My "New" Filtex Central Vacuum

[compactelectra]

When I was thinking of selling the house Owen Perkins who now runs a central vacuum business approached me about swapping out my MD Silentmaster S5 central vacuum with a top-of-the-line vintage Filtex twin cyclone TC-600 central vac that he had picked up.  This unit was always top-of-the-line in the Filtex line and I always considered Filtex to be the "Cadillac" of central vacuums.  Interesting history of Filtex.  The company was started by a lady in LA in the '30s who developed a canister vacuum.  Somewhere along the line the company was sold and they switched over to high-end central vacuums.  The twin cyclone was the high-end machine for large homes.  It drew over 21 amps, had 110" of water lift and 235 cfm.  Filtex did not have plastic inlets, they came in various metal finishes.  I installed my first one in a townhouse in Chicago.  I won't go into when that was, but it was in their heyday.  Owen and I discussed my buying my first unit from the national sales director in Chicago and installing it in a three story townhouse in Boystown.


 


In any event he came by today and switched out my Silentmaster with the Filtex TC-600.  He rebuilt the motors.  Here are some shots of the brochures back in the day.  Notice the push-button and light inlets and that funky decorating.

 

[compactelectra]

Another

Of the brochure.

 

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Page 3

.

 

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Page 4

The line up.

 

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Some Accessories

That electric power brush was exactly the Oreck Big Foot.  I got one of the last ones from Hesco.

 

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OK

On to the picture.  The unit needs a bit of dusting, but it works like a charm.  Fun!  It draws over 20 amps at 110 volts.  Owen fixed it all up.

 

[compactelectra]

And the Silent Master

Off to the side.

 

[compactelectra]

The Beauty Of These Central Vacuums

Are that the inlets are fairly standard.  A company in California sells the high-end metal inlets that resemble the old Filtex inlets.  My housekeeper uses an electric power brush (Lux and Stealth) or I can use the old Filtex tools.

 

[compactelectra]

I Have a Few

Complete sets of Filtex tools.  These are beautiful.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

That's super cool! I can't wait to play with it!! I've always loved those Filtex tools... Does it scream??

 

[andy]

What an awesome unit! I now work for an MD dealer on Cape Cod, and quite often tell the story of watching the foyer light dim when your S5 was powered on. So glad you now have a matching power unit for those beautiful Filtex tools!

 

[compactelectra]

Actually Fred

It's not as loud as I thought it would be.  I remember the SB300 units being louder.  I'll get out the hose today and do some vacuuming!

 

[KirbyLux]

WOW

That unit looks down right mean! I love the look of the accessories, and the wall inlets are so much better than plastic. Maybe one day when I get out of apartment living and get a proper house, I could find me a good central vac. I had a Nutone unit a few years back and had to give it away for lack of space.

 

[tolivac]

I spotted one of those Filtex twin motor units in a house garage near me.The Sew&Vac place here carries spare motors,cloth bags and the paper bags for these machines-pretty nicely built.But you would need a 30A 120 volt circuit to run it-would have been better if the machine could be wired for 220-240V then a 20A circuit should be fine.

 

[vacuumfreak]

What does the bag look like inside of these machines??

Daniel

 

[kenkart]

Basically

Its a great big GE canister bag.

 

[compactelectra]

Indeed They Are

With a cardboard collar.

 

[kenkart]

Actually...

Fred, dont you agree, they are more like a giant Compact or Eureka canister bag.

 

[compactelectra]

You're Right Hans

The Silent Master is like a giant GE bag.  The top of the Silent Master wraps around the cloth bag.  The Filtex is like a Compact.  It fits over the top of the cloth bag..