When a supply line lets go in a stairwell or a mop crew has to pull two hundred gallons off a gym floor before the doors open, a shop vacuum from the hardware aisle runs out of tank and runs out of motor. The Koblenz AI-1660P N is the machine building-service contractors, school custodial departments and restoration crews reach for instead. It is a 16-gallon industrial wet/dry vacuum built around a 9-amp, 1.7 HP two-stage bypass motor, and it is sold here as the bare machine so that fleets already stocked with Koblenz hoses and wands are not paying twice for accessories they own.
This listing is the unit only. It does not include any accessory set. If this is a first machine rather than a fleet addition, plan on adding the Koblenz tools kit (part 00-3973-5), which supplies the 10-foot hose, wands, carpet tool, hard floor tool, squeegee tool, dusting tool and crevice tool.
Built for
- Water recovery after leaks and floods. Twelve of the sixteen gallons are recoverable, and a float shut-off closes the intake before liquid can reach the motor. A drain hose empties the tank at a floor drain instead of forcing a crew to wrestle a full tank to a sink.
- Heavy dry pickup on construction and renovation punch-outs. The rotomolded poly tank shrugs off the dropped-on-concrete abuse that cracks molded plastic drums, and two-stage bypass cooling keeps the motor alive through long dry runs.
- Daytime cleaning in occupied buildings. At 68 dB the machine is quiet enough to run in a corridor or lobby during business hours, which matters when the cleaning window has shrunk to whatever hours the tenant will tolerate.
- Multi-floor and stairwell work. Ten-inch non-scuffing rear wheels on ball bearings let one person walk the vacuum up and down stair flights rather than carry it.
Two-stage bypass motors are the single biggest reason a commercial wet/dry vacuum outlives a consumer one. Cooling air is routed around the working air stream rather than through it, so the motor never breathes the grit, drywall dust or dirty water it is picking up. Koblenz rates the arrangement at roughly three times the service life of a comparable single-stage motor, and it is the reason this class of machine is specified for schools and hospitals where a failed vacuum means an unfinished route, not just an inconvenience.
The other half of the equation is water lift. This unit pulls 100 inches of lift at 96 CFM, a combination that matters because lift is what drags standing water up a hose run and CFM is what keeps a dry pickup moving. Machines built for one number at the expense of the other tend to disappoint on whichever job they were not designed for.
Specifications
- Total capacity: 16 gallons
- Recoverable capacity: 12 gallons
- Motor: 9 amps, 1.7 HP, two-stage bypass
- Airflow: 96 CFM
- Water lift: 100 inches
- Hose diameter: 1-1/2 inches
- Cord length: 35 ft
- Power: 1050 watts, 120V ~ 60Hz
- Noise level: 68 dB
- Tank: rotomolded polyethylene
- Wheels: 10 inch non-scuffing, double ball bearing rear wheels
Frequently asked questions
Does this vacuum come with a hose and tools?
No. This part number is the machine only and does not include any accessories. The Koblenz tools kit, part number 00-3973-5, adds a 10-foot hose, two wands, a carpet tool, a hard floor tool, a squeegee floor tool, a dusting tool and a crevice tool.
Can it pick up dry debris as well as water?
Yes. It is a true wet/dry machine. Switch between wet and dry pickup by fitting the appropriate filter and tool for the job.
What keeps water out of the motor?
A float shut-off rises with the liquid level and closes the intake before water can reach the motor, and the two-stage bypass design keeps the cooling air stream separate from the working air stream.
How is the tank emptied?
A drain hose at the base of the tank lets you empty at a floor drain without lifting or tipping the full tank.
Is 16 gallons the amount of water it will actually hold?
No. Total tank capacity is 16 gallons and recoverable capacity is 12 gallons. The difference is the headroom the float shut-off needs to protect the motor.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized Koblenz dealer. Orders ship from US stock with US-based support, and our team can help match the right machine, accessory or wear part to the floors you actually clean. If you are not sure which configuration fits your route, contact us before you order.
