• ⇤
• ⇽
• ≡
• ⇾
• ⇥

burned out vacuum cleaner

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Since Electrolux won't support our vacuum cleaner (we brought a Japanese-bought model to Canada), I've decided to take it apart and see what I could do. It was quite a chore, because Electrolux decided to use "Torx" screws, for which I had to go buy a new driver (a trip we turned into a family cycling and running outing). The problem turned out to be a burned wire. One of the leads connecting the housing for the power cable had simply burned away. From the location of the problem it seemed clear to me that the wire had kinked due to strain from repeated shaking of the power cable's housing. This is subjected to plenty of strain while the cable is spooled out and let to return, and would also have strain and shaking while the vacuum is being pulled around. Why the housing was not secured by screws is anyone's guess, but the crap design is what caused this $600 unit to die.

I'm going to try to fix it myself. I tried to find a nearby repair shop, but everything's closed on weekends.