# What is your favorite Central Vac System?



## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

I have a Signature Vaccum. It sucks, but its suppose too! :thumbsup:


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## micromind (Mar 9, 2008)

I've had an Electrolux for about 12 years. 3400 sq. ft. two levels. Even the hose is still in pretty good shape, after being trampled on by who knows how many kids!

Rob


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## jogr (Jul 24, 2007)

I have a Hayden. Works ok, goes through belts fast on the power head but you wouldn't use that much with little carpeting.

Water is a big no no. If you have water to vac you'll need to breakout the old portable wetvac. Water will plug turn your pipework with caked mud. Not sure if vacuuming outdoor patio debris would be suitable either.


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## 747 (Feb 11, 2005)

electrolux no problem getting it serviced


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## whirly (Dec 2, 2008)

Best Central Vacuum Systems on the market are the BEAM's.
(Which are made by Electrolux) They have the best warranties and have a Goretex Filter that NEVER requires replacement, or cleaning. It is warrantied by Beam for life. Motor warranties are 7 years.

I have been installing Central Vacuums for over 20 yrs and these have the least problems and the least amount of call backs.


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## Chemist1961 (Dec 13, 2008)

*Best Central Vac Service feedback*

Any central vac made in North America will be as good as the filter inside it and run well if properly installed. Cloth filtered brands including BEAM work well but eventually leak fine dust into the motor and are dirty to handle. Models with a secondary sealed bag in front will triple the surface area of filtration and keep your motor running cleaner, longer. Electrolux from 12 years ago sold their name back to Electrolx AB of Sweden about 2001 so the name continues , but products are vastly different, however still good. The end result is better tools do a better job . It`s not just about suction. If you have allergies you will not want to handle the dirt in a bagless model. Many machines today use the same motor supplier so its more about filtration and tool quality. A mid sized machine will do well in most homes if properly piped. 
Also forget about water pick up, get a shop vac. Water and dust make mud. When moisture gets in the LV contacts they crap out and when it settles in a low spot in the pipe you get mud which cakes into blockage or worse you could get a musty stench.


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## RippySkippy (Feb 9, 2007)

I have a NuTone with a cyclonic filter and it works well. When I installed it, I made sure that I was able to exhaust it to the exterior of the house. It just seems logical that if there are particles that escape the filter, they should be expelled outdoors.


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## whirly (Dec 2, 2008)

BEAM Central Vacuum's in North America do not use Paper Filters.


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## Chemist1961 (Dec 13, 2008)

I should have said those BRANDS, not models. 25 years of rebuilding / replacing motors has proven over and over the longest lasting are the best filterred. Filters are improving on many brands
Although changeable bags ( original Nutone, Eureka, Nilfisk, etc) are more expensive they are cleaner to handle for allergy sufferers. but historically those with a changeable cartridge or cyclonic filterless brands require more careful handling.
Since a three ply paper bag has triple the surface area to clog versus a single ply fabric filter you will retain your suction well, but don't skimp on the the smallest motor. 
Beam's fabric filter is very good and teh Goretex is a sign of ongoing improvement . However reality is that some dust will cling to any fabric or cartridge filter and drop on your floor when you empty the bucket. 
So if you opt for fabric or cartridge be it paper or foam filter, it is best to tap the side of the vac to dislodge hanging dust before you empty the cannister. Then when emptying periodically wrap a fresh garbage bag around the body and scuff at the filter or remove for washing if it's a washable cartridge. It's a dirty job whereas a contained paper bag is cleaner especially for allergy sufferers. 
Beam dealers now play on the name Electrolux as do Eureka dealers when several years ago they were competition. I believe new plastic bodied "Electrolux" models are still built in the same factory as Beam and Eurekas and have many parts and accessories in common. Electrolux models although built in the Eureka body (for Canada at least) are now positioned as the top of the line BRAND and utilise a cartridge filter as well as an optional paper bag whereas the Eurekas use a fabric filter similar to the beam and optional paper bag... 
Again this is NOT the Electrolux company or model as built 7 years ago. Electrolux in North America was a separate sales organization who were bought out by another company late 90`s who owned Tri Star (branches now operating as AERUS)
They in turn merged some designs and manufacturing, and then sold the brand name only back to the original parent company AB Electrolux of Sweden.

