Why Kirby plastic fans are superior...

[sptyks]

I did some research on this and what I found is very interesting.

The fans that are installed in the newest Kirby's from the G5 through Sentria II are made of Amodel, NOT Kevlar as almost everyone on here has thought.

For a while Kirby used Lexan, which was discontinued when the switch to superior Amodel was made in the G5. Amodel is widely used in the Aerospace industry so Kirby designed the new fan with the aid of NASA so that it would be the most durable and produce maximum airflow(CFM).Many folks on here, confused Lexan and Kevlar with Amodel. There were some problems with the Lexan fans after a few years of use. They would suffer stress fractures and would break apart if hit by any foreign object (not regular dirt).

Amodel is a new type of polymer that is several times stronger than either Aluminum, which is used in the Royal metal upright vacuums, or Kevlar which was NEVER used in any Kirby vacuum. The Amodel fan is tougher than metal and believe it or not, will almost always outlast Lexan and metal fans.

A few years ago, Kirby did a demonstration for some VCCC members during a tour of the factory where they used a Kirby vacuum with Amodel fan to suck up a bowlful of large nuts, bolts, marbles and pebbles. After disassembly, the fan had only a couple of very small nicks on it and deemed fully serviceable.

The Kirby Sentria with it's higher speed motor, and NASA designed Amodel fan, produces more airflow (115 CFM) than any previous Kirby model.

Here is a statement by Solvay Advanced Polymers which is the manufacturer of AMODEL polymers. You can find this statement on their website with the link provided below:

" About AMODEL Polyphthalamide--

With a heat deflection temperature of 536 degrees Fahrenheit (280 degrees
Celsius) and continuous use temperature of 338 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees
Celsius), AMODEL PPA retains its exceptional mechanical properties --
strength, stiffness, fatigue and creep resistance -- over a broad range and in
high humidity environments. This versatile family of high-temperature nylons
can give you the strength of aluminum, the stiffness of steel, and the impact
and ductility of hard rubber --"

I hope you all enjoyed the fruits of my research of AMODEL and look forward to reading comments any of you may have.

-Stan
[this post was last edited: 12/23/2013-22:04]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...anufacturer-pump-up-performance-54224587.html

 

[vacuumfreak95]

This is cool info!

This makes me want to buy a new cord for my Kirby Generation 5 and use it every now and then. The machine itself is in great shape inside and out, but about six months ago when I was cleaning the house the vacuum just shut down and wouldn't turn back on again. After closer inspection I found that I can sometimes get it to run for a split second if I violently shake the cord just right. I'll probably order a new cord after Christmas. Speaking of Christmas have a very Merry one!

 

[chicagomike]

Here are pics from the proof books sales people use to demo the Sentria and the Sentria II - again no mention of Kevlar, I show the pictures to just support the urban legend about Kevlar fans is not correct.

 

[kirbysthebest]

Even though they are incorrectly called Kevalar

 


I do not pretend to be a chemist, but are not both polymers members of the phenyl groups and thus though not the same polymer would they not be related since they are both nylons?


 


The distinction is kind of like Plexiglas and Poly carbonate not the same but related.  Both having different properties, but share some structure.  


 


Or am I picking the black specks out of the pepper?



http://www.nevicolor.com/images/commercializzati/pdf/amodel/amodel_general_brochure.pdf

 

[marcusprit]

If this is true that it's tougher than metal then why don't they make the body of the machine out of the same plastic?

It would make it lighter.[this post was last edited: 2/25/2015-05:01]

 

[Reflector]

Why not superalloys?

If you want the ultimate "aerospace cred" marketing claim as a company then you could always make those fans out of highly abrasion resistant metals like Inconel or Hastelloy or Waspalloy or Astralloy. They'll cost a small fortune but won't be lying when you claim that the fans are made of the same material as a X-15 or a J58 turbine compressor stage. Now mentally picture the bird strike testing they do on the turbines of airliners...

Just a little tounge in cheek. I am sure they made the right material choice for the fan given the environment it has to deal with as a direct air fan with the large foreign object ingestiation protection provided by the emptor.

 

[tolivac]

The emptor does not provide protection to the fan from objects-it is AFTER the fan discharge-objects get lodged in it after going thru the fan but will not go into the bag.
The only vacuums I have that have protection BEFORE the fan are NSS M1 vacuums.They have a large "scrap trap" ahead of the fan.This is much better than after the fan!

