Hoover Convertible - specs

[spats]

Just curious about what are some of the specs on the Hoover Convertible? The ones I got with the 4.7 amp motor, what RPM does it operate at on normal speed/high speed? Then the next question is then what speed does the brush roll spin at then?

For a while I've always wondered about that.

When I was little we had a Convertible from 1985 in beige and dark red. It had a 5.0 amp single speed motor, and I remember it had a plastic fan. I guess what I should be asking is: What were all the different kinds of motors used throughout the Convertible line?

 

[swingette]

good question, how many different Convertible motors WERE there? i count close to ten?

 

[hoover1060]

Excellent question

I can answer some of it, but I am at work and can't look stuff up til I get home.

From its intro til 1972 there was ONE motor used in Convertibles, two speeds, 8500 RPM on low, 11,500 on high.
The U4001 promo Convertible in 1972 was the first single speed model, 8500 rpm

In 1975 the High Performance models came out, the motor was changed somewhat, and now low speed was 10,000 rpm while the high remained at 11,500. This is the motor that evolved into the 4.3/4.7 amp one about 1978.

In 1984 they changed things again and there were at least 4 motors used:
4.8 amp single speed
5.0 amp single speed
5.0 amp two speed
6.0 amp two speed(power surge)
To the best of my knowledge RPM's stayed the same. Hoover was odd like that. With Eureka you could hear the difference between the various motors, not so with Hoover. A 4.8 amp cheapie Convertible will sound the same as a 6.0 amp Decade 80.
I have no info on brush roll RPM, save that the belt pulley got fatter in 1975 with the High Performance models, and again in 1987 with the Decade 800 series. Hoover didn't mess with their motor RPMs, but putting a fatter belt pulley on would turn the agitator faster, and make it sound different.

Just for kicks try a Decade 80 belt pulley on an older Convertible. There's a dramatic difference in sound and performance is improved too!

 

[ian88]

How would simply changing the belt pulley affect sound and performance, Hoover1060?

Ian

 

[hoover1060]

fatter pulley = faster agitator RPM, and it changes the drag on the motor.

Smaller pulley = slower brush RPM less motor drag.

 

[ian88]

Ah, right

Cheers :]

 

[swingette]

one speed 6 amp (commercial)
6.5 amp (late in run/90's)?

 

[hoover1060]

OOPS!

David you're right...

the current incarnation of that motor is one speed 6.0 amp.

in 1987 the Decade 80 motor was kicked up to 6.5 amps for the Decade 800 series and the Convertible 700.
these also had fatter belt pulleys too.

 

[myhooverco]

I can only tell the difference between the classic and the high performance motors. I can also tell the difference between the metal fans and the plastic ones. I did not know that there were this many variations on this excellent motor. Thanks for the information.

--Tom