Sirena Vacuum - PN Belt

[mark40511]

I just wanted to say, in all the years of owning vacuums, I've never noticed a belt needed changing on a vacuum. I've changed belts, but I've never felt like they really needed it because they always felt like they were doing normal operation (not bogging down, etc). A while back, I bought a Sirena water filtration vacuum, even though I have my Rainbow. I've began using my Sirena again this past month and I've noticed the PN was really bogging down, and I've hardly used it to vacuum my berber carpet. For the first time ever, I could tell the belt needed changing big time (either that or something was wrong with the PN). I took the PN and got the spare belt that came with the PN, and changed it. OMG, so much better - but this PN had only been used a few times and only on berber. I'm wondering if this has been used or something. Nothing about it looks like it had ever been used at all when I bought it (brand new) and unpacked it, but how could a belt go bad that quickly? I'm thinking since I've had it, I've maybe vacuumed the entire house 3 to 4 times with it.

There's so much suction at the head that it sticks to the carpet. Maybe that's why?

I've changed the belt on my Rainbow PN once, but it's never really needed it.

I've always heard of people saying their PN belts needed changing because they were slipping, but I've never ever experienced this with a PN, upright or canister, until now.

 

[durango159]

Every vacuum is different too!!

Depending on how long the vacuum has sat and not having been used the belt gains that pattern of being locked in a certain position for a certain period of time. Depending on the various degrees of rubbers or how tight the belt was designed to be, this can have an effect on the units performance.

Very strong suction is also a plague for belts!! If the suction creates that tight of a seal to impinge on belt performance it may be a good idea to raise the carpet height a notch and/ or slight decrease suction by opening up the suction relief valve just slightly. Too tight of a seal to rug can interfere with the agitation and also restrict on the airflow getting into the unit.

Growing up my family had a Panasonic Jet Flo 240 canister for 5 years. It was our worst machine for belts as far as being able to notice a dramatic difference in performance over time. The high suction power highly affected the units brush roll on the power nozzle.

Over my house cleaning career the worst I experienced was a burgundy colored Filter Queen Majestic Triple Crown. I was replacing belts on that customeers unit about every 6 weeks!!! It was disgraceful how quick that unit lost performance and especially for a very high end, expensive vacuum cleaner!!

 

[mark40511]

Thanks -

It was stored for a while (not horribly long) maybe a year of no use. When I did change the belt, I looked at the old belt vs new belt and there was a huge difference.. Like, when I took the old one off, it came off easily, but when I put the new one on, I had to pull hard to get it on there - I will change the height adjustment up some, even though it's berber, I've always kept them as low as possible. This PN is so freaking quiet too, it's strange. You can barely hear it over the vacuum itself.

It never occurred to me that the vacuum just sitting could cause the belt to loosen over time, but that makes sense

 

[vacerator]

Is a "Syrena"

that Polish made Rainbow facsimilie? Does it work well?
The new Buick "Cascada" is from Poland. Stupid name, but nice roadster. A drop top isn't a waterfall. They should have named it "Skyhawk", or even Skylark.

 

[dysonman1]

The Sirena is made in China. Not aware of any water-vacs made in Poland. The Hyla is made in Slovenia (which is "somewhere over the rainbow" - ha ha).


As to the belt problem, the original belt was installed many months before the Sirena was purchased. And so it was already stretched way before you got the machine, Mark. The new belt should last a couple (2) of years before needing to be changed. As a rule of thumb, after 2 years, a belt is stretched and should be replaced if you want 'like new' performance out of a power nozzle.

 

[vacerator]

I was thinking of

the "Hyla" and yes, Slovenia is just east of the Czeck republic (Bratislava). Slovakia is below Poland.

 

[mark40511]

So is the rule of thumb

2 years - regardless of whether or not the machine is actually being used? I'm guessing the answer to that is yes based on my recent experience.

Oh, and FYI - I took your advice and started filling between max/min instead of just to min. Not sure why they instruct to fill only to min. I do not believe it's enough water either, because when I was finished, after taking separator off to clean it, there wasn't nearly as much dirt on it as there was before. I wonder what the center dome is even for? It's not a gauge for anything.

 

[durango159]

Interesting that they'd have you fill to min. The Minimum line should be the absolute lowest point to fill the machine too. An issue that comes up with the water vacs is the water level dropping from evaporation from high speed volume air, it's like a blower dryer effect over the water basin. LOL

My Rainbow only had a fill to line, no min or max that I recall but when I water didn't gurgle on Low speed, I knew it was time to supplement the basin.

 

[mark40511]

I know!

There is a use and care youtube video on their youtube channel stating to fill to the min line. There is a center dome in the basin, but that's no gauge for anything based on their instructions. It's definitely not as much water in the basin as Rainbow when you fill to the top of the center dome in the Rainbow. So I don't know what the reasoning is behind that. But I've been filling it between max/min, which still doesn't go to the top of the center dome.

Speaking of that, I remember seeing an OceanBlue use and care vid where the instructor said to fill the basin just below the top of the center dome, and a big fat "NOT TO THE TOP OF THE CENTER DOME". These are essentially Rainbow's in the way they work, so I do not understand why the differences, but whatever.



http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyS789CNpxE