Need Assistance in Diagnosing D80

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I'll perform more testing. BUT, I have a hard time believing that coil functionality goes "poof!" simply by carefully removing an armature. There could be micro-cracks in the various lead wires and/or where they connect into the switches though. Since both coils appear to measure the same 1.5 Ohms, I'm leaning towards the coils are OK at this time, but who knows?

Remember, I went from a fully functional two speed operation to absolutely nothing...except the light bulb.

I need to finish rebuilding the rear bearing (just got the puller a few days ago) before I can fiddle any further.

Bill
 
Make sure the wires for the brushes are secure in the power switch, too. My picture above shows where they go. I had to add a layer of solder on mine to make them more secure.
 
@texaskirbyguy Good stuff I've been waiting and watching for somebody to suggest this.

My next solution would be take it to a local vacuum shop and have them diagnose it real quick for him. Sometimes just having that second set of eyes makes all the difference.

Good luck New balance Man 💙.
 
I want to help, not because I like him . Because I Just feel sorry for the guy, he not very mechanically inclined unlike most of us here. @lesinutah It's like the South Park kids helping Al Gore.
 
Vaclab, if you want to send me the motor unit for your Kirby I will repair it for you no charge, I am in New York and have been a Kirby Area Distributor for 30 years. Message me if you want my name and address.
 
Hey

Every one is entitled to their opinion. I know alot about Kirby's,royals,riccars, Hoovers. He tested a multitude of vacuums. I think your viewing impairment isn't obvious. I guess we are all impaired somehow. He has helped and answered questions about airflow tests. He has helped a professional vacuum reviewer with vacuum info. He is not mechanically inclined. But it's okay he asked for help we helped him. This is spread your knowledge and help each other. That is all.
Les
 
Hey

The headlight follows the colors. Power wires are yo go in black slot even if it's not black. B is + connection white is neutral- ground is making sure wires and electricity follows flow. The neutral wires I use a wire nuts and a pig tail. Wire one wire. Ground the same and power too. It turns headlight and motor on once you push the switch bypassing safety switch.
That way you can see 3 wires basically makes process of elimination easier.
Les
 
For everyone that has made a positive contribution

I thank you and will follow up when I next get the chance. Remember, I do have a full time programming job and a family so my time to complete this machine isn't infinite.

And for the naysayers and haters (you know who you are), let me give you a little biography of some of the things I've done in my nearly 54 years on this earth.

- Had a soldering iron and screwdriver in my hand at 5 years old (did a lousy job).
- Built my first electric motor around 1977, hand winding the coils, etc.
- Compiled my first computer video game on a Unix mainframe in the fall of 1979.
- Passed several FCC exams starting in 1979 that essentially mean I can build/repair transmitters and antennas.
- Started doing my own automotive maintenance in 1984. Mostly stopped by 2014. Replaced suspensions, did AC, some electrical, wheels, tires, brakes, tune-ups, valve lash adjustments, etc. Have re-programmed my BMW's firmware (in German) to add/subtract/adjust various features. Bimmerfest.com is a great resource for more info.
- Dry-walled my garage in 2006, repaired my gas hot water heater and glass top electric stove, not to mention keeping my 1990 Maytags running for 27 years.
- As side job in college, I repaired oscilloscopes and that in turn morphed into TV/VCR repair of new and vintage audio visual equipment from about 1983-1997.
- Just for fun, over 25 years ago, I started designing and building my own audio amps, mics, testing equipment and high end power supplies. Some of this can be seen in my videos.

I could go on about surface mount component repair (I need a magnifying glass for this), but you've probably stopped reading this drivel by now...

So gee whiz, I guess I'm just not mechanically inclined enough to handle a 50 year old vacuum cleaner. :)

Bill
 
@madman
Don't take this the wrong way. Simplicity synergy Riccar radiance has a 32 pin wire harness. Also the Hoover dimension 1000 form the 1980s , had a lot of wires going inside.
They've gotten more and more complicated as the years have gone by.
From my perspective I wish they were all like this.

@vaclab Can't wait to see the finished machine.
 
The story so far...

