Riccar Central vac PNs

[panofan]

So I finally pulled the trigger and bought the supplies I need to install my classic Beam central vac I bought last summer.

I also got a ridiculously great deal on a Centec CPB-100S.6 power head attachment set - which if I understand correctly is made by Riccar.
Looks the same - metal bottom plate, metal brushroll, "Made in the USA", etc, etc.

Questions for the Riccar experts:
- what level of brush stiffness would these be? They are the blue brush strip inserts. Where do you get replacement ones?
- How does the "Auto" setting in the 6 height adjustments work? Does it just float the head like some uprights do?
- Out of curiousity - can you tell the manufacture date from the S/N?


I can't wait to try it out! It feels really solid.
The hose seems quite nice - crushproof but not super thin like some of them - has a different chrome end to lock into what looks like the same wand that Riccar canisters use.
But, that's where the similarities end. I was crossing my fingers that the rest of the tools would be Riccar-like (Or at least it would have their super cool floor brush that is supposed to articulate like the Wessel-Werk/Miele twister but actually pickup stuff like kitty litter)

 

[ultralux88]

The Auto seeing is just a setting that generally works on most things, I usually leave it there. The brush strips can be bought at any Riccar or Simplicity dealer, the ones in there now should be OK, even the stiff bristles are tested to not damage or wear at even more delicate carpets. I really like mine, with the Riccar 2 motor unit I have it cleans like no other!

The serial number does have a datecode, the first number being the year and the letter after being the part of the year. I don't think they made any recent enough to use their newer datecode system, but if you don't have a number, then a letter before the rest of the number just post the serial and I'll decode it for you.

 

[panofan]

thanks!

good to know about the brushes being gentle on carpet. my frieze is really frizzed / unraveled at the top -- i think from my kenmore upright (pretty sure height adjustment on it didn't properly raise to high). i'm worried about it getting worse -- this seems to really raise up - i'll see once it is actually vacuuming.

no letters in the s/n -- it is 0812001602.


(i've plugged the hose pigtail in to listen to it --- nice, nice sound
hopefully i'll get the piping in over the next week

 

[jkbff]

August of 12, its the 1602 unit of that model type. (The american made units have a 4 digit date code.)

Are these the blue/white crimped brushes on the 3 strip aluminum agitator or the dark blue/black vinyl stiff strips on the 4 strip 2 row steel agitator? If they are the dark blue/black vinyl, you can get the natural hair and crimped white brushes for that agitator. The aluminum 3 row has the softer crimped standard, I think the soft horse hair strips are available.

The powerhead is made at Tacony's factory, right along with the other power nozzles. Auto is just a 'middle, works with everything setting' like ultralux said.

 

[panofan]

Cool cool - these are the dark blue 4 strip / 2 row steel agitator brushes.
What are the recommendations for the different levels of brushes?

That is pretty awesome that it was made by Tacony here in the US

 

[jkbff]

I didn't read that you had frieze carpet... How long of a length do you have? I'm wondering if the standard vinyl wouldn't be too aggressive for your carpet.. I know I put the crimped brushes in Radiances when I find out the owner has a frieze ..

When we sell canisters to people that have friezes we sell the immaculate which has the crimped brushes already.

If you have the chance, purchase the three row RPB or SPB agitator and use it in that power head. I think you'll like the results.

I can get you the part numbers or I could sell you the agitator if needed.

 

[ultralux88]

Yours has the newer detached system, I believe they made that change sometime in 2010 if i remember what Austin told me. He was working there at the time of the change.

 

[panofan]

Thanks! I suppose it doesn't hurt to price it out at the very least.

What are the differences with the crimped brushes? When I hear crimped - i think held into place by "pinching" it - like crimping an ethernet cable.

 

[jkbff]

The crimped brushes are either a vinyl or poly that is crimped instead of straight so they have more give and aren't as aggressive.

 

[panofan]

So i tried it out and got my central vac installed last weekend. It works great - best powerhead I've ever used. I like it a lot better than my miele seb228

it is ice and smooth, quiet, seems to have dug up a lot of fine dust, etc. first powerhead to tackle it all: soft carpet, frieze, hard to vacuum low pile rugs! I am sold! So happy I got the Riccar made unit.

If I ever move and need a canister again, Riccar will now be #1 on my list!!

 

[ultralux88]

If you ever want to upgrade power units, the Riccars are excellent as well, they're made by Cyclovac in Canada, and are very well made and very high performance. They have bagged and bagless, both HEPA, the bagless like I have has a big fixed teflon coated HEPA cloth filter, nothing gets past it, and to clean it I just use a bagged shop vac to vacuum it off LOL, but it works.