Fantom has no suction

[electroluxkirby]

My roommate's mother has a Fantom, and after cleaning it yesterday, there is still very little suction. I can't seem to figure out why, LOL. The HEPA filter is fine, I cleaned the whole area around the beater bar, still no suction when the handle is is released to use the attachments.

I'm not sure which model it is, it just says Fantom on the front. The belt broke after I put it back together, don't know if this makes a difference or not.

I'm not a real big fan of bagless vacs I just want to fix for her.

 

[bagintheback]

You should check for a clog, although I bet you've already done some of that. Try blowing out dust from the cyclone. Extra dust in the cyclone will restrict airflow. I use an Oreck Buster B for stuff like this. You can put the hose in it's exhaust port.

 

[electroluxkirby]

Thanks Nathaniel, I will use my air compressor on it when I get home from work tomorrow night. I can't see anymore clogs. I didn't realize it was getting that bad since I hardly ever use it. There was pet hair all around the beater bar, and in the suction channel.

 

[electroluxkirby]

Fantom

Pic.

 

[gmerkt]

That looks like a fairly early Fantom Thunder, although as pointed out it doesn't say "Thunder" on it. Fantom label a sticker, like my early Kenmore Destiny. The 11 amps rating is also earlier production I believe.

 

[electroluxkirby]

It a great vacuum (for a bagless) when it was working. There must be a clog somewhere that can't see or get to.

 

[gmerkt]

early and later

Here's a side-by-side pic of an earlier Fantom Thunder (left) and a later one (right).

 

[gmerkt]

Closer pic that shows the decals. The earlier machine on the left has the Fantom logo applied as a paper-backed decal; the later machine on the right has the Fantom logo applied directly onto the plastic. The later one also is identified as a Thunder, but this is a paper decal.

The earlier machine is marked, "Model F11052 01, Serial Number 107985, Iona Appliances, Inc."

The later machine is marked, "Model F12052 00, Serial Number 351881, Fantom Technologies Inc."

These are a project for me. Both machines have a few things missing/broken and my plan is to make one out of the two while keeping the result pure if possible. The only same part broken on both is the upper cord hook. I see these around as junkers so will no doubt get the cord hook later.

 

[uxorious-1]

No suction....Phantom Fury...is the BEST...Believe it...

Here's what you do open up all the access ports...get your self a wire coat hanger and guide it down the side panel...with a little L bend on the end....you'll find this is jamed with a ton of dirt... This is the result of not empting it when it gets too full and it just keeps picking up....I'd also like everyone to know that the only model that really works....is the fantom fury...The other models will pick up...But not like the Fury...I've tried them all in my life over 30-40 different models...And that one is the Diamond of the rest...I gaurentee it...I see people putting down things and vacuuming them up....That is not the way to tell which is better...The way to tell is to wait till you get a dirty carpet...VACUUM WITH ANY OTHER MODEL ON THE PLANET....THEN GO OVER THE SAME AREA WITH THE FURY....You'll understand what I'm talking about...They all look about the same to me...Right.? a vacuum is a vacuum.?..WRONG....A Fury some how spins that air deep into the carpet and pulls out the most amazing amount of dirt You've ever seen...It becomes addicting...It's like were the hell is all this dirt coming from,, on what looks like a clean carpet...I've owned them all from $3,500 dollar kirby's to you name it...The fury is a simple vacuum that got the cyclone design Ultamitely perfect....I'd really like to hear some feed back on what others determine from there findings...Ohhh and don't do it on a new carpet...A new carpet is clean you need a carpet that has been in for a few years and had some traffic on it...That dirt goes right to the bottom of the fibers...and the other models don't swirl the air like this model...Its obviously the size and shape of the tunnel channels inside the machine...Are perfect...That gives it that down to the bottom tornado action...I had the better Phantom model....I was all excited...about my find...Well disappointment soon set in when the amount it picked up wasn't nearly the same...Don't get me wrong...All vacuums clean the top of the carpet...Just not like the Fury...So I bought my 4th fury again...and if I see another one...I'll buy it,just to have an extra one...Yah never know if theres going to be a FURY FAMINE...LOL...
Thank You,,,Good Luck,,,and God Bless...

 

[alexhoovers94]

It os a shame you didn't have the original Dyson machines.

 

[dysonman1]

I have all the original Dysons. Plus, some hard to find colors like the Antarctica Solo, Clear, Menengitis Research model, Breast Cancer model, etc. I like the DC05 MotorHead and the DC04 Zorbster the best. The DeStijl models are kind of ugly.

 

[man114]

Properly working, I'm convinced the 11 amp Fantom is the best bagless cyclonic vacuum ever made. You could run them for years and the only thing on that HEPA filter was carbon dust from the motor brushes.

 

[electroluxxxx]

I agree with man114 I had the thunder, fury, have the 11 amp fantom, had the cyclone and I have to say that the thunder and original 11 amp model tend to be pretty decent with filtration. When i rebuilt my fantom over a month ago it was horrid from the previous owner, I have been using it constantly with the new pup and it seems to be fairing pretty well. The chamber is still as spotless as it was when I rebuilt it.