Is this Electrolux too far gone to Save?

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shag

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
389
Location
Ontario, Canada
A couple of towns over had the paw thru your neighbours trash day.
I saw the hose first, then the vacuum, I must admit I was kinda excited till I got it home and took a closer look.

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Too far gone?

The bottom. Should I just toss it? I have never used a Lux and was pretty excited. I like how easy it is to carry. I like the L shaped powerhead too.

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Wow... I'd throw that sucker back in the lake and keep a fishin! Cosmetic things bother me (not that you can tell it by looking at my machines LOL)... and those cracks would just drive me crazy even if you can make the thing come on. I can't believe someone taped up the ENTIRE hose! Oh wait... yes I can! I bet you could scrap it for parts if you wanted...

On my Diamond Jubilee, you have to press a little button forward in order to insert the metal wand into or remove it from the plastic part. I've circled the thingy in your pic...

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SAVE ME! This will need a top to bottom overhaul, of course

I wouldn't scrap it until thoroughly investigated and diagnosed. The outside carcass looks to be in nice clean shape other than the crack damage. And look! it has an unbroken clip tab for the on-board transforming upholstery nozzle/dusting brush, too!

Wands - slide or force the sliding plastic button on the plastic sheath back as far as it will go. Then, after cleaning the metal wand inside with steel wool, slide in onto the metal wand inside the sheath. It should lock to the other wand with a click. The sheath's slider is used to lift the button spring and is sometimes deformed or deforms the spring. These wands were intended to be assembled once and left. If you are having trouble connecting them then the thing to do is remove the metal wand from inside the sheath and adjust and assemble before placing the sheath back on. Probably a good idea anyway to remove the inner wand from the sheath first to clean up it's mating end and make corrections to the locking button spring.

The cracked shell casing by the front caster does not seem to have affected the bag door hinge so that's fine for now.

The cracks across the motor cover could benefit from being removed and skillfully crazyglued and reinforced to close them up for a smoother appearance. Not like yer gonna spend much time looking at the rear end or underneath between the front skids. LOL It's just a cap covering the cordwinder reel and supports nothing. The blower/hose port is on the top anyway.

The hose - well, no different tha the 88 hose my dad wrapped in red plastic bags & clear packing tape. These braided hoses are notorious for leaking and for having their weave strips loop out. But they are perfect for the latex treatment. You should be able to unwrap all that gummy duct tape - keep the lighter fluid close by to clean off adhesive as you go - and may find a hose that doesn't leak as badly as that allover wrap indicates. Likely the husband was forestalling further developing leakage by doing the whole damn thing. If you're lucky you'll probably find the original blue & gray matching hose under there - a final detailing cleanup of adhesive with lighter fluid will bring it back cosmetically before latexing. :-).

Does it carry electricity from end to end as it should? Do you have another AP or later Lux to test that with? or short pin cords to connect to some other vacuum? The hose handle contacts are easy to access and clean or re-align as necessary. If the hose turns out to be toast after all that, it is a fairly common hose in different colours and I may have one around here.

Does the PN motor run connected to some other vacuum pin cord?

Other than the two bad cracks, which don't affect performance, I'd say it well worth a few hours of Spa Treatment.

As for the vacuum not turning on, that will be a simple electrical connection fix somewhere along the current path. The cordwinder contacts, maybe? or a stuck motor brush, or any number of simple things to remedy. It's all worth investigating and as soon as you hear that motor purr you'll want to do a complete makeover.

I like cosmetic perfection as well but in the face of a few minor blemishes I'd apply the best cosmetic repair I can and count myself lucky.

I have the System 90 version of this with a cut off cord and a few other problems that I'm keeping until it can make it to the workbench.

I don't have this blue & cream Ambassador model Canadian Lux so if you decide it's all too much bother please toss it in the direction of my trash, please...:-)

Dave
 
Thank you Dave for your help. I took all the duct tape off and it wasn't sticky at all. The tape must be really fresh or really old. Just some bulges.

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One more shot.

Dave you are more than welcome to the Ambassador. You just give me your big brown Hoover and we will call it even.
I am not going to give up yet. I want to hear this thing roar.

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Everything is save-able...just depends on how much work you want to put into it. I agree with Dave on this.

By the way, a buddy had a Eureka that wouldn't run. Zip, nada, zero. Tried a new switch. Zip, nada, zero.

Only then did we try checking continuity in the cord -- should have done that first. Zip, nada, zero. OK, in this case, zip, nada, zero tells us something. Sure enough, found a break about a foot from the motor housing. Ever so slight a cut in the outer sheath, but enough to break the internal wiring.

We reconnected everything, except the bag. Plugged it in and she lit right up. Because the bag was not mounted, the exhaust came straight out -- and the vac shot across his hardwood floor like the Batmobile out of Gotham City!

Sometimes, it can be something really simple.

As far as the cosmetics...*shrug* The bottom plastic that's missing...oh well. The back portion...well, like Dave says, crazy glue or Gorilla Glue can seal that up. A little touch up type paint with a light sanding using very high grit ( 1,000 grit or so) will reduce the visual impact considerably.

John
 
Off to a great start, Brian.

That hose is clearly in exploding condition with unsightly varicose veins and probably does leak like cheescloth. It looks like it's brown on tan?

Was cleaning up and organizing the Lux Towers Room and found I have 3 AP100s with good looking but kinda leaky hoses that could be latexed. If ya don't mind the white/pinkish tan color you're welcome to one once power is restored to your Ambassador.

Awaiting word on what comes to light, works or doesn't, electrically as you bring the blue bomber back to life.

CanLuxs don't roar...they murmur zephyrously...one of these you could run on the bedside table and drift off to dreamland. :-)

Dave

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Bag lock out switch = no start

By the looks of the picture showing the front end, if the bottom of the door isn't securely attached, the plunger at the bottom right had corner of the bag chamber may not be pushed down all the way, consequently the vac will not start/run. I've also seen where the cardboard collar on the bag could be bent and does not make proper contact with the lock out switch. Just a couple of suggestions to look into.

Vernon
 
Saavee Hiiimm...lol

By all means save him and/or give him a good home.It could be as simple as a switch or the contacts for the cord rewinder..
Kenny
 
Too far gone?

I started playing with the Lux again this morning. I tried out the powerhead.
I never knew vacuums were so interchangeable. It worked just fine hooked up to the Kenmore. I like it, it is really quiet.

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Too far gone?

I plugged the vacuum in again and tried it, nothing. The idea of the something not contacting seemed like the problem. I sat the Lux and it's butt, pushed down on the top and tried again.
IT WORKS! And really quiet!

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To far gone?

Is this the piece that is not contacting? Can it be fixed or replaced or just have to live with duct tape on it?
There is still one problem, no suction at all from the hose. It could be blocked. Any ideas how to clean out a hose?
If it was a straight hose I would put a butter knife down it, with the angle of the handle, not sure what to put down it?

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I would see if there is any suction from the machine itself. if there is none from the hose it is a possible clog or a bad hose. usually when I unclog hoses I use a shop vac. mose of the time it works like a charm.
 
Pieces are replaceable

Brian,
yes, those pieces are replaceable. You can order new ones through areus, or find another unit at the "wreckers" and rob parts from it.

In regards to the hose, I doubt it that it will be clogged, although it could be. The main problem is the age of the hose, the spiral wound rubber on the inside has succumbed to dry rot and has broken down, and is leaking. If you were to put the hose on the exhaust port, take a little bit of dishwater, lightly spray the hose, turn the unit on, you'd see as Do Ho would say, "tiny bubbles", coming from the hose.
 

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