Sanitaire Sc886 Vs. Kirby Sentra

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I was looking at my ZC-880 and S663 today (I say looking, I was swapping the motor in preparation for the 120v one arriving once the HMRC stop poking their noses in my box), and I'd think that drilling holes is a good ideal, but, I would put a row of several small ones along the front of the nozzle just below the bumper, just as a Tristar's PN has a row of small holes to blast air onto the top of the carpeting it's cleaning, but that's one of them complete boredom on a rainy day projects I think, for now I just want all three running... :)

I even thought about trying the same on one of my Hoover Juniors, but there's too much metal in the way, and the bumper gets in the way too, so I gave up on that idea...
 
"I wonder what other clubs and there members disagree ab

Debate does happen in other clubs, trust me! Frequently worse than on here with these petty vacuum catfights.

How about the old Dodge w/Cummins diesel vs Ford w/Powerstroke diesel vs GM w/Duramax diesel? You guys should try visiting those forums at some point. Talk about debate!

Granted, pickup trucks are a much more widespread hobby than vacuums, plus the complexity and engineering involved with these trucks are so much greater that the room for debate over which functions the best is also much greater. Still, it does happen a lot.
 
my 2 cents

I've been a kirby lover for many years, and own several. My G5 and G6 are both equipped with sentria brushrolls, and I thought, for grooming/cleaning, they couldn't be beat, but.....my old sanitaire S648B with a 6.5 motor and a VGII, out cleans and out grooms the kirby hands down. You talk about sanitaire being "commercial"...let me tell ya. I also have a eureka ESP, 2068A from the early 80's. Same set up. 6.5 amp, VGII, etc...same outcome as the sanitaire, and the ESP was a consumer product NOT commercial. My opinion, eureka/sanitaire takes it, especially with the price of a new kirby!
 
another website I visit prohibits product comparisons-the Candlepower Forums-a website for portable lighting and flashlight collectors.I have a collection of lights,too.
Now- for the vacs-dragged out my Sanitaire SC883 vacuum and currently giving the machine a try-its working well.Got the floor nozzle to a better height for my deep carpets-its at pos#6.-all the way up.The brush and fan are turning without stalling.Don't feel it needs the hole modifications.My other Sanitaires may need that.The SC883 Contractor model must have more nozzle height settings.The SC883 Contractor machine I have uses the ST Filtrete bags-like the Kirbys,7A motor(120V)and was built in Mexico.Sanitaire has been building their machines in Mexico now,The quality of mine is very good.I am using it for awhile to see how it does.So far-very good-Grooms very well.And like the Kirby-the flooring around it vibrates as the Sanitaire is run over it-and the Carpet "Airlifts"to the Sanitaire nozzle like with the Kirby or Royals.to put it this way the Sanitaire gives Kirby performance or maybe better-but at a lower price.and the Sanitaire would be easier than a Kirby to service. Now,I wonder why the orig buyer of this machine returned it?It works Supurb for me.Its presently getting a daily workout.and the more i use it-like the sound of it.
 
Trebor

I also would love to see a pic of the sanitaire modified. This is the only "problem" I've ever encountered with mine. It has 6 settings. Low, normal and high. Deep, medium and low shag settings. High is just a little too high, and normal is just a little too low

powermate1970++2-23-2012-08-03-42.jpg
 
Don't have a camera...

on my cell phone, so I will make an attempt to describe the modification as if one had no knowledge of vacuums whatsoever.

1)Turn the machine upside down on a work bench so it rests on the hood and the handle is pointing down.
2)Remove the bottom plate

The housing has an opening in the shape of an upper case 'T' enclosing the space of the nozzle and the fan oprnings. The bottom plate rests on the perimeter of this opening.

3)Locate the center of each side of the nozzle opening between the outer edge and the fan opening along the rear edge of the nozzle opening.

4)Drill a 1/8" hole through the housing at a distance of 1/2" from the edge of the opening.

5)Replace the bottom plate

Occasionally, the carpet is so thick that this modification is insufficient. A 1/16" hole may be drilled in addition to the 1/8" hole on each side, or three equally spaced 1/16" holes on each side. No more than this, because it begins to decrease rather than enhance the cleaning performance.
 
Trebor

I just got home from work and I'm either really tired, or having a "dense" moment, or it could be a combination of both, lol but I don't get it! Are you talking about drilling into the fan chamber, 1/2 inch from the edge of the fan opening, kind of in the area of the "belt guides"? I took a pic of the area I think you are talking about. Is this it? I am really anxious to try this, as this vac literally will "clamp" to the carpet and suck it right off the floor! thanks, Bill

powermate1970++2-24-2012-13-14-13.jpg
 
I have many kirbys and 1 sc899 sanitaire in my collection. for easy of maintaince and repairs the sanitaire wins. the kirby is a bit better for convience with being able too add a hose and dust and clean hard too reach areas. the way the carpet vibrates when sanitaire goes across it the dirt doesn't stand a chance. when I clean a carpet I pre vacuum with my sanitaire and at first the customer says how old is that vac.....then they are like WOW that machine really cleans.
 
