Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Is it my imagination or has low clearance height in regard to upright vacuums become a none-issue for selling them? 

Venson

I have a question,what is the benefit to the customer,if the machine uses the digital motor,do you really think the customer cares?The reason i say this is because MIELE touts it's vortec motor,it's a single fan carbons mounted on the top instead of the bottom with the conical fan,does the consumer really care?.The d.d.m has to be controlled by a computor like rexairs . I would not even venture to quess what the computor cost is and they have been known to fail,The regular e series motor replacement is over 425.00.

God knows how much a motor and computor board change would cost.But i would think a 20.00 carbon brush replacement is a lot more friendly to the customer.

This industry is overteching itself...........It's to the point of insanity.............

MOLE

Hello Venson:

Yes, to a degree.  In part, due to on-board tools on uprights which are a relatively recent development for the upright vacuum industry.  HOOVER Dial started in the early 60's.  But by and large other makers were later.  The 80's.  And its spawned a new venue of daily users: The lites, nanos, etc.  The Regina Electrikbroom was very popular for decades in large part because users found them quick and easy to use in the hard to get out-of-sight places. Oreck and RICCAR-Simplicity catered to these customers cleaning needs for years and now too the lightweights both bagged and bagless. 

Carmine D.

Mole:

I agree with you.  Hi-tech motors are transparent to end users.  They can care less.  What's important to them is less weight, good performace, easy to use and store, and now most especially PRICE. 

Carmine D. 

If digital motor technology could produce beneficial effects by way of increased power, less unit weight, increased dust capacity or lower and simplify repair matters (meaning consumer executable motor changes) I'd say yes the public would be very interested.  Are we talking the same Dyson motor that is also said to be of lesser size?  Anyway . . .

The idea of a "motor module" was pushed some time in the last century by Shetland Lewyt but did appear to gain much interest and Shetland Lewyt, I think, was just about dead in the water by the 1980's.  In any event the idea of an affordable motor/fan unit that could be ordered online or by phone call and then simply be dropped into your vacuum and locked in much the same as you'd pop in a circuit board or RAM chips into your computer would be great.  Too great I think.  I don't think established service suppliers would appreciate it much.

Miele's motor design is interesting and I think a good pitch point but as always, price can soon kill interest in innovation.

Venson

The Dyson Digital Motor can apparently produce a third more suction power than a conventional motor. The new motor is very small in comparison to a conventional one. The Digital motor is supposedly more robust than a standard motor; carbon brushes and armatures being, supposedly, the reason for most failures.

It could be said that Nilfisk have a drop-in motor on their GS80 series machines: motor drops in, locks into place, plug in the flex, and away we go!

As for Miele's motor, I think it is just another variation on what has gone before. Most motors that I have seen have had the fan(s), then the armature, then the carbon brushes.  The carbon brushes would get the heat in this arrangement.

Miele has the fan(s), brushes, then the armature. The carbon brushes run cooler in this arrangement.

However, the Hoover 'Powerglide' S4256 cylinder that I once owned, I'm sure had a reverse positioning of the fans to the motor: carbon brushes, armature, then the fans. The filtered air was sucked over the brushes, over the armature and expelled from the fans. This was quite a noisy cleaner.

The Nilfisk GS 80 still has an easily removable motor unit as well as some other new models meant for office use. That idea goes back years and years with Nilfisk but I did not bring it up because I didn't want to wear the name out all in one day.  The Shetland Lewyt I mentioned was the more commonly known here. SL came to develop two or three "modular" canister vacuums that were intended to be easily repairable by the owner.  Shetland-Lewyt was sold by SCM to a Canadian concern around 1972 per what I've gleaned from the web.

Nonetheless, a smaller than usual, high performing digital vacuum motor that could be easily removed and replaced is not a bad idea If affordable.

Venson

Hello Venson:

I think there is another major factor at play too for the trend away from low clearance for under furniture and bed vacuuming.

In the first half of the 20th century, USA households were usually one vacuum only, due to the cost and the longevity.  Upright/tank/canister.  The one vacuum household changed in the 60's when vacuums began cheapening.  More households had an upright and a tank/canister vacuum for cleaning and the trend has continued.  Households now have a plethora of floor care appliances for all household cleaning chores.  Hence, the need for vacuum makers to solve all the users' cleaning problems in one/another vacuum whether tank-canister and/or upright is not as important anymore.

Carmine D.

Speaking just from the US perspective:  Dyson convinced itself that the increased air watts in the DC07 at the expense of a wimpy brush roll would excel its rug cleaning performance over all other conventional uprights on the market which used standard brush rolls.  He even convinced supposed industry experts that his was an improvement.  They believed him at first.  We saw and know the results.  Dyson has been on a campaign since the DC07 to revamp the air watts downward and improve the brush roll.  Still hasn't gotten there yet after 5 plus years IMHO.  And that of Consumer Reports.

The DDM may be stronger and last longer, TIME WILL TELL not words.  However, if the vacuum doesn't have equally good components comparable TO THE LESS EXPENSIVE COMPETITION, like a decent brush roll and rug adjustments, jaydee will have a reputation in industry for being a brilliant inventor who can't tie his own shoes.

Carmine D.

Their cleaning[sweeping capabilitys are on par with a hoover convetible.......

As one of the real vacuum gurus said,[STAN].as long as the machine pulls the dirt and debris into the bag,everything else is just for hype and advertising purpose.Lets face the facts that the dyson cleaners are just overhyped,cheap molded plastic,left over fantoms.

MOLE