Kenmore PowerMate Canister Vacuum 29229

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@tolivac

Yes, true, Mexican made motors wouldn't last as long as good old American made motors. But would you rather have a Chinese made motor that would last an even shorter length of time? I personally would take the Mexican made motor.

@Gr8DaneDad....Yes, you could just put the new updated chevron brushroll into an old Electrolux PN5/PN6. But, when the new chevron brushroll was introduced, Aerus also increased the amps the PN motor uses, so it is also turns at a higher RPM than the old PN5/PN6 with the original brushroll. Also, considering that to buy a used PN5/PN6 off Ebay, plus a new chevron brushroll & belt, it would be getting pretty close to what a new Perfect L-shaped PN would cost anyways. So why buy something old when for a few dollars more you could buy brand new & have a warranty, & have a PN that would last years longer?

Rob
 
I would have to disagree, most Electrolux vacuums on the secondary market are sold with the PN even when no other attachments are present and the brush rolls, though not genuine Aerus are available for as little as $10 shipped and I've got 20+ year old original Electrolux PN's still going strong with the new brushroll and the PN that came with my Perfect C101 was replaced twice under warranty by Perfect and the last time the motor failed after 2 years use... and the replacement cost is upwards of $150 and that buys a Lux PN, a new, updated motor and several replacement brush rolls. Just my experience with the Perfect PN. However, I do love the power of that Ametek motor and have replaced the failed motor in my Marquise with one.


 
 
I saw an image of the Ametek Lamb motor used in those Perfects and it didn't look to me to be any higher quality than the Chinese sourced motors used in new Kenmore canister vacs. It's admittedly hard to tell but the brushes don't appear to be changeable, and the upper bearing support is a very small metal stamping.

Here is a link to an image:

http://bigclickbuy.com/product.php?asin=B00BZBNI8E

Doesn't look like much, does it. Then I pulled up the Ametek Lamb bulletin for that motor:

http://dev.ametekfsm.com/Bulletins/122093-00.pdf

557 air watts, 123.8 CFM airflow and 133.6 inches of water lift. Geez-Louise! That puts the mighty 115923 on the trailer. What the hay is going on here?
 
DT,


 


You are correct that the brushes aren't replaceable and the upper bearing support is unimpressive. If I weren't able to source this at near wholesale, I'd likely pass. But it is an incredible performer, relatively quiet and at something south of $100 (well south), much better than most of the replacement motors available on the market that will fit the last generation of metal canister lux machines, and with a bit of creativity all the way back to the 1205....


 


Tom
 
Heck, for under $100 you can afford to wear a few motors out over the years! I have paid a C note for a good used Kenmore canister.

I still can't get over the air flow and water lift numbers. I also have to think it is rebuildable and with some disassembly brushes could be replaced, just not as easily as we are accustomed to with more traditional Lamb motors.

I just pulled apart an older Kemore 9 amp canister (see my post in the Vintage section titled the "Kenmore High Desert Restoration Center" that looks to have been built during the Whispertone era, though it's layout is like the previous generation canisters with the motor oriented vertically. That one also has a tiny little motor that doesn't appear to have easily replaced brushs. Not sure who makes the motor, there is a cardboard cover over most of the skeleton and I haven't determined how to remove it without damaging it. Plastic covers look pretty good compared to this cardboard stuff.
 

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