Kirby Dirt Meter Setup

[kirbyclassiciii]

Is it true that when a Kirby is to be tested with a dirt meter (by Kirby or Baird or others), that the nozzle is to be set to the lowest possible height setting (on "0" or "1"), and also with the belt lifter in the "off" position (meaning the brush will not revolve)?

~Ben

 

[Miss Mercy]

No the brushroll is definitely engaged when on a carpet during a demo.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Adam,

But is the nozzle still set quite low when doing this?

Demo of dirt meter on the Dual Sanitronic 80 (video by @johnnyb59c):


Demo of dirt meter on the Classic Omega (video by @general0ne):


(copy and paste links)

~Ben

 

[kirby519]

Every actually demonstration I have had. The agitatior was engaged for normal cleaning and the nozzle was set at the correct heihgt for cleaning of the carpet it was demonstrated on.

 

[twocvbloke]

Yup, you use the dirt meters in place of the bag and vacuum as normal, using the glass window in the Kirby meters as an aid to showing how much it's picking up, and the Baird meters are just miniature bags when in use, nothing more to it really... :&#92

Helps to be the son of an ex-Kirby salesman...

 

[Miss Mercy]

Just as I thought!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Adam,

The dirt meter test will raise the vacuum's pitch up very radically (as both those videos prove), which was why I thought the belt was off.

~Ben

 

[baglessball]

I think the high pitched noise is due to the small surface area of the pads pores becoming blocked..

 

[henry200]

I sold Kirbys back in the 70s.  The pitch of the motor would go up dramatically as the pad in the dirt meter clogged.  Usually, you couldn't go for more than a few seconds before the airflow was completely choked-off.   The most disagreeable part of the demo was shampooing the room; more specifically cleaning up the rug renovator afterward.  Most of the time the carpet was chock-full of dirt, dust, pet hair etc. after years of inadequate vacuuming, and you simply could not remove enough by vacuuming first with those dirt meter pads.  The rug renovator would quickly become a muddy, stinky brown mess of filth dislodged from the carpet, and where was I supposed to clean it up, the kitchen sink which was usually heaped full of dirty dishes?