Electrolux ZC90

[anthony]

been after one of these for ages and finaly i managed to get this one. Its in reasonable condition but it has its faults.Suction is great at the cleaner but with the hose on its little more than useless.Its also one of the eaerly machines with the spring loaded hose conector that has a perished seal .Is it possible to convert the machine to take the three lug hose end?.The floor tool looks fine till you turn it over and discover the inside of it is missing. The third problem is the handle .It has two cracks [one either side] when i strip the machine for restoration i will remove the handle and try to repair it [wish me luck].The bag is nice and clean but the filter of course is filthy Will chuck it in the washer and see how it comes out .It runs like a top but then i wouldnt have expected anything else from an Electrolux of this vintage .Most of the original accesories are present and was i suprised to find the little clip for holding the dusting brush at the bottom of the box .And then theres the box whats the chances of finding one of these in its box .Incidently the white floor tool and the filter were in the box but dont belong to this machine .If anyone can help with the missing part from the floor tool i would be very interested

 

[paul]

Congrats!

Flaws notwithstanding that's an awesome vintage European Electrolux and one of my personal favorites. That sage green and light grey combo is attractive and reminiscent of the mid- to late Sixties green that was so prevalent even in the U.S. Electrolux also produced a matching-colored Floor Polisher-Scrubber to the ZC90, the model B19 (attached), which you may want to get so you have the original set (Flickr photo).

And how cool that it came with its original factory carton! I'm always glad to hear when collectors get those extras including things like the dust brush clip that others would have a tendency to toss out if they were to purchase or be given one.

Please post a photo of the data tag. In case you aren't aware, the serial number is coded with the production month and year. I see from another thread that the production span was 1965 to 1968.

I wish you well in repairing it or finding replacement parts.

Doug Smith, a Canadian and an avid collector of worldwide floor & surface care electric appliances may have parts. Here is his website link. You'll find his email address at the end of his message.

http://smithcollection.altervista.org/index.html

 

[paul]

Patent

I happened upon what appears to be your Luxomatic's patent on Google patents while searching for Electrolux USA patents.

In the US, production often begins when around the time of the application of a patent, so I wonder now if the ZC90's launch was prior to 1965 as the patent's application was in 1962, and it was granted in 1963? Or was there another model I'm missing?

 

[anthony]

Thank you Paul

Heres a photo of the rating plate on the machine and some more patent information from the box

 

[collector2]

Hi Anthony.

Thank you Paul for the mention of my website

The ZC90 was the first UK Electrolux I ever found (Very Early 1980s) here in Canada. It was a 120 Volt version that was made for the Canadian Forces Canex (Store) at their bases in France and Germany. It took me over 30 years to finally find all of the original parts for mine and I still haven't found the clip to hold the dusting brush on the top of the machine (You're very lucky to have it).

The ZC90 was produced by Electrolux UK from 1965 to 1968. It was the first machine they put out that had a retractable cord and a whistle indicator that signaled when the bag should be changed. It could be used either with the cloth bag (included) or with a self sealing paper bag that fit into the cloth bag.
Early versions came with the ball bearing style hose connection while later ones had the bayonet fitting. (In answer-yes there is an adapter piece that can convert it to bayonet).

Other versions of the 90, made in Sweden, Germany etc had slight differences - eg the Swedish machine had a short handgrip and two wands, all of which were chromed.

A picture of my machine is below.

If you want to email me I have a copy of the instruction book for your version of the machine scanned that I can email to you. [email protected]

 

[vacbear58]

Lux 90

Anthony

It might be worth contacting Gordon in Edinburgh to see if he has a handle assembly for the 90, I think the one for the 100 should be very similar with a very slight trim change. It would also be worth seeing if he has a front cover from a 100 which should be the same as the one you have but with a three lug hose fitting. Contact details for Gordon on the link

https://www.vacuumexchange.co.uk/

 

[paul]

You're welcome, Anthony and Doug.

Thank you, Anthony, for the photos. Sometime soon I'll do a patent number search and let you know what I find. Past experience tells me that many of the numbers are common among several models such as general features and tools. US patents of the main design typically begin with a D, but apparently not in Britain.

