New Vacuum Acquisitions...

[westytoploader]

Here you go, for your viewing pleasure!! Notice the date on these pictures--I finally uploaded them today! Feel free to kindly slap me...;-)

Here's my first acquisition, a 1970's Hoover Celebrity S2005! In perfect working order; I forgot how powerful these were! And a hovering model with the "miniature lightswitch" (as I used to call the Hoover switch when I was little) no less...definitely a keeper!

 

[westytoploader]

Close-up of this awesome machine...notice the remarkably good condition for its age.

For those of you who may be wondering, the Hoover logo is not damaged! Just an illusion from the picture I guess.

 

[westytoploader]

And now, an MIB 1958 Hoover Dustette, model 2720! It has taken a rightful place in the Laundry Studio, and the box is on a shelf above my bed, near the Convention and appliance-related goodies as well as an agitator from a "Kenmore Jr." wringer.

 

[westytoploader]

And a find from this weekend's estate saleing (well, besides a Hoover DAM parts machine and a 90's 3-speed Quik-Broom that suffered from "water spill vacuuming damage"), a Rainbow D4C!! I played with my aunt's (which was an SE edition) a LONG time ago, but never had a Rainbow of my own until now.

After giving everything a GOOD cleaning and checking the power nozzle belt, I filled the tank and fired it up. Just 10 minutes vacuuming the back "appliance room" and the tank was FILTHY. One thing that puzzles me is why these tightwads ordered the NON-ELECTRIC hose! So damn inconvenient to unclip and clip the power nozzle cord. But honestly, the only reason clipped the cord here was to take the picture. ;-)

I believe the "water filtration" concept was a good one, but for the retail price of the E-series, it had better wheel itself over to the sink and pump the dirty water out!

 

[hoover1060]

Very nice Austin!

The Celebrity is a later S3005, post 1977.
The colors are goldtone and regal with Taupe.
Nice dustette too!

 

[tlee618]

Austin Thanks for sharing the neat pictures. That Rainbow is really beautiful. Looks to be in great shape. Did you try any of the Rainbow scents in the water? Terry

 

[petek]

Love the Celebrity and Dustette, the Rainbow as unique as they are, too much bother as you've already figured out yet some people swear by them. When I sold mine last fall the girl who bought it said she had a central vac in her house but had to have another Rainbow, she thought it was superior. Who am I to argue as she handed over the money.

 

[brettsomers]

PETE!

lol!

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: Rainbow

Hey! Austin, isn't that a "Mouth-Full" to say!!! I've got my Mother's "SE" and her's came with the 2-Hoses, so you didn't have to take the Power Cord On/Off and I've even got the Shampoo System, that she somehow talked the Sales People into giving her, at No Charge. Unfortunately for whatever reason, they were delayed at getting the Shampoo System delivered and I went actually out to their Office the Friday, before my Mother's Passing to get it for her, she never did get to try it out and I've never checked it out as of yet either. I bought the extra Large Tank and I actually do like the Purification System Unit, but I also really like my newer Electrolux Vac, as well.

Peace and Happy Hoovering and Rainbow Fun, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...

 

[hoover1060]

Rainbow...

Gee Austin I missed the Rainbow pic last night...

I'm of the opinion Rainbows are more flash than substance, and not all that good a cleaner. They do kinda sorta filter like they claim, IF you change the water every 15 minutes or so. That pan is 2 quarts, there's only so much dirt the water will hold before it just goes right thru the machine.
Enjoy playing with it though, they can be fun, however the racket they make is annoying. Emptying the Rainbow soup after use is disgusting!
Try putting a few DROPS(no more) of downey in with the water before using it, it will really freshen the air!

To echo Pete, about 5 years ago I picked up a similar Rainbow at a thrift store for $20. I played with it for a while then sold it on ebay for over $400!
have fun!

 

[myhooverco]

Austin,

Congrats on the finds. I am very envious of your Hoover dustette. I would like to find a box for mine. The old Celebrity models will suck your face off! They are very strong. My S3005 is in the box still. I really like the avocado green Hoover stick cleaner to the right of your Celebrity. Seems like your collection is really growing!

