I quite like our old Kirby vac; it's built like a Challenger tank, been put together with set screws and it doesn't need specialist knowledge to take apart and fix, something I have to do from time to time. So when Mrs H called me and reported that the vac was 'stuttering and then stopped', from a distance I diagnosed worn carbon brushes. A pair on Ebay were about £6 which I ordered on my phone. When I got home Mrs H watched as I switched the machine on; it was silent so I fetched it a light kick and it started up, ran for a minute and died.
When the carbons arrived a couple of days later and I pulled the vac apart, yes they were worn to a shadow but the surface of the commutator looked like a relief map of the Alps. Emery paper wore out as I tried to clean it up so something a bit more drastic was called for. There seemed to be plenty of metal to go at so I spun the motor up on the end of my drill and took a little file to the commutator, finishing it off with fine wet & dry. From my slot-car racing days I know what a commutator is supposed to look like but I've never been brave enough to take a file to one before, neither had I seen the component in such poor condition.
I'd forgotten to use the all-important phrase to Mrs H; "don't use it". She admitted she'd vacced the spare room by kicking the machine as she'd seen me do every time it stopped.
Ah!
If I'd known she was going to carry on using it I might have snipped the braided contact wires which would have let the carbons wear a bit more and make the spring carry the current; has anyone done this or is it a bodge too far ?
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I've bulled up many a commutator on starter motors and dynamos in the past, using similar methods (although spinning the core in a lathe is to be preferred).
Did you remember to undercut the insulation between the segments when done?
I wouldn't want to rely on the spring to carry the current, especially on a worn commutator with the brushes skipping around like maggots frying in grease.
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Hawkeye,
I've been looking on ebay at used Kirbys, are they really as good as they are supposed to be? The ruddy Dyson has part died (needs a new motor for the brush) and it was not long out of warranty to rub salt in. I'm sick of buying vacuum cleaners over the last few years, they're either rubbish or don't last (or both, are you listening Vax?).
They've got plenty of Kirbys on the bay for between £100 -150, and I'm tempted.
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>>They've got plenty of Kirbys on the bay
>>
I wonder why? Brushes needed?
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>> I wonder why? Brushes needed?
>>
The one's I've been looking at are seller refurbished with a parts guarantee. If they come apart like Meccano and they are built to last they've got to be better than the plastic crap you get now.
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SEBO as mentioned by Henry, seen them recommended here before so did a lot of research.
If you go onto the Whitegoods forum, pro-cleaner's there swear by SEBO which swayed us so we took the plunge.
SWMBO is well impressed, though not a light machine by any stretch it does clean thoroughly and seems better put together than most of the competition, also carpet pile direction doesn't affect the way it drives (torque steer, motoring connection) as it does the very light Oreck.
Its good to be able to keep the older better made things going though, Kirby really are very well made.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Tue 26 Mar 13 at 11:41
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. I'm sick of buying vacuum cleaners over the last few years, they're either rubbish or don't last (or both, are you listening Vax?).>>
Buy a Sebo or Miele...:-) I have a Sebo X4 Extra - German, built like a tank and supremely efficient:
www.sebo.co.uk/domestic-vacuum-cleaners/
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Mrs CS bought an Oreck a couple of years ago. It does a very good job and is vastly lighter than the Henry it replaced.
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Our Dyson is now 8... new hose and a bit of Duct tape.. and new filters...that's all.
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>> Our Dyson is now 8... new hose and a bit of Duct tape.. and new
>> filters...that's all.
>>
Our previous Dyson lasted for over ten years. However, since they shifted production to the far east general consensus is that quality has gone down the pan.
The idea of something made of metal rather than plastic and with a permanent spares availability appeals.
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>>>previous Dyson lasted for over ten years. However, since they shifted production to the far east general consensus is that quality has gone down the pan.
Best Dyson era was around the DC07. Better suction and pickup than earlier models and a sort of no nonsense machine before a motor in the brush head added complication.
No problem with Dyson spares... just look in the plastics bin at the skip... full of them just needing a filter cleaned.
