Khoi: I have seen some Ebay sellers who include TriStar bags with the Patriot & Airstorm vacuums, so perhaps earlier models took the TriStar bag & then they changed the lid design & bag design slightly?? You could always try a TriStar bag & adding a squarish piece of thin cardboard cut to fit, say from a cereal box, if needed.
Philip: Your Patriot would be from the year the company was founded....you have a first-year model. From some online research I had done when I first heard of Schoettler Research & Engineering Corp. (SREC), apparently Harold Schoettler was a former TriStar executive who had designed both the Airstorm & Patriot as next-generation TriStar models. TriStar planned to steal the design from him & terminate his employment....when he found out, he resigned from the company, took his designs with him, & founded SREC.
And yes, the Patriot & Airstorm vacuums do use Ametek double-stage motors. From what I have heard from my local vac shop, who has serviced quite a few of these, the motor is the same design as a Filter Queen motor, has the same amount of field wire, but made to run at a faster RPM to produce higher waterlift & airflow (CFM) ratings, & apparently also has the same lifespan as a Filter Queen motor, whereas a Ametek TriStar motor apparently lasts a bit longer as they use more field wiring. Now, Philip, what I would be interested to find out, is when exactly did they change motors to this newer motor?? If yours is pulling 90" waterlift, chances are good they sourced the TriStar motor from Ametek, but at some point changed to this higher-performance motor.
One thing I like about the Airstorm & Patriot is that they have the optional Medik-Aire HEPA filter that goes into the exhaust port in the back. That filter is HUGE....it literally looks like a big balloon! And like Miele, it is a Sealed HEPA vacuum too. SREC claims the filter will last 3 years, but I think that if the pre-filters were maintained, a household could get a minimum of 5 or 6 years out of it.
The only downside, though, is the filter is very pricey....they want $200 for it brand new. I also like the fact that they use the Plastiflex hose with the gas-pump handle, vs the pistol-grip handle that TriStar uses, it's nice to have the powerhead on/off switch at your fingertips. And then of course there's that awesome Sebo ET-C powerhead....gotta love that!!
Rob
