[cheesewonton]

Best ( only ) image I can find. The very first tandem air vacuum.

 

[vintage lover]

Here.

I would love to be in that room!

 

[thevacomaticiec]

I would love to be in that room!

its a fun room to be in so many vacuum to chose from yayyy

 

[centralsweeper63]

And some very cool machines!

 

[thevacomaticiec]

And some very cool machines!

Thanks

 

[centralsweeper63]

You are welcome.

 

[vintage lover]

In the Electrolux manual, there are other attachments i would love to add; even if it's for another model. It would add colour to my collection!. I would like to add, the Library Brush (fits on Crevice Nozzle), Petite Brush (fits in center of Small Nozzle), Rug Cleaner, and Shag Rug Nozzle.

 

[centralsweeper63]

Shag cleaners/rakes are Cool.

 

[vacerator]

1989 Kenmore tandem air canister vac? Never heard of, seen, and couldn't find anything on a search of one. Can you post a photo please?
Oh wait, I found it! Powermate II Kenmore Ultravac.

 

[vintage lover]

speaking of Kenmore and the powermate. My sister had a blue one, forget which model, in 1993, that she purchased. It worked very good. It was loud! Especially the power nozzle. Then i know someone who had another one, that had buttons on the handle, to start and stop power nozzle, it was lighter colour, and the power nozzle was so much quieter and also the vacuum itself. it had a 2 speed motor. i think this is early 90's. it is a good vacuum, just gotta replace hose. then in the later 90's there was this model that was called whispertone, the vacuum was silent but the power nozzle was still loud, so i'm assuming they forget to put something in the powerhead to make it sound quieter. that was a green 12.0 amps model. then the person got another powerhead, looked exactly the same as in the green vacuum (quiet canister loud powerhead) just different colour, a purple colour, and it was way quieter. i'm thinking that was how the powerhead should have sounded in the green Kenmore 12.0 amps vac. yeah cause if u sell whispertone vac, the powerhead should be whispertone as well. Whispterone was name on vac. Actually even the thought blue one was louder, i find it sucked really well, and the power nozzle that was furnished with it worked the rugs really well.

 

[paul]

Hi alll sorry for not posting pictures videos or any vacuum content sinc October my health has taken a down spiral ...... Kidney stone twice once in November on the 25 and 26 .Then agai n and worse pain i ever felt in December 29 now more pain on January 2 to 3 2026 .

No worries all test came back ok i am taking i t easy and on medication lots of fluids i will post picture of my recent asquisitiona kenmore a pro team shop vac and a totaly mint free electrolux ap 280 brown 2 speed all tools . Keep me in your prayers as i keep taking my medication and fluis to help my right Kidney . THANKS

I have had kidney stones, too, so I can empathize; albeit mine have been years apart. My female cousin says that she found them to be more painful than child-bearing. Glad to hear your test results were favorable and that you're on the mend.

Nice vacs recently added to your collection. As far as I know the AP280 is the only 2-speed tank-type made in North America (excluding the variable speed Renaissance/Epic 8000/Guardian/Lux Guardian and its TOL Aerus Lux successors).

 

[thevacomaticiec]

I have had kidney stones, too, so I can empathize; albeit mine have been years apart. My female cousin says that she found them to be more painful than child-bearing. Glad to hear your test results were favorable and that you're on the mend.

Nice vacs recently added to your collection. As far as I know the AP280 is the only 2-speed tank-type made in North America (excluding the variable speed Renaissance/Epic 8000/Guardian/Lux Guardian and its TOL Aerus Lux successors).

Yes it's touch and go with my kidneys stone I'm on HYDROMORPHONE 2 mg My collection has a ap 280 two speed and a guardian epic 8000 variable speed I love them .

 

[centralsweeper63]

Variable speed is very useful for me too.

 

[paul]

Yes it's touch and go with my kidneys stone I'm on HYDROMORPHONE 2 mg My collection has a ap 280 two speed and a guardian epic 8000 variable speed I love them .

