How often do people come across bad power cables on vacuums?

[seanc]

Just wondering how often people find their power cables are bad?

I had my first one a couple of years ago on my Sebo X1.1, it was broken where it attached to the handle so would cut out if you happened to twist it while you were vacuuming, especially if the cable got caught under a door.

Second one is my Kirby G4. Was vacuuming the other night and the vacuum cut out (headlight too) then came back to life but something didn't sit right with me.
Decided to take it apart and check the brushes (I think it was manufactured in '96, maybe 93, I forget). I knew it had been 'serviced' before but didn't know what for. Also, it was a excuse to look inside! Sure enough the brushes were fine.

Put it back together and it was dead. Took it apart again today to double check my work, check the brushes were sitting right and check there was continuity from the brushes to the switch - all OK.
Checked the cable end to end for continuity, one side is dead. I did intermittently get contact, but can't work out where the break is.
Got a computer power cable (with 5a fuse), plugged it into the Kirby and it's alive and well.

New cable on order!

Sean.

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Hi Sean

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">It's a very common problem. I get lots of vacuums cleaners coming in with damaged cords.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Normally coursed by running over the cord/trapping it as well as over stretching the cord instead of unplugging it from the wall socket and going to the next one.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>

 

[suckolux]

two Kirbys and one Windsor at the handle of course

 

[ultralux88]

I replace cords on vacuums at work all the time, usually the wires inside fatigue and break at points where the cord bends more sharply, where it enters the vacuum or at the strain relief on the handle, the plugs also go bad too. Another common things is damage caused by the user or pets is another really common too. I find bad cords just as common on the vacuums I get for my collection as I do on the ones I work on.

 

[citroenbx]

[No message]

 

[parwaz786]

Yes cable problems were fairly common on most DC01's and the early models of DC04

 

[seanc]

Ah I remember the DC01 problems. Think they reported it on Watchdog at the time.
The Kirby took me by surprise as it didn't seem externally damaged, I think it was the original though and perhaps the cable grommet and zip tie down by the footswitch might be where it's worn out, it does look like it's been rubbing there.

 

[fan-of-fans]

My Bissell Plus cord is okay, but it seems someone tampered with it where it goes in the machine, it shows the individual wires. But the cord itself is fine

Also my mom's Kenmore canister from 1983 had a bad cord end because she used to rewind it without holding the plug. Eventually the plug wires broke off and shot sparks so my dad replaced it with a new plug.

Also my Hoover Slimline may need a new cord. It's not damaged on the outside but the plastic insulation and copper wires have reacted and green oxidation goo is seeping out of the cord end. It works okay, but probably should be changed if I was to actually use it.

Otherwise all of my vacuums' cords have been fine. Fans are the ones that have been the bigger issue due to rotted or badly repaired cords.

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Still

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">at least you can replace the cord easy enough.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">There are quite a few vacs out there that you have to strip right down to replace the cord as some you can't replace at all with out it being easier/cheaper to just get another machine.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Don't damage a cord on a Miele S7 what ever you do

</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>

 

[citroenbx]

I would like to see dyson dc01 on Watchdog

(DC01 problems. Think they reported it on Watchdog at the time)

 

[parwaz786]

ooo I wanna see it too!

 

[vacuumlad1650]

Of my few vacuums in my collection, id say at least half of them have electrical tape on the cords since im a bit rough on the cords, or since i get my machines used

 

[seanc]

I'm not sure where the Watchdog report would be, it might not even be Watchdog but I remember seeing something on TV.

It's nice that the cable is easy to change, Kirby have always made it easy for the end user to change I think (apart from that torx screw on the cable cover which most people won't have at home) but I also wished I could just wire another cable in, rather than have to buy the right one.

 

[citroenbx]

that was bad dyson repairs people selling you part's you don't need

 

[suctionselector]

Citroen

Maybe seanc was on about a different episode of Watchdog, from when the machines were new, not the Rogue Traders report a couple of years ago.

 

[electrikbroomgu]

Cord failures

Just had a 1990's Hoover canister with a cord issue. A customer bought it about a year ago used and it just started cutting out on them and quit working altogether. Checked and found one side dead on the power cord going into the vacuum. Cut the cord back and stripped the wires down to copper and re-inserted back into vacuum and all was well.

I just obtained a really clean mint 1976 Regina one speed broom and the outer insulation part of the cord is broke off at the grommet so that will need tending to shortly before use.

We see many Sears and Panasonic machines with bad plugs where one terminal will be loose or burned up prompting the replacement of said plug. Some later model 2000 and up machines use poor quality cords that use either no hemp or lower quality nylon and those cords short out frequently so it is indeed a widespread issue in the vacuum business.

 

[human]

Cords get a lot of abuse...

I think all the vacuum cleaners we had when I was a kid growing up ended up with varying amounts of black electrical tape around portions of the cord. I learned how to install a replacement plug by putting one on our old Lewyt canister.

All of my present vacs have good cords except my Kirby G5, which has a couple of issues. The little anchor that screws down under the rear scuff plate, just below the handle, is torn off, but I can live with that. The plug has also been replaced. When I got it, the plug end of a lamp cord had been spliced on with wire nuts and a large quantity of black electrical tape. I immediately replaced that ugly--and dangerous--mess with a proper heavy duty replacement plug. The thing works fine and at least for now, I'll take the $2 plug replacement over a $20 cord replacement. I've already sunk way too much money into that machine.

 

[seanc]

On the scuff plate...

I've read something somewhere that Kirby adjusted the scuff plate, I can see this in some eBay listings.
My new cable anchor doesn't fit my old style scuff plate.

Are there any neat mods to do to the original scuff plate or do I have to buy a newer one?

 

[kenkart]

As with most things..

The cords made today are very poor compared with what was made in the 50s and 60s, Many machines 50 or more years old still have good cords on them, they had cloth around the wires instead of whatever that stuff is now, the rubber covering the wires was much softer too.