Would anyone mind helping me identify this Princess Vac?

[MichelleD]

Hello. First let me apologize if I posted this in the wrong section. I'm not sure if the vacuum in question is older than 20 years or not, but I have a strong inkling it is.

I have an older Princess Vacuum that I love. My family has had this thing since I could remember. I pretty much grew up with it in the house. It still works like a charm, and the quality is so good (all metal, almost no plastic anywhere). But... I'm not sure what the correct way to change its bag would be.

By just messing around with it a moment ago, I was able to unlatch and get the top part off, and surprisingly, the dust was under the bag. But, the bag wasn't really a bag. It was more like a giant coffee filter, for lack of a better word. This would be fine and I'd just dump the dust out, but at the top of the vacuum, there's slots where someone can see inside, and they look packed with dirt. I wish I knew if there was a way to clean those too.

I'm not sure if there's a way to attach more than one picture. I tried linking to them so they'd show up as pictures in my post, but it didn't work.

You can see a picture of the front of the vacuum at the very bottom of the post.

If anyone would like to see other pictures I took of the vacuum, you can see them here:

Back:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33464.jpg

Top:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33465.jpg

The Inside after you remove the small top disc:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33466.jpg

The parts that are inside the top:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33467.jpg

The Super Clogged Slots at the top:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33469.jpg

The Entire Top Section Removed:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33468.jpg

All the dust that can be seen when the filter is lifted off:
http://www.myimg.us/images/04.01.13/33470.jpg


So that's all the pics I took of it. Yeah I know, I took a ton. But anyway, does anyone recognize which Princess model this is? I'd love to find a manual for it, or know if I'd be able to get more filter bags for it. And most of all, I'd love to know if there's a way I can clean out those slots at the upper top area of the vacuum.

Anyway, thanks for any help or leads anyone can give!
Michelle D.

 

[dysondestijl]

All I know is that that's a beautiful vacuum!

 

[thermokid]

That is a Princess 1

I believe. There is also a Princess II and a Princess III. These are single speed Filter Queen vacuums.

 

[MichelleD]

Yay, thanks SO MUCH GUYS! And yes, she IS a beauty. She's gone through me lugging her up the stairs too many times to count and being drug behind when I was a teenager. hah.

 

[jfalberti]

Hi Michelle

If you look in the site library, there is a tab called manuals. In that tab, there is an instruction manual for a Filter Queen. This manual will answer many questions you may have about your Princess, since they are almost identical. Only thing not covered would be your power nozzle since that model didn't have one. I have a Princess II, and they are awesome vacuums. On word of advice, only use genuine replacement FQ cones. There are a lot of good people on this site who can answer any questions you may have not covered in the manual.

Joe

 

[MichelleD]

Forgot to mention (can't edit or delete my posts), so this would be a "Eureka Princess 1 Vacuum" then, right? I tried googling that and got nothing that really helped all that much. Are there any sites (besides this one) that might have more info on this model I have? I'd really like to find a manual for it.

Also, do you think vacuum stores would carry parts for it, if something does break on it eventually? I really like this vacuum and wanna hold onto it for as long as possible. The quality of the materials is just so good.

And, with the coffee filter type of.... filter it has. Are there generic ones that I can buy if I need to replace it? Although, it looks almost new, despite being in there for like 20 some years.

Right now I'm trying to see if I can just find the date. Usually my google skills are up to par, today they seem to be flopping. I even tried vintage Eureka vacuums, but ended up with a bunch of ebay listings. I found one ebay listing for an Eureka Princess, but it looked completely different from my model.

Would the Princess 1 be considered a 'canister' vacuum model? Sorry for all the newbish questions!

And last..does anyone have any tips on how to clean out the top part where the slots are? They're so full of gunk I worry it'll wreck the system. Here's the pic of them. Is there a way to remove that top white area, where the slots filled with gunk is, or is that a normal buildup sort of thing?

Thanks again guys! You're all the best!

 

[MichelleD]

Oh, thanks SO much, Joe! Gosh, you replied while I was writing up that long second post of mine. Thanks a bunch for that information tidbit, I'm off to look at that right now!

 

[jfalberti]

You're welcome

No, it's not a Eureka, it's actually a single speed Filter Queen made for sale exclusively in vacuum stores. The item you have hi lighted in you're last post is actually not a clog, it is a thick foam batting in the crown that serves as a filter and does sound deadening. That's why the machine is so quiet. Here is a video of a Princess II in action.

 

[MichelleD]

Ahhh okay, thanks SO much again, Jfalberti! I'm so glad I read this before I tried to 'poke' it out. lol. I emptied out the dust at the bottom and now it's about 50% lighter to boot.

 

[ge1969]

Hi Michelle! Yes, that is indeed the first model of Princess, and is much more scarce than the later Princess2 or 3. Get yourself a pack of Filter Queen cone filters, which will also include the round, flat secondary filter that goes up inside the plastic cone, change those, and get a new batting filter, that one that you can see through those vents in the top, and have a vac shop change that, or DIY if you're handy, and you'll be amazed at how much suction you restore to your machine. Good Luck! Toby G.

 

[MichelleD]

Aw, thanks so much for the tips, Toby! I looked at the manual Joe suggested and it is indeed almost identical to the vacuum I have. I'll be sure to pick up a pack of those filters, since we need more because I honestly don't know the last time someone changed it. Thankfully the manual shows exactly how to replace the inner second filter as well. Thanks again for all the help, guys!