For Brian in KS, my Kenmore Ultra Vac 29459

[alexb1186]

Tom G. gifted me this uber rare canister a few weeks ago after I have swooned over it for a long time and had the resources to make it fab again. What makes this unique is the Power-Mate II, which can be used as a separate upright vacuum as it has its own fan and dirt cup or when connected to the hose, you have a tandem air canister system. It's also the first Kenmore with the newer "Whispertone" body style and cord reel and also one of the last 100% Whirlpool made Kenmore canisters.

To use it as a standalone upright, the machine came with a separate cap and cord that you plugged in the handle to divert suction to the dirt cup and provide electricity from a standard outlet, however I don't have that and would love to find one someday as it's NLA from Sears/Whirlpool.

Even though I have extensively read (and memorized) every patent on this machine, I am more obsessed with finding an ad with it. The model number indicates it should be a 1989-1990 model, but none of the Big Book or Wish Book catalogs had this featured, and it wasn't until fall/winter 1991-1992 that the model number was included in the 5055 model list for ordering replacements. Now Tom and my friend Daniel remember it being on the back page of a Sears sale catalog you got in the mail in either 1990-1991 and it was $599, more expensive than its Sears Best siamese twin Whispertone at $350 and even the previous Sears Best light gray 27455 at $450.

 

[alexb1186]

Hose/cap attachment end

The hose easily removes to connect the cap and cord to use it for upright mode. Also note the cord wrap on the back of the wand, where you store the cord when not in use.

 

[alexb1186]

Light and Deep Cleaning Instructions

For right now it's all deep cleaning

 

[alexb1186]

Propelled by a 2.4 amp motor

It's rather amazing what technology Whirlpool had devised 20 years ago and became one of Tacony's Tandem Air patent references.

 

[alexb1186]

Business end

This brushroll was unique to this machine only and is essentially a clone of the Quadraflex. The grooves in the brushroll are part of the "anti-cord swallowing system" so if you accidentally run over the cord it won't get all jacked up. Also, Whirlpool had patented a belt tensioning system for this Power-Mate, however they probably didn't include it to cut costs IMHO.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=qbo4AAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[alexb1186]

Running

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The only gripe I have about it is it would've been nice to have a swivel wand on top to let it easily clean under tables and furniture, maybe it does however I had to super glue the wand connector to the main tube on mine. This could've been a good selling vacuum had Sears marketed it more than the "promo" 3.9/4.0 canisters AND put it in the big book catalogs

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Congratulations on getting a machine that you've been after for a long time... I know what that's like to finally get something that's on "the list..."

Fred

 

[henrydreyfuss]

Cool!

WOW that is a very unique Kenmore! I've never seen one of those! What a clever idea to allow the vacuum to be used as a stick vac as well as a canister. I bet with that brushroll and small fan, it would still do a great job without the canister unit.

Very neat! Enjoy!

 

[kenmore81]

OH MY STARS...

I love it! Congratulations! I have never seen one in peron, only in a Special order/Promotional catalogue in the vacuum department at Sears. It was near Christmas 1989, when Sears was starting the renovations for "Band Central". After the remodeling I asked one of the guys if they were getting one to diplay. They said they didn't know =(.
Good luck with it.
You should be able to make a cord for it if you can find a donor hose.In fact a newer Whispertone hose would be perfect because when you take apart the handle there should be plenty of wire to work with.
Kenny

 

[alexb1186]

Yay another clue!

Kenny, do you remember the price and was this catalog an Appliance Specialog or a sale catalog that came in the newspaper? I have scavenged Newspaper Archive and have not found one ad with this machine.

And how would I be able to make a power cord for it to be used as an upright because for starters there are 3 prongs and the cap/cord were one piece you connected to the end of the handle.

 

[briankirbyclass]

Wow,,very cool! Ive never seen anything like that! Never even knew anything like that ever existed!,,congrats and enjoy!

 

[alexb1186]

It was originally meant for briguy, but hey Brian W. thanks!

I forgot one more plus - no screws to take the cover off the floor unit, a great thing for someone like me that has umpteen Phillips screwdrivers scattered throughout the house!

 

[briguy]

Enjoyed this thread sooo much!!

Wow Alex, I just made it back to Vacuumland tonight & was checking out posts. What do I find, but your awesome thread on your Ultra-vac. I haven't been on in awhile due to being with my mom while she had surgery & getting her well enough to go home finally. I enjoyed your pics & posts immensely!! Glad you got some more clues from our fellow vacuumlanders out there too.

 

[Klectrolux]

I saw that exact video on YouTube when you posted it and all I could think of was "What a UNIQUE ans SWEET LOOKING MACHINE!" This is such a unusually neat design, you don't see much like it now. Sweet machine! Congratulations on a great (possibly really rare) find!

 

[tolivac]

Interesting-A KN "Monster vac"Wonder if you could do something similar with a canister vacuum and an Oreck upright head-Use the Oreck head as a powernozzle with the canister vac.One vac store owner I knew wanted to try it-we talked about it.Would be something like the cleaner shown.

 

[kenmore81]

Sorry for the delay, iirc the price was 599.99 and it was in a special order book near the register.
I don't remember it being in the catalogue.
As far as making a cord you would have to cut the recepticle off of a whispertone hose and connect the two positive wires to the positive of the donor cord, then of corset the neutral. The two positive should be black and red or blue. Its been a while sence I had a wt hose apart.
I will take mine apart later and look.

 

[kenmore81]

Ohhh Duh...

"Slaps face" I see what you are saying about the 3 prongs, what about the caister end from a donor vac or sears parts. That might work.