Electrolux just launched its “Vac from the sea” initiative to get plastic waste out of the world’s oceans and into home appliances made of recycled plastic.

There are plastic islands, some several times the size of the state of Texas, floating in the world’s oceans. Yet on land, stocks of recycled plastic are much too small to feed production of sustainable plastic products. Electrolux intends to gather plastic from the world’s oceans and turn it into a number of vacuum cleaners in the new initiative “Vac from the sea.”

The aim is twofold:  to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution and to raise awareness on the scarcity of recycled plastics needed for making sustainable home appliances.

“We struggle to get hold of enough recycled plastics to meet the demand for our sustainable vacuum cleaners,” says Cecilia Nord, Vice President, Floor Care Environmental and Sustainability Affairs, Electrolux.

Diving, fishing and scavenging for plastics

The plan is to make a limited number of vacuum cleaners from plastic debris harvested from the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans and the Mediterranean, Baltic and North Seas. The techniques for harvesting the plastic will vary depending on the location – from diving after it to scooping it up from the waves. “We will work with volunteers and experts that live close or work with this problem,” says Nord.

Out of the ocean – and into the cycle

More recycling directly translates into more sustainable appliances and homes, according to Jonas Magnusson, Business Segment Manager within Electrolux Floor Care. “Our engineers have managed to get our green range vacuum cleaners up to 70% recycled plastic, but our ultimate vision is of course 100%, and for all ranges.”

The main barrier to using more recycled plastic in home appliances is the scarce and uncertain supply of recycled raw material.  Much research and progress is currently being done by the recycling industry. However, to fix the imbalance in supply and demand and get the cycle working properly, overall consumer perception must change.

“The ‘Vac from the sea’ project aims to do just that – educate consumers,” says Nord. “This issue is much too important to leave to politicians. Companies, consumers and politicians are equally accountable for the situation.”

Central vacuum or built in vacuum cleaners are installed into a home.  This can be done in new construction, a rehab, or fitted into an existing home.  Central vacuum works by adding inlets on each floor of you home, and then pvc pipe is run to the power unit which is typically mounted in the garage or the utility room. The way the vacuum works is by plugging you hose into one of the inlets, and the dirt travels through the pipe in the wall and into the power unit.  The dirt then collects into the dirt bucket at the bottom of the power unit, and is only emptied on average twice a year.  The motor in any central vacuum is larger and more powerful than what you may find in any canister or upright vacuum cleaner. 

The way that the power of a central vacuum is measured throughout the industry is by air watts and water lift.  The higher that each of these numbers is the more suction that will be generated from the central vacuum.

 You will also need to take into account the square footage of you home, since all central vacuums cover a different range.  You will want to find a central vacuum that covers a larger square footage than the size of you home. 

Complete Central Vacuum Catalog

We recommend that you vent your central vacuum outdoors.  To do so, run pvc pipe from the vacuum exhaust to the exterior of the house, and add a exhaust vent to the outside of the house.  Venting to the outside is more effective than having a HEPA filter on your vacuum.  A HEPA filter is 99.97% efective, where a central vacuum vented outside is 100% efective, all the particles that come throught the exhaust go directly outdoors rather than indoors.

For models 1561, 1569, 1580, 1584, 1590, 1590A, E117A, E130A, E130B, E136G, E130J

Unplug the canister and remove the low voltage wiring. 

Using both handles slide the canister stright up off the mounting brackett, and place the canister on the ground.

Remove 3 smaill screws from the top of the of the canister, and then remove the top cover.  You should now be able to see the motor.

Now remove the 3 bolts on the motor, and disconnect the motor leads.  After this is done you will now be able to take out the motor. Also remove the coupling on the horn of the old motor and place on the new motor. 

Clean the screen bleow the motor if necessary.

When putting in the new motor make sure there is a gasget between the motor and the canister create a tignt seal, then tighten the bolts and reconnect the motor leads. 

Put the top cover back on and remount on the wall.

Remove all the screws from the bottom of the power nozzle, and then remove the top cover.  You will then need to remove the screws on each end of the brush roller, and then remove the brush.  Put the blet on the motor and then around the brush pulley, then put the brush back into the power nozzle housing, and put the screws on each end back in.  Now you can put on the top cover and screw in all the screws. 

