Kirby 2C Restoration and Repairs

[vacuumheaven05]

Hello to anyone, I have a Kirby 2C with a motor that runs very slow when I turn it on. I had everything inspected and checked by friend at a local vacuum store. They made sure all of the wiring was hooked up in the right position and the armature and fan spun freely. When they tested it, the motor still ran very slow even though it spun in the right direction. He and I concluded that the issue for the motor running very slow was due to possibly something in the electrical. Could the issue be due to a shot field or is it the armature, could the field have bad windings? If so, I will replace it immediately. Even when I tested it for 5 seconds, the same thing happened and I even noticed a burning smell coming from the motor. I do have spare field from a early Kirby, Scott Fetzer machine and I'm willing to use it if need be.
Thanks From Liam

 

[hoover300]

Hmm maybe its the carbons?

 

[vacuumheaven05]

reply

The carbon brushes that I have in my 2C motor are original and have not been replaced. I want to know what exactly is causing my Kirby 2C motor to run so slow. I don't know if the carbon brushes are the real issue.
From Liam

 

[hoover300]

Replace the brushes with good, seated ones and see if that fixes it

 

[hoover300]

If not then it could be the rotor, stators rarely go bad. It is possible but the vast majority of dying motors have a rotor short

 

[vacuumheaven05]

side note

What do you mean by a rotor and a stator? Do you know what could be at fault if the problem is not with the carbon brushes. I looked at the carbon brushes recently and they still have plenty of carbon left on them.
From Liam

 

[vacuumheaven05]

note

The things is, is that my Kirby 2C was working fine when I first got for Christmas and tested it, before I took it all apart for polishing. I don't know what the deal is with it, why it runs so slow, slower than normal. Can field coils get shot, can the windings in fields get shot? The armature and fan spins freely when the vacuum motor is off and there is hardly no wear at all on the commutator.
From Liam

 

[hoover300]

Sounds like one of the wires on the commutator broke. If it were the field it would be acting weirdly since you got it. You will probably need a new commutator or have it rewound.
PS rotor is the part that rotates and stator is stationary coils. These are usually terms for induction motors but I use interchangeably.

 

[huskyvacs]

"Even when I tested it for 5 seconds, the same thing happened and I even noticed a burning smell coming from the motor."

that happening, plus your slow speed, on a motor this old usually that means it is something wrong with the motor windings, they might be shorting out, or just plain worn out. what you are smelling is the old dust and laquer varnish burning off the copper windings as they heat up, which is bad. it could also be coincidence or not if that when it was taken apart and then reassembled it disturbed the placement of the parts and there's not enough clearance somewhere and something is binding.

have you given it fresh grease/oil and reassembled it correctly? When using old vacuums that haven't been run in decades, once they get up to operating temperature and you get all that old grease and oil hot, it will run down from wherever it has been sitting and then when it cools, it binds everything up due to it being so old or running off where its not supposed to be. it can also turn gummy and sticky and create more torque on the motor.

 

[lesinutah]

But

You don't understand it worked before he took it apart. What could it be but don't mention anything as it ran fine.
Get yourself a voltage meter. Learn how to use it and watch some YouTube videos and learn hoe to test the stater etc.
Don't try to get coils rewound I've heard more people having issues with motors after they get them back.
Get a new coil and get a new armature. The 4 amp pre 515 coil I'd what it should take.

 

[vacuumheaven05]

note

I did lubricate both bearings with lots of grease and oiled the bushings. Nothing seems to be binding mechanically. Everything spins perfectly freely when the vacuum is off, but when I turn it on, the motor runs very slow, even though it spins in the right direction. I just inspected the armature and all copper wiring seems to be in good shape, the commutator has little to no wear on it. Do you think the issue still could be with the armature or is it the field? Do you think the field has bad windings or is it the armature? I'm Not sure which one it is.
From Liam

 

[hoover300]

As Les said, a volt meter will determine which part is bad

 

[lesinutah]

Get

A voltage meter watch you tube on how to test your coil and armature. This is the only way to test and find out what's wrong.
Stop telling us it's mechanically fine etc. Get the voltage meter learn to use it and test yourself because we can't do it for you.
Don't reply asking questions or telling us what you have told us .
Please don't reply until you did some due diligence and tested your vacuum parts yourself. Idf you don't test then stop asking questions because it's a broken record.

 

[vacuumheaven05]

reply

I will try to get a volt meter as soon as I can. Quick question, to use it, Would I hook the volt meter up to the foot switch assembly, the power prongs that hook up to the cord? Sorry about me constantly messaging you guys, I'm just frustrated about the situation with my Kirby 2C. I apologize. When I use it and if find out that the problem is related to the armature, I'll Replace the armature. One last question, if it's the armature, will a Kirby 505 armature fit and work in a Kirby 2C? Are 2C and 505 armatures similar or identical to each other. I do know that there are still replacement 505 armatures that I can get from eBay.
From Liam

 

[vacuumheaven05]

side note

I'm sorry if I sounded repetitive, I apologize and I'm trying to do everything I can to get my Kirby 2C motor repaired.
From Sorry Liam

 

[dysonman1]

If only I had known. About 3 weeks ago, I threw away all my vintage Kirby parts as I didn't think anyone had any interest in them and they were all pre-war Kirby switches, armatures, and field coils, gaskets, bags, etc. It seems I have this stuff for decades and no one has any interest, but as soon as I throw it all away, someone needs it.

 

[vacuumheaven05]

note

Hey, dysonman1, I'm glad you have gotten in contact with me through vacuumland. You said you threw out all vintage Kirby parts, I contacted you over the phone about a few weeks ago, asking you if you have all the parts that I need for my Kirby 2C. Can you try to dig out what you can from the trash and try to save me some Kirby 2C parts. Do you have any spare parts for a Kirby 2C, such as a field, armature, trim and wheels? If not, do you have any spare Kirby 505 headlight hood trim and a bumper? Last question, do you know if and can a Kirby 505 armature fit and work in a Kirby 2C?
From Liam

 

[vacuumheaven05]

another side note

I'll try to say less and not repeat myself. I did not mean to make you guys mad or be rude to you. I'll do anything I can to solve the problem. Quick question to huskyvacs, I'm at this point where I may need to replace some component to repair my Kirby 2C motor. Do you know if a Kirby 505-515 armature fits in and will work in a Kirby 2C. I'm willing to try anything at this point to repair my Kirby 2C. my friend at the local vacuum store cannot do anything about it, because he does not have any early Kirby fields or armatures. All he has are armatures to 516's thru the sanatronic series Kirby's. I'm just wondering, can armatures in Kirby's get shot, get bad windings, or do fields get shot also? Which component of a vacuum motor is more likely to get shot, bad windings, the armature or is it the field? I am not sure and need some help please.
From Liam

 

[vacuumheaven05]

story

The strange things is, I have a Health Mor sanitation system vacuum, that I did restore 2 years ago. I took it apart to polish, put everything back together and tested it, However the motor ran very slow even though the armature and fan spun in the right direction. So I took it to my friend at my local vacuum store, and he said the issue was the windings in the armature had gone bad, gotten shot. So to fix the problem, I replaced the armature with a salvaged newer armature, that was from a royal upright vacuum from the 1930s, 1940's. The armature was very similar, though not identical to the original one from my Health Mor. I fitted it in and oiled the shafts and both bearings, put everything back together and tested the motor. The motor ran perfectly normal and at normal speed. I then knew what the issue was, why the motor ran so slow. A shot armature.
Story From Liam