Heavily abused Dysons

[manchestervacs]

We service Dysons for several local churches, most run older models such as the DC01 and DC04. Most have had them for years, but we havent seen the soleplates wear like Matt shows. I guess it depends how much stone they use it on. 

 

[madabouthoovers]

The soleplates on the clutchless models of the DC04/DC07 seem to wear the worst - due to them having no wheels, and when they are not used on carpets they can get very damaged very quickly, as the pic below shows. The internal hose from the baseplate to the diverter valve was another weak point and many end up taped up with duck tape or the equivalent


In general though, I think the DC07 was one of the best Dysons they ever made - despite the extreme noise, they were quite a good vac, and having stripped and refurbed quite a few of them in the past I think they are easy to work on and apart from the usual weak points such as the bin handles and soleplates they were very popular when I came to sell them on.


I wouldn't bother with anything made after the DC15, as quality went downhill, as Dyson got the greedy bug that most companies end up suffering with, and from that point profit was more important than anything else - including quality.


 


A knackered DC07 baseplate:

 

[matt8808]

Well.... to the people who seem to be disproving of what I say I'm going to end the 'debate' on this.

Firstly I've actually worked, in a paid job, for an actual company, repairing vacuum cleaners before. If I had a penny for every machine I've serviced, repaired or reconditioned I'd be able to retire.

I'm not just spouting off because I like one brand more than another. In fact I don't even have a 'favourite' brand. And I don't really collect machines - it's more of an active interest.

As DaveTranter has pointed out - 'If a particular machine is surviving in a particular environment, then (regardless of how it may perform elsewhere) it must be fairly well suited to the work'.

This thread was made to simply show a more robust side to Dyson machines.

And given I know what the machines are put through IN THIS SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT then I think its pretty fair to say that I'd know best when it comes to saying that the Dyson is well suited over most other machines FOR THIS SETTING AND THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE MACHINE.

Never in a million years did I expect this to turn into a petty argument over what brand of machine would be better suited.

So on that note....

 

[alexhoovers94]

#YOLO

 

[madabouthoovers]

Post 61:

 

[ultimatevacman]

Well, if Dyson works for you, that's fine!


 


It wasn't a "<a name="start_23229.260524">petty argument", we were having a debate over the upsides and downsides of Dysons being used commercially. I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was just making for interesting chat. </a>


 


You may notice at the end of my post I put "but that's just my opinion" I wasn't saying this will work better for you, I was just stating why (in my opinion) a Numatic would better in a commercial environment than a Dyson.


 


Don't take it too seriously.

 

[ultimatevacman]

"<a name="start_23229.260524">And given I know what the machines are put through IN THIS SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT then I think its pretty fair to say that I'd know best when it comes to saying that the Dyson is well suited over most other machines FOR THIS SETTING AND THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE MACHINE."</a>


 


Great then, if you get on with the Dyson, then I have no problem with that. I just think that a Numatic would be more cost effective.


 


Sorry if I offended or annoyed anyone.

 

[sebo_fan]

Um, hate to say it, but if you're not willing to hear what others say Matt, then you shouldn't have created the post in the first place. This isn't a forum where you get to say what you want and that's the Be all and End all. Dyson only ever had one commercial upright on the market, the Constant Max - okay so you've proved that Dyson machines can be worked fairly badly - but they are not designed to be used in churches, let alone a "commercial environment"

I beg to differ - and I'm also older than you and have worked for far more cleaning companies than you - Infact I don't think I need to justify my opinion or warrant any justification for adding an opinion - because that's what others have offered too.

Churches and areas with stone floors DO NOT use many plastic based uprights let alone cylinder vacuums with plastic sole plates on the basis that they scuff down far more than metal based floor heads. You can argue as much as you want - church vacuums in my experience last 8 to 10 years before replacement parts are required - that is excluding general consumables such as filters and bags.

When they are used to clean in between pews, under the radiators, if applicable to pick up shavings from old kneelers (unless you're lucky to have a church who have an ever supplying fund to repair or buy new kneelers), stairs to the pulpit, altar, under the altar, even cleaning dust up high from stained glass windows and so forth - you need an agile vacuum that will get all the dirt. No wonder Numatic's Henry or old Vax/Electrolux/Hoover tubs are used - the long hoses and tubes get to the dirt.

As for carpet cleaning, I've seen dirty fan Nilco uprights and hard box Nilco's used as well as a handful of SEBO BS36s. Why? Because they are generally quieter when usage is required in a church - they also have long cables built as standard (replaceable on the commercial versions) and the wear items are generally tested to last a lot longer than a domestic vacuum.

Fair enough if your church uses a Dyson. Good for them even - but as a professional visiting musician - most of the vacuums I've seen all over Scotland AND England are not bagless.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Actually

The real reason a Dyson should never be used in a church is because they are prone to switching themselves on mid-service, attacking the organist, a priest, and three choir boys, not to mention the lasting effects on a group of visiting girl-guides and a representative of the W.I.

And now a deep breath.

You are young men talking about a mere vacuum cleaner. An object. An appliance -nothing more and nothing less. Whilst your enthusiasm for your subject is worthy of applause, a reality check would not go amiss.

