The Kirby Paradox

[super-sweeper]

I was chatting with another member here, and the topic of making a Kirby hose run on the 1st gear instead of 2nd came up. This got me thinking, what happens if you ran a Kirby on both speeds at once? A possible 3rd gear? or a giant mess of exploding electrical stuff? let's see what vacuumland thinks! 

 


Get on your super-science safety gear stuff OSHA makes us wear,  it's time to see what happens when we run the Kirby on both speeds at once! 

 

[marks_here]

That looks like what happened to that vax

 

[eurekastar]

There already is a Kirby with "four speeds" -- the Diamond G. The small switch on the top of the housing will drop the motor speed in nozzle mode. With the hose on, the switch will drop the speed as well. So there's your nuclear option!

 

[super-sweeper]

I know about the Diamond G's "Delicate Switch", I'm talking about hot-wiring a DS50 to run in a super-secret 3rd speed! What else were we to do before the Diamond G came along? 

 

[sukething]

Well it depends...

It depends on which Kirby you are going to try this out on. You all know this. In the middle 80's i found Omega's, Classic III's, Dual 50 and 80's where they replaced the safety switch to run entirely on the high speed. Which later finds the vacuuming wearing out quickly. The High Speed was supposed to be used only for the attachments and of course the Miracle Head and Shampooer, but leaving it on high speed did damage. I am sure you will all find my info wrong and I will be corrected.

 

[super-sweeper]

David, the only thing you got wrong is that the miracle head and Rug-Renovator run on low speed 

 


I'm talking about any Kirby being rigged to run on both low and high speed at the same time 

 

[kirbyrama]

I am sure it would be to much strain on the motor and it would eventually burn out.
It would also be noisy as hell.

 

[cb123]

Wouldn't that be tantamount to taking uppers and downers at the same time. Adios Muchachos Liver!

 

[kirby519]

I remember seeing a story here about someone letting the demostrator plug in one of the G series vacuums into an outlet with higher voltage than the normal 120 volt. For what ever reason that out let was the same as a "standard" outlet. The end result was that the kirby's drive tech was going at double speed and burned out the motor in just a few min. No major explosions just a very hot and smoking motor.

What you are describing would be to increase the voltage. Motor would burn out but no "fireworks" so to speak.

 

[eurekastar]

Actually, I accidentally hooked up the safety switch on a D50 incorrectly one time and I think it did send too much current to the commutator. It not only caused an electrical fire, but it also melted the brass segments on the commutator. I put a new motor in it but was never able to get rid of that smell.