--Tom

 

[bobbyderegis]

Austin, congrats on great finds. Is the Celebrity a "floater" or does it have casters? I am amazed at how large the bag capacity is and how much suction there is right up until the bag is ready to burst! I might be wrong, but I think your model Rainbow was before the electrified hose was introduced. I think they offered a customer two hoses to be a little more convenient. I have a D2, and our family has had it since the mid-seventies. Our neighbor bought one at the same time. Both are still working, but they are cared for. You cannot empty it out and put the top back on the basin. It should be left off to dry, and also the gasket won't get funky. It's a fun toy, but a pain in the neck to use. I always used our Lux model G anytime over the Rainbow. I hear a song in the air!
Bobby in Boston

 

[compactc9]

They did have 2 hoses, mainly because the power nozzle was and still is optional and costs extra. Almost everyone buy it anyway.

 

[westytoploader]

Hi Bobby,

Thanks! This particular Celebrity is indeed a hovering model, and is capable of flying on almost any even-leveled surface!

Apparently this Rainbow was before the electric hose came out. While every P/N-equipped D4C I checked out on eBay had 2 separate hoses, they were both non-electric and one had the P/N cord clipped to it. I am watching an electric hose for an SE...will have to ask the seller if the P/N connection is 3-prong or not; I *thought* I saw that on my aunt's SE, but my D4C is a 2-prong.

I think emptying the "Rainbow soup" as Jeff called it is an absolute PITA as well, but my mom doesn't seem to mind. We do let the tank air out before putting it back on. It is very interesting, however, to see what you pick up in the process! I won't go into detail about how much dead skin and who-knows-what-else was on top of the water when we vacuumed off the mattresses, or about the ungodly amount of cat hair that's been collected so far...

--Austin

 

[tolivac]

Since Rainbow introduced the "electric hose" they provide a non-electric hose so you can use the machine for wet pickup WITHOUT any water in its dust cup.Its handier than a "Shop Vac" for small spills.My E2 Rainbow (current model) has an electric hose and a non-electric one.Yes-also love how you can use the Rainbow Water-dust container as a "wet dirt meter"And when I put my older Compact "Turbo Brush" on my E2-it dug up a lot more dirt that he Rainbow stock powernozzle.I also store my Rainbows with the water tray disseassembled from the motor powerdome.also leaving the container on the powerdome can damage the seal.when I empty mine I dump it outside or use the sink strainer.I knew of someone that dumpted the conatiner into a potty-but he faced some very EXPENSIVE Roto-Rooter bills.He didn't remove the large debris before dumping.I have a septic tank and don't want the debris like hairs,carpet fluff,etc going into the tank.Fortunately the action of the swirling water in the Rainbow dirt cup causes the debris to clump in a big wad-you can easily pick it out and throw it in the trash.Its kinda fun to use the Rainbow and see the water get DIRTIER as you vacuum.also put one of the Rainbow scents into the water-leaves a nice smell in the home.Would not recommend using any other freshner-other than the Rainbow ones-you could damage the Rainbow dirt-water container.I have one that was damaged-eats the plastic.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Rainbow Storage

Austin,

One of the founders of the VCCC and long time friend, Clay Floyd, is a Rainbow distributor in Lenoir, NC, just up the road from me.

I leaned a LOT about Rainbows/Rexairs from him as he has been in the business over 30 years. Anyway, he told me that when Rainbows are demonstrated in the home, the salespeople tell you to store the water pan separate from the main unit as the pan tends to hold moisture and eventually the motor can rust from the inside out and the gaskets will rot as well. I never knew that because I never bought a Rainbow from a Rainbow salesperson.

He also said how they instruct you to cleaner the separator after every use. Sometimes it is referred to as the "spinner". I never have had to clean any of mine since my house was not that dirty and I was not picking up anything that would not go right into the pan.

Most Rainbows owners that I have talked with that are normal people, meaning not vacuum enthsiasts, like one thing the most about their vacuums and that is the instant gratification of seeing what comes out of their carpets and off their floors!

Clay did also tell me for maximum performance that as soon as you can no longer see through the water it is time to change it. The flaw with Rainbows is that as the water evaporates from the air flow, if it becomes too saturated with dirt, it can be blown back into the air so keeping it clean is imperative. Rainbows are not able to let certain kinds of fine dust, like talc, mix with the water in the pan, so talc would blow right out through the exhaust.

For most general cleaning, this would not be a problem. If you come to the convention in St. Louis, Clay is planning on being there and you can ask him all kinds of stuff about Rainbows as well as other vacuums. He is one of our the most knowledgeable members.