So what if a Dyson may not be the most robust choice for this environment? Certainly that amount of carpeting calls for an upright cleaner. Does it actually matter if a vacuum cleaner wears out quickly, for whatever reason? Only the treasurer of the church can answer that. If he or she says there is money in the kitty to pay for these cleaners to be used, then that is all which matters, aside of course for the comfort of those who have the unenviable job of vacuuming that mass of carpet. What is the point of buying things and not ever using them? No vacuum cleaner is going to steal the thunder of that beautiful church, therefore there is no point buying one for people to admire.

I like Numatic cleaners, I always have. But you wouldn't get me using any cylinder on that amount of carpet, no fear. If anything, the church may benefit from a Numatic and an upright, for differing surfaces, but as I've already said, does it even matter?

 

[sebo_fan]

A reality check would not go amiss IF said vacuum was designed to work in a commercial establishment to begin with. Heavily abused vacuums are fine in a domestic scenario - churches are not domestic, in my experience.

I know, why don't I just create several posts on here to show:

1) How well a Kenwood Chef mixes cement.
2) How well a Hoover Senior works without a bag in place.
3) How well a Hoover Junior cleans hard floors - complete with original beater bar

Rather than continously being sarcastic and rather silly, I'm sure you all have view points to the above. What's the difference of showing how well a Dyson stands up to use in a church? Is it silly? No, but it has provided a lot of discussion and a reality check is sometimes something that is "literally" brushed under the carpet if you are a collector.

When church members are forced to bring in their own vacuums anyway - surely that says a lot of the lack of funds in place?

 

[vintagerepairer]

Sebo-fan, none of what I wrote was aimed at you. Your post was not there when I began mine, suggesting we posted at the same time.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Lol sebo_fan - love the comment "see how well a Kenwood Chef mixes cement"


 


I think that the best vac for that church would probably be a sebo BS36 or similar for the carpeted areas and a commercial tub vac for the non-carpeted areas. Also, do you really think that the little old lady that does the cleaning in most churches is gonna be bothered cleaning filters in a Dyson? Just because Matt8808 looks after the filters does not mean that others would, and the likelihood would be that the Dyson would burn out its motor within a year.


Matt8808 also has to learn that on a forum such as this, that stamping his foot and insisting that others should shove their opinion where the sun don't shine is not going to win, and this attitude will be challenged - although the sarky picture he posted subsequently got removed.

 

[sebo_fan]

Sorry Benny, wasn't getting at you personally. But what I say still stands. We can beg to differ which is the whole purpose of a forum, surely.

Steve - in my experience - flag stone or church marble really requires a wet and dry vacuum. There are plenty on the market, possibly helped by SEBO's new Disco floor polisher head for the Dart.

However, a few years ago I was really taken with a church I visited near Letchworth & Hitchin. I couldn't believe that they got what they got when I laid eyes on it as I know it costs thousands to buy. I have mentioned it before here on Vacuumland, but I never saw one in real life - and I must say I was really AMAZED by it. It's a Karcher wet upright vacuum BR30/4. The church didn't have much carpet, mostly marble tile and other hard sealed surfaces, particularly for their creche at the back of the church and at the top by the altar. The church held coffee afterwards in the back of the church, so the floor was always getting dirty.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Well if the church is mainly large expanses of stone floor, then what about a commercial scrubber/drier such as a Taski Swingo? coupled with a smaller tub vac for the cleaning between pews and other smaller spaces. Push along scrubber driers are very good for large spaces of hard floors.

 

[alexhoovers94]

I don't see why a new dyson wouldn't hold up, they are high impact plastic, and very easy to maintain, they would be fine.

 

[sebo_fan]

I would imagine the Taski is big enough for catherdrals and the like, but for small to medium churches, that Karcher is better designed. It is obviously bigger than a conventional commercial upright vacuum, but not as large and bulky as a Taski.

 

[matt8808]

Believe it or not I can see valid points from all of you, but as you can see from the original post the Dyson is holding up well for them so that is all that matters. They'll no doubt be getting another Dyson when I deem the DC07 as being knackered. Vintagerepairer pretty much hit the nail on the head with what he said.

ANYWAY.... its x-mas eve morning so I'm off.... Merry Christmas to you all

 

[turbo500]

I'm with Ryan on this. You can't expect to post something like this in a vacuum cleaner collectors forum and not get challenged on it.

I also agree that, were it not for Matt performing regular maintenance on the machine, it would would have been long gone by now. Whilst they may very well be made of solid plastic, the maintenance is far higher than that of a bagged commercial vacuum.

 

[matt8808]

It gets the filter washed every now and again and the brush roll cleaned. It's no different to having to change the bag on a bagged machine really is it?

 

[parwaz786]

Have you ever heard of people not washing Dyson filters for like 7 years and then it loses suction? Dyson recommend washing it every 6 months or so but 7 years?! People dont even know about filters. The older Dysons in particular, the DC04, DC07 etc have been in use for SO long, they lose suction in a few years time. Dyson just need to make filter washing more obvious.

Now the Cinetic cyclones are launched, so that will be perfect then