Vacuum cleaner , not vacuum valves heehee!

Not sure if any advice was asked regarding this kind of thing on the forum.

I was browsing reading the forum and read this piece.

Another attraction is if the set is a 32 volt or 6 volt set that uses a vibrator to generate the high tension instead of relying on mains power. Such sets were sold to farmers or people living in outer-urban areas where mains power was not always available.
There are still pastoral stations in Australia that are not connected to electricity supplies.
They either generate their own power or use extra-low voltages like 32 volts.

Coincidentally I just purchased a Goblin Ace Model 55 Vacuum Cleaner

Year: 1934-1939

Voltage: 32V AC/DC

Amperage:13 A

I knew that I could not power this up, it actually did not coming with a power cord.
I just wanted to restore it visually.

But if vintage radio not connected to the grid are collectors items and I’m assuming being powered up and used is there any way I could do the same with this vacuum?
Or is the solution a crazy expensive transformer?

FWIW,

My inlaws originally had 32V DC lighting plant and a heap of 32V DC appliances one being a polisher and Ma Inlaw rather liked this beast and when they made the move from the outer hills area of Perth where they now had 240V AC she wanted to keep the polisher as in the shops then there was NOTHING like this machine.

The polisher being a brush type motor was AC/DC as branded on the nameplate and then one could readily purchase 240to 32V AC trannies in a sturdy metal box and in various wattages.

At the area of the house where she had polished boards I set the trannie up next to a convenient power point and made the polisher lead a few metres longer and whenever she wanted to polish that bit of flooring she just plugged it into the trannie which had a 2 Pin socket on top and away she went...happy Vegemite.

She used that for a number of years before she finally had to move into care.

SO yep purchase a suitably rated 240v/32V transformer (which will NOW COST a lot) and off you go happy Vacuuming!

Great story,
Doubt I’d be paying out much for such a transformer, but curious what kind of transformer could do it, and how much?

Many years ago I gained a 32V transformer used to charge batteries in a sweeper. its around 20 Amps and quotes(from memory) a primary draw in the order of 5A.

Here is a cheap way to get a "32 volt" test setup:

1. Get 3 old 12 volt car batteries. Preferably about the same size.
2. Connect them in series.
3. Make a trickle charger using a 100 watt 240V lamp and a 1A 600V diode.
4. Connect in series, + side of the diode to + side of the battery.
5. Remembering that this could be live and taking all necessary safety precautions (batteries not connected to anything else) connect 240V neutral to - side of battery bank and active to the lamp. Other side of lamp goes to the diode -, + side (stripe) to + side of battery bank.
6. Leave for a week to give the old batteries a good trickle charge.
7. Disconnect the "Charger" and connect battery to your 32V device.

I prefer two by 12V batteries plus a 6V. The latter I can borrow from the tractor as its still 6V. And you don't want to short that lot.

Agreed, but where would most people find a 6 volt car battery these days?

Agreed, but where would most people find a 6 volt car battery these days?

Battery world stocks 6V 225Ah, but they ain't cheap! (~$420)

https://www.batteryworld.com.au/C105-Century-Battery

Well I’ve since gone down the rabbit hole of homes that had no access to electricity, something I never gave a thought to but have since read about the batteries used and methods used to charge the batteries, and how the homes were powered, fascinating to me.
I’ll just be restoring the vacuum for display , the process to get it working sounds intense!

You did note that, as needed; I borrow the tractors 6V Battery. Not attempt to buy one. The only time one buys one other than a small gel cell for repair work, is when the one in the tractor dies.

As its around six years old, its statistically getting close to its end of life.

Another option would be a 36 volt tool battery

As we are getting more voltages on cordless devices rather than current, that suggestion is not silly. However, the price may be comparable.

At the time of purchase, I did ask what the 18V by 5Ah lithium - Ion battery (Milwaukee) cost around $180 Noting that this is not a Hobby tool.

My experience with the hobby ones is that they come with two batteries. One of which is substandard & the other lasts a bit longer, but only about a year or two; Whereupon the whole lot is cheaper to chuck away & become Ewaste.