Not sure what pain reliever I took. Thankfully, they passed on their own. The last one I had (over 5 years ago) passed with no pain or discomfort at all due to the large amount of water I drank. I now drink mostly lemon water daily, which may be helping to prevent new stones from forming. Also, I drink pop only occasionally and rarely eat foods that are high in oxalates.

 

[centralsweeper63]

Lemon water is great. I make mine with sparkling water. Gotta be careful it doesn't fizz like mad when the lemon goes in though. I hope your kidney stones don't come back.

 

[thevacomaticiec]

Thanks I will try that .

 

[centralsweeper63]

Worth a shot. Also, real lemons help. Some lemons are better than others, so try a few different types out. Also, don't put too much in your first few cups. If you don't like it at first, try it 7 times. After that the brain stops associating the slight bitter taste with poison and bad things. It's true. Works on anything.

 

[thevacomaticiec]

I am drinking water and cranberry juice I will try lemon.

 

[centralsweeper63]

Ooh, cranberry juice. I like cranberry juice, haven't had it in a while though. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[cheesewonton]

1989 Kenmore tandem air canister vac? Never heard of, seen, and couldn't find anything on a search of one. Can you post a photo please?
Oh wait, I found it! Powermate II Kenmore Ultravac.

I have one sitting right behind me but it needs work and I haven't photographed it yet. The Powermate II is the weak link. The handle and upper body are pretty fragile.

 

[cheesewonton]

speaking of Kenmore and the powermate. My sister had a blue one, forget which model, in 1993, that she purchased. It worked very good. It was loud! Especially the power nozzle. Then i know someone who had another one, that had buttons on the handle, to start and stop power nozzle, it was lighter colour, and the power nozzle was so much quieter and also the vacuum itself. it had a 2 speed motor. i think this is early 90's. it is a good vacuum, just gotta replace hose. then in the later 90's there was this model that was called whispertone, the vacuum was silent but the power nozzle was still loud, so i'm assuming they forget to put something in the powerhead to make it sound quieter. that was a green 12.0 amps model. then the person got another powerhead, looked exactly the same as in the green vacuum (quiet canister loud powerhead) just different colour, a purple colour, and it was way quieter. i'm thinking that was how the powerhead should have sounded in the green Kenmore 12.0 amps vac. yeah cause if u sell whispertone vac, the powerhead should be whispertone as well. Whispterone was name on vac. Actually even the thought blue one was louder, i find it sucked really well, and the power nozzle that was furnished with it worked the rugs really well.

Starting in 1981 Kenmore was selling a geared belt Powermate made by Whirlpool. The wooden brush roll had slots for removable brush strips and a beater bar. Between the geared belt and beater bar they were very loud. Painfully loud, especially when the motors wore and became screechy. Sometime during or after the 1990-95 Kenmore-Panasonic joint venture Panasonic introduced new power nozzle designs that used poly V-belt drive and replaced the old beater bar brush rolls with a chevron pattern brush roll. Those are quiet.

Last year I discovered you can use the brush roll, motor and poly V-belt from the Titan T7 power nozzle in those old geared belt Powermates. The T7 is the successor to the original Whirlpool design and all the internal dimensions and mounting points are identical. The new parts drop right in to the old geared belt power nozzle and the result is a very quiet and smooth running power nozzle.

 

[centralsweeper63]

Beater bars are good though.

 

[cheesewonton]

Beater bars are good though.

Eh, it depends. On Kenmore power nozzles at least the new brush rolls do a better job removing pet hair than the old beater bar brush rolls, but that might be due to how soft those old brush strips were. A beater bar does nothing to dislodge pet hair. For that you need stiff bristles.

 

[centralsweeper63]

Yes, that is true, though they really get the grit out.

 

[vacerator]

Panasonic bought the plant making Kenmore vacs by the early 80's. I think from Ryobi? Singer? I think they made the Whirlpool ones too.