So if the same company builds all three Brands with many common parts hwo can you say one is BEST. All three are good and have different packages for different budgets.
My experinece is the BEST accessory tools make the best cleaning job and those built by Wessel Verk in Germany or Sebo or Lindhaus are exceptional. Many of these tools are rebranded in the market but look for the country of origin to be stamped into the body. While central vac is not nearly as common in Europe as Canada and the US the Europeans got it right years ago on cannister tools épower heads which are now used as premium central vac tools here.
Jogr mentioned replacing belts on his Hayden power head. Haydens best power head and the best others on the market ( see above brands )will run on a gear driven fibre re-enforced rubber belt. It doesn't stretch, it doesn't slip under normal conditions until it blows a tooth. If belts are burning through it's generally a secondary problem, bad bushings or bearings, hair caught up at the end of the brush roll, etc. If you opt for basic tools and an econo head your rubber belt will eventually slip and burn so even mated with the strongest suction, you will be inefficient, like summer tires on ice. If you get a gear driven or ribbed type belt you will have 100% sweeping efficiencey at all times until the belt breaks a tooth an you'll know as it will sound like a mchine gun. 
Buy quality accesories and you will never be dissapointed.


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## faithers03 (Jan 6, 2009)

I think that the filters in Beams are awful I hated cleaning it. Paper bags probably aren't too bad but now I have a cyclonic unit. I love it. I don't have bags to change or a nasty filter to clean. It has great suction. Look at the Imperium Central Vacuum. You can get special central vacuums (aqua-vac or aqua-air I think) that let you pick up water but they are very expensive. I use a wet interceptor, you can buy them for about $150.00 and they let you pick up water with any central vacuum. Always remeber to get a vacuum rated for a lot larger than your home.


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## Chemist1961 (Dec 13, 2008)

I have serviced all and installed many brands through the yaers. The majority ran with an Amtek Lamb motor or GS motor of various sizes, 2 fan or 3 fan 5.7 or 7.2 inch fins. Amtek I believe eventually bought out GS.The biggest significant factor beyond the motor size became type of or lack of filtration in the case of _cyclonic separation_
In my experience rebuilding the motors, I found most cyclonics to be coated with fine dust which chewed up bearings. Vacuflo was an early and excellent deisgn, using a heavy duty motor, often lower RPM. However as an allergy sufferer I detest anything with fine dust build up due to lack of clean handling. When there is no cloth or paper filter in place the fine dust is eventually drawn through the motor. Even a cloth filter won`t stop it all but fabrics are improving. 
Continuous running for wet pick up devices will draw humidity through the machine in the same way. IMHO not a great idea. I have pried apart Rainbow Rexair motors (same principle) with tin snips and rust buster. 
Oversized motors serve little benefit, however large diameter fan lower RPM motors will generally last longer than a high RPM version with smaller fans.
All the suction in the world is useless without good tools. Buy your vac for the length of pipe and number of inlets in your home. A 2500 foot bungalow with finished basement uses a lot more pipe than a 2500 ft 2 storey on average.
Buy a Brand from a major manufacturer who has been building Central Vacs for at least 10 years and you will generally be happy as they understand the product requirements. For the most part when you by cheap or econo tools ses they all come from one or two suppliers with a variety of labels. Spend extra where it counts, on the floor. And don`t dare ask about horse power... also Amps.... are related more to consumption less to output. IE a 13 amp motor with no fans has ZERO suction


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## Chemist1961 (Dec 13, 2008)

Drainvac is a unique concept but dumping mud into your sewer is prohibited in many areas , like an undersink disposal is......:no: Duo vac?/ Quality construction OK, Easy of handling and tidiness when emptying??? Not so much


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