Exhaust direction on canister vacs

[eurekaprince]

It has always amazed me that many of the older canister vacs blew exhaust air directly onto the floor. And whether it is the downward exhaust of a Hoover Constellation, or the rear exhaust of a classic American Electrolux, or the bizarre air flow coming out of the rear cord reel port of a Kenmore Progressive, this flow of air is bound to blow around the surface dirt lying on a bare floor.

It seems to be a basic improvement to redirect the exhaust upwards as you now see on all the Mieles and European Electroluxes.

My question is: Am I making too big a deal out of nothing? It seems that vac makers did not pay attention to this at all for so many years. And though I love the floating Hoover Constellations, that blast of air when you turn it on sends dirt and dust flying into corners making your cleaning task even more challenging.

Your thoughts?

 

[suckolux]

I have always thought the same thing, especially the hovering Hoovers, had one. My Miele is straight up, the Sliverado will if you open the bomb bay door on top, but even out the sides, not bad.And the older XXX, I think mine is a 48, the rear doors do point it up, and that seems to work.

 

[eurekastar]

It is a big deal, especially if you're using it on a bare floor. Electrolux corrected that problem with the 1205's introduction. I once owned a Metro Vac that had such a powerful exhaust flow that if I rolled it up to a wall in a room with bare floors, the exhaust would blow it away from the wall! Everything else got blown around too! LOL! It seems like that vacuum had a 10 amp two stage motor. I think the exhaust was angled slightly up too, in order to direct it away from the floor. But it didn't do much good.

 

[eurekaprince]

I don't even think those canisters with exhaust vents on the side or back solve the problem.

The Hoover Futura also blows air out one side, and this also kicks up dust. My beloved Eureka Mighty Mite II was a great little suction cleaner, but boy - did it ever kick up dust behind its rear end whenever it was on! The airflow would actually lift up throw rugs like they were magic carpets floating behind a 747!

 

[williamr1248]

Rxhaust direction on canister vacs

I agree that some are really bad about the exhaust. I brought my new Hoover Constellation (which I really think is a very cool vacuum)up from the basement and used it ONE time in the family room. I noticed the very next day I had a layer of dust on the glass top of the coffee table.
The best exhaust of my collection would be on my Electrolux Oxygen 3. It exhausts all the way around the machine and it it also the most quiet machine I own.
Our old Air-Way 66 exhausted straight out the bottom of the machine. Air-Way corected that on the later run 66's and the 77 and 88 machines.

 

[veroroger]

I remember that problem all too well....

Had a BOL Air-Way tank - can't remember the model at the moment but it looked like a Royal tank - which had the exhaust coming straight out the back. Great vacuum in all respects EXCEPT for the eshaust. I had it blow things off tables, walls and, on time, it ruffled the curtains enough to cause the rod holder to come out of the wall! Once, I took it into a job I had then to help out with a thorough cleaning we were doing. Without watching where it blew, I managed to have it knock over two bottles which took out several more in the bath section! Needless to say, it was not appreciated!

Finally, I went to our local vac shop and had them fashion a j shaped pipe fitted to another hose end fitting which then went on the exhaust. Now, it went straight up and I was able to dust the ceilings every time I vacuumed.

 

[tolivac]

Royal Powertanks had the problem of the "jet engine" exhaust-you had use some care where the rear of the machine was pointed.And becuase of the rear exhaust-you could not stand the canister on end to get extra "reach"-but the hose was EXTRA long so that wasn't needed.

 

[powertank]

Haha I second that. I have a fleet of the PowerTanks and they'll blow up the corners of rugs and blow dust everywhere if you're not careful. Heck, they send out such a powerful jet of air they often lurch forward a few inches when I turn them on.

 

[chuffle]

I rarely use...

my PowerTank for that very reason. It's a great machine, but the jet blast from the exhaust is a bit much.

Joe

 

[tolivac]

If you needed to do blowing applications-that Royal tank could give good blowing action-almost as good as the hose from an air compressor!The blast was good for drying vacuum parts after washing them.I use my Royal tanks-but again be wary of where the back is pointed.Something about them-they are VERY powerful!Now if someone would market Filtrete type bags for these-you CAN'T use the single layer bags-the airflow is so powerful in these machines it pulls the dirt thru the thinner bags-and almost thru the cloth one-or it causes the single layer paper bags to break.

 

[powertank]

Yep, you're absolutely right. You've got to use the HEPA J bags in the PowerTanks. The regular paper bags will actually rip on occasion if they have stuff in them with the suction.

Royal wasn't messing around with these things- that's why I like them so much. They're one of the most powerful vacuums ever built. (No one ever called them quiet, though!)