 

[rugsucker]

"why don't they make--body--out of--plastic"?

I think starting with the Sentria the lower motor housing IS plastic.Very strong,very good,possibly lighter.
And whatever they make it out of or call it the new fans are proving to to be strong and long life!

 

[human]

It's amazing how many ads on eBay and Amazon refer to the replacement fans as being made of Kevlar. I believed it myself until I was corrected in another thread on this forum.

marcuspirit: I can't say for sure why bullet-resistant vests aren't made of Amodel, but it may have something to do with how the materials are used. Kevlar is used as a woven fiber in body armor. I don't know anything about its strength in a solid, molded form, other than I had a Droid RAZR smart phone a couple of years ago that purported to have a Kevlar back panel. It was rubbery to the touch and would not have been suitable in that form as an impeller material. I also know nothing about Amodel's properties as a fiber material, but it is logical to assume that since they were developed for different purposes, they probably wouldn't be interchangeable.

Full disclosure: I'm an English professor, not a materials engineer, so take my comments in this area with whatever grains of salt you deem appropriate.

 

[sptyks]

Let's put these rumors about fans to rest:

<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
 


<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="font-size: large;">There is NO difference in the amount of airflow with the new Amodel fans. I tested it myself with a Baird Airflow Meter. Yes the blades are slightly shorter, but have you counted the number of blades? The old metal fans had 10 blades. The new Amodel fans have 11 blades which compensates for the blades being slightly shorter. The 11 blades are shorter and more curved to enable larger pieces of debris like coins etc.to be more quickly thrown into the emptor instead of rattling around inside the fan case and causing any damage to the fan.</span></span></p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> As far as durability goes, Amodel is a lot tougher and more resilient than metal. Metal fans are actually more brittle than Amodel fans and more likely to suffer damage. Amodel is capable of bending slightly (like hard rubber) to absorb the shock of being hit by large debris. Amodel has been reported to be 300% stronger and tougher than either metal or Kevlar. The ONLY disadvantage to Amodel is that it starts to melt at around 536 degrees Fahrenheit. The most common way this happens is if people use the inflator tool for more than 5 minutes at a time it will restrict the airflow through the fan case causing the fan to overheat (past 500 deg.) and start to melt.</span></span></p>

 

[kirbysthebest]

I am not questioning you just intrigue

The fans actually start to melt? Though I have never used the inflator tool itself. I have used the Kirby to blow up an air mattress, but it was unrestricted usage. What causes the heat build up, is it the back pressure?

 

[sptyks]

To find out how NASA helped Kirby to design the Amodel fan, check out this link:


<pre class="western"> </pre>

http://spinoff.nasa.gov/spinoff1997/ch9.html

 

[kirbysthebest]

Good article

I really always thought they were just talking to sound important.

Hijack--
Did John Deere really help design the drive system? I was told that once. Something about the clutch pack that is in the tech drive.

 

[sptyks]

Harley,


 


Yes, the backpressure causes friction and along with the restricted airflow through the small opening in the inflator tool, there is not enough airflow through the fancase to cool the Amodel impeller.

 

[sptyks]

I have not heard of any partnership between Kirby and John Deer regarding the Tech Drive, but that doesn't mean it's not true.


 

 

[kirbysthebest]

Makes sense, I had never heard that before.
Thanks

 

[rugsucker]

"heat build up"

As I have mentioned before I have seen this when large quantities of carpet fiber from new carpet fill the bag,fill tube,emptor and fan housing causing friction and heat.Even then it was more warped and slightly wavy at the outer edges than melted.

 

[sptyks]

Yes Jimmy,


 


I agree that Carpet fibers from new carpet could also cause the fan to overheat to the point of warping.

 

[seanc]

OK, slightly unrelated but I've been wondering since got my G4 a couple of months ago, what's likely to happen if I manage to suck up a sock? Will it get jammed in the fan?

I don't have a habit of sucking up socks, but it's likely I might come across one under a bed one day...

 

[kirbysthebest]

Sock

Depends on the mode you are in.