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My mother threw out a Dyson DCO3 which was allegedly not working, asked me to take it to the tip.
Brought it home. Removed the brush and cleared a myriad of threads from it. Checked the dirt path and removed a couple of obstructions then finally removed and washed the filter.
Now works perfectly. Old Electrolux grabbed by Miss B for her student flat where the cheap hoover constantly blocks up.
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>> My mother threw out a Dyson DCO3 which was allegedly not working, asked me to
>> take it to the tip.
>>
>> Brought it home. Removed the brush and cleared a myriad of threads from it. Checked
>> the dirt path and removed a couple of obstructions then finally removed and washed the
>> filter.
>>
>> Now works perfectly. Old Electrolux grabbed by Miss B for her student flat where the
>> cheap hoover constantly blocks up.
And there was Dysons USP shot to bits. "No bag to get bunged up" No - just the filter(s) you had to clean. Emptying and cleaning dysons is far messier, dirtier time consuming and fidlier than throwing the full dust bag in the bin.
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>> And there was Dysons USP shot to bits. "No bag to get bunged up" No
>> - just the filter(s) you had to clean. Emptying and cleaning dysons is far messier,
>> dirtier time consuming and fidlier than throwing the full dust bag in the bin.
Indeed. The conventionally bagged Bosch cylinder used on the laminate downstairs is much easier to empty although it still has a motor filter to clean. The Dyson was however free to a good home, is less messy than the Electrolux and about half the weight.
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I have to say that Dysons are actually very DIY friendly.
Easily dismantled to their individual components with a torx driver and parts availability is good.
A common problem is lack of suck, caused by clogging of the airflow bit inside the top of the cyclone assembly. Dismantling, careful seperation of that into its two halves, cleaning and reassembly[1] brings 'em back to full operation.
[1] Followed by a witch hunt to find out who ran it over a pool of fruit juice, leading to the problem in the first place.
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Agree with TC.
Dyson v easy to work on..
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I tried to use the late MIL's Dyson to clean up after drilling a few holes in her place. I couldn't figure out why she bothered using a noise generator that didn't suck.
First of all I removed the 50p coin stuck in the hose!
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Just looked at the paperwork that came with the Dyson, it's covered by a five year parts warranty and a description of the symptoms was confirmed by the very helpful lady on the help line as a knackered brush motor, new one on the way FoC.
Now, problem 2.
Those little plastic springy clips that hold on the brush bar assembly. How far do they fly? Mine popped off after I didn't push it home properly. I heard it go while I was on the phone and despite tipping the room upside down I can't find hide nor hair of it :-(
Last edited by: Robin Regal on Tue 26 Mar 13 at 16:34
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>> Just looked at the paperwork that came with the Dyson, it's covered by a five
>> year parts warranty and a description of the symptoms was confirmed by the very helpful
>> lady on the help line as a knackered brush motor, new one on the way
>> FoC.
>>
>> Now, problem 2.
>>
>> Those little plastic springy clips that hold on the brush bar assembly. How far do
>> they fly?
Out the room mate. spring clips go for miles.
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>> Those little plastic springy clips that hold on the brush bar assembly. How far do they fly?
Ah, that brings back some unpleasant memories!
Worst thing that can happen when dismantling some complicated car component is a sharp PING sound, something whizzing past your left ear and then a tinkling noise as it comes to rest somewhere in the dark depths of the garage behind you.
Inevitably, whatever it was will prove to be something that's not available seperately at any price.
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>>I have to say that Dysons are actually very DIY friendly.
>>Easily dismantled to their individual components with a torx driver
>>
SEBO is assembled /dismantled by hand - no other tools needed.
No tools needed to clear any thing out.
I comes in a surprisingly small box and is ready to go in couple of minutes.
Flick the catch on th front and the dust bag is presented ready to pop on the plastic cap to seal it and it keeps the wheelie bin dust free.
Being able to easily pop out the brush to remove long hair from daughter is a real bonus. My repair man says even if the motor went it is well worth repairing /replacing it. It is simlpy a good design and not bulky or a silly colour :-)
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Our Dyson is not very good in picking up bits from a hard floor - even in "brush off" mode.
