Motor Capacitor in an Electolux LX

[electrolux1969]

Hi,I'am new to this forum and I own a 1955 electrolux Lx vacuum.I love this machine!!it was working really good till about 2 weeks ago.It started making a funny noise while running(kind of like a blender motor)and when I turn it off it started vibrating a very little bit while the motor was slowing down.I've repacked the front and rear bearings,the carb brushes are still really good,I cleaned out both impellers(fans)and checked the motor shaft.There's no play from side to side and very little from front to back.A friend of mine said it's probably the motor run capacitor.I've checked everywhere(ebay,online stores, and my local appl.stores) No luck in finding one.I can't even replace them with new ones because there's no values written on the old one just a part# 940-18 and a type #1194.I would really appreciate some help here!!Thank You,
Mike

 

[tolivac]

Stop searching vacuum cleaner motors do not use run caps.Sounds like you have it covered by repacking your bearings and cleaning the fans.

 

[electrolux1969]

Hi,
Thank You!! My vac is still doing the same.If the motor doesn't run capacitors then why does mine have one attached the motor housing?It has 3 leads coming out of it.one is for the ground and the other two go to each side of the male power supply .Thank You,
Mike

 

[vacjwt]

vacuum motors use caps

BUT not to run them
wen you vacuumed used a fan or any thing with motors in it you could hear it in the tube radios record players or tvs the cap is in the vacuum so you cant hear it you will know when the cap gos bad you will hear a pop see lots of smoke and when you open your lux you will see nothing left but 3 wires that went to the cap that is how I found out when mine went bad now Id cut the cap out so you dont have to clean up the mess when it gos bad and the all go bad some day

 

[lux1521]

Your problem does not sound electrical to me. Try the commutator. One of the bars might be missing or out of place. I would also make sure every thing has good clearance and is not rubbing.

 

[tolivac]

The cap in the motor is an rf suppresion cap-you don't have to have it to run the motor-it is there to prevent radio-tv interference.The arcing in a universal motor communtator is a perfect wide band "spark" transmitter.The capacitor suppresses the high frequency noise the communtator makes.If you run the motor without the cap-you will interfere with your radios and TV's in the same area or line the vacuum is connected to.the interference is radiated-the vacs cord can make a good antenna-and the cord can also conduct the interference into the powerline.If the cap shorts-can blow up-or cause arcing on the communtator.As one person mentions-your communtator could be dirty-and-are the brushes original replacements?sometimes off spec bruheses will cause arcing and dirty up communtators.The arcing from the motor can cause interference to any type of TV or radio-tube or solid state.The noise may even be picked up by high gain audio amps-such as magnetic TT inputs,Mic inputs.Also is the motor shell that the center lead of the cap is connected to really grounded-if not than the cap may not make much diffrence-IE does the vacuum have a three wire cord and the motor case and metal vacs parts are grounded?The cap shunts the high frequency noise to ground-but not the lower frequency powerline current.If the cap is shorted than it will try to shunt the powerline to ground with spectacular results!

 

[electrolux1969]

Hey guys thanks for all your help!!!As far as I know the brushes are the orignal.I did pull the rear cover off while the vac was running, It seems that right carb brush was sparking alot more than the left.I did clean the communtators while I had the motor broken down.The cap is only grounded to a mounting stud of the motor.My cord is only a 2 wire.Everything seems to have proper clearence. The motor spins easily when turned by hand.Again Thanks fo everything!!this is a great place!!!!Mike

 

[electrolux1969]

It's just me agian.I got the problem solved.I gave the carb brushes a good cleaning and turned them around 180 deg.The vacuum runs just like it did before!!!Again Thanks for all your help!!All I need now is some orignal attachments( Dust brush,apholstery attachment,crevis tool and the color vacuum hose) and I'm all set.Thanks again!!!!
Mike