Tangential discharge vacuum DC motors allow air to flow into the bottom of the motor and through an air tube on the side, making these models suitable for wet pickup applications since debris and moisture will not contact the motor windings. They have high starting torque, operate at high speed, and create vacuum pressure and suction by a rotating motor fan. Motors are suitable for scrubbers, carpet extraction, paint sprayers and other wet pickup applications because debris and moisture will not contact the motor windings directly. They are not designed to pump water.

Peripheral discharge vacuum DC motors are equipped with a cooling fan on top of the motor that blows clean air over the motor to cool it. They have a design where air flows into the bottom of the motor and is discharged through vents in the motor. Since motors only use clean air to cool the motor, they are typically more reliable than thru-flow motors. Models have a high starting torque, operate at high speed, and create vacuum pressure and suction by a rotating motor fan. Motors are commonly used to move clean and dry air in commercial car washes, central vacuum systems, and extractor systems.

Thru-flow discharge vacuum DC motors move vacuumed air over the motor to dissipate heat instead of using a cooling fan. Quieter than other types of vacuum motors, the air flows into the bottom of the motor and is discharged through the top of the motor to provide cooling. Models have a high-starting torque, operate at high speed, and create vacuum pressure and suction by rotating a motor fan. Motors must be used in very clean, no-debris environments such as in commercial canister or utility vacuums, material handling and transfer systems, and central vacuum systems.