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>>>>I have to say that Dysons are actually very DIY friendly.<<
I don't want to know that.
Mine won't give up...just like that Xantia I had, so I can justify buying something lighter and more user friendly:(
Pat
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>> Our Dyson is not very good in picking up bits from a hard floor -
>> even in "brush off" mode.
Never had much faith in the ability of an upright to clean lino or laminate. Either they don't pick up at all or they risk damage. We'd only been here a few weeks when the upright snagged the vinyl on bathroom floor. A a cylinder job OTOH is poor on carpet.
That's why we've had both a cylinder and an upright for years now.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 26 Mar 13 at 17:16
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If your upright does not pick up well from a hard floor,summat wrong with the vacuum in my view.
HEPA filter change, ordinary filter wash, check all connections, all tubes for blockages.
Once a year in spring I do all that as a matter of course- makes cleaning much easier...
Last edited by: madf on Tue 26 Mar 13 at 17:19
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>> Never had much faith in the ability of an upright to clean lino or laminate.
Our Dyson (a cylinder but quite heavy) has a hard floor attachment. Not sure I'd try an upright Dyson on hard wood flooring.
The warranty on Dysons seem good. We've got one with a turbo head type brush (a turbine spins the brush head) and it stopped picking up and making a noise. It was the turbine that had broken (so not good) but I took it apart and easy to fix to be honest. Phoned Dyson and they sent a new part for the entire attachment/head the next day... no questions asked. It's been fine since and I suspect user error.... (not me) was the cause.
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>> Our Dyson is not very good in picking up bits from a hard floor - even in "brush off" mode.
>>
A Sebo has a computer control to raise or lower the brushes as necessary depending on the floor surface.
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TeeCee
I didn't undercut the commutator but cleaned it with a toothpick.
RR
"as good as they are supposed to be". How good are they supposed to be? Our example dates back to'86 and we think it cleans just as well now as it did then. Carbons every 6 years or so. Brush rolls every 3. Belts every year because the device that lifts the belt off the spindle when you take the brush housing off the front so you can put a hose on stretches the belt. I've put a new impeller on years ago when one of the daughters ran over some pennies (old pennies) - long story. It's probably ready for another, with a couple of blades missing. The fabric bag that the paper dust bag lives in just goes in the washing machine. Design faults? Well, it's blinkin' heavy for a start. The ribbed pipe that delivers dust into the dustbag wears against the paper of the bag leading to a dust explosion when you unzip the fabric bag for a dustbag change.
Are you following all this or have you nodded off yet? We did have a Dyson for a year or two; we wanted an upstairs and a downstairs vac but the Dyson was a waste of time. The wheel bearings wore oval, it always seemed to need another motor and Mrs H melted it eventually.
Thing about the Kirby, it always seems to be fixable, I always seem to be able to get bits for it (hear that, Electrolux?) and (dare I say this about a vac?) it's a pleasure to work on something that isn't glued, stapled or fixed together with one-time snap fasteners. And it's always a good plan to earn brownie points.
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>> and Mrs H melted it eventually.<<
Note to self: Must try harder.
Pat
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I keep trying to melt our Dyson. Despite gross abuse I have failed...
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I must ask our cleaner what she thinks of our Dyson.....
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>> I must ask our cleaner what she thinks of our Dyson.....
Shouldn't you ask the butler and he'll ask the cleaner.
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Nah BT ... the housekeeper would never forgive me if I talked to the butler about the cleaning staff......
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A gentleman sleeps with his cleaner but not with his butler.
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Our DC-03 quit recently after 8 years of service. Currently using a borrowed Bosch which the inlaws bought and then decided was too heavy and replaced with a Dyson. Not sure what to replace our Dyson with as I've also heard Dyson quality has gone downhill in recent years. Might just make them an offer for the Bosch although it is quite a lump to lug upstairs.
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Kirby vac not dead yet - TeeCee
