Help with Kenmore Whispertone 5.1

[BuddyC]

I need help replacing the hose for an old Kenmore Whispertone 5.1 canister vacuum. This machine is the one with the electronic variable power control slide and an rocker switch which switches from Off/Floor/Carpet. It's a hard to find hose, not like the older and newer versions of the Kenmore 116/Progressive/Whispertones hoses that you see so much of on Ebay(the typical older gray ones with loop handles and black rectangular slide control on top for off/floor/carpet and newer ones with maroon, blue, or black colored tops). My question is, will any of those hoses I just described fit and work as a replacement for the 5.1 hose? They all seem to have the three prong connection that fits the canister and the two prong connector with comes off the power nozzle. I know the variable power control is not on the older/newer 116 hoses, but I could care less about that as long s it will power fit and power the canister brush roller. Here is a pic of the hose I need to replace, hope it loads up properly.

 

[nubz3760]

I have a whisper with the exact same hose setup. I'd like to know as well.

 

[vacman1961]

Just buy the flexible hose and reuse the handle and machine ends. It is not that difficult to replace.

 

[nubz3760]

Well my problem is the electrical connections on the ends are going bad, so that wouldn't help me

 

[BuddyC]

Good suggstion, but the problem is in the handle itself so I want to replace the entire assembly. Do you or anyone else know if the hoses such the ones I'm including here will fit and power up the nozzle as long as the connections on both ends match?

 

[BuddyC]

Or this one:

 

[fan-of-fans]

Those hoses you post should work, I do believe. Check that the hose you buy has three prongs, and that the switch has Off-Floor-Carpet positions. Some of those hoses like in the second picture have only two prongs and the switch only has Floor-Carpet positions, they are for BOL machines that have the power switch on the canister.

However, there actually ARE versions of both of those later "gas pump handle" style hoses that have variable speed control, on earlier version (Whispertone) the variable speed slider was where the Kenmore label appears, and on the other hose (Progressive), it's below the switch.

In addition, the hose you currently have does come up on eBay from time to time, they're rarer than the later versions, but not totally uncommon.

 

[sbakerde]

It will work

You can replace your current hose with a Whispertone/ early progressive hose. The newest progressive hoses have a different wiring set up. What exactly is the problem your having with your connections. These hoses are repairable and I do have some parts, such as swivel machine ends and such. Let me know if you need anything.

 

[BuddyC]

Hey thanks both fan-of-fans and sbakerde.

Sbakerde, just to clarify, when referring to "Whipsertone/early Progressive hoses", you do mean like the solid gray one in the second picture, correct?

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Moved to Contemporary forum

 

[nubz3760]

wrong dates

I think the issue with dates lately is when you go to post it says 20 years old or greater or less than 20 years old, with 20 years ago being 1993, not 1980.

 

[rugsucker]

wrong dates

Small matter but I have also noticed that with each Jan 1 we get further fron 1980.Should there be a new dating system to stay at 20 years?

 

[nubz3760]

Maybe they should change the posting page say say pre 1980 / post 1980

 

[fan-of-fans]

The dark grey handled hose is for the Whispertone, and came out in the mid-90s. It is still used on new lower model Kenmores such as the lime and orange PN canisters. The other one with the colored top is the Progressive hose that was used until the most recent Progressives that don't have the metal end on the hose.