Sweeping a kitchen, salon or break room floor normally ends the same way: you chase a line of dust onto a dustpan, miss a third of it, and sweep the same spot again. The VacPan inlet removes that last step completely. It mounts flush into a cabinet toe kick or baseboard, ties into the central vacuum piping you already have, and opens with a nudge of your foot. A broom-load of crumbs, hair, sand and grit is gone in about a second, and you never bend down.
This is the black-finish version of the original VacPan automatic dustpan inlet. It is the accessory most central vacuum owners wish they had specified during the original rough-in, and it is just as popular as a retrofit. Installers report it is the single upgrade homeowners notice most, because unlike a hose port that requires unspooling 30 feet of hose, the VacPan is used casually, several times a day, by whoever happens to be holding the broom.
Use Cases
- Kitchen toe kick. The classic location. Crumbs, cereal, dropped flour and pet food go straight into the central vacuum instead of into a dustpan that gets emptied into the trash can two feet away.
- Salons, barber shops and grooming rooms. Cut hair is the worst thing to sweep into a pan because it clings and lifts back out. Sweeping it into a powered inlet solves that in one pass between clients.
- Mudrooms and entryways. Road salt, sand and grit tracked in from outside get removed before they migrate onto finished floors and grind into the finish.
- Workshops and laundry rooms. Sawdust, lint and drywall dust are swept up without raising a cloud, since the debris is pulled into piping and carried to a power unit in the garage or basement.
How It Installs
The VacPan drops into a slot cut in the toe kick or baseboard: 6-3/4 inches wide by 1-3/4 inches high, with a minimum toe kick height of 2-1/4 inches. Vacuum tubing and low-voltage wire are run from the nearest branch line to the inlet, the body slides into the slot, and two supplied screws secure it. Where there is no access from below, installers commonly cut a small access opening through the cabinet floor to make the final tubing and wire connections. No electrical outlet is needed at the inlet; the low-voltage pair is what signals the power unit to start.
Specifications
- Finish: black
- Type: automatic dustpan / sweep inlet for central vacuum systems
- Mounting: flush, into a cabinet toe kick or baseboard
- Required cutout: 6-3/4 in. wide x 1-3/4 in. high
- Minimum toe kick height: 2-1/4 in.
- Operation: foot-operated slide switch, hands-free
- Connections: central vacuum tubing plus low-voltage control wire
- Mounting hardware: two screws included
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this work with my brand of central vacuum?
Yes. The VacPan is a universal sweep inlet that connects to standard central vacuum tubing and low-voltage wire, so it works with essentially any central vacuum power unit regardless of brand.
How much space do I need behind the cabinet?
Plan on a slot 6-3/4 inches wide by 1-3/4 inches high in a toe kick that is at least 2-1/4 inches tall, plus room behind it to route tubing and turn an elbow toward the branch line.
Does it need its own electrical outlet?
No. The inlet uses only low-voltage control wire, which tells the power unit to start when the foot switch is opened.
Can I add one to a system that is already finished?
Yes. Retrofits are common. The usual approach is to place the inlet in a cabinet that backs onto a basement, crawl space or utility area so the tubing run to the nearest branch line stays short.
Does it need a filter or a bag of its own?
No. Debris travels through the piping to the central vacuum power unit and is captured by whatever filter or bag that unit already uses.
Discount Cleaning Products supplies central vacuum inlets, fittings and commercial cleaning equipment to facilities, contractors and homeowners across the United States. Our US-based team can help you confirm tubing size and fitting compatibility before you cut into a cabinet, and we stock the elbows and low-voltage wire the installation needs.
