I see the EU are about to dictate that the motor wattage in a vacuum cleaner can’t be above 1600 watts. Well they won’t get me on that one 'cause I’ll put the oven on when vacuuming to counteract it or better still attach a few of the 100 x 100 watt bulbs I bought when they banned them to my cleaner.
BTW, if you’re wondering I have 99 bulbs left.
It’s not retrospective legislation and only applies to sales of new vacuum cleaners, so existing vacuums can still be used.
This has to be one of the most unnecessary acts of EU interference ever. It’s one thing to measure efficiency (in terms of suction per watt or something like that) and rate the appliances - quite another to impose an arbitrary cap on motor power.
What’s next - limiting the heat from electric fires?
Well, we don’t have a problem with the light bulbs, as you can still buy all the old ones if you want. It was discovered that in a lot of commercial / industrial applications you still need to use the good old fashioned bulbs, so they are still making them and you can still buy them, just not in the shops…
No doubt there will be vacuum cleaner loopholes as well if you really need one with a lot of suck!
What next; kettles, toasters, or god forbid power tools!
The overbearing and useless functionaries of the EU (of which I met many when working at the EU commission for a year) are planning to lower the vacuum motor limit to 900 watts in a year or so.
I presume this is some mad CO2 reduction inspired idea. Given the limited time people use these appliances - a totally stupid idea.
I sold a vacuum cleaner recently.
It was only gathering dust.
I’m a bloke…
What’s a vacuum cleaner ???
ian
The last vacuum I witnessed was very very clean, indeed there was nothing in it to be cleaned at all. In Fact , I have never seen a dirty vacuum.
How about engine capacity. Max size 1500cc, then in two years time, max size 850cc. We can then watch the riots on our large 10" TVs!
Having worked in engineering design for many years, while some legislation seems ridiculous, forcing people to think about things in different ways often results in a better solution. Many companies marketing departments work I what I used to call the photocopier rule, get your competitors product spec and enlarge it the photocopier by 10% ending up in an “arms race” that has no benefit to the product or process at all.
I would much rather have a light, efficient product that did the job without stress than a 3KW vacuum with built in tea urn, and spin wash program that auto senses the floor, dust atomic weight and if the sun is out or not. - Sorry, had my marketing head on there!
And it’s worth noting that Dyson, not exactly known for it’s under powered devices, isn’t against the ruling but rather the way it’s being tested. Every Dyson hoover ever made could still remain on sale after September 1st.
Isn’t the aim of this to have more efficient vacuum cleaners? Just as with cars, you can have a 4.0l V8 so long as the emissions are within certain parameters. The given parameters have spurred car makers towards creating engines that are just as powerful but which are cleaner and more efficient.
Complaining that you’ll no longer be able to buy one of the old-style vacuum cleaners is a bit like getting upset because the new Jaguar XJ doesn’t come with the option of a 50-year-old Buick V8 under the bonnet.
They never did. It was Rover, then Range Rover, TVR, Morgan and may others.
There may be a good enviromental reason for limiting the size of vacuum cleaners but surely the point is that there are so many more important things that these people should be looking in to.
That was my point. I am not against measuring and rating the relative efficiency of the appliance. But I object to being told that it must not exceed a certain wattage, no matter how efficient.
The EU is increasingly intrusive in our lives - when they finally get their GPS satellites working - heaven knows what it will lead to - rationing of mileage per year probably and compulsory road pricing.
I presume the 2015 MX5 ND will be required to have the GPS position monitor (aka E-call) fitted thanks to the EU. Soon the era of the Sports car will be over (other than the old ones of course!).
It was just an example of an old engine in a new thing. I could have said BMW. Or Mercedes. Or, if they still existed, Rover. Would the point have been any clearer had I said Range Rover?
What are these more important things that prevent us from doing the less important ones? Is it not worth doing some of the smaller things first because they’re easier and because you can?
I’m a bit unfit at the moment, but I’m going to keep driving to the shop up the road because it would be pointless to use walk there for my health unless I first commit to a three-times-a-week gym regime…
As far as I can see this is just a bit of EU bashing, and if it’s really irritating people I’ll throw the ‘more important things’ back at them - food banks, Gaza, Syria, Iraq, FGM etc. etc.
I just bought a new vacuum and frankly it’s only useable on its low power ratings. If I turn it up to level 3 (of 5) it sticks to the carpet so firmly you can’t move it. At 4 it wants to pull the carpets out of the gripper rods. At 5 it warps spacetime and turns the known universe inside out.
So if you have a drive for efficient design, you don’t need masses of power to get the job done. In any case, if vacuums just got weaker without getting more efficient, people would just use them for longer or more often, so that wouldn’t save any energy. It’s improving efficiency that’ll save energy.