Fired Up: Motor Protection Valve Scam

Lets start with the basic facts; central vacuum motors do fail for various reasons, but they do not overheat and "burnout" from a clog in the system. All modern central vacuum power units already include a manufacturers built-in overheat protection system, some units even have more than one . Auxiliary "motor protection" or "suction relief" valves sold by some online dealers are unnecessary, and will likely cause more harm than help. These products are a cheap attempt of some dealers trying to make a few extra bucks.

The "motor protection" or "suction relief" valve is largely an internet product that gives our industry a bad name. Ask most professional CVS installers for a "motor protection" valve and you will receive a puzzled look. Your new central vacuum is already protected from overheating, usually with a thermal breaker either built into the motor or the control board.

The thermal breaker is much more effective and many times more reliable. Thermal protection requires no adjustment or settings and self resets once the motor compartments temperature falls to a safe level.

Using a "suction relief" valve does just that, relieves your system of it's suction when it is not necessary and may be harmful.  If you suck up an object while your cleaning and it should become lodged in the tube system while traveling to the vacuums collection bin your "suction relief valve" will open the vent and the object will stop. Instead of applying more suction, which is what happens naturally in central vacuum systems, the "suction relief valve" switches the suction to an open vent and the object has now become a problem clog.

These devices are at best a nuisance which provide no value or protection and need constant tinkering. Many folks end up adjusting the valve so it never opens, or removing it from the system completely. It should also be noted that Hide-A-Hose systems can not tolerate a "motor protection" valve as they require full suction from your vacuum system to operate correctly.

Vacdepot is a company in the business of selling vacuum equipment and accessories and we are not against selling any product that is a value in performance, function or design for our customer. We do not sell products simply because they are available and people will buy them. Our offerings must have real value for the intended user to pass our smell test, and there are some real stinkers that we will never sell.

 

There is a site that uses an image of a home on fire to sell their "motor protection valve". I am not kidding.  It is really stupid that some would resort  to that in an effort to squeeze an extra twenty bucks from a customer. Save your money on "motor protection" or "suction relief" valves, and reconsider your choice of dealer if they recommend such a product.  In the next Fired Up: we will be discussing the Tornado Power central vacuum "maintenance cloths". In a word; Pee-Yew!