Maximizing Tow-Behind Vacuum Suction Power
When it comes to vacuuming your lawn, the power of the vacuum is everything. There’s no greater waste of time than having to clean the same area again and again! Getting rid of all the leaves, twigs, dead grass, and pinecones from your lawn requires a product with some serious engine and suction power.
To ensure their leaf vacuums are up to the challenge, DR Power Equipment underwent extensive testing with independent laboratories. The DR Tow-Behind Leaf and Lawn Vacuums were rated #1 in vacuum power based on percentage of debris collected.
So, how did they accomplish best-in-class vacuum power?
Let’s review DR’s 3 “secrets” to maximizing airflow:
1. The Most Powerful Engines
DR started with engines offering more torque than any other system available. With up to 11.7 HP (19.6 ft-lbs of gross torque), no other leaf vacuum brings this much raw power to the task.
The DR engines used in their Leaf and Lawn Vacuums were designed with 3 crucial components to generate maximum power:
- Cast-iron cylinder sleeves that reduce wear and protect against damage
- Commercial-grade bearings for larger load capacity and longer engine life
- Overhead valve technology for improved efficiency
Even the most compact model, the PILOT 200, features a 6.6 HP (11.1 ft-lbs of gross torque) overhead valve engine, giving it more suction power than any vacuum in its price range.
2. Steel Shark Teeth™ Impeller
The impeller plays a major role in the functionality of a leaf vacuum. It draws in air – which creates suction – and chops lawn materials into a fine mulch.
All DR impellers are solid steel and mounted directly to the engine shaft, creating airflow of up to 73 mph. DR’s Shark Teeth™ impellers feature 13 serrated teeth across 5 blades and are the only consumer impellers with teeth on the blades.
The impeller shreds incoming material (already mulched by your mower blade) into a finer mulch that takes up way less space than it unshredded. The result is organic material that you can compost for your garden.
Many competitors use a plastic impeller, which can offer some flexibility against rocks, but a big enough rock can snap it entirely. It’s also common to only use 4 blades on small models. All DR Vacuums feature full 5 blade impellers.
These impellers are so strong that DR offers a Lifetime Warranty against bending or breaking!
3. Anti-Clog Air Path and Ventilation
The key to a successful vacuum is airflow. If it sucks air in, it has to expel air out efficiently. Systems with poor venting fail because they clog easily and don’t allow enough air to pass through.
The DR Vacuums feature an 8″ diameter hose, which their engineers found to be the ideal size after extensive testing. It’s wide enough to allow materials to pass through but narrow enough to maintain compression and full suction power.
All the vacuum power in the world is wasted if air is restricted at the exhaust port. That’s why the entire top of the DR’s collector has a mesh vent that’s up to 350% larger than competing products. This allows air to escape while trapping debris.