One more time...

The front edge of the nozzle opening is a continuous line from one side of the brush roll to the other. The back edge of the nozzle opening is three distinct parts, right, left, and center, which is the fan opening. On the right side and on the left side find the center of the distance on the back edge of the nozzle BETWEEN the far brushroll side and the opening of the fan chamber. 1/2 in away from the nozzle plate (down if you consider the machine is upside dow,) up if you consider normal operating position) drill the 1/8" inch hole. The fan chamber is mentioned for purposed of orientation only. The holes are drilled into the housing on the back side of the nozzle opening, to the right, and to the left of the fan chamber, NOT in the wall of the fan chamber, just 1/2 vertically from the edge of the nozzle opening.

Ok?
 
Instructions...

Thanks for the description, Trebor. I know what you are saying with 98% certainty, but this really is a case where a picture is worth a thousand words.

If I am getting it correctly, you are drilling one 1/8" hole on each of the two walls that form the air intake channel. Each one located half way between the front of the respective wall (a point starting at the edge brushroll opening, near either the very left or very right side of the vacuum), and the back of the respective wall (a point just before the opening of the fan chamber). If the vacuum were standing upright, the holes themselves are situated 1/2" up vertically from bottom edges of the air intake chamber walls.

My description may be confusing, as well, but maybe it helps.

One question: would drilling the two holes at the front, right through the rubber bumper, be more effective as the extra airflow would then come through the front of the brushroll instead of behind it?
 
I don't know...

if the drilling of the holes on the front would improve performance or not. This arrangement seems to be quite effective. The additional air seems to carry the debris loosened bu the brush roll right into the fan. There is almost no debris in the nozzle plate, even when vacuuming heavy sand.

The modification is done surreptitiously, the customer never knows, and is better off for it. The belts last longer, and because the carpet is held up and shaken, it gets cleaner.

It all started with a customer being very disgusted with her 677, when she previously was quite happy with it. She had recently had very thick plush carpet installed. The belts were burning up quickly, and it was hard to push. Raising the nozzle to #6 did not allow consistent contact with the carpet. I had heard of drilling holes in the nozzle before on Riccars and similar vacs, so I thought "What the heck?" It worked. I just told the customer I made a small adjustment for her luxurious carpet. I found out later that it was done frequently, and seemed to improve performance and belt life. I wonder why it is not a permanent change to the mold.
 
Trebor........ GOOD GOD!!!

I am dense!!! LOL I'm drilling into the "wall" of the air chamber/tunnel! If I'm thinking/figuring right, the holes should be almost right above (with the vac upside down) the rugplate fasteners, only in the air chamber wall. Am I still "dense", or have I got it?
 
Front of nozzle...

Dan, if not through the bumper, then just above it?

I haven't looked too closely, but I don't see any holes on front edge of my Tristar CXL turbo brush. Just that weird switch on the top that says: low, normal, and high. I understand that it adjusts a port to let more or less air through depending on the carpet's loft. Is that the hole you were referring to? Or are you referring to the later model power nozzles?

I guess one reason not to go through the bumper: don't you slide the magnet bar between the bumper and the body? If so, the magnet bar would obstruct those holes.
 
OK....

Turn the machine upside down and remove the plate.
Look at the shape as a large upper-case 'T'. The center of the cross of the 'T' is where the fan chamber is located at the bottom of the stem of the 'T'

The brushroll fills the nozzle cavity, (the crossbar of the 'T') and the belt goes around the roller and extends down the stem of the 'T' to the pulley on the fan You are not going to drill into the walls of the stem of the 'T' surrounding the fan chamber.

The long edge of the nozzle is along the bumper, (the front)

The opposing edge, (the back, or the edge nearest your feet when you vacuum) has three distinct divisions, 1)left edge to the wall of the fan chamber, 2)the opening of the fan chamber, 3)and wall of the fan chamber to right edge.

Not in the long upper edge of the nozzle opening where the bumper is, and not in the walls that extend down to form the fan chamber, but in each side of the crossbar of the 'T' (sections 1 and 3) in the back side of the nozzle opening you are going to drill a 1/8 in hole, 1/2" away from the edge of the nozzle opening on a vertical axis.

I tried constructing a diagram using the keyboard symbols, but the server wiped out all the spaces. Sorry. I don't know how to make it any clearer.
 
Got it...

It's clear, at least to me. The holes go into the two short walls behind and parallel to the brushroll. The walls that form the bottom of the "T"'s crossbar.

So you drill the hole exactly in the center of the respective walls? Any offsetting left or right, closer to the intake nozzle or to the outer edge of the vacuum, or would it be exactly centered in the wall surface in question?

I will try it this weekend.
 
OMG!!!

It's been a REALLY LONG WEEK! LOL You drill a hole in the "wall" directly behind the brushroll, 1/2 inch down from the rugplate.(when rugplate is attached) One hole on each side. Thank-you Trebor for bearing with me! lol I can't wait to try it.
 

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