have used it already today and when moving to another room it would not come on. What is wrong?
Vacuums

How to Identify and Fix Common Vacuum Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced Vacuum Technicians :

Check that the vacuum cleaner is plugged into a working power outlet and that fuses and breakers don`t need resetting. An activated thermal cut-out due to a blockage is the next most likely cause of the problem. Check for blockages in the hose and filters, and remove any obstructions that you find.
Check For Clogs or Blocks In The Vacuum

Check the hoses, the filters, and throughout the vacuum, and clean out any blockages or clogs. Vacuums will likely also have a recommended cooldown time to ensure that the vacuum won`t overheat. You will need to wait for that time before you turn the vacuum back on.

This usually occurs if the dust cannister is too full or the filters are clogged and the motor wasn`t getting enough cooling air passing over it.
Lack of power, a bad power cord, failed drive motor or broken wires in the vacuum hose can prevent the vacuum cleaner from starting. Make sure the electrical outlet that you`re using for the vacuum cleaner works. Try using a different outlet if you suspect that the outlet you`re using is dead.
Overheated Motor

If your vacuum was working fine and then suddenly shut off, it may have overheated. Most vacuums are equipped with a thermal protector safety switch that won`t allow the motor to run when it becomes overheated. You will need to wait for 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on your machine, to try again.

The most common problems found in vacuum cleaners are low suction force, excessive noise, burning smell, vacuum not turn on, and overheating. These issues can be fixed by either cleaning the device or replacing some parts of the device. At times, it is best to seek a professional to fix the cleaner effectively.
A damaged vacuum hose, clogged motor air filter or bad suction motor can cause the vacuum cleaner to shut off during use. A tripped overload on the vacuum suction motor can shut off the vacuum cleaner during use. If your vacuum has a reset button, push it; if the vacuum seems hot, let it cool off first.
If there is something that has become caught in the hose in another part of the system, the airflow will be reduced and can cause overheating and a shut down. Clear out hoses, attachments, and brushes of any hair, dirt, and debris. This will allow for restored airflow and should get things going again.
A strong odor from the shellac that coats the copper coil windings is an indicator that the motor is about to or has burnt out. If the motor is still running, even if it turns on and off by itself as it is heating and cooling, you can still run the motor until it gives up for good.
Problems can occur when overused or clogged filters cause the vacuum motor to overheat. This not only shortens the motor life but causes a loss of suction. In some cases, total motor burn out can occur.
If you don`t vacuum your carpet, the dirt will break down carpet fibers and create a breeding ground for dust mites and bacteria. In addition, your home will begin to smell musty from the dirt, mites, and other organisms settling into the fibers.
Vacuuming every day, or even a few times a day, is not going to create any long term problems.
The most common problem with a vacuum cleaner is also the easiest to remedy: clogs in the hose or attachments. Also the electrical cord, motor, switch, fan, brushes, and motor bearings can all need repair or replacement. The drive belt may need replacing; and the attachments, hoses, and filters may need unclogging.
Water Can Ruin Your Vacuum Motor

If water invades the motor, you may have a completely failed vacuum cleaner. Again, not only will the water be inside your motor, but it will be carrying dirt and grime with it, making it unlikely (or at least very difficult) to restore the motor to a safe condition.

If your vacuum is fairly new and this is the first time you`re experiencing a problem, repairs are probably the best option. In fact, your vacuum may still be covered under warranty. However, if you`ve had to pay for multiple repairs and you`ve had the appliance for many years, it might be time for a new one.
Over time and extended use, a very fine layer of particles will start to line the inside of a vacuum bag, remaining in place even after the bag is emptied. This means that the bag will lose the proper airflow required to let the incoming air escape. As the airflow is restricted, the suction dies down too.
Most vacuum makers recommend cleaning or replacing filters at set intervals—and those intervals vary wildly. Tineco, for example, recommends cleaning the filters on its stick vacuums after every few uses, while Miele says you need to change its vacuum filters only after every fourth bag change.
A vacuum cleaner can run continuously for 30 – 60 min each time. The vacuum cleaner has no suction power. For example, a hair cannot be sucked up.
Connect a tachometer and vacuum gauge to a none regulated vacuum source on the engine. Disconnect and plug fuel vapor canister vacuum lines. Start engine and run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature. Note the vacuum gauge reading and any variations in the pointer movement at idle and 2000 RPM.
How Vacuum Switches Work. Once the switch registers a change in the negative pressure based on the preset sensitivity of the setpoint, the diaphragm of the switch will open or close the attached circuit, turning off or powering on a device. Vacuum switches can be used with NO and NC states.
Problems can occur when overused or clogged filters cause the vacuum motor to overheat. This not only shortens the motor life but causes a loss of suction. In some cases, total motor burn out can occur.
The fuse canister is a dead break device and ABB recommends that it be used in conjunction with an interlocked load break oil switch, such as ABB`s LBOR. The Type K, current limiting fuse canister consists of two major components.
Problems can occur when overused or clogged filters cause the vacuum motor to overheat. This not only shortens the motor life but causes a loss of suction. In some cases, total motor burn out can occur.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

I have a Kenmore Elegance Vacuum with Dirt Sensor, Model # 116.30750400C, Serial number M41901532. When vacuuming the carpet the power head will work for 3-6 mins then automatically shut off, power is still there and lights work but the power head motor turns off and the suction stops. I will turn it off and on, check the outlet, flick the on off buttons…nothing. I will turn it off for a couple minutes and it turns back on and runs like normal. I’ve check the bags, filters, cleaned the hos
ANSWER : It is an electrical problem in the handle, if you can or know somebody that has any fix it ability it can be fixed in about ten minutes. Oh, and Sears SUCKS!!

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Miele Champagne Vacuum Cleaner Model S548 I was using the vacuum as normal, moved locations so I plugged into another outlet & suddenly there was no power to the vacuum! I tried it in several other outlets, tried the reset button… & still no power to the vacuum. Any ideas what could be causing this? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
ANSWER : Greetings from ,
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.This definitely sound like a cord reel issue to me. This is really the only problem that I ever see on a Miele vacuum cleaner. 9 times out of 10 the cord reel needs to be changed. If you purchase the cord from us, and it’s not the problem you may return it up to 60 days later for a full refund, that’s how confident I am that is what’s wrong with your machine.
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Ok, so you need to replace the cord reel on a Miele , no problem! I’ll attempt to try and walk you through this repair with a detailed explanation of it, and along with some pictures to help you. You’ll first want to buy the new Miele S500 series cord reel

So once you have the cord reel, you’ll need either a Phillips head screw driver for the older S514 models, or a T20 Torx Screwdriver for the newer S514 model vacuums. The picture below is actually of the Miele S518 Cat & Dog series, but for this repair the procedure and parts are identical to your Miele Champagne. You’ll need to remove the hose, wand, and power nozzle from the vacuum cleaner before you begin.

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The first thing you’ll wand to do is open up the bag housing, and remove the vacuum bag, as well as the exhaust filter which may be either the Cloth Super Air Clean Filter, or the HEPA Filter catridge which is blue in color. If you’re using the Super Air Clean filter, remove the filter, and then remove the bracket that secures the filter in place as well. Simply pull straight up on the bracket and it will come out.

Once the bag and the filter have been removed, you’ll need to take off the entire tool lid. While the vacuum cleaner is open so that you can see into the compartment where the bag just was, you need to pry two arms from the tool lid off of the main body housing. Simply put