This is the sum of the amounts flowing through the suction motor, power nozzle motor, light bulb and electronic components. The suction motor accounts for most of the current flow while the power nozzle motor typically has 1.5 amps flowing through it. A rating of twelve amps is the maximum permitted for any appliance which plugs into a standard household electrical outlet. The amperage rating by itself is not a power rating but is part of the formula for computing the input power of the motor as described in the section about Wattage. Since the voltage in a standard household electrical outlet is always the same, amperage can be easily used when comparing the input power of various motors.
Most manufacturers show the amperage rating in a large, bold font for the shopper to notice.
This has caused a great deal of confusion among shoppers. Typical amperage ratings are in the seven to twelve range, while efficiency ratings are in the seventeen to twenty-two range on Hoover upright cleaners rated at only seven to eight amps. Recently Hoover introduced yet another unique rating system using MACH numbers on their new WindTunnel upright series to signify how many deluxe features are on each machine. Currently all Hoover WindTunnel series uprights are rated at 12 amps. Peak Horse Power is an exaggerated rating of the output of a vacuum cleaner suction motor.