Just acquired a Heritage 1HD

[human]

Yeah, judging from the video, it shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. While I had the handle off to comfirm the broken yoke, I experimentally tried turning it to tighten the spring with a pair of needle nose pliers and after a couple of tries to get the pliers positioned right, it wasn't hard. I'm not sure of the condition of the existing spring but a new one is on the way, so that could become a moot point. It would have been nice to have found the entire kit like the guy in the video had so I could refresh the whole assembly but it'll all work out okay. I'm also still waiting on the handle fork pin to arrive from the seller, not that I'm worried yet. He said he'd send it out on Monday, so I'm guessing it'll arrive by the weekend. The carriage bolt really works fine, other than requiring a wrench to remove or install it.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Human,

How does the motor look and sound? Can you tell if it has a lot of hours on it? Here's the question: How many amps are listed on the serial plate. I've been trying to find out why I've seen 4 or 4.5 amps on some Heritages and I don't know why they came down, especially at a time when many others were heading up.

 

[human]

4.5 amps

This machine has seen some use, but an inordinate amount, given its age. I haven't opened it up to visually inspect the motor but the seller said he'd opened it up, blew it out with an air compressor and made sure all the wire connections were all crimped tightly. He also said the carbon brushes looked very good. The brush roll is also in nice shape and is an older style silver painted one. He also put a brand new belt on it. The thing does have the older style gray Lexan fan, so that will probably need to be changed out at some point.

I ran the machine for about maybe 20 or 30 seconds after I put the carriage bolt on it to secure the handle and it sounded fine, no bearing noises or anything like that. The only thing I find a bit annoying about it is it smells a bit of cigarette smoke. It's not exactly overpowering but I do get a whiff of it when it's running. I'm sure it would be stronger with the shakeout bag in place. The motor is 4.5 amps with the carpet nozzle in place or 5.5 amps with the hose. If I'm reading the serial number correctly, it was manufactured in the summer of 1982. I think the other one I had was from 1983 but I'm not sure of the amperage rating on it. I don't think I ever looked.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Thanks for checking

I know that they went to 6 amp with the release of the "classic" which was the first of the larger sized Kirby's. Curious as to why they dropped back down to 4.5 amps. I think that that is why the Heritages have a nice mellow sound unlike any Kirby before. It's not keeping me up at night,nor you I suspect, but would be nice to know. Yeah that nicotine smell is gross. On a couple of rescued Kirby's just washing the bags didn't cut it. Had to take the motor apart and wipe down everything including the field wires,armature and the inside of the motor casing with 409 spray cleaner.I've had to deal with a cleaner where the previous owner used lots of carpet powder deodorizer like 'Love MY Carpet'. Ugh! That powder sticks to anything it comes in contact with. Those powders literally destroyed thousands of vacuum cleaners. Don't know if you read the tip from Dysonman a while back on using Mother's Mag. He said to apply it and leave it on for about 15 min, and when you start to polish, DON'T turn the cloth when it gets dark gray, let it build up and keep polishing, then buff it out as you would normally do. I tried his suggestion and saw a deeper shine than I had ever achieved before, This is hand polishing with cloths not a buffer, grinder etc. Worked for me!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

human

Edgar,

That was exactly the issue I faced when I first brought home my 1984 Heritage II! I initially believed the lean-back was because of the handle fork spring, but on closer inspection thanks to my dear old Dad, it was actually the spring yoke.

~Ben

 

[louvac]

Just and FYI about the grey bag with red "K's"

Human...

I believe that the bag that came with your Heritage was used as the Kirby universal bag replacement at that time. I had a Classic III that was redone by Kirby and that is what they put on in when I requested the paper bag setup. Truthfully, it actually makes the machine a little more refined (or dressed up)looking!

 

[human]

The bag that came with that Heritage was an orange shakeout bag. I had that gray bag—complete with Heritage II style emptor and fill tube assembly—sitting on a shelf and installed it because I strongly prefer disposable filter bags. It came off of a Heritage II Legend, as evidenced by the label on the bag topper. I don't really object to the gray bag at all on that machine; I just have a thing for the orange ones. Irrational, but there you have it.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Professor,

Louvac is right about the bags and handles available as replacements back then. I built two Frankenkirbys from scratch and gave one to a friend and I'm still using the other daily. The bags are the same as the one on KirbyClassicIII's photo above. A new handle and pin and the conversion kit for filter bags was 65.00 in '95. The bag hanger says Heritage, but on the front of the handle it just says "Turbo" then Kirby near the fork. They really hold up well, mine looks as good as it did new. The bag on your Legend II is my favorite. Combined with an all black HeritageII handle , that's what I'd like to use if I ever do another Kirby makeover.

 

[texaskirbyguy]

Regarding post 22 on motor amps...
With working headlight, the low speed for carpet runs between 4-4.5A and high speed for hose runs from 5.5-6A. The rating plate needs to reflect the maximum the whole unit will draw, which will be working headlight, no bag, and hose installed. Without a hose and safety switch depressed by hand, they can draw up to 6.5A normally.
The less restriction on the airflow, the more air will be moved, increasing motor load and decreasing motor speed.
On high speed without fan chamber installed, it makes a small hurricane and will pull up to 10A. I would not suggest doing this though as it sparks like a demon and chars the heck out of the commutator.

 

[lesinutah]

Wtf

Kirby's highest motor output is 7 amps. There is two vacuums royal/sanitarie. It's only by 4 cfm.
If you mod anything try a g series motor and custom made a hole for carbon.brushes. you may have to cut some off and rethread.
It probably won't work but it makes no sense in what you want to do.
Les

 

[kirbyklekter]

@ Les,

I think I got my question answered. I was just curious why the amperage rating on the serial plate went from 6amps. to 4.5 on the Heritage models. texaskirbyguy explained how it's done, the amp draw with light on and speed of motor and with or without hose and air flow etc. It explained a lot. I was just curious if the motors were all that different between the Classic/Omega /classicIII and the Heritage. Not going to hot rod any Kirby's. Idle curiosity got the best of me.

