On 28 Oct 2006 19:03:02 -0700, "edumacatedfoo"
wrote:

For some reason, the vacuum suddenly went to a very low suction rate,
about 5% of what it used to be. I checked the hose and it's fine. I
even used a plumbing snake but could only go so far into the lines and
I haven't picked up anything in the lines that would account for the
decrease in suction.


Disconnect the vacuum from the suction pipe and run it. If the
suction at the vacuum head is normal then there is a restriction in
the pipe system. I had to cut open my fixed pipes next to the 90
degree elbow joints to get at the obstruction. There was a whole mesh
of fern leaf spines I had sucked up that were stuck in the elbows.
The mesh would have allowed some air to pass through and yet not offer
any surface resistance to a snake to detect. If at all possible
replace the elbows with transparent ones.