 


If in upright mode, then more than likely you will jam the brushroll and slip the belt.  In canister mode depending on the size of the sock you could stop the hose, or if it make it to the fan will more than likely be stopped by the shaft.

 

[turbomaster1984]

Kirby under the bed

One of their downfalls....

That's assuming you can get the Kirby under the bed - it must be a tall bed given the Kirbys bulk.

Why wouldn't you just check under the bed first to make sure theirs nothing under there that shouldn't be?

Probably more realistic to use the hose/tools which will go under the bed but will fail to let most large objects enter it - especially with the floor brush on.

That's if you can be bothered to go along with the faff of using them of course.

 

[marcusprit]

Do you get the feeling Robert doesn't like Kirbys? Haha

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Under the bed.

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Depends on the bed. I used to use the Kirby under my granny's bed as a upright. She had a wooden framed bed.
</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">I don't have pics of me doing that strangely enough but there is another kind hearted member on here who did take a pic of one of their Kirby's under the bed. The picture attached belongs to them.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Not that I can imagine many uprights going under a modern divan bed....</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>


 

 

[seanc]

The sock under/down the side of the bed scenario would be in hose mode, probably with some extension pipes as I tend to reach down between the gap to dust the skirting board.
Some good answers anyway

 

[sptyks]

I think it would have to be a very small sock (like a baby's sock) to get sucked through the hose all the way to the fan. However if it did get all the way to the fan, I believe it would be shredded to pieces and blown into the bag. Hopefully, you will never need to find out.

 

[tolivac]

Sock into a direct air fan-probably would be stopped cold.Had this happen with my NSS M1-this has a 13A motor.Picked up and sock and it was stopped cold.Had to take the "snout" off to get the sock out of its fan.Yes,in the Kirby the sock-if its small would be stopped by the motor shaft.In a way this is a good safety feature for the machine-large objects are stopped before going into the fan.Picked up a spent shotgun shell with my Kirby in the hose mode(12 Ga shell)and it made a pretty startling noise when the shell hit the motor shaft!Instinct told me to shut the machine down!Also if I hear a paper item rubbing against a plastic fan-Kirby or otherwise-shut the unit down and take the paper wad out.Had a Sanitaire fan get ERODED by a paper wad rubbing against it while stuck in the fancase discharge opening.

 

[jaker15]

Sucking up odd things

I once killed the fan on a newer Hoover Convertible by sucking up a drywall nail... The Hoover started making a horrendous racket and I thought the brush roll was to blame, until I got bored one day and decided to take the motor out. Turns out the nail shot through one of the blades, and then snapped in half (the head of the nail fell out of the nozzle after I sucked it up, never would have guessed). The blade in which the nail was buried cracked along the bottom, almost all the way to the center. You can see the nail in the attached picture below, I'm amazed the fan didn't turn into a virtual hand grenade and explode the next time I tried to run it! 


 


The fan was remarkably easy to replace, it took less than 5 minutes to pull the old one off and drop a new on onto the shaft. Now I have like, 3 spare Convertible fans, anyone need one? LOL!

 

[human]

I was messing with my Kirby G6 last night and found two foreign objects in the emptor--a small nail of the size and the type that would go on a picture hanger, and a metal washer almost exactly the same size as a U.S. or Canadian penny. I pulled the nozzle off and visually inspected the impeller but didn't see any real damage beyond a couple of minor nicks on a fin or two near the shaft. I'm assuming they've been in there since before I had the machine, but apparently they managed to go through the fan without doing any damage. Pretty impressive.

 

[sptyks]

Human, Your G6 should have an Amodel fan in it. You will find that your G6 fan will withstand most anything that you suck up. The nail and washer amount to almost nothing compared to what I found in the emptor of a G5 I once worked on. This G5 was relegated to being used in the garage of it's owner after he upgraded to a Sentria II for inside the house. The rear half of the garage near the workbench was carpeted with glued down commercial carpet which was vacuumed weekly. The emptor of this G5 contained a full handful of screws, small nails, nuts, bolts, washers and some gravel that was tracked in from the dirt driveway. Needless to say, after inspection, the Amodel fan had only a few small scratches near the tops of a few fins.


 


Hear's something to ponder: Bullet Proof vests are made of Kevlar. The Amodel fan is supposed to be 300% stronger than Kevlar. Now go figure!