Hoover "Central Vacs" discontinued?

[gottahaveahoove]

I just saw three different models listed as "discontinued".
Anyone know anything about it?

 

[centralvacs1928]

I don't have any direct info on what happened there, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have exited the CV market.

Hoover centrals have, for the last 25+ years, been made by Cana-Vac, and I don't think ever sold that well (at least in the states - Canada might be different), compared to other central brands and certainly compared to Hoover portable units. With the Hoover brand just one line in the parent company's conglomerate, and the central vacs a teeny division of that line, with its own distribution channels, it seems reasonable that TTI found it more trouble than it was worth.

Similar story, I'm guessing, to what happened with Electrolux HCPNASTFU's decision to sell off Sanitaire (to Bissell) and Beam central (to Nuera). Big volume big box distribution is what they are after.

Sad though. I was never a fan of the Hoover hoses (WAY heavy and restrictive to airflow), but the old Quadraflex power brush did a tremendous job on 80's and 90's plush, and their early stainless steel 550 power unit from the late eighties was very classy. That was the first and last one (to my knowledge) that they built themselves, using two Spirit motors. After that, they had Cana-Vac make them, and they were all single motor with a cartridge filter and later a hanging cloth filter.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Thanks, Owen!

I'm not surprised about any of that.
It was suggested, a while back, to install a central unit in my home. I'd have preferred a Hoover, of course. I thought it might be difficult, in a big old house like mine. Then, w/ so many vacs, I certainly wouldn't need one. But, it crossed my mind. The initial plan/layout, etc. is now squashed, anyway.
Upon looking at the Hoover/TTi website, it certainly looks like , now, there's absolutely NOTHING left of anything Hoover, as we know it.
Not their finest hour, for certain.

 

[pr-21]

I had a Beam Central Vacuum installed. I bought my house new, but after it was finished. It was on a


slab. They were able to install it in the garage, and craw into my attic and run the pipping. My kitchen ceiling


showed a hairline crack a week or two after. I have to this that is what caused it......Now I have a new house


and just have a Garage Vac that hangs on the wall, to do my garage and car. I also bought an extension


hose that I can put on in case I need to vacuum the the garage with the car outside so I can do both at


the same time....


 


It is still running today. It takes the synthetic bag that you just throw away....easy......


 


 


I believe Garage Vac and Intervac are the same.........


 


PR-21 


Bud

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I have a GUV (Hoover) in my basement

. It barely reaches outside to the car. There are 4 basements in this house. The GUV is in the main one.

 

[gregvacs28]

4 basements?  Do you mean some are crawl spaces?


 


Are they connected or do you have separate sets of stair or exterior entrances for each?


 


I had a house that started as a log cabin in the 1800s and morphed into a 3600 s.f. farm house in the early 1900s with 5-6 additions.   It never had any running plumbing in it and only about a 1/3 had electric.  Hadn't been lived in since 1978.   It had three separate stone basements and two crawlspaces.   


I'm sure it wasn't as nice as yours though.  It certainly wasn't filled with a treasure trove of Hoovers.

 

[centralvacs1928]

John, I hope you do get a central vac system installed - I wouldn't be without one at this point. I sadly have no real use for an upright in this house (no W2W carpet) but the central vac gets a workout for the hard floors, dusting, vehicle cleaning, etc etc...not to mention the area rugs.

In my opinion the Hoover to go for would be one of these stainless steel dual motor machines. You'd want one of the matching black Quadraflex power nozzles and electrified hose, but I would recommend also having a lightweight non-electric hose for jobs where you weren't vacuuming carpet. So much lighter and easier to work with. There is also a way to adapt a newer style lightweight Plastiflex electrified hose to a Hoover power head.

You no doubt would want the Hoover logo'd wall inlets, which can sometimes be found in good condition out in the wild.

-Owen

 

[ocscott3085]

Owen, that's the exact same Hoover central vac that was in my parents neighborhood back when it was built in the late 80's. The houses either had that model or the red Nutone my parents had. I did buy one of those Hoover wands in the mid 2000's that allowed me to use a Hoover Quadraflex Powermatic nozzle with a standard Platiflex electric hose at my parents house. Loved that powernozzle!

 

[n0oxy]

central vacuums are awesome

I love my central vacuum units, I have them all around my apartment and I use them all without pipes, just put a utility valve on the intake and connect your hose, the power is incredible, and there is nothing like connecting a hose directly to a 240 volt dual motor unit.
Since Hoover is no longer in the central vacuum business, I will suggest another unit if you are interested. Unless you want a 240 volt model, in my opinion this is the best central vacuum unit you can get, it's powerful, quiet and made very well, it may be the most powerful single motor unit on the market. It's the Drainvac Viper, 144 CFM and 151 water lift.
Mike

https://www.thinkvacuums.com/drainvac-viper-system.html

 

[panasonicvac]

Hi there Owen,

I've never seen that Hoover 550 unit before. Fascinating! You wouldn't by chance happen to have a literature for one of those would you?

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Well, Owen, we'll see.

