Kirby Avalir Height Adjustment

[jeschbac]

Just read the directions to my new Avalir and noticed what seems to me, at least, as new directions for correct height adjustment of the carpet nozzle: the directions indicate that one should start at the lowest setting, and work up a notch at a time. This seems to me that more often than not we would get it too low and compromise air flow. Thoughts?

Here's the text from p. 20, Avalir Owner's Manual:
1. Turn the unit on... lower the Power Nozzle to its lowest setting.
2. Press the Toe-Touch Control Lower Pedal one notch at a time to raise...to the desired height.

Lowest Position Recommended: Carpets
1 click up Optional: Deep Pile Carpeting
2 clicks up Optional: Long Fiber Carpeting
3 clicks up Recommended: Pet Hair Removal
4+ Clicks up Hose and attachments

 

[human]

Bass-ackwards

Yeah, that is pretty much the exact reverse of what the G5 and G6 manuals recommend. I believe those say to start with the nozzle all the way up, then ratchet down until the pitch of the motor changes and then back off one notch. Both methods would get you to the same place, albeit from opposite directions. Personally, I think the 'top-down' method makes a little more sense.

 

[miskini]

Kirby

Started this non sense with the sentria 2. On the DVD, that's how they suggested. Lower it down all the way, raise one click at a time. Silliness

 

[suckolux]

Seems daft!

 

[jeschbac]

I don't think...

that you wind up in the same place. My guess is that John Q. Public who knows nothing of Kirby goes too low. I'm staying with the "top-down" method.

 

[suckolux]

Some of John Q has no idea about adjusting height at all!

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Hi,

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Hi, I asked Kirby about this some time ago.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">They said they changed it on the video as some customers can't hear the change in tone when the carpet is set at the correct height so they changed it to what they now say on the video.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">But the sales people and distributors still show customers the "Traditional" way when demonstrating and installing the new Kirby.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>


 


 

 

[pr-21]

I still adjust mine the old way. I keep lowering until the motor changes, then lower one more notch. I do this with my Sentria II and my new Avalir, which on my low plush carpet is the #2 position. I will say this, on my new Avalir, I am trying the 2 and 3 position for the correct height setting....jury is still out on this one as I have only had the Avalir a few days. With that said, I checked my Kirby G5 which only has the bars  and it is on the 4th bar, my Gsix is the same way.


 


I think Kirby is trying to make it easier for the average consumer with the numbers, I still prefer the bars....


 


One observation I have seen over the years is Kirby originally (since the classic till the G series), said lower until you hear the motor change and it will be at the correct height. With the G series they said lower until the motor change and then lower it one more notch. Then with the Sentria and Sentria II, and the Avalir, you lower it all the way down and raise it one click at a time depending on whether it was hard floors, low pile carpet, or plush (high) pile carpet. No mention of the sound of the motor.....


 


I actually liked the bars better than the numbers. I also wonder if their height adjustment differs, for instance, are the notches a different size between the Sentria and the Avalir?, or perhaps it could be the length of the brushes or the stiffness of them? For my Sentria II, I have both a newer style brush roll, as well as the normal brush roll that they had for the G series. I do have to lower the normal brush differently than the stiffer brush roll.


 


PS, The one thing that has changed with the new Avalir, are the front wheels being round now. Not sure if they have the same depth or height as the older Kirby's.......but I guess this could change the height adjustment and maybe that is why I am going between 2 and 3, where as the Sentria II is on 2.....


 


Sincerely,


 


 


PR-21


Bud

 

[jeschbac]

Interesting....

Bud and James, you both have fine information. Kirby does dumb things down a bit when a particular feature doesn't work for some people, and it is true that there are people who can't detect pitch and other sound differences. Nonetheless, I think the tried-and-true top to bottom lowering must be best. I need to double check my Classic manuals, but I'm certain we're told to lower until the motor changes, then one more notch. Personally, I prefer the numbers so I don't have to count bars. Numbers were on all of the older models going back to the 500 series, I think.

James got to the heart of the matter, and I appreciate that!

 

[jeschbac]

Related Brush Roll Discussion

I just got this Avalir today, hence these observations and questions. I've used a new Sentria II for two years before unpacking the Avalir today. Testing the Avalir, I was amazed at the agitation and the overall effectiveness of the carpet nozzle. I can actually see lines in the carpet when I look closely created by the individual tufts of the brushroll. I remember this on the Sentria II when that brushroll was right out of the box as well. Several weeks ago, playing around with the Sentria II, I realized I needed to adjust the brushroll to 2 notches, but even after the adjustment, I was not getting the same action as I get from a new brushroll. Do the bristles weaken over time? Is it better just to replace the entire brushroll rather than using the 2nd and 3rd notches? What does everyone think?

 

[dysonman1]

From Kirby's standpoint, it makes sense to start at the lowest height adjustment and work up. John Q. Public will just keep it on the lowest setting. This wears belts prematurely, which consumers have to purchase (profit maker). The brush roll bristle tufts always begin to become softer, and wear within a few hours of use. Think of your toothbrush after you've used it for several hours (which is equal to several months of tooth brushing). The bristles are much softer, the bristles are splayed out, and it doesn't do as good a job at cleaning teeth. Same thing happens with brush rollers. If the height adjustment is correct, and the carpet is lifted slightly from the floor by the suction, there's little 'bending' of the bristles as the brush passes over the rug. Lower the height adjustment too far, and the bristles bend sharply upon contact with the carpet, resulting in a high profit sale of a brush roller to the consumer far faster than if the correct height setting had been used all along.

