New Kirby Avalir2 system owner. Impressed engineer.

[dough]

I purchased a Kirby Avalir2 system. I had decided on the purchase and cost before I offered. I had studied the owners manual and various videos before. I tolerated the three hour pitch. I was impressed by the Dirt Meter demonstration.

I was trained in cleaning radioactive spills, wet and dry, so I know vacuuming and filters. I am a meticulous housekeeper. I was amazed by the Dirt Meter indication.

I found and studied ASTM F558-13 Standard Test Method for Measuring Air Performance Characteristics of Vacuum Cleaners and understand why and how Kirby is superior cleaning.

I had a discolored patch at the foot of my recliner from years of shoe soil, even though I Hoovered and shampooed annually. My first assay with Avalir2 and it is gone.

Color me impressed. Looking forward to years of service. There are now three worn out Hoovers in the garage, now to be disposed.

 

[juju93]

Congrats on your avalir 2 (really sentria 4). This kirby platform has been around for over 30 years now so not much has changed since its orignal Generation 3 in 1990, more specifically it hasn't changed much since its 2006 sentria variant. They, meaning Kirby are good at suction and aggitation, but their extremely loud and unbarable as well as heavy and inconvient to change between the different modes. But they are very durable and reliable machines to use and youll get plenty of use out of your system.

 

[lesinutah]

The

Shampoo system is a closed system. It changed on the avalir. There is a new cleaning and sanitizing cleaner you use Sid's I gun to distribute.
It does have the best color scheme of any g series.

 

[dough]

“They, meaning Kirby are good at suction and aggitation, but their extremely loud and unbarable as well as heavy”

I am a big person and regard housework as light exercise and good for me, lugging stuff upstairs and down.

Be careful of complaining of loudness as the UN-ECE has just tightened their vacuum cleaner noise limits from IIRC 100 dBA to 80 dBA.

Almost all of the inefficiency Airwatts/Watts electrical is noise. The size of the smallest aperature sets an absolute limit on vacuum Airpower, what ever the electrical power of the vcuum motor might be.

 

[tolivac]

Kirby as heavy-The Royal Powercast of the past was heavier than a Kirby.A filled Rainbow is heavier than a Kirby.Some Dyson models are as heavy or even heavier than a Kirby.A cordless ProTeam upright I have is as heavy as a Kirby.This machine can run from a cord or its battery.The battery adds several pounds to the weight.The ProTeam is lighter than the Kirby when used with the cord.Both are very fine machines.The ProTeam is indeed a really good cordless upright-direct air like the Kirby-It doesn't use tools,though.There is a squeegee on the base so the ProTeam can work on bare floors.

 

[dough]

Dirt Meter arrived.

Early today I did my normal weekly vacuuming of all surfaces not covered by something too inconvenient to move. The Tech Drive power assistance made a significant difference.

This afternoon the Dirt Meter arrived with 100 filter papers.

Now I have to think up a standard measure protocol. Hmm hmm hmm.

 

[mark40511]

If I had a Kirby

I would absolutely get the (12 foot?) hose. I think it's 12 feet or something like that. I know there's a 30 foot but to me 12 is enough...This way, you can park the Kirby and clean all over the place that isn't carpet..I used to ONLY want canister vacuums because above floor cleaning is easier, but now with these longer extension hoses and attachments (even universal ones that work with many vacuums) it basically turns the upright into a canister or almost a central vacuum...I have one for my vacuum. I don't use the on board tools for my vacuum but instead I use the tools that came with the universal hose I bought for it. I would LOVE to have a Kirby. I already have a rainbow.

 

[dough]

Vacuum cleaner physics

No vacuum cleaner can exceed Airpower=volume flowrate at 373 m/s X absolute vacuum. Therefor the smallest orifice is the limiting parameter, and the the smallest effective orifice. The hose diameter is the smallest orifice and as the hose gets longer the effective orifice gets still smaller.

For more Airpower at the tool, use the shortest smoothest hose possible.

This why the Kirby Power Nozzle is so effective and powerful.

See also ASTM F558-13 Standard Test Method for Measuring Air Performance Characteristics of Vacuum Cleaners

 

[mark40511]

Yes I know the longer the hose, the less flow but when cleaning above floor, you don't need "suck dirt from the bottom of the pad suction" like you do on carpet.

 

[vaclab]

I'd love to read ASTM papers

like ASTM F558-13, but you have to pay for them and they cannot be re-published in any way shape or form publicly. Rather aggravating isn't it?

https://www.astm.org/DATABASE.CART/HISTORICAL/F558-13.htm

I'm not paying $69 for a "white paper."

For a dreadfully boring explanation of airflow, airwatts and suction see this video.



Cleaning of most bare floors is very easy. Provided you have the correct type of agitation, very little airflow can be used because the nozzle is very close to the dirt.


The T10 has airflow ranging from 24 CFM to 44 CFM and as you can see in the video, there is not much difference. Obviously, the PN was not designed to pick up large objects but switching to a "fluffy" type PN would change that.

Kirbys do well with all types of pile carpet not only because of the tremendous airflow but also due to the height adjustment forcing the nozzle down into the pile. Of course without the Tech Drive, newer Kirbys wouldn't be push-able in any practical manner. My Avalir is useless on medium pile carpet with the Tech Drive off.

Lastly, check out the ASTM curves for a central vacuum motor. You can see how the airwatts formula is used when varying the test orifice diameter.

Bill (VacLab)

 

[dough]

ASTM documents on ScribD

Many ASTM International (previously American Society for Testing and Materials) documents are on ScribD. https://www.scribd.com/ $10 / month

https://www.scribd.com/

 

[kirbyg6]

I think the avalir 2 is a great machine yes I’m a Kirby fanatic but I do think it’s a great machine their next machine has got to exceed expectations to make it better than the avalir 2 but I’m sure they have something up their sleeves

 

[dough]

BLDC Brush-Less DC motor

I hope that it is a BLDC to maintain Airpower with minimum noise and minimum electrical power watts.

 

[juju93]

well avalir 2 didn't go above and beyond avalir 1 expectation due to the fact that they are the exact same machine.

 

[lesinutah]

Wtf

Did bill find a new friend or brother from another mother.
The blue on the avalor 2 is the only one I care about. I don't have an avalor or avalir 2 yet but I'll get one family soon.