Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for confirming that I am not completely crazy with this. I am shocked (pardon the pun) that this kind of arking switch has received the UL stamp of approval. It's such a shame, because the Tempo really is an excellent carpet vacuum - a bare bones WindTunnel with great suction and brushing action. I think Peter's comment is spot on - the switch is a very cheap product, and who knows if the sparking isn't somehow melting the plastic around it so that the thing will malfunction just when the one year warranty is up.
My thinking now is: I'm going to keep it, and use the switch as if there is nothing wrong with it. If it dies on me, I will give it in to my AAA Vac shop and pay for the repair if it happens after one year. At least maybe by then Hoover will have provided a better replacement switch to the repair shops.
Thanks for all your help, friends!
Eurekaprince Brian
