Now wait a minute...

[jmurray01]

I thought the 500 Watt motor in the Electrolux 502S couldn't be lubricated ?

This listing says otherwise...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-R...622?pt=UK_Vacuum_Cleaners&hash=item4161012e76

 

[twocvbloke]

If the seller is telling the truth, the motor is trashed, the motors in my Z500 (dead, wiring was shot, motor was shot, everything was shot, except the power switch, which I kept!!) and Z1185e had the fan pressed on, and couldn't be removed without damaging them, so, unless they possess equipment that only electrolux would have, then, I think they're telling a few porkies...

The only bearing accessible in those motors is the rear one, so they may have only greased that one, which doesn't really help the front one... :&#92

 

[juniorsenior]

I noticed this too and thought exactly the same thing.

 

[james]

I have also noticed this, and as twocvbloke has said, the fans are pressed on somehow. With only the rear [one furthest from the fan] accessible to be greased.

I recently bought a Z550 with screaming bearings. Managed to oil up the rear one, but couldn't find a way to easily get the motor apart to do the front bearing. Luckily it stopped screaming after running for about 10 seconds, sounds much better now.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Hello guys. Now, I have to beg to differ because the front bearing can be lubricated. The Electrolux motors were never designed to be taken apart like Hoover motors were, but it could still be done. I was taught how to do and although I would be doing several a week when I had my shop, it is years since I did. But I will try to explain what I can. The motor brushes need to be disabled by pulling back on the copper lead, then the two metal clips on the side of the field coil can be removed. You can now take the top section and the field coils off.

The armature and fans cannot be seperated, but acess to the front bearing for lubrication is now possible. Also, there are two springs fitted to the rear of the each fan. These wrap around the static vanes and were fitted to improve suction, but over the years they filled with dirt. The first set is easily removed by taking off the fan cover. The second set can only be done when the motor is in pieces. Also, you won't be able to see the second spring, it has to be felt for with a stiff wire or something like that. You have to fish about for it and then pull the sring out. Difficult to do but never impossible. It is one of those things which has to be demonstrated to be understood how to do. In later years I just saved motors from Glider and Contour cleaners to put into the rebuilt 500's I was selling as they required less effort.

 

[james]

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the info.
I did wonder about taking the motor apart this way, but decided I didn't have enough time so left it for another day.

I shall try it out

 

[jmurray01]

Very interesting Benny!

 

[vintagerepairer]

You are welcome. I am not saying the seller has or hasn't does this, I am just saying it can be done. The number of professional vacuum cleaner repairers and their stores has been declining rapidly since the middle 1990s. There are many reasons for this. But the knowledge which is handed down is getting lost as it is understandably no longer needed. It is a pleasure to pass something on.

 

[jmurray01]

It is sad that less and less people are having the knowledge to repair/maintain vintage Vacuum Cleaners, but I'd love to learn how to so in the future I can pass down some information to the next generation of nut cases. Woops, I mean Vacuum Cleaner collectors, ha ha!

Would you be able to make a video on YouTube or something explaining how to lubricate the 500W motor in the Luxes ?

 

[vintagerepairer]

Hello. No, I won't be doing that as I don't have the facilty to do so. Nor do I have the desire, which I don't mean in a bad way, I just mean that it's not something I want to do. I just happened to find this forum and thought I'd spend a few minutes adding what I know. It's been a very interesting read this evening.

 

[jmurray01]

That's fine - I understand.

I'm sure I'll come across a dead 500 at some point and will have a go at taking the motor apart and learn from experience.

Thank goodness most motors are easier than the Luxes to repair though, ha ha.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Well it was pretty much only Hoover who ever made cleaners with motors that could be dismantled for repair and service. Any manufacturer of any product needs to make something which is as good as the expectation placed upon it, but also needs to be made so that it will be consumed within a period of time. I have been reading about James Dyson who belives it is not correct to charge for parts for things you buy, like vacuum bags. To be honest, the manufacturers of vacuum cleaners were not as reliant on sales of parts in the same way that companies like Polaroid ever were, as there were so many companies making parts for cleaners who were in no way associated with the manufacturer. Although at the time Dyson invented his cleaner there was a £ figure on vacuum cleaner consumables, this was as much through neccesity as anything else, as a vacuum cleaner needed a paper bag and filters for it to work properly. If he thinks vacuum cleaner manufacturers were relying on the sales of consumables, I think he is wrong.

What manufacturers wanted was for people to buy their products and keep buying them, instead of having them repaired. I suppose you could say us repair shops were a thorn in the side of manufacturers, but I never had any problems from them.

 

[jmurray01]

I know what you mean.

It gives me much pleasure to use my 1977 HOOVER Ranger and know that William Henry Hoover would be turning in his grave at the at the thought somebody was still using a 35 year old cleaner rather than buying a new one!

It is the same with my '94 Turbopower 1000 I guess, she is getting on a bit too (in August it'll be 18 years old).

I'll probably buy a modern cleaner some time, but it'll never replace my oldies!