On the Epic serires, Guardian, Renesance, and some central vacuums, there is a little more work, you will need to take out the light socket and dirt seperator before getting to the brush roller.

As dirt, dust and lint pass through your vacuum cleaner, a buildup in the bearing housings and bearings will slow down the brush roll causing excessive wear on your vacuum motor and belt. Over a period of time some brushes become soft, lose effectiveness and need to be replaced. A worn out brush may still look completely fine. If not replaced, it will simply turn, never touching the carpet. This cuts your cleaning efficiency by as much as 50 percent.

Accumulated dirt and dust in the motor bearings will slow down the motor along with a sluggish brush roll. The result is an overheated motor which can drastically shorten the life of a vacuum motor or even require total replacement of the entire vacuum.

Carbon brushes in the motor transmit electricity to the armature. As the motor turns, the brushes wear out. Should they wear out, the electric wire could touch the armature, cause a short circuit and ultimately burn out the motor. Dust and lint building up in the motor can become lodged between the armature and carbon brush causing motor failure and may even present a fire hazard.

We carry parts for all Electrolux vacuum cleaners no matter when and were you brough the machine.  If you cant find the part online, call us and we will locate the part for you.  We carry parts for central vacuums, canisters, uprights , handvacs and stick brooms. 

http://evacuumstore.com/c-69-electrolux-accessories.aspx?manufacturerfilterid=0

If you are installing central vacuum in a new home or an existing home, we can help.  We offer do it yourself installation kits which includes all of you installation fittings, glue, wire, and inlets. 

Electrolux QuietClean Central Vacuum Unit and Accessory Kit No need to lug a vacuum around the house or up and down stairs. The built-in QuietClean PU3650 can handle up to 8,000 square feet of living space. Experience The Electrolux Quiet Clean Central Vacuum
Healthier Indoor Air Most vacuums stir up dust while cleaning. That doesn't happen with the QuietClean.

Never Change a Filter AgainMost vacuums require a new filter every couple of months and a cloud of dust that comes when you replace them.

Quiet Operation:Patented sound-reducing technology in both the power unit and the electric power brush make the QuietClean the quietest central vacuum system available. The QuietClean central vacuum power unit takes the noise out of cleaning.

Talks to You With most vacuums, the only way you know it's time to empty the collection receptacle or when you have a clogged hose is when the vacuum stops picking up dirt. The QuietClean has an LCD display that tellls you ahead of time when to empty its receptacle and how efficiently it is operating.

Deeper Cleaning:The Electrolux QuietClean Model PU3650 offers 600 air watts of cleaning power great cleaning power in a single-motor central vacuum which means it will remove more dust and allergens from the living area and accommodate homes with up to 8,000 square feet of living space.

Built-in Monitoring SystemModel PU3650s LCD displays allows the user to monitor the systems overall performance and tells the user when to check the dirt receptacle.

Convenient SystemThe Electrolux QuietClean Models PU3650 utilizes a permanent self-cleaning filter, so you will never need to replace filters. The utility inlet on the front of these models allows a direct connection to clean the garage and vehicles while the window on the dirt receptacle allows you to check the dirt level.

Electrolux Quiet Clean CS3000 Central Vacuum Accessories Quiet OperationThe QuietClean Cleaning Set features one of the quietest electric power heads available. That means you can hear the phone, the doorbell and even the kids.Superior CleaningThe QuietClean Cleaning Set is designed for today's floors. Three-level height adjustment means the power brush can deep clean carpets of any pile or thickness. And a wide, 14-inch brush is unmatched for cleaning wood, tile or laminate surfaces.Tools are Located at your FingertipsNo more searching for the upholstery brush or crevice tool. The QuietClean Cleaning Set has them right at your fingertips on the hose handle and a QuickRelease, telescoping wand that allows you to go from cleaning the floor to cleaning crown molding in an instant.Protects Furniture and WallsThe QuietClean Cleaning Set comes with a factory installed quilted hose sock that helps the hose glide across the room without marring furniture or wall covers. And you can easily unzip the sock and toss it in the laundry.