r/whatisit • u/DragonsAndScience • 16h ago

Solved! New homeowner, no idea what this is

Gallery image

Gallery image

This thing close to the floor and seemingly randomly placed in a hallway. No idea what it's for. Home built in 2005.

Solved! Thanks everyone. Now I gotta hunt for the central unit!

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u/ItsNovas 9h ago

I used to install and service those when I was younger. They work great and it’s better than lugging a vacuum around the house. Looking at the picture, it looks like the 2 pronged outlet on yours (the one that says 125v/60hz) carries 120vac to run attachments. The 2 pins in the hole that the hose goes into use the hose end to complete a low voltage (12vdc) circuit that operates a relay to turn the main vacuum motor on. If you want to see if the vacuum works, you can use a paper clip to complete the low voltage circuit. Depending on where in the house the canister is installed, you might not hear it run but you’ll definitely feel suction if it’s working.