Do It Yourselfer Needs Help

[ZiG ZaG]

Hey there, was wondering if anyone out there would have some insight into my problem.

I have a Dynovac central vacuum installed in my house. I'm getting extremely low suction in all of the outlets inside the house, on all 3 floors. The outlet in the garage that is attached directly to the unit, works flawlessly with very strong suction.

This leads me to believe that there is an obstruction where all the pipes meet(?). I've tried holding my hand over the pipe, letting the suction build up, and letting go, but this doesnt work, all I hear is some small rocks shuffling along.

Anyone with suggestions?

Also, anyone know someone with the knowhow in the Calgary area that could remedy this problem?

Thank you kindly for any suggestions,

Dave

[Jeff Wisnia]

First make sure you're not getting snookered by something stuck inside the hose itself.

If not, make sure any filtering screens in the central vacuum unit aren't clogged. And, sometimes the rotors of the vacuum "blower" itself can get choked with dirt too, particularly if careless users have sucked up liquid spills with the central vacuum hose.

If those suggestions don't help, then:

Use a powerful shop vacuum. (Borrow, rent or buy if need be.)

Take the cannister off the central vac unit and use the shop vacuum to suck on the hose outlets throughout the house.

If that still doesn't do it, you're probably going to have to try using a plumbing snake pushed down through the hose outlets (Or "backwards" through the inlet in the central vacuum unit if you can reach it.) to dislodge whatever you can, alternated with using the shop vacuum as described and putting the cannister back on and running the central vac.

Good Luck,

Jeff

-- Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"If you can keep smiling when things go wrong, you've thought of someone to place the blame on."

[SQLit]

What comes in must go out. When was the last time you removed the filter and cleaned it? Remove the filter with a clean canister, try again. If no suction then your going to have to find the first outlet and try forcing a electricians fish tape down to the canister. That should move the obstruction if there is one. Worse case your going to have to cut the piping. Not as bad as it sounds. You can make a repair coupling from the size larger pvc just split it long ways. Use primer and glue both side well. Use hose clamps to hold it together until dry. Good luck

[Stormin Mormon]

Consider, also, that if one of the pipes or fittings is cracked, it may be sucking in air through the crack.

Sounds like your unit is OK, (I mean the blower) but something is wrong in the piping.

Seriously, do what you can to go over the pipes, and look for cracks or holes.

[Stormin Mormon]

Oh, second thought. In your cellar, garage, wherever the machine is. There should oughta be a discharge, or exhaust. Run the unit, and put your hand over the exhaust. If it's blowing a good volume of air, then you have plenty of air coming in. But coming in WHERE? Certainly nto through the hoses. So.... cracks or holes......

[Steve B.]

Dave: Two ideas come to mind.. Either a pipe is stopped up or a pipe is broken. Since you get good suction from one outlet I suspect that you are correct that there is a blockage. Get a plumbers snake and run back through the piping.

Steve B.