 

[human]

Good thing I'm not superstitious...

...or I would think the universe was playing jokes on me.

So the orange bag I ordered was supposed to have arrived on Friday ('Guaranteed Delivery Feb. 28,' it said) but there's no evidence it's even been shipped and so far no response from the seller to my queries. I've got a complaint in with eBay on that one. We'll see what happens there. Either I'll get my bag or I'll get a refund. Meanwhile, the spring for the vacuum was supposed to have been delivered yesterday but it was "missent" by USPS and is now supposed arrive tomorrow. The pin the seller forgot to pack with the vacuum is supposed to arrive Tuesday and the yoke is supposed to arrive Thursday. I'll believe it all when I pull each of these items out of my mailbox. Sorry to sound so cynical; I'm just a little frustrated right now. They say two is a coincidence and three is a pattern so we're at coincidence and moving toward the pattern stage.

 

[huskyvacs]

eBay delivery estimates are just that - estimates. Never go by those. They are just there to make people stop eMailing eBay with "where is my item" questions. Also USPS delivery dates are not guarantees either. They usually try to get there 1 day before the estimate but it can often come over a week later or 2 weeks later - it all depends.

If it's in the sorting hub in your city, expect it to be there the following day.

If the seller never shipped the parts - and is not replying - then open a case with eBay. You will get a refund and no bag, so have a backup bag you want to buy bookmarked, and make sure to ask the seller if they would go any lower on the price before you buy it, that way you maximize the refund you get back from the previous item.

Usually when I order things on the same day - they mostly all arrive on the same day a lot of the time, as they are in the same weight class.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

human

Edgar,

I wish you luck on getting both these parts in a timely fashion! I also agree you should find multiple sellers who have the same item or items you want, in case one of the deals goes sour like you are presently witnessing.

~Ben

 

[lesinutah]

Motors

Kirby mid dual sanitronic 80 switched manufactuers of motors. The motors were made the same way but slight changes to not copy prior motor. It was because motor patterns. The motors in general for d50 and d80 were the same. The 1cr is pretty similar to d80 but it's modified switch for the new 16 inch brush roll and wide body. The motor housing is very close to d80s. The 1cb motor is new and commutator is bigger and longer. The carbon brushes are bigger than 1cr. I don't know if the motor is more powerful than it is effecient. The bigger carbon brushes, bigger cool and just bigger everything. The bigger motor less Rpms but provides same power. The 1cb 2cb and 3 cb use the same motor. The coils I'm not positive but safety switches changed. The headlight stays similar 1cr through heritage 2.
I think the motor can produce more power in the heritage. I just think the coil is meant to limit power.
The heritage units were mostly bagged systems. That makes the motors run more effecently. The power is less amps but there is no way it's less effecient. I think it was the start of Kirby bagged systems, 16" brush roll, high CFM. It's maximizing the effecency. The g series uses a 7 amp motor and transmission. It's CFM and nozzle design were big.
They completely sealed the motor and double insulated motor housing.
The motors in heritage are less amps but it's already souped up. The heritage in my opinion has the most suction from the pre g series 16" nozzles.
Les

 

[kirbyklekter]

Human,

What a pain these delivery people (some) can be. I wonder by what percentage their total volume of pkgs. delivered has risen to in the last 20 yrs from online shopping! If you don't receive your handle pin in due time, let me know and I'll send you one of mine for free. A couple of my Kirby's are most likely going to be parts machines anyway. @Les Thanks for all that info on the motors, that's the stuff I really like to read.Why changes were made and what difference the change made, or not. You probably know as much or more than a good deal of people AT Kirby, thanks.

 

[texaskirbyguy]

Les, the 1CR (Classic) motor did incorporate the larger commutator and larger carbon brushes and is rated at 6A. The field and armature are unique to this one machine only as it is the last of the non-double insulated motors.
The headlight on the 1CR was the last 120V dual-pin bayonet base bulb.
Needless to say the 1CR is a real odd-duck machine, caught in the transition from the 5xx/Dxx series and the double insulated machines. It seems like they are not too desirable, either for some reason.

 

[human]

I've already opened a case with eBay about the bag. We'll see what comes of it. I'm hoping it will light a fire under the seller and they'll go ahead and send it out. I've had that happen before. But if I have to keep the gray H2 bag on the machine for a while, so be it. Getting the handle spring assembly fixed is really the larger priority. The incompetence of USPS simply knows no bounds. Several times recently they have mis-sorted a package addressed to me and sent it to the wrong city. The real frustration here is it's spring break at school so I have this coming week off from work and would have liked to work on it this week. Oh well, I guess I'll just have that to look forward to while I grade papers.

 

[lesinutah]

Rob

Your right. I assumed new body same headlight means same carbon brushes.
The motor is real close to d80 the coil and the armature fan are the man differences.
I think the reason classic isn't desirable is the switch placement and no scuff plates just odd. I do like it but it's odd and it's a mother effer to work on.
Les

 

[human]

Spring and Pin Arrived Today...

In addition to the usual assortment of junk mail, today's post included both the pin that the seller had left out of the original shipment and the spring that I ordered and probably don't need.

At this point, the bolt is out, the pin is in and I'm just waiting for the yoke to make it functionally complete. No response yet from the seller regarding the orange bag. My gut tells me eBay Buyer Protection will be issuing me a refund in a few days and I'll be leaving the seller appropriately negative feedback.

And so it goes...