Jet Flo 240 at the KHDRC

[DesertTortoise]

The KHDRC center today inducted a kissing cousin of the normal Kenmore fare the Center specializes in. The vacuum is a Panasonic Jet Flo 240, model 9530, canister. It was purchased from a family that replaced all of their carpet with wood flooring and now claims to prefer using a Dyson!

The center did a very quick cleaning with compressed air upon arrival, innovated a pre-motor filter from two Kenmore CF-1 filters while the original is washed and dried as an experiment, and a standard Kenmore Q cloth HEPA bag installed. A quick polish to remove the worst of the battle scars was accomplished in the Center driveway and the vacuum tested on some interior carpet. There are four buttons on top of the canister that select different motor speed, and the brush is only energized when the two highest settings are selected.

It is a very quiet and sophisticated feeling vacuum in use. The floor brush feels as if it has a powered feature that follows the direction it is moved. There is fore and aft play in the swivel neck that feel like it is shifting a mechanism inside the head. The Center will have to conduct some tests to determine the exact nature of what is going on, whether the wheels are moving or the direction of brush rotation changes with different neck positions.

The brush itself has a beautiful stainless steel base and brush roller with replaceable bristles (the Center has absolutely no idea if replacement bristles are available and will research this matter more fully in the future). Height adjustment is automatic and there is a pedal on the left to select between floors and "rugs". The Center still has to conduct tests to determine what this feature accomplishes.

This is an initial report of a new induction of a type the Center has never seen before. More information will be forthcoming when further testing is accomplished, and there will be a detailed review of the teardown and cleaning, though the Center is a little concerned the floor brush may be hideously complex once the covers are off it. Examining a schematic of it on the Hesco website caused the Director to take a very deep breath.

Unfortunately, while the Director was working hard out of town, and lacking work and direct supervision, a member of the restoration staff engaged in some unauthorized back yard redecorating.

Enjoy the preliminary images of this new inductee, and one of the malcontent restoration staff sassing the Director.

 

[jaker15]

OMG

You got the famous (or infamous) Panasonic JetFlo 240 with the Dual-Sweep Agitator System! Believe it or not, that shifting that you feel in the neck of the power head is actually a little microswitch that reverses the brush roll when you pull the PN back, and switches it to forward when you push it forward! Dual-Sweep! It's such a smooth, quiet transition, you don't even notice it. I love how quiet the PN and canister are!


 


If you get a chance while cleaning it up, would you mind taking some up-close pictures of the wiring inside the power head? I'm trying to fix mine, but have no clue which wire goes where. I would really appreciate it. 

 

[jaker15]

The floor and rug

selector pedal simply turns the PN motor on and off, so it doesn't start up when you turn up the speed. If the selector is set to "Floors", and high speed is selected, the PN's headlight will come on, but not the motor. Once you step on the pedal and switch it to "Rugs", the motor turns on for cleaning carpets. Kinda neat if you ask me.

 

[DesertTortoise]

KHDRC UPDATE:

Center staff determined that movement in the swivel neck changes the direction of rotation of the brush. The transition is almost instantaneous and staff wonders about the effect of constant rapid direction changes on belt life.

The pedal switch on the floor brush labeled "Floor" and "Rugs" is an on/off switch for the brush. In the floor position the brush roll does not turn. It must be in the "Rugs" position for the brush roll to turn.

Weighing several vacuums in Center inventory it was determined the Jet Flo floor brush is 2.5 lbs heavier than the Powermate that comes with a new Progressive vacuum, and 2 lbs heavier than legacy Powermates typical of Whispertone and earlier Kenmore vacuums. The canister weighed the same as a Whispertone. Both are 2 lbs heavier than a modern Progressive canister.

Further updates to follow.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Jaker15, the transition is fast, but the back and forth play in the neck is bothersome. It is also heavy compared to what I'm used to.

The vacuum itself, however, feels expensive and is visibly well made. Panasonic put a lot of love into this machine and it shows. I also like that I can use my old Kenmore wands with a good horse hair floor brush and the flex brush I use to dust ceiling fan blades. It just adds to it's utility.

 

[jaker15]

I can tell you one thing, Panasonic didn't mess around when they built this model. It may look plastic and flimsy, but it's heavier than you'd think. Mine still runs alright, but the PN is dead, so it's kind of a duster on steroids for now. LOL


 


I didn't have any problems with the belt, it appears that the pulley on the motor is mounted loosely, so as to provide a little bit of shock absorption when the motor reverses its direction. I also found that oiling the bearings on the PN motor made it so quiet you couldn't hear it running.

 

[jaker15]

That play in the neck is a little unusual, but when you take the power head apart, you'll see that they used a flexible hose for suction rather than a fixed port. I guess that was to make up for the fact that the entire swivel moves back and forth about a quarter of an inch in both directions. 

 

[DesertTortoise]

I saw that tube in a schematic for that brush on the Hesco website. I wondered why they felt they had to do that when I can't think of another brush that needs that. The schematic of that brush made me suck air through my teeth. There are a lot of parts in there and a lot is going on. I will approach it very carefully indeed.

Just a thought, but the hose end will fit a Kenmore wand perfectly. I was using one tonight with a nice hard floor brush I like. You can buy short pigtails that will allow you to connect a Kenmore powered wand to the Panasonic hose and allow you to use one of your Powermates with it. That is what I would do in your situation until you can sort out what's wrong with the Panasonic head. I may do that myself just to preserve that brush.

I don't think it is "plasticky" the way a Bissel or modern Hoover is. Like I said, it feels high end and you can see the love Panasonic lavished on it. You can also see a lot of features like the way the filter is retained and the shapes of the ribs in the bag compartment that would show up later on Kenmore Progressive canisters. What pre-motor filter does it use? I, um, innovated a CF-1 and a slice of a second CF-1 for now, and washed the filter that was in there originally but need to be able to buy clean new pre-motor filters for it.

When I take it apart to clean it I will post up lots of nice detailed photos. Pana-porn if you will.

 

[jaker15]

I have no clue what sort of motor filter it uses. I don't even think they make that style anymore. Mine didn't come with one, so I stuck a Kenmore filter in it. I don't know if it even has an exhaust filter. 


 


I might get an extension cord to connect a different power head to mine. I used to have a Progressive with a Powermate that I could have used, but I sold it awhile back.

 

[eurekaprince]

DT,

Could you take a photo of the Ratings Plate on this Jet Flo? I'd like to see if it says Made in Japan. Thanks!

 

[DesertTortoise]

It says Made in Japan on it.

 

[DesertTortoise]

There is never any shortage of good used Powermates on ebay. They are about the simplest brush out there to disassemble and sanitize. Replacement brush rolls and belts are everywhere. That brush is sold under a half dozen different names and is the industry standard. There is also a seller offering short pig tails, one of which I believe would be perfect for adapting a Powermate powered wand to the Panasonic.