Regarding the model number, I know the international symbol for 'integer' is 'Z' (German 'Zahl' - 'number'). Going by Doug's information, I would guess that the 'C' stands for 'cable reel').

As for the serial number, according to Steve (YouTube "Vintage Appliance Emporium) European Electroluxes first three digits of a serial number, or "number" in the case of your Luxomatic with its separate series, are the final digit of the production year (one needs to know the decade) and the two-digit week. Using that, info., your cleaner was made in the 3rd week of 1965. Since the series is 'a', I wonder if technically, you own a ZC90a? Using Doug's information maybe each country's model had a different series designation to denote its variations.

 

[anthony]

thanks Gy=uys

I bought a new filter and the grill that fits over it from gordons ebay stores .I did sak about a new handle but no luck .Once i get the thing off i will have a go at repairing it if that dont work i will ask my other half if its possible to print one at work .Rumaging through my garage i found a three lug hose end with one of those adapters atached to it trouble is its black but then i also found a goblin hose end thats a push fit .It fit perfectly into the front of the cleaner so i will rigg somthing up from that it also means i can keep the original hose intact.In answer to Colector 2s post the hose conector is not the old type that would fit say a 65 or55 [push fit with ball bearings in the end .This one has 2 lugs [one either side ] that have to be squeezed in to free the hose .You can see it in the photos up top. The buttons are held in place by the rubber seal [thas perished ]As i said earlier the hose looks to be in good condition but it is totally perished inside .I wrapped it in cling film and got instant suction .If only clear heat shrink tubing was available for a permenant fix

 

[collector2]

Just an FYI - Clear heat shrink IS available - but it would make the hose very stiff if you did the whole thing.

Interesting - I have never seen that hose connector in person but it sounds like the US style connector.

Re the Z numbers I believe they denoted variations of the machines. Just a Z indicated that there was only one style of that model. ZA generally was for a Swedish variation, ZB was Canadian, ZD I believe was German, ZF was French and ZK was Australian. This gets a bit muddled up though. As at times things happened like the full Swedish design being used in England for a specific model so they had the ZA designation or models were imported from other countries for specific reasons so they had different designators.

 

[collector2]

Re Pauls observation - yes this would be a ZC90a. Mine is a ZC90b. The series designator after the model number showed a variation of the original model. In this case the a and b had different hose connections.

 

[paul]

You're welcome, Anthony. Glad your resto is off to a great start.

Thanks for the information, Doug. I hadn't considered that the second letter of European model designations actually stood for descriptors; I just thought they were randomly selected and only indicated a country's electrical plug type. I get it—the ZC90's letter series is the same as the typical second letter of the model number prefix.

So the B in Canada likely stands for British or British Colony, right? And F for French, D for Deutsch ... I wonder if Sweden's A stands for origin, Aktiebolag, or 'Axel' Wenner-Gren and if Australia's K is for kangaroo, because it's the country's national animal?

 

[collector2]

Hey Paul. Honestly I think they just used the designators running through the alphabet. The original machines were the same design through the various plants with only minor changes (Like the model 12). When they started to make significant changes to the design (yet were still based on that design) they started working though the alphabet. Eg the first one we see like that is the model 30. The Canadian version, while based on the Swedish design, had different covering and a totally different style of runners. So Version A was the original Swedish version and Version B was the Canadian. As different models were changed for the various countries they added letters.

 

[paul]

Hey Doug,

Yeah, I figured it was a long shot; although I also found that ZF was the Finland designation, so that fit the pattern.

I do think that Electrolux Corporation used model letters to denote a main feature of all its cleaners launched from 1954 to 1965 (not just those identified on the cartons & literature), which was my premise. (E - Economy; E-A - Efficient, T - Thrift, S - Special, F - Fully Automatic (shut-off, cord winder, bag seal, bag lock-out), R - Rudimentary, G - Gentle, C-A - Commercial Automatic, L - Limited, CB - Commercial Big Capacity.

