VacuMaid S1660 Split Central Vacuum System with DC1200AC Canister

VacuMaid built the S1660 as a split-configuration system that ships together with a DC1200AC dirt canister serving as the collection component. A split design separates the motor from the dirt canister into two connected pieces rather than housing both inside one sealed unit, the detail that sets this design apart from the single-canister power units in VacuMaid's SR series.

Splitting the motor from the canister gives an installer more freedom in how the mechanical space gets used. The motor pod, smaller and lighter than a combined unit, can mount higher on a wall or in a tighter spot, while the dirt canister, which needs to stay reachable for emptying, sits wherever is most convenient to access. It also means servicing one component, changing a filter in the canister, for instance, does not require disturbing the motor's mounting or wiring.

Because the two components ship and mount separately, confirm both the motor pod's electrical connection and the canister's seal to the ducting are complete and tested before closing up any access panels around either piece. A split system has one more connection point between motor and canister than a combined unit does, and that connection is worth a careful check at commissioning.

• Part: VacuMaid S1660
• Configuration: split system, motor pod separate from canister
• Canister: DC1200AC
• Performance: 651 max air watts, 149 CFM, 128-inch sealed vacuum from a 6.6-inch 2-stage tangential bypass motor
• Electrical: 120V
• Coverage: up to 9,500 sq ft, with cyclonic filtration and a 27-quart dirt capacity
• Best suited to: installations where a single combined power unit will not fit the mechanical space cleanly

Plan the mounting locations for both pieces, and the tubing that connects them, before rough-in. A split system's main advantage is placement flexibility, but only if that flexibility is designed in from the start rather than worked around after the fact.