Every vacuum and small appliance listing on our website is neatly separated into four tabs. The first, labeled "description", gives an overview of the product. The third, labeled "features", highlights key components of the vacuum cleaner or small appliance. The fourth, labeled "ratings", is where YOU can share your opinion. This leaves us with an ambiguous second tab named "product specs". Here you will be greeted with a bunch of numbers corresponding to units of measure. For those of you who work with these units on a regular basis and can provide a definition to voltage off the top of your head, deciphering these specs should be easy. However, for those of you who are not familiar with electrical concepts or mathematically inclined, deciphering these specs can be quite a challenge.
This is where our blog post comes in. eVacuumStore empathizes with your struggle and has created a quick help guide to understanding volts, amps, CFM, water lift, etc. Sit back, relax, and don't stress because we have it all figured out.
This is where our blog post comes in. eVacuumStore empathizes with your struggle and has created a quick help guide to understanding volts, amps, CFM, water lift, etc. Sit back, relax, and don't stress because we have it all figured out.
Voltage, otherwise known as electromotive force (emf), is a measure of electrical energy that is derived by determining the difference in charge between two points. If you imagine a power cord, the highest electrical energy is going to be found near the outlet and the lowest electrical energy is going to be foundclosest to the vacuum. The difference between these two numbers gives you the voltage. Most universal outlets found in householdshave a standard voltage of 120. Therefore,most vacuum cleaners are designed to handle 120 volts. If you find an upright or canister vacuum with a voltage rating lower than 120, it is not going to work with your inlet. However, the chances of this happening areextremely slim. Bottom line, if you see the magic number (120), you are good to go!
Motor amps is a figure used to designate how much electrical current is being drawn by the vacuum. This includes the motor, power nozzle, headlight, and any other electrical component you can think of. Most vacuums have a motor amp rating of 12, but sometimes this number can dip to 11 or 10. If you are very conscientious of your electrical consumption, you may want to purchase a vacuum with a very low amperage rating. For example, the Maytag M500 runs on 5.5 motor amps. If you prefer a vacuum with a standard amperage rating, check out the Maytag M1200 or the Electrolux EL7063B UltraSilencer DeepClean. Both of these vacuums run on 12 motor amps. Central vacuums, given their vast size and incredible power, are going to have an amperage rating that exceeds 12. For example, the Honeywell 4B-H503 draws 14.3 amps, and the Beam Serenity QS 398C draws 15 amps.
Water lift is a very important specification that highlights the motors strength and is derived from determining how many inches a vacuum motor will vertically lift a 1'' column of water. Picture a transparent, vertical tube with one end submerged in water and the other end attached to a vacuum hose.When you turn on the vacuum, the water level is going to rise in the tube. The final result, measured in inches, is your water lift. This test is meant to mimic the act of agitating carpet where you rely on your vacuum motor to lift dirt and debris embedded in fibers. If the water lift level is poor, chances are your carpets are going to suffer as well. The highest water lift level is generated by central vacs like Electrolux's PU3650 QuietClean. This trailblazer has an impressive lift of 140 inches. Uprights and canisters are on the lower end of things. For example, Sebo uprights and Windsor commercial vacuums have a water lift hovering between 90 and 92.5 inches. In a nutshell, the higher the water lift, the better!
Another important specification that you will see listed on our product pages is "airflow rating" or "CFM." This refers to how fast air flows through a particular device, in this case, a vacuum. The faster it flows, the greater the ability of the vacuum to pick up dirt and debris. Most CFM ratings are over 100 with central vac specs hovering between 120 and 130. To keep your vacuum running at peak performance, always remember to change your bags, filters, and clean your brushroll on a regular basis. If your filters become clogged or if your brushroll is bombarded with locks of hair, your air flow will be impeded.
We hope this quick blog post gives you a better understanding of some of the specifications that define our products. If you need help picking out the best vacuum cleaner for your home, please don't hesitate to speak with a trained vacuum specialist by dialing 1-866-972-8227 or check out our user-friendly comparison charts. May your vacuum's force always be with you!
Another important specification that you will see listed on our product pages is "airflow rating" or "CFM." This refers to how fast air flows through a particular device, in this case, a vacuum. The faster it flows, the greater the ability of the vacuum to pick up dirt and debris. Most CFM ratings are over 100 with central vac specs hovering between 120 and 130. To keep your vacuum running at peak performance, always remember to change your bags, filters, and clean your brushroll on a regular basis. If your filters become clogged or if your brushroll is bombarded with locks of hair, your air flow will be impeded.
We hope this quick blog post gives you a better understanding of some of the specifications that define our products. If you need help picking out the best vacuum cleaner for your home, please don't hesitate to speak with a trained vacuum specialist by dialing 1-866-972-8227 or check out our user-friendly comparison charts. May your vacuum's force always be with you!
