Metal or Plastic Fan?

[sebo_fan]

Yep, metal fan is better if you can do it. In the UK we have very old Oreck models and I had a passed down family owned XL which I hated. I was very pleased when the plastic fan went on it but disappointed when Oreck UK sent me a metal fan and instructions on how to replace it. It went on for another few years - the red commercial XL uses a metal fan and that's the main difference in the UK where their XL models are concerned.

 

[kirbfan94]

Metal Isint always better. The plastic fans in kirbys are about twice as strong as the metal one it replaced. I broke a metal fan with a tiny screw, yet the plastic one will take on rocks and change and never look back. Eureka plastic fans are just as strong if not stronger than metal. It all depends on the design, and vacuum its being used in.

 

[sptyks]

Amodel Polymer fans are much stronger than metal fans !!!

I did some research on this and what I found is very interesting.

The fans that are installed in the newest Kirby's from the G5 through Sentria II are made from Amodel, NOT Kevlar as almost everyone on here has thought.

For a while Kirby used Lexan, which was discontinued when the switch to superior Amodel was made in the G5. Amodel is widely used in the Aerospace industry so Kirby designed the new fan with the aid of NASA so that it would be the most durable and produce maximum airflow(CFM).Many folks on here, confused Lexan and Kevlar with Amodel. There were some problems with the Lexan fans after a few years of use. They would suffer stress fractures and would break apart if hit by any foreign object (not regular dirt).

Amodel is a new type of polymer that is several times stronger than either Aluminum, which is used in the Royal metal upright vacuums, or Kevlar which was NEVER used in any Kirby vacuum. The Amodel fan is tougher than metal and believe it or not, will almost always outlast Lexan and metal fans.

A few years ago, Kirby did a demonstration for some VCCC members during a tour of the factory where they used a Kirby vacuum with Amodel fan to suck up a bowlful of large nuts, bolts, marbles and pebbles. After disassembly, the fan had only a couple of very small nicks on it and deemed fully serviceable.

The Kirby Sentria with it's higher speed motor, and NASA designed Amodel fan, produces more airflow (115 CFM) than any previous Kirby model.

Here is a statement which you can lookup on the internet from Solvay Advanced Polymers who is the manufacturer of AMODEL:

" About AMODEL Polyphthalamide--

With a heat deflection temperature of 536 degrees Fahrenheit (280 degrees
Celsius) and continuous use temperature of 338 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees
Celsius), AMODEL PPA retains its exceptional mechanical properties --
strength, stiffness, fatigue and creep resistance -- over a broad range and in
high humidity environments. This versatile family of high-temperature nylons
can give you the strength of aluminum, the stiffness of steel, and the impact
and ductility of hard rubber --"

I hope you all enjoyed the fruits of my research of AMODEL.

-Stan


http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...anufacturer-pump-up-performance-54224587.html

 

[tolivac]

Think Stans Excellent research gave us an answer-the Amodel plastic resin-but still I have a question--how come the vac places here have a BUCKETFULL of the plastic- Kirby Amedol fans-and its the most common repair-fan replacement-the culprit usually a coin,nail,or pebble.And in some cases Erosion-the plastic gets eroded by the fine sandy dirt in this area.Erodes Sanitiare fans,too.
I just like the metal fans better.
I remember the Royal fan test done at the former Vacuum Cleaner Hospital out here-the Royal factory sales rep put the hose adaptor on a metal Royal upright and let the machine pick up several pennies out of his hand.He then opened the fancase and the fan was undamaged-Bill(Vac Hospital owner)commented that would have DESTROYED a Kirby fan.And yes-the Kirby Sentria fans replaced are in many peices after they break.The metal ones-a blade will break off or get nicked badly.The information on the Amodel material is very interesting.The Royal vacs demoed that day were still ones made in the US.The Royal vac in the demo had the Grey cloth dump bag-a commercial machine.The rep said the fans used in the commercial machines were the same as the residentual ones.

 

[sptyks]

That's interesting...