Perhaps some day.
It's an old house. Both floors have 10 ft ceilings, there's a "staircase".. the hallway, from bottom to top is 20 ft. The 1st floor has the entranceway (stairs), formal living room, library, family room, 20'X 25' kitchen, dining room, full bathroom, and 3 - season room.
The 2nd floor has a full bathroom, 4 bedrooms, one is the cats' apt, 20X25'. It is the future Hoover gallery. It was suggested that the "pipes" could go through closets; 2 inlets on each floor.There are 4 cellars, so under access is easy.
Regardless, I love the quadraflex nozzles.
Tom A. stressed the inlets have the "logo" on them, of course.
At this time, I can find more practical things on which to spend that money.
But, I SO appreciate your input.
We'll see..........................

 

[gottahaveahoove]

And Keith,as far as the basements,

it's odd. You can get to A from B, C to D, but you can't get from A to C, etc. 2 have outdoor access, 2 do not. All 4 have full ceilings, and the "main one" has very unusual beams, considering it was constructed in the late 1870s. There's also a "bullet steel" trap door in that main cellar. hmmmmmmmmm

 

[centralvacs1928]

Alex,

I do have pictures of the brochure for this machine, but not scanned copies sadly . Hope you enjoy nonetheless!

John,

Your house sounds like it's quite something! Someday when you're ready to look into a vacuum system installation, maybe I can help.

-Owen

 

[ocscott3085]

Wow that brochure is a blast from the past. I remember seeing it at a friend's house who had that system. At the time I wish my parents had that Hoover central instead of the Nutone because the Quadraflex was a better powerhead in my 8 year old head LOL.

 

[centralvacs1928]

Scott - yes I'm with you...would take the Hoover over the NuTone for sure. Although the NuTone unit would have used a disposable bag, so maybe I'd have to give it some thought.

Both had awfully heavy hoses, but that Quadraflex definitely outcleans the NuTone/Eureka Roto-Matic head.

 

[panasonicvac]

Thanks for sharing Owen!

Actually I do recall seeing one of the 550s' before online and I haven't thought of it until now. But I definitely have never seen the 400 unit before at all. I have to admit, those are one of the coolest looking central vacs that I've ever seen, I think I just marked me down the 550 unit and the Quadraflex kit on my list of vacuums to add in my collection

Do you know of any substitute suction motors that would fit on the 550 based on diameter, voltage, and size?

Thanks again for sharing!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Owen!

THAT is "the" machine I'd want.
As far as thee house, thanks.My late father bought it 62 years ago THIS WEEK. It's just a nice, big old house. It's being restored by me. Horrible things were done to it in the 1940s.Perhaps you've seen some pics of it . All of the woodwork is FINALLY back to "original, natural finish". The oak floors have all been refinished. Ceramic tile floors in the bathrooms, and from the kitchen island back to the sink. All rooms have either Chinese wool carpets, or Karastan Bokura. Only the front staircase, hall and my room have wall to W carpeting. That is Karastan as well.Not bragging, just describing the place and what I've been doing to it.
Suffice it to say, there's a lot to vacuum.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

It's a great place for my vac friends to meet.

Many fun times have been had here. Some have been here numerous times. Others , let's say, will not return.

 

[gregvacs28]

Quadraflex pn with a bagged Nutone and a plastiflex hose.  


 


The best of the best.   

 

[ocscott3085]

By the time I learned of this magical wand that allowed me to use the Quadraflex head on my parent's standard Plastiflex hose that Nutone unit had been swapped out for a MD Silentmaster. Talk about an upgrade!! I recently tried using this set up in their basement but it looks like after 30 years the agitator control button is stuck in the ON position and the Quadraflex motor was sounding rough. I don't know how much use it's getting from my 70 year old parents. I think my dad uses a red Sebo X4 in the basement.
John, your house sounds beautiful! Not sure how feasible it would be but definitely consider an alternate brand of central vac when/if the time comes. My better half doesn't understand why I insisted on it when we built the house but the hide a hose feature is super convenient. My cleaning lady uses the electric hose and outlets to do a thorough clean each time she visits. I'm trying to figure out how to get a Wallyflex added to my laundry room without completely tearing apart my drywall.

 

[gregvacs28]

That Quadraflex may need a belt, and the motor may need a cleaning and a few drops of oil.  The switch also may need cleaning but those switches were tricky because the big outer button isn't connected directly to the electric switch.  Sometimes takes a little extra pressure as the button is reaching the bottom. 


 


An MD vacuum is certainly an upgrade.


 


Anyone using the comment about "the better half " always makes me LOL because it brings back a Rodney Dangerfield movie quote "I already saw your better half.  In fact I saw MORE than half" 1983.  LOL


 


If you absolutely don't want to cut into the drywall you could create a surface mounted box with 2x4s, or 1x4s about 12" wide and 36-48" tall.  Screw it to the wall in contact with the ceiling OR floor, where ever the pipe would come from.  Run the pipe in this chaise, then cut a piece of luane to create a cover and paint the whole thing the same color.  Then install the Wally.


 


You could also maybe install it on the side of a cabinet and run the pipes inside the cabinet, if that's an option.


 

[this post was last edited: 5/10/2020-13:01]