The Ametek Lamb 115937 is one of the most common central vacuum motors in service today, a 7.2-inch two-stage tangential bypass unit on 120 volts. It sits at the strong end of the 7.2-inch 120-volt range: roughly 1450 watts, 105.4 CFM of airflow, 392 air watts and 110.1 inches of sealed lift. The people who buy it are almost always replacing one, not specifying a new machine, and the reason it is worth replacing is that everything around the motor, the tank, the housing, the pipe network and the filtration, usually has years of life left. Bypass construction keeps the working air off the windings, which is what lets this motor survive damp debris and drywall dust that would end a thru-flow motor in an afternoon.
Use Cases
- Rebuilds residential and commercial central vacuum power units using a 7.2-inch 120V motor
- Restores full suction in commercial canister and utility vacuums after motor failure
- Powers car wash and self-serve vacuum stations that run long daily duty cycles
- Drives recovery and material transfer equipment needing bypass cooling on 120 volt supply
- Serves as a shelf spare for service techs who rebuild central vacuum units regularly
Specifications
- Blower stages: 2
- Body diameter: 7.2 in (183 mm)
- Voltage: 120 V AC
- Rated power: approximately 1450 W
- Maximum airflow: 105.4 CFM
- Maximum air watts: 392
- Sealed vacuum (water lift): 110.1 in
- Current draw: approximately 12.7 amps
- Airflow system: bypass, tangential discharge
- Bearings: double ball bearing
- Overall height: 6-13/16 in
- Speed: single speed
- Construction: metal mounting brackets, epoxy air seal
- Aluminum fan end bracket and aluminum commutator bracket
- OEM reference: 115937
A note on the amperage figure
Distributor listings for this part publish a current draw of about 12.7 amps, which is consistent with a 1450-watt motor on 120 volts. An older figure of 5.9 amps has circulated for this part number; that value matches a 240-volt motor rather than this one and is not used here. If exact current draw matters for your circuit calculation, contact us and we will confirm it against Ametek documentation before you order.
Fits
This motor format is used across a wide range of central vacuum brands, so verify by measurement rather than by brand name: body diameter, stage count, voltage, tangential discharge and the 6-13/16 inch overall height should all match the motor you are removing.
Frequently asked questions
Is this motor suitable for damp or wet debris?
It is a bypass motor, so the working air is kept away from the windings and the motor is cooled by its own separate air path. That is the construction used in machines rated for damp and wet recovery. Whether your specific machine can safely pick up liquid still depends on its tank, float shutoff and filtration.
What does tangential discharge mean in practice?
The exhaust leaves through a tube on the side of the motor rather than venting around the perimeter. Central vacuum housings are built around one arrangement or the other, so a tangential motor has to replace a tangential motor or the exhaust will not line up with the duct.
Will this motor increase suction over my old one?
If your old motor is the same specification, no, and it should not. It will restore the machine to its original performance, which usually feels like a large improvement because the failing motor had been losing output gradually. Real gains come from clearing clogs and replacing loaded filters, not from a higher-rated motor the housing was not designed for.
How long does a motor like this last?
Carbon brush life on a 7.2-inch Ametek Lamb motor averages around 700 run hours, and the bearings usually outlast several sets of brushes. In household central vacuum use that translates into many years; in car wash or commercial service it can be a season. Replacing brushes on schedule extends motor life substantially.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized dealer for Ametek Lamb vacuum motors and stocks replacement motors, carbon brushes and service parts for commercial and central vacuum equipment. Orders are supported by a US-based team that works with these motors every day, so if you are unsure which body diameter, stage count, discharge style or voltage your machine takes, ask before you order.
