Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

My 4 yr old Hoover WIndtunnel Supreme gave up the ghost two weeks ago with a whisp of smoke out of the side side vent. Nothing jammed in the roller or got sucked into it, the motor just burned out according the certified Hoover repairshop. Great suction on that vac, but it was made out of cheap plastic and obviously the internals were just as cheap.

Anyway, I am now back to finding a quality vacuum that will last a long, long, time. An ad came up in a nearby Craiglist for an Electrolox Prolux unit for $50. I made the 40 minute drive to pick it up and I am impressed by the heavy duty, utilitarian, Swedish design. Definitely not a flashy device intended to impress your friends. It is the 8.5 amp version and does a seemingly equal job of cleaning even though it feels like it has half the suction of the 12A Hoover. I can't seem to find any information on this particular model anywhere on the internet so far, although Electrolux's designs don't seem to have changed much over the last few decades.

Does anyone have any idea how old this thing is and if it needs any type of annual service? Is it any good? Is the 10A version far better?



Two quasi-local ads (30 min & ~1 hour drive) came up for a $70 Filter Queen D 88 (w/ all accessories and extra filters)in seemingly excellent condition.
Anybody know how old this model is and is the power head the newer type that is supposedly better than the older versions?



The other ad is for a 10 yr old FQ, but they do not know the model version. They want $50 and I am headed to check it out right now. They say the power head "works great". I'll post a follow up pick after I get back. I think I'll get this one if it is in good condition and also consider the D 88.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Well, there just happens to be a true Electrolux shop just 15 minutes from my house. Found out my Prolux is approx. 15-20 tears old, the shop guy was really impressed with the condition it was in.  He gave a a complete look over and guessed that the roller was probably 10-15 years old and needed replacing. After seeing a new roller and brush bristles, i couldn't argue. He also said that the roller bearings needed replacing as they were the same age and might as well do the gear/roller belt while in there.

Anyway, we started talking about a full service with replacing the brush roller & bearings($50), drive belt($13),   fix/seal the top that locks the bag into place, replace the hose between body and power nozzle($20), but mostly to re-core or replace the the brushes in both motors and make improvements to substantially improve rpms of the brush motor and the vacuum motor.  $260! But, he said it would be good for another 10-15 yrs at least and came w/ a new 2 yr warranty.

I think he saw the sticker shock in my eyes and said, "or you can do a few things yourself". So I got the roller, bearings, and belt. He also showed me how to seal the areas that were likely loosing vacuum. So, I'm just waiting for the silicone to dry before giving it another test drive. I think this thing's a "keeper" after seeing that the current Pro Commercial model is exactly the same with just a few cosmetic changes of moving the on/off button, adding a looped handle, and a full bag/jam sensor light. Other than that, he said the new model has probably 30-40% more suction simply because electric motors have become far more efficient and powerful in the ensuing years. but, he said overall performance between the two would be very, very, close. Not bad considering the new model sells for $1,100-1,200.

Moebius wrote:

In fact I'd say a good purchase decision.  Congrats.

Carmine D.