Kirby Bagless Conversion First Prototype

[mike811]

First of all I must say that this is very early prototype. I just made it with the parts what I had. Cyclone is obviously bought (Dust Deputy).
Purpose of this is to test is it possible to convert Kirby to bagless without the airflow loss and without the filter getting clogged.
Result: Airflow loss was on the baird airflow meter was 10 to 9. Filter stayed very clean during the test. So you can keep the same airflow much longer than with the bag.
Not it's only question how "less ugly" I can make it.
Plan is to me the whole thing black. I mean cyclone and solid pipe to the Kirby. Bin clear and filter white.
Whole thing is going to be attached to the Kirby air outlet so it is fully/quickly removable.
It better be looking decent or I won't do it.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLq0IgDD8Vg

 

[dysonman1]

That's exactly what James Dyson did to his Hoover Junior in 1980, but he used a cardboard cereal box to make the cyclone, detailed in his Autobiography. His only problem was with lint and hair - the high efficiency cone shaped cyclone can't deal with long things like hair. That's why the dual cyclone (and shroud) were invented.

Good Job on retrofitting a Kirby.

 

[wyaple]

Mikko,

This is where your Baird meter will fail you. Anything a solid 10 or above can't be measured accurately.

Airflow measured at the body of a G6 is 161 CFM. Since you scored a "9" using your bag less convertor, it has choked the airflow down to 108 CFM.

So 161-108 = 53 CFM airflow loss or 33% of the original airflow. While it is a testimony to Kirby and its excess airflow, I have serious reservations about actually using your contraption for any period of time. The exhaust back pressure you are creating is straining the motor guaranteed! You probably can hear it straining when using it.

Just so you know, a full cloth HEPA bag will reduce the airflow about 20 CFM and your convertor is restricting over twice that amount. If you value your G6 (or at least the motor), please stop using your bag less converter.

Bill

 

[mike811]

Holy cow! = "Airflow measured at the body of a G6 is 161 CFM"

 

[mike811]

Airflow

Thank you about the valuable information! I didn't know how much the bagless conversion restrict the airflow. How it is possible that the Kirby has 161 cfm of airflow? I always thought that it has 120 cfm? I have heard that from the multiple sources that it is 120 cfm. How about using the hose when it shows 8 on tha baird meter?

Mike

 

[wyaple]

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Using a HEPA bag and having the brush roll on, my G6 does 159 CFM at the motor base (body) and 120 CFM at the nozzle.

From the base (body) of the machine running on low speed with no bag (all have the new Amodel fan installed), here's the airflow from all my Kirbys.

1987 Heritage II Legend = 163 CFM
1996 G4 = 163 CFM
1997 G5 = 157 CFM
2001 G6 = 161 CFM
2013 Sentria II = 172 CFM

Adding a fresh HEPA bag reduces the airflow by 2 CFM in each case.

Bill

 

[mike811]

Bill

I am grateful, that you take time to show these results.
I don't know if I make the final version of that bagless conversion after seeing these results.
So sad because the cyclone works like a dream in the Kirby, but it lowers the airflow (like all cyclones do) to the 104 cfm.
Maybe I will make the final version just for the demonstration purposes.
Quickly made picture how the final version would be. It has large surface area filter that might help with the airflow compared to the bag I used on top of it.

Mike

 

[sebo4me]

It looks like it's lost an arm

 

[mike811]

Well it kind of looks retarded
This is what you get when doing picture with the paint. LOL

 

[dysonman1]

Why not just design a dual cyclone system that has no filter at all? For the most part, the air flowing through the Kirby has a constant CFM when the machine is down on the carpet, which is the only CFM that actually matters. James Dyson designed a dual cyclone system for the fan – first dry tech carpet shampooer. There is no filter after the vortex finder. No loss of CFM at any point. Look closely at the design of the dry tech shampooer, and adapt it to the Kirby. That should be what you are actually looking for.

 

[mike811]

Using the dual cyclone system would restrict the airflow way too much. This cyclone already is very efficient separating 99%. It takes a long time filter to get dirty. I think that filter is necessary even with the multi cyclone system.
look at this video how well it separates almost anything.

 

[sebo4me]

It looks a very efficient cyclone. If it can filter that much dust with just one cyclone why bother with multi cyclones?

 

[mike811]

It is very efficient cyclone. In my test where I vacuumed a lot of sawdust there was just a tiny tiny bit of sawdust in the filter.