Why do people say the Hoover Junior was a bad vacuum?


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Thread Number: 38978 / Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Why do people say the Hoover Junior was a bad vacuum?

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Post# 413710 9/12/2019 at 08:51 (1,680 days old) by mikanic (Leeds)
Checkrate/Likes Hello VacuumLand! I want to start off by saying the Hoover Junior was not a bad cleaner at all. Quick disclaimer too, I obtained this scientific knowledge from an American YouTube channel named VacuumWars, just so that no one accuses me of stealing someone else's words. The difference between a Hoover Junior and a cleaner you'd get today is that the Junior used a different type of motor, called a Direct-Air Motor. The difference between a Direct-Air (Which I'll shorten to D/A) motor and a now traditional Clean-Air motor (which I'll shorten to C/A) is that a D/A motor's design means the dirt picked up passes directly through a fan, hence 'Direct' air. If you tried to measure airflow from a D/A motor through the floor cleaning system, you'll get big results. The only airflow measurement I understand is an American measurement (I think) which is CFM. Let's say at the floorhead you measure somewhere between 90 or 100 CFM, but when you take the belt cover, and the belt off to put a hose on, a lot of that power gets lost, because there isn't a way to block any airflow coming in from the floorhead (like with the Hoover Junior, and many other cleaners like this, but I'm only guessing) so you only measure between 20 or 30 CFM. Compare that to a now traditional upright with a C/A motor that has a built-in hose that can be took out from the floorhead, meaning that there can't be a way for air to get in through the floorhead, so airflow measurements are more equal. I'm bringing up these facts because I hear and see comments online that the suction of a Hoover Junior or Senior (known as Convertible in the US) is 'poor'. Don't forget the D/A motor is an airflow motor rather than a suction motor. It can pick up a lot better when cleaning carpets with an agitator/brush roll than it just tries to push surface dirt from upholstery. In fact a D/A motor can get out so much more hidden dirt from deep down than a C/A motor, which is why I see carpet cleaning results from something like a Kirby vacuum beating something like the Sebo Felix. Sometimes, however, the C/A motor can have a very efficient carpet pick-up design and therefore seem to pick up everything (by the human eye), something like the Sebo Felix, even my 750w Hoover Purepower I have at home. I know this because of a dirt demonstration from the YouTube channel 'ibaisaic'. I could go into more detail about that, but this is the wrong forum to talk about 750w purepowers. To conclude, the Hoover Junior is a good cleaner. I can just tell/assume from seeing online footage. Of course, it didn't pick up nearly as much as a Kirby vacuum, or even a Sanitaire vacuum you can get commercially in the US. But all these powerful carpet cleaners have one thing in common - they have a direct air motor. If you have any criticisms please tell me, because I am aware of the fact that some of what I said might not be 100% accurate.

Post# 413714 , Reply# 1 9/12/2019 at 10:49 (1,680 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *A LOT of people DO like them.* Yes, they're smaller, mostly made for the smaller European homes. We called them the "apartment' vacuums, largely because people used them here for much smaller homes, ie: apartments. They even take the standard C bag. Brilliant. They are tried and true. They sold millions of them.

Post# 413716 , Reply# 2 9/12/2019 at 11:03 (1,680 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH)
Checkrate/Likes 1 A good friend of mine had one and really liked it. She had a two story home, but with smaller rooms. It was perfect for her home. It was the lime green color model.....took paper bags.... PR-21 Bud

Post# 413720 , Reply# 3 9/12/2019 at 12:15 (1,680 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *A DIRTSEARCHER* is on my list!

Post# 413893 , Reply# 4 9/16/2019 at 10:50 (1,676 days old) by mikanic (Leeds)
Checkrate/Likes 3 *So nice to hear your thoughts!* At least someone appreciates the power of a direct air motor! I once saw footage online of the Hoover Junior close-up. It was visually beating the grit out of the carpet, and doing it well. I've always thought that the brushes of the agitator would brush the grit back in, but if the D/A motor can lift the carpet up so much, then perhaps it's not as much of a worry. But do quote me if I'm wrong. My favourite vintage D/A motor vacuum is the Kirby Tradition. To put the sound of the motor and the brush roll together makes such a musical sound, and I really like it because it's relaxing in its sound.

Post# 414670 , Reply# 5 10/6/2019 at 16:10 (1,656 days old) by Garlee (england)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The Hoover Junior is a superb vacuum cleaner in virtually all the different models that came out over years. My favourite ones are the 1334 series,especially the models with the metal hoods and the 119 series. They clean the carpets much better than today's offerings especially the Dysons and the GTeck cleaners Photos... < > Photo 1 of 2 View Full Size

Post# 414675 , Reply# 6 10/6/2019 at 18:36 (1,656 days old) by watsonw (Newport, Shropshire, UK)
Checkrate/Likes *hoover junior 1224* My Mother was given �25 sterling in 1956 by her future mother in law and it was used to purchase the new blue/cream coloured 119 renumbered 1224 which gave good service for over twenty years. I have two 119s (USA 115) in my collection one of which I have fitted with all new/old stock genuine hoover motor and agitator bearings, pulley, belt, sweeping brushes and a QUALTEX brand armature; suffice to say it goes like stink, brilliant. My favourite Perivale model but poor with the tools due to the bad hose to adaptor design of fitting. The 370 'open throated' convertor was by far the best for the cloth bag juniors. The full sized cleaners from the 800 all the way thru to the ranger were always much higher priced over here and did tend to be regarded as almost a status symbol for many years. Regards, Walter, West Mids.

Post# 414710 , Reply# 7 10/7/2019 at 13:52 (1,655 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *That "Dirtsearcher"* is on my list of "must haves". Or, at least, "Would really likes". lolol

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