vacuumdude
Well-known member
He collects Spencer turbine vacuum systems, soooo now I WANT ONE lol. How do they cost and how heavy, if I do get one I want one of those small ones on wheels.
So I've been watching Owen Perkins videos...
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Used to use a Spencer Turbine portable vacuum at another gov't workplace.Replaced its motor brushes-how they got replacement-never know.During studio renovation that little monster ate all kinds of debris-you dump it and it came back for more-was a fun vacuum like a NSS M1.The machine had a polished aluminun housing-multiple fancase like a minaiture Spencer turbine-blower.A small filter was on the exhaust.Had a cloth shakedown bag you shook into the lower canister.That came off so you could dump the machine.Want one too,they are big,heavy.The motor was a REAL Lamb 10A 120V universal motor drove the Spencer compressor like a small organ blower unit.The vacuum used to be used for collecting cuttings from disc lathe recorders.Figure it was built before WW2.The building it was used in was built a year before WW2.Somewhere in it lurks the central Spencer vacuum unit.Would have LOVED to see it-don't know if its still in there-none of the building techs know where it is.There are still Spencer vacuum inlets in the halls.Cohen building in SW Wash DC.Gov't building that has VOA and Dept of Health and Human Services.Site was built in 1939-was rumored the building was used for planning during WW2.1939.
vacuumdude
Well-known member
Cool history
I heard the sound cool, dont the Spencer cv look like the carwash central vacuums?
I heard the sound cool, dont the Spencer cv look like the carwash central vacuums?
Miss Mercy
Well-known member
I've used his machine. It's a lot of fun to play with! Owen is a terrific guy!!
I'm glad you like my videos 
I found my newer portable Spencers (the gray 1 1/2 HP machine and the green 5 HP one) on eBay, where you can occasionally find a "good deal" on one for less than $1,000 plus shipping via truck freight (a few hundred dollars, typically). "Newer" is relative...they are both 40+ years old. Blue Spencer machines are usually less than 20 years old and their resale value is in the multiple thousands. Brand-new Spencers are significantly more than that.
You might have some luck going to equipment auctions for industrial facilities that are being closed down. The price you would pay would be much cheaper than you would see on eBay, as the eBay sellers are typically buying machines at auction and reselling them. Boeing buys a lot of portable units, and will get rid of the old ones from time to time.
To get your hands on a really old Spencer from the teens or twenties, you will have to keep an eye on Craigslist to find someone who has one in their old house that they're looking to get rid of. You might see a local pickup eBay auction, but no private residential seller would likely be willing to ship. All of my machines are 400+ pounds each. It's lots of fun trying to get one up a flight of basement stairs! I recommend at least partial disassembly.
Residential Spencer units will be single-phase, so you can run them from your home power supply. Many will be set up for 240 volts, but often can be re-wired to run on 120 volts at twice the amperage. Commercial units will almost always be three-phase, requiring a phase converter or variable frequency drive to operate. The exception is the little 1 1/2 horsepower unit I have, which uses a 120 volt motor with carbon brushes. The brushes are indeed still available, as I had to replace mine. Check out eurtonelectric.com for any weird carbon brushes for old motors. They are a tremendous resource.
Hope this answers your questions! If you're ever in Chicago, you are welcome to come and see these machines in person. They are truly machines, rather than appliances.
-Owen
I found my newer portable Spencers (the gray 1 1/2 HP machine and the green 5 HP one) on eBay, where you can occasionally find a "good deal" on one for less than $1,000 plus shipping via truck freight (a few hundred dollars, typically). "Newer" is relative...they are both 40+ years old. Blue Spencer machines are usually less than 20 years old and their resale value is in the multiple thousands. Brand-new Spencers are significantly more than that.You might have some luck going to equipment auctions for industrial facilities that are being closed down. The price you would pay would be much cheaper than you would see on eBay, as the eBay sellers are typically buying machines at auction and reselling them. Boeing buys a lot of portable units, and will get rid of the old ones from time to time.
To get your hands on a really old Spencer from the teens or twenties, you will have to keep an eye on Craigslist to find someone who has one in their old house that they're looking to get rid of. You might see a local pickup eBay auction, but no private residential seller would likely be willing to ship. All of my machines are 400+ pounds each. It's lots of fun trying to get one up a flight of basement stairs! I recommend at least partial disassembly.
Residential Spencer units will be single-phase, so you can run them from your home power supply. Many will be set up for 240 volts, but often can be re-wired to run on 120 volts at twice the amperage. Commercial units will almost always be three-phase, requiring a phase converter or variable frequency drive to operate. The exception is the little 1 1/2 horsepower unit I have, which uses a 120 volt motor with carbon brushes. The brushes are indeed still available, as I had to replace mine. Check out eurtonelectric.com for any weird carbon brushes for old motors. They are a tremendous resource.
Hope this answers your questions! If you're ever in Chicago, you are welcome to come and see these machines in person. They are truly machines, rather than appliances.
-Owen
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