Eureka's letters also came to mind albeit they're a mixed bag using A as either the original or first update (eg. 260, 260-A), but sometimes using them for words such as L for Light (e.g. - G, GL), T for Tools and V for Vibra-Beat.

Anyway, I just like to play detective sometimes, ha.

__________


Hey Anthony,

Here are the patents I located from the photo you posted, although I was unable to locate anything for the patent application & registered design numbers. It could be that letter prefixes (such as the 'D'. I mentioned for the US) or a suffixes were omitted from those; I've had that experience with other patent searches. Btw, the ones on your list excluded diagrams.

I also attached some extras that I happened to locate for the ZC90 which were pending in 1965 when your cleaner was manufactured.

1-14. Patents from your carton's list

15. Latch Control 1965/1967

16-19. Top Exhaust 1963/1967 (which the U.S. first used in 1968 on its model 1205, and which Canada first used in 1973 on its models AP100 & AP)

 

[anthony]

Interesting stuff guys

Well i had a rumage through the garage and found this off white hose [its from a kirby] so i have fitted the bent wand end from the electrolux hose to one end and by removing the broken hose end that fitted onto the front of the Kirby i have made the thing fit the Electrolux .Its a simple push fit [its just jammed in the hole ] I have not damaged anything on the original hose so its an easy job to put it all back as it was .Meanwhile the Z90 has exellent suction at the hose end.I have removed the motor today because while it is working it grumbling when it slows down .Just as well i did because the brushes are almost gone .Its the front end bearing thats rumbling .I have seviced lots of these motors over the years but this one is proving to be a pain. I need to dismantle the motor to get at the bearing but the nut refuses to move .I have left it to soak in oil ov ernight and will have another go at it tomorrow.Anyone got any tips on loosening the nut?

 

[anthony]

managed

to get the nut off this morning and dismantle the motor .As i took the armature out the back bearing fell apart so its going to need a new one [might as well replace both while its in bits .the motor casing has been cleaned ready for reasembly .thats about all i can do till i source some new bearings .I have measures them and will see whats available tonight .next i took the broken handle off and glued it back together [ihave a plan for strenthening it before its refitted ]i then set about cleaning the machines body inside and out .Its looking a lot better .there are two small dents where the broken handle has dugg into the metal body .My guess is at some time or another someone has but a lot of weight on the handle [may have been dropped]causing the sides of it to dig into the body .Will see what i can do to get them out.Thats it for today guys more to come later

 

[paul]

Nice work so far, Anthony.

I like your thrift and jerry-rigging to make to a workable hose. Nice, too, that the original hose is saved for either future repair or appearance.

Glad that soaking the nut overnight worked to get it loose. Hope you're able to get a replacement bearing soon.

Your clean-up job is impressive. It probably hasn't been that clean since the Sixties - ha.

Question ... does it or any European Luxes, have the bag lock-out feature that keeps the bag door from closing without a bag?

The attached photo is posted on Electrolux Group's website. So now you need to look for an Assistent from the mid-'60s.

 

[collector2]

Hey Paul

Re bag lock out - no they dont.

Also the bag full indicator on these machines whistled to tell you it was full instead of turning off the machine like the north american ones did.

 

[anthony]

some progress

motor completely stripped and cleaned .new bearinmgs fitted front and back .the armature no longer spins freely when spun by hand .the new bearings will make it run like it did when it was new .[wonder what it will sound like]I also have new brushes to fit .I have repaired the handle with glue and two screws and once fitted back on the machine the repair should not be visible .The donor floor tool arived so i was able to repair the machines own and while in bits give it a good clean.As i said earlier i think the machine may have been dropped on its handle the impact causing the two dents either side .Before i can reasemble it i will try to either get the dents out or peel back the plastic covering and fill the dents with car body filler.While the front cover is off i will give it a clean .I presume there would have been a foam ring on the inside where the glue marks are .i can easily cut somthing from an old sponge .thats it for today guys

 

[paul]

Thanks, Doug. Did the 80 & AP series have the bag lock-out function? Did any CA models have the whistle feature?

Nice work, Anthony.