Vintage motor RPMs versus new smaller impeller plastivac RPMs

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completenutt

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Joined
Apr 17, 2018
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Location
West Hollywood, California
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Hi guys!</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> Wondering if anyone knows the approximate RPM's of the old electrolux's metal tanks i.e. Model G to Super J, etc.</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Or any of your favorite vintage brands like Eureka canned hams or Hoover Celebrities, et al.</span>


 


 


<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">versus:</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">RPM speeds of plastivacs like Dyson or Miele canisters, etc.</span>

[this post was last edited: 7/30/2019-22:23]
 
completenutt

Most Kirby cleaners run at about 10,000 to 12,000 RPM with the belt-driven accessories and in low speed mode. With the hose, this becomes approximately 12,000 to 13,000 RPM on the single-speed machines, and from about 15,000 to 16,000 RPM on the two-speed machines when in high speed mode.

~Ben
 
most vintage canisters operate in range as a kirby does in attachment mode, and uprights in a similar range. the rpms ben described are accurate.

modern cleaners, and i know this from people who own vacuum shops and in the trade, are higher rpm and louder because the modern vacuum industry has convinced those screaming pieces of junk are better performers with louder higher rpm sounding motors. they operate around 25-30k rpms et al dyson, shark, miele etc.

every time i run a vintage vacuum around someone whos never heard one, are ALWAYS surprised with how quiet they are. people just dont know the industry actually has them think those screamers are better machines.
 
I have an app on my phone, much like the one in the video below, which performs a Fast Fourier Transformation on the sound coming into the mic. I have used it to successfully measure the angular velocity of my Hoover Legacy II @ ~18,000 RPM. I also confirmed that of my 1400 RPM computer fan.

 
Most vacuum cleaner motors on uprights in the 1920s that were not Hoovers ran between 3000 to 5000 RPM. Hoover considered those to be “small and sped up“ motors. The Hoover motor was much larger than the other machines, but turned at a slower speed. They were trying to run the brush about 2000 RPM. And they cleaned perfectly fine.
 
motor speed

Many motors in older canisters were two stage motors, I much prefer the sound of these, very pleasant sounding, especially the motors in canisters such as the Electrolux 1205 and the canisters from the 1950's through the 1970's that used Lamb Electric motors. Today it's very uncommon to find any canister cleaner that uses a two stage motor, most are one stage and they spin much faster. Even in uprights this is very common, this is one reason why motors do not last as long in current cleaners. It seems the higher end motors are only seen now in central vacuum units, and even some of those are not very good.
Mike
 

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