Inlets and valves

What It Is

A low, wide inlet installed in a cabinet toe-kick or in the wall at baseboard level. A toe-operated lever/door opens the inlet and closes the low-voltage circuit, so the unit starts and you sweep debris into the slot. Brands: VacPan (Plastiflex/Vacuflo heritage, MD #670), CanSweep (Canplas 845625W/BLK/A with trim plate 845621x), VacuSweep (Canplas/Broan CI365W), VacPort (with LED).

What It Does

Replaces the dustpan in kitchens, mudrooms, baths and hobby rooms.

Standard Specs

Cutout

slot about 6-3/4 in long x 1-3/4 in high (MD VacPan guide)

Min Toe Kick Height

2-1/4 in

Under Cabinet Clearance

3-3/4 in from cabinet floor to subfloor to fit the short 90

Access Hole

2-3/4 in x 3-1/2 in through the cabinet floor or wall; toe-kick access slot up to 10-1/2 in x 4 in covered by a trim plate

Rough In

Broan VacPan CI365: 6 in W x 4 in D x 1 in H excluding tubing

Cansweep Face

about 9 in wide x 1.4 in high (distributor listing)

Connection

Plastiflex SV8052 universal short 90 (do NOT glue it to the VacPan) or 4-5 ft flexible hose (Canplas 845700-2/-3); allow 1/2 in vertical play

Wiring

two low-voltage wires to terminals marked 'low voltage only'; spring connectors on CanSweep

Compatibility Checks

• Leading edge must sit flush with the finished floor.
• Counts as an inlet when sizing the system; MD says it is harder to install than a wall inlet.
• In-wall installs require removing a section of the 2x4 bottom plate between studs.

Common Mistakes

• Gluing the elbow to the pan (cannot be serviced).
• Not checking for an airtight seal (hearing air at the pan while another inlet is in use is abnormal - Vacuflo FAQ).
• Sweeping large or long objects in (they jam at the tight elbow).
• Installing where the toe-kick is under 2-1/4 in.

When To Replace

The lever arm/gasket is the wear item; repair kits exist (MD VacPan repair kit includes lever arm, gasket assembly, hardware). Vacuflo says a broken toe kick needs a repair kit, not a new valve. Replace the whole pan if the housing cracks or the door no longer seals.

What It Is

A compact inlet that mounts directly onto exposed 2 in pipe or onto the power unit itself (Canplas: 'Mounted directly onto exposed pipe or your central vacuum power unit... most common in workshops, utility rooms and garages'), with no wall backing plate. Many power units ship with one built in. Variants: plain, with grommet and retaining ring, with 'pin jacks' for direct-connect electric hoses, and newer 'cuff lock' designs that stop the hose rotating and losing contact (Canplas 775583W, 775584W/BLK, 775586W/BLK).

What It Does

Gives a hose connection point in an unfinished area (garage, shop, basement) so a basic hose can be used for cars and workbenches without a finished wall inlet. It has the same two low-voltage contacts so inserting a hose starts the unit; the on-unit version is usually wired internally.

Standard Specs

Hose Opening

standard 1-1/2 in (1-7/16 to 1-1/2 in) hose cuff; MD utility valve 'fits elbows and couplings with a 2 in ID'

Mounting

glues/pushes into a 2 in fitting hub on a pipe stub or the unit's intake; some need a surface box

Electrical

low-voltage contacts; pin-jack versions also carry 120 V for electric hoses

Placement

Near the overhead door at wall-switch height so cars/boats can be cleaned without pulling them inside and the valve is not blocked by storage. Pipe passing through an attached-garage firewall may require fire-rated tubing/steel stub and an approved cover (check code).

Compatibility Checks

• If the power unit already has a utility valve, a garage kit hose plugs straight in; otherwise add a tee and a utility valve on a stub.
• A utility inlet on the unit's intake can pull unfiltered garage dirt straight into the canister, fine for bag/filter units.

Common Mistakes

• Leaving a utility valve door that leaks (robs suction from the whole house).
• Mounting low where it gets hit by cars or shelving.
• Using a hose longer than the system's airflow supports (airflow drops with length).

When To Replace

When the door gasket no longer seals (hiss when another inlet is in use), the spring breaks, or the contacts corrode in a damp garage.