I think there might be some misconception about the wiring. Specifically, the D80 was working 100% before disassembly for polishing. BUT, I never removed any wires, wiring harness, coils or power switch. I did (carefully) remove the speed switch from the front fan case but left all wiring intact.

You can see me polish the headlight hood while everything is still attached to the motor casing in the first post.

I also removed the armature in order to replace the front bearing (done) and re-pack the rear bearing (TBD).

Charlie (NY) thanks for the offer and I will take you up on it if/when all else fails.

Reggie, here is a different pic of the power switch wiring. Again, nothing has been touched, except re-tinning the brush holder wire (#1 in above pic).

Bill

vaclab-2018120707095507626_1.jpg
 
Hey

The carbon brush ground wire is in the b which is power.
The carbon brush wires one is black one is green. If the green you have is a ground it needs to go next to the white in g slot. The black carbon brush would go in the b slot. It could be those wires got switched. I don't know you may be able to do it. Don't worry everyone sucks at soldering. I think they make soldering iron $itty so everyone is no good at it.


Les
 
Les, what do you mean? Soldering is easy, even with a crappy iron.

...are you using flux when you solder? Cuz I have a friend, who for the longest time thought that flux was for idiots, while it took him a month to solder a 20 pin plug. Finally I coerced him to buy some flux, he finished his project in a day, came back with a smile on his face and thanked me heartily.

I've found that a lot of people are like that. Some weird stigma about using flux.
 
Hey

I use flux. I know what my problem is. I didn't have a heat gun so I melted heat shrink with soldering gun. I need to clean head and usie heat shrink gun I have.
I can solder I have to have the roach clip in a football goalposts holder to keep wires in place. I always dip in flux before soldering.
I didn't realize until now we'll I realized but it just clicked that's why it's not soldering well.
Les
 
EUREKA!

or maybe I should say KIRBY!

The D80 lives AGAIN! While you will see a video fairly soon, the issue ended up being the green carbon brush wire. At the point where it connects to the brush holder, there was an intermittent connection.

AND the connection point to the power switch was also sketchy.

I've rebuilt that weird rear bearing and am finishing the final assembly soon.

Thanks for everyone's ideas,

Bill
 
Hey

Congrats
I did mention those wires. Glad it's fixed and Reno videos can continue.
I know you are not mechanically inclined but screws are right tight lefty looesey. Just thought I'd help you out.

Les
 
Vaclab

Sweet glad you got help.
PS I love the video. There isn't many d80 videos out there and this is awesome. I can just sit and stream from phone to TV and watch vacclab on my TV.
Glad to see the d80 season is back in business. Now I can watch tv once again.
Les
 
My D80's Wiring to Foot Switch

I did not yank any of the wiring from the foot switch, just so you know. The foot switch is the same "pressure lock" type (110566) as yours, because I know my D80 was built in 1969.

When you study the first picture, all of the wiring went into all of the appropriate colored slots: all three green wires in the three G slots, all three whites in the three W slots, and both blacks in their two B slots. The third picture shows the green brush lead wire is on the top motor brush assembly, not the bottom one like on my Classic 1CR.

The black brush wire serves the bottom motor brush assembly, and its bare wire end goes into the first B slot of the foot switch.

~Ben[this post was last edited: 7/6/2020-00:09]

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VacLab

Bill,

Here's some pictures of the foot switch wiring on my parts D80 that I got yesterday from Thom (KirbyCollector)... they are exactly in the same positions as on my working D80, again, nothing altered.

Both my D80s have these wires going into these slots:
Green #1: green wire of field coil
Green #2: green wire of brush lead (top carbon brush)
Green #3: green wire of speed switch

White #1: white wire of headlight socket
White #2: white wire of speed switch
White #3: white wire of field coil

Black #1: black wire of headlight socket
Black #2: black wire of brush lead (bottom carbon brush)

~Ben

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Wiring

The switch has g for ground w for white/neutral and b for power wires.
If you use a voltage meter the whites when touched with whites would show current. The grounds would show current. The power wires wouldn't. This means they don't go together.
If you put a wire but on all the whit and ran a pigtail to the switch it would work. If you did the same to the ground wires could be combined. The power wires have to be separated.
Les
 
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