 

[human]

Dysonman1, I think you're onto something. A similar thought was circulating around inside my head, but you articulated it more completely than I was thinking it.

My G5 has a brand new brush roll—the stiffer Sentria version—and I find myself backing off the height adjustment more than I do with either of my G-sixes, both of which have their original brush rolls—or at least brush rolls of the original style.

It seems to me like starting with the brush roll jammed all the way down would not only put undue wear and tear on the machine, it could also damage the carpet. Starting with it all the way up and then easing it down to the correct position seems much more prudent and practical.

 

[ralph123]

Too bad Kirby didn't modernize and add an automated height indicator.

It seems like a clever person could design a simple app to help set the height to the optimal level based on sound.

 

[whirlpolf]

Not a fan of the "app" crap at all

but I am sure it was meant as a joke anyhow.

I cannot get this "app" hype at all. Why do we have to transfer every little senseless bit of information out into the orbit, then down back again to the exact spot where you are standing...
Will I have to take out my cell phone in the future just to know when I am about to let go some "inner winds" through my jeans butt and it will remind me of going out into the open air for this, not sharing it with bystanders at all? What a scientific advance! My bowels in outer space and back again! Yeeeh!


For the Kirby: The touchdown-touchup clicker thing is (and has been) the nicest way of adjusting the correct height ever (compared to wheeled solutions and Hoover's sort of "coarse" 4-level settings). You just keep clicking until you HEAR what is ok. That works best when going downwards I think.
But upwards? How would you hear what is ok when going upwards (and not moving the machine)?
Only when moving the vacuum you can feel it jump-hopping on certain piles here and there, sucking in idle air and then suck-brush-smack to the surface again. Strange way of noticing (and a good time to start clicking again...)
I will stick to "going down".

For automation on Kirby vacs: Ok, no app, but how about an electric motor amperage / suction comparison and a small geared helical drive and a "moon shaped" wheel height servo thingy?
Have the Electrolux type of a balanced pressure gauge in the airstream and have a circuit about the amps in the motor wiring. Have that small minimotor lower the head until a balanced action occurs. Et voilà. No app, just turning on your Kirby, the rest will go ok just right then. Add some green "ok" light to it if you are into "sparkles and candles" decoration, very much as the olden "belt ok" induction lights before.

Just my "mustard" to the sausage. (German for 2 cts to the topic).
Joe

 

[jeschbac]

Joe

well said. Enough with the apps all the time. I think we solved this issue: Kirby "dumbed down" their instructions for the tone deaf. An experienced user will find the correct height by lowering from top to bottom, just as we've always done.

 

[kirbysthebest]

I don't think Kirby has anything diabolical planned

to increase their consumables sales.  


To be quite honest, many Kirby users (the less sophisticated type) just jack it all the way down and go anyway.  


 


There are several vacuums, the Royal Powercast comes to mind, that uses the lift up approach.  The Miele power nozzle I have also uses the raise a click approach.  


 


I think maybe Kirby is using this method so that the user can better detect the change.  Ok stretching there, but if you bring it up a notch until it breaks then back down you would accomplish the same as starting at the top and going until it changes.   At least with Kirby you can go up and down without having to work all through the settings again. 


 


I personally use the wait til the sound changes and another notch, and will more than likely remain in that mindset.  

 

[jeschbac]

Maybe,

but there's nothing in their directions indicating that the user listens for the suction seal to be broken. I think Human and James got it right. In the newer directions, the customer is supposed to gauge the carpet pile, and then use the arbitrary Kirby numbers to get a correct height. No listening involved. From what everyone has written here, it's best to stay with the tried-and-true approach and LOWER one notch at a time until the nozzle seals, then one last notch.

 

[tolivac]

When the Kirby guy delivored and set up my Avalir-he set the height using the older Start the floor nozzle all the way up and lower until the sound changes-then one more step.I set my Royal Pro Elite I use alongside my Kirby the same way.Both work well.Watch the Avalir video and you see the woman "model" vacuuming her carpeted floors where the Kirby floor nozzle is in space!Its like an eighth in off the floor!How can it work?I know mine worked since I peeked into the bag after using it at my place and at Mikes Vac place.Showed the machine to him and adjusted it to his carpet height with the usual Kirby sound method.Again looked in the bag and found mostly black colored dirt picked up-Tar based parking lot.At my place grey-brownish debris-grey-brown dirt outside my place.Same with the Royal.I now having a cleaning "Trio" These three machines look like they should be with each other---My NSS M1 canister vacuum with the black body and bag.While I was showing the Avalir to Mike and just getting the Royal from him-Cleaned the floors of his place with both machines-He commented his floors never looked better!

 

[pr-21]

Rex, I wasn't going to mention this, but I noticed the same thing, totally not touching the floor. She also had trouble installing the bag, the hard floor pad wasn't even attached to the bottom and fell off, when she was buffing the floor, there was debree flying, obviously she is not a good housekeeper...., and she was turning the belt lifter the wrong way at one point in the video.


 


I do like the video's and have kept mine from the G-4 on. They used to be much longer than they are now and I do understand that. The regular consumer is not going to watch a 1 1/2 hour video for a vacuum cleaner.


 


 


PR-21