Thread Number: 44618  /  Tag: Pre-1950 Vacuum Cleaners
Spencer Central Vacuums 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 463970   6/19/2023 at 00:45 (333 days old) by vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        

Today, as they were vacuuming a bit of mess with the central vacuum at my mom's church, it got me wondering; what other large buildings have central vacuum systems that are still in use?

More specifically, does anyone know of any Spencer vacuum systems still in use? (One where the inlets would be neatly installed with hidden piping, not an industrial place like a manufacturing facility, car wash, or warehouse.)
Are there any places in Canada that have them?

I know that the St. Louis Fox Theater has one that they still use, but that is really the only one that I am aware of.


While I am at it, there is a related question that I have;
Does anyone know of large buildings that have large central vacuums still in use that are not Spencer? (Again, not in an industrial setting though.) I am talking about systems that use multistage centrifugal blowers or large roots blowers.

I would love to know about or see them.
While residential and small commercial systems are common here, I rarely have seen large installations other than industrial settings.

I absolutely love Spencer. Those huge blowers and separators are so fascinating. Also, Spencer's line of inlets and tools are so well designed and versatile.
Really, all of those big central vacuum systems are so fascinating! They really dwarf the residential units.


Post# 463971 , Reply# 1   6/19/2023 at 06:47 (332 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

If the commercial system is still in use-does it still have the original central unit or was it replaced?

Post# 463977 , Reply# 2   6/19/2023 at 10:04 (332 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        

Are you talking about the one at the church?

Post# 464014 , Reply# 3   6/20/2023 at 08:08 (331 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
Central Vacuums

 A nearby large medical building from about mid 80s has central vac.I have a booklet somewhere on Radio City in NY that shows not only the Rockettes but a picture of entry and stairs being cleaned with CV hose,wand & nozzle.

Post# 464029 , Reply# 4   6/20/2023 at 17:55 (331 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        
Rugsucker

 That is very cool!!!

Oh really? They were using a power nozzle? I have never seen a large installation where they are using a power nozzle. It is usually only a straight suction nozzle or sometimes a turbo brush. It is nice knowing that the carpets there were cleaned well!
If you ever find the booklet, I would love to see the pictures.

Post# 464030 , Reply# 5   6/20/2023 at 17:57 (331 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        
My apologies

 Sorry, I do not know why I had read power nozzle, you had just said nozzle. Never mind that then. That is my mistake, I apologize.
I still would love to see the pictures if you ever find the booklet though.

Post# 464032 , Reply# 6   6/20/2023 at 20:31 (331 days old) by Centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)        

A huge number of big, important buildings from the first half of the twentieth century were outfitted with built-in vacuum cleaning systems...and the majority of those were Spencer Turbine.

Sadly, as robust and versatile (not to mention hygienic) as these systems were, they often fell into disuse and were supplanted by, IMO, inferior cleaning methods, such as dust mops and portable vacuum cleaners.

Imagine a 20 year-old building with a Spencer system. Twenty years of daily use would leave hoses, tools, etc quite worn out and in need of replacement. Imagine the state of the old canvas and rubber hoses! They would be so dry rotted, no airflow would reach the tool, despite the intense suction of the system itself.

Along comes the sanitary supply salesman..."why, mister building manager, nobody uses these old things anymore! I could outfit your building with brand-new uprights for the carpets and dust mops for the bare floors and you could throw those BIG HEAVY hoses away!"

So the system no longer gets daily use. Then, the building gets remodeled, or space is needed down in the boiler room for a new heating or air conditioning system, so the turbine and separator are ripped out and scrapped.

"Another one bites the dust"...

Such has been the fate of thousands of buildings that could still be using their systems, and be kept cleaner and healthier.

  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 20         View Full Size
Post# 464036 , Reply# 7   6/20/2023 at 23:59 (331 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

The Cohen building in Wash DC has inlets in the hall for central vacuum.The building was built in 1939 and was the first that had central airconditioning.Carrier open fram motor centrifical compressor chillers.The equipment room for the central vac system-unknown.Asked GSA building engineers where it is-they didn't know.

Post# 464037 , Reply# 8   6/21/2023 at 00:30 (331 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Hey Vincent - To my knowledge the central vacuum system in the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon, Sk is still in use (at least it was about 15 years ago when I was last there.


  View Full Size
Post# 464038 , Reply# 9   6/21/2023 at 03:36 (330 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        
Owen

 I have seen your videos on Spencer literature and all of those buildings that at one time were equipped with a Spencer central vacuum system. Those buildings were all so beautiful and grand.

It is very sad that the majority of them fell into disuse. Whether that be from the machine needing repair, being surpassed by other cleaning methods, building renovations, or the building being demolished. It is so sad. So many good machines have gone to waste.

That is true, the hoses and some attachments would definitely need replacing after a couple of decades. It’s just too bad that buying new vacuums was chosen over buying new hoses and tools.

I do agree with you. Central vacuum systems are far superior. They are so versatile, improve air quality, are more powerful, and last longer. With Spencer’s array of tools, you could clean anything that needed cleaning. The same cannot be said for an upright.
Although, I can see why they became unpopular for commercial applications. A 4 foot dust mop would indeed be faster and easier to clean large hallways and areas than a smaller vacuum head and having to change inlets. Even if it doesn’t clean as well. And the uprights with their agitation would have definitely seemed to clean and groom the carpets better, even if they spewed dust into the air.

I think that the VacuSlot was genius. It was the best of both worlds. It is too bad that it wasn’t popular enough for them to keep producing it.


Thank you very much for sharing more of your literature! It’s always so fun to look at.

Post# 464039 , Reply# 10   6/21/2023 at 03:40 (330 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        
Tolivac

 Very neat!

Also very neat to hear about the air conditioning. I love seeing big chillers and large HVAC systems also.

It is too bad that nobody knew about the central vacuum.

Post# 464040 , Reply# 11   6/21/2023 at 03:46 (330 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        
Doug

 Oh wow!!! That is both a stunning building and system! That is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to see a picture of.

I don’t suppose you know how many horsepower that system was or how many “sweepers” (users) it could support? Maybe 25 hp?

That is not very far away from me at all… it looks like I’ll have to head to Saskatoon because that is certainly something I want to see!

Post# 464042 , Reply# 12   6/21/2023 at 06:53 (330 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

The Carrier orginal chillers were replaced with Trane chillers in the mid 90's Don't know what the VOA DC plant is using now in the Cohen building-The Trane chillers would be 30yrs old now.

Post# 464045 , Reply# 13   6/21/2023 at 11:00 (330 days old) by Vgwpg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)        

55 years is a pretty good lifetime for a chiller.
Hopefully those Trane chillers will have another decade of use before being in need of replacement.
Unfortunately, I think 30 years is about how long they’re designed to last.


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