Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Now your talking about a company that has it's act together.

Talk about a machine that will last for ages.

MOLE

Hiya Mole,

Nilfisk machines have never be what we'd think of as frilly but certainly are well thought out vacuums.  The models for European homes are also very impressive.  We will probably never see them here.  The model I like best is the GD 930 which runs at about 54 decibles per Nilfisk's spec sheet.  It also has a humongous disposable bag 15 litres (4 gallons???) and a 30-foot cord.  The power nozzle option is not quite what we're used to but I think the machine can easily be fitted with others more to the user's liking.  This model also sells under the name EuroClean at lesser price.

The good old standy, the GS 80, is remarkable in that you can per your taste and budget take it as it comes out of the box or add on HEPA or ULPA filters that though pricey, can last for three or for years, before changing.  This is most likely in that there is a volumnous heavy cotton filter just above the bag chamber and a far better than average pre-filter just after that.  Because of this, the GS 80 can also be used without disposable bags.  Lots of cleaning tool options such as a 16" bare floor tool for the very particular here too.

I would note that this organization is picking up models that have priorly been known under other brand names.

Venson

I have used Nilfisk twin motor and Nilfisk triple motor machines, of the industrial variety.

They had two, or three, 1000 Watt motors; both were bagless with cloth main filters and that up & down filter-shaker plunger. Each motor had a secondary filter that was like a sock, with an elasticated cuff. Each motor had a standard exhaust filter that was useless, as the air blew around the edges of the filter.

The hoses were the large diameter, rubber-coated, metal reinforced ones. Hose ends were metal; extension tubes  on the twin motor version were a strange, lightweight paper and glue construction, with metal sleeves with finger screws.

The triple motor model had chromed steel tubes which were unwieldy to say the least.

Hi Trilobite,

The triple motor Nilfisk you speak of is not made necessarily to be convenient but to pick up large quantities of debris and dirt.  Thus came for the call fo a larger diameter hose as with most commercial and industrial vacs and heavier wands.  These machines are in no way intended to compete with household vacs.  My question is, in the use of them in an industrial environment did they get the job done?

As for filtration, was the leakage due to bad design or careless placement by users of the machine?

Regards,

Venson

Howdy, Venson!

The machines were reasonable at picking up the factory floor dust, but a total pain to use above the floor (walls, ledges, light- fittings), as the hose weighed you down.

The exhaust filters in question were just the standard, oval (blue?) felt diffusers, that sat under the motor carrying handle. The hot blast of air eventually curled the edges up, and they poked through the filter cage.

Why are exhaust filters generally designed as an after thought?

Hiya Trilobite,

I'm not out to sell Nilfisk. I don't get paid for that job but I am familiar with some of their product and I know the blue filter you speak of. It was standard on the domestic/commercial motor used singly in the GM 80, GM 90 and Nilfisk double and triple motor machines (models numbers are not immediately at my recall).

If the motor(s) was/were running so hot as to damage or deform the blue filter you're speaking of that is a clear indication that the primary and/or motor filters were in need of cleaning or replacement. As I'm sure you know by now from many posters here, just emptying a vacuum cleaner is not enough. There are additional maintenance issues that have to be observed to keep any vacuum running optimally.

Those issues are often overlooked by staff just out to do a job and get paid. To go the extra mile you either have to have very enthused staff or Simon Legree heading management.

Before I switched to the HEPA I had that same blue filter on my Nilfisk GM 80 and 90. It was also backed up by a thick felt pad with an outlet for exhaust air that held it up against the plastic grill used to keep it in place. The merit for Nilfisk in this case has to be its use of motors made to take abuse. In similar circumstances, many other motors would have burned out in a heartbeat.

During my time of use fo mine I did make sure that the primary filter plus the high filtration motor filter I bought as an option were clean and not in need of replacement.

The multiple motor system is still in use by Nilfisk though the design of its machines has changed. As opposed to motors that rely on cooling from air used for dust and debris pick-up, new models use bypass motors (electric vacuum motors that indepently cool themselves). However, even though suction is not relied upon for cooling, larger diameter hoses and wands are necessary by way of the basic nature of the general work at hand. Nonetheless, for those who want them, Nilfisk has always supplied a good number of tools for special tasks like cleaning overheard pipe and conduits. I can't say that those kind of tasks will ever lead to "fun" vacuuming but then again -- it's work isn't it?

I've attached links to show what Nilfisk is doing now:

http://www.nilfiskcfm.com/ProductLit/CFM127.PDF

http://www.nilfiskcfm.com/ProductLit/CFM127.PDF

http://www.nilfiskcfm.com/ProductLit/CFMACC_1(2).PDF

http://www.nilfiskcfm.com/ProductLit/CFMACC_1(2).PDF

Best,

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

Maybe you should!  For as long as I can remember, you have always explained very well and truthfully the strengths of the Nilfisk.  And you have done so in a professional and personal way.  Not pushy and boastfully.  The makings of an excellent spokesman and salesman for a product.

Carmine D.

Thank you Carmine.  Yes I do have a great liking for Nilfisk product but I also admire product by any other manufacturers that try to produce quality vacuums.

Best,

Venson

Thanks, Venson, for the links.

Nilfisk always seemed to make a wide variety of attachments; something the other manufacturers could take note of.