What is the name of the gauge vacuum cleaner shops use to measure the suction on a vacuum? Where would I find one? Tim

Tim
It is called a "Water Lift gauge" It measures the suction
power on the end of a hose. Poor vacuums with bad hoses,
measure around 30 or less. Good Tanks, like Lux's will
pull over 50+. I got mine years ago from one of the parts
supply companies. In Chicago or NY state?? It's been
over 25 years ago!!
Norm

And some (most?) of the new vacuum cleaners are so powerful they blow the needle right off the dial! I have an older gauge that goes up to 100" of water. I have measured a lot of vacuums. The oldest vintage-y machine I've tried that showed the most suction was my 1939 Filtex that I swear to you pulled 90 inches!! (And talk about a noisy vacuum cleaner - it makes an awful racket!!) I tried a Filter Queen 33 and it pulled about 75". The Electrolux late XXX, LX, E and AE do about 60 since they all have basically the same motor. The F and turquoise G does about 65. The tan G and early 1205 does about 70. Skipping to the Silverado which does about 90. The Constellation was kinda pathetic at around 60.

When I got my first Kenmore Magic Blue (a very cool looking and easy to use machine - only drawback is the tiny - and expensive - bags) blew the needle right off the gauge, as did the Electrolux Epic 6500 I just got (that I only paid $25 for and it's in beautiful condition!). Ditto for the Royal Powercast with the hose attached.

So what I am wondering is, do the newer gauges go higher? If not, then how can you measure modern machines?

Of course, raw suction power is only one way to rate the performance of a vacuum cleaner. Of probably equal importance is the velocity of air -- how much air the suction moves. And of course well-designed attachments are important. The best vacuum cleaner in the world will do poorly if the nozzles are not efficiently designed.

I guess we all know by now that using "amps" to suggest the power of a vacuum cleaner is pointless and nothing more than advertising hype!

I myself have been looking for one myself too as I would love to have one to test my vaccums

Skip...

the Biard Guage is used to measure airflow.It gives a "relative" reading.kirby salesmen use them.i have both the Baird guage and a water lift meter.The Riccar dealer here broke his water lift guage when he tried to measure the suction of a Riccar 1700 canister with it.they should make water lift meters that could read up to 150in to measure modern vacs.

Where do you buy them? Tim

I got my Baird guage from the local Kirby dealer.The waterlift guages should be available from just about any vacuum cleaner dealer or from sources suchs as ESSCO.The local vacuum cleaner dealer ordered mine.It was about $40.the Baird guage was about the same price from the Kirby dealer.The Baird guage was mainly designed to measure Kirby vacuums.The guage has adaptors so you could measure other vacuums with it.