Fantom Cyclone XT made a boo-boo

[super-sweeper]

Hi guys,Upon recently adopting my first Fantom Cyclone XT, A dear vacuum to me for my Grandma had one,It no longer works.When i did use it (Only once),There was very noticeable changes in performance,Speed and suction.My question to you is,Any ideas to as why it no longer functions?I am currently tearing into it to look for the obvious (Broken wires,Burnt contacts,Carbons,Obstructions,Water,Etc)wish me luck!

-Alex.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Could be a whole host of things - did the cleaner smell of burning rubber, or strong electrical burning when it was losing power?
Or was the machine seeming to switch on and off as if it was a break in the cable near the entrance to the machine?
Did it make any strange sounds like popping or crackling?
Have you checked the cable for continuity yet with a multimeter?

American plugs dont have a fuse built in do they - I assume each socket outlet has its own fuse in the circuit breaker box?

 

[super-sweeper]

Yes,

The breaker for american plugs is in a circuit breaker box

Anyways,None of the sounds above i heard,I just tore it apart and believe it's the carbons or comuter,How do you spell that word,Again?

About to post some pics in a few...
-Alex.

 

[super-sweeper]

Pictures

The DUSTY fan

 

[madabouthoovers]

If you can remove the carbons holders check the springs and that the carbon is not seized in its holder - I have come across some Dyson motor which this has been the case, but they usually free up with a little in out movement on the brushes.
Usually a failing motor smells badly or smokes, and makes crackling popping noises in the case of the brushes arcing due to a shorted armature.
Make sure that the commutator is a dark bronze colour - if its heavily blackened or scored, then its bad news I'm afraid.

 

[madabouthoovers]

You're gonna have to post bigger pics than that lol

 

[madabouthoovers]

I'm assuming you checked the breaker for that socket to make sure there isnt a short in the wiring or the motor?

 

[madabouthoovers]

When you turn on the cleaner and recline it, does the brushroll motor work at all, even though the main motor doesnt work? as looking at the schematic diagram this cleaner appears to have 2 motors. Its unlikely that both motors will have failed. If neither motor works then I'd say its a cable problem

 

[madabouthoovers]

Watched a youtube vid of this model - when you press the power switch, do the headlights come on? When you pull back the handle the brushroll motor should also start spinning as it has an upright microswitch to turn it off when the cleaner is stood upright. If none of these things happened, then I'd say that the cable has broken internally either at the plug or at the entrance to the cleaner body by the switch - it could even be a faulty switch.

 

[super-sweeper]

The

Not-so-healthy looking carbons...

 

[super-sweeper]

Hi,The headlights did not come on,sometimes VERY faintly,But usualy no.I do not wish to see if the brush motor works,In order to prevent further damage to the motor.
I'm uploading a video of the vacuum's motor as we speak,And the armature does appear scorched,And i am now forced to hear you bad news,Let me geuss,The motor's gone haywire?Great,I'll send for a new one...On the bright side though,It didn't malfunction as bad as this vacuum :O)

-Alex.

 

[super-sweeper]

Cyclone XT Video



-Alex.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Those carbons dont look too bad to me - plenty of length left.
The fact that the headlights dont come on when you try to turn the main switch on might suggest the problem is not with the motor - having looked on Sears spares website, many parts for that cleaner are not available or obsolete. How does the brushroll circuitboard look - apparently its under the main hood behind the brushroll?

 

[madabouthoovers]

Cant really tell anything from that video as I cant see the commutator - the part that the brushes come into contact with in the centre of the motor. Brushroll PCB doesnt look scorched. Without seeing it in greater detail theres not much more I can do to assist but dont be too hasty in ordering up new motors until you have more opinions!

 

[super-sweeper]

Photograph

Of the circuit board.

-Alex.

 

[super-sweeper]

Any other places to trouble shoot?

-Alex.

 

[madabouthoovers]

I've just stripped a dyson down for cleaning, and this is what your motor carbon brushes should look like:

 

[madabouthoovers]

The commutator is the round segmented item in the centre of the picture - it should look like this ideally, bronze coloured with traces of carbon from the brushes:

 

[madabouthoovers]

I'd say that if your motor looks OK, then the problem is likely either the mains cable is damaged, or it could be the PCB thats faulty, but with limited info to go on, I cant be sure - you need to test your mains cabling for continuity with a multimeter, to ensure there are no breaks between the mains plug and the switch, and the switch to the main motor. Test the switch works properly as well.