Well Rex,

I really don't know how to answer your claim of all those broken fans. However It does make one wonder why Kirby would continue to use Amodel if it proved to be inferior to fans made of metal. Since Kirby have always been known for thier exceptional build quality and has used Amodel to make their fans for 15+ years now, wouldn't you think they would have reverted back to using metal in the G6 or G7 if the Amodel fans proved to be problematic?

I don't know the answer, but it sure does make one wonder why Amodel is still being used.

-Stan

 

[super-sweeper]

Easy,

To Sell more fans!


(At least that's the obvious answer)

 

[tolivac]

Stan: Think Alex may have an answer-yes,just that--to sell more fans to dealers on the replacement market.The fan kits are not sold by Kirby to customers.The repair places here used the Kirby fan kits to replace the blown fans.In the broken fan bucket-you find mostly both Kirby and Sanitaire fans.Hardly any metal ones.I love my Kirbys,too-but I am careful what I let them pick up.Could it be the Amodel is less expensive to Kirby to buy and make fans with-IE the fan molding line with plastic must be less expensive than a metal fan die casting line.Royal still uses the metal fans and emphasises that.For Kirby I just don't like the plastic "creeping" in and replacing metal parts-wether the plastic or metal is best-think this is something we can go round and round on-I just feel if I am paying Kirbys prices-the parts should be metal-fans and attachments.

 

[sptyks]

Well Rex,

While I fully respect your opinion, it doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

So I guess we should just Agree to Disagree on this one.

If there is anyone else out there who owns or has worked in a Vac shop and has seen this problem first hand, please feel free to chime in and tell us about your Kirby fan experiences.

 

[nycwriter]

My two cents ...

… and I'm not claiming personal experience as either a consumer or a "servicer" of metal fans, but I can tell you that not all metal is created equal.

Just because it's "metal" doesn't mean it's stronger than plastic.

I've had several duffel/gym bags with shoulder straps made from leather, vinyl, and fabric, with elaborate strap systems. Usually the strap is has a buckle sewn onto the end, connected to another sewn-on flap by one of those metal spring-loaded hook-and-eye mechanisms. Every single one of those bags I've ever owned failed when the metal pin itself snapped right off! Not the threads giving way, not the strap fraying -- it's always the cheap-ass METAL that snaps right in half.

Metal can be just as brittle as cheap plastic.

 

[blackheart]

Just from what i've seen

The metal fans perform a little better but i feel they are more prone to breakage. Using my Legend II and Heritage II along with my trusty baird meter i can see that the metal ones do offer stronger airflow.
The Heritage II is using a plastic fan and pulls an 8.5
The Legend II is using a metal fan and pulled just under 10 probably about 9.75
Now here's the real shocker i switched the crushproof hose for the same Heritage II hose i was using on my other two to test the G6 it pulled about an 8 it was moving a little back and forth from about the 7.5 to the 8 mark

My parents are hard on their vacuum they now have a G3 and a few years back when i would come come i'd take the emptor off and shake it to release the heavier objects i found i'd guess 10+ different coins in the emptor, screws, other objects they should not be picking up with a direct air machine. About 2 years back i had to replace the fan as it had just finally had enough.

I think the biggest thing is the flexibility of the materials the plastic fans allow for some bending which allows them to survive these objects passing through where the metal fan is more brittle and instead of bending it will just snap.

 

[sptyks]

Sentria airflow

Blackheart,

I believe I have seen videos on youtube of a Kirby Sentria pulling a 10 on the Baird airflow meter. The Sentria which has an Amodel fan is touted as having the most airflow (115 CFM) of any previous Kirby model. The G3 has only 107.5 CFM. Have you tested a Sentria with your Baird meter?

 

[blackheart]

well

If you test a kirby at the fan case they will pull a 10 my G6 will pull a 10 and i believe the G3 would too.

I did not test them at the fan case though. All three were tested at the end of the same Heritage II hose (the machine had needed to be swapped out to use with the G6)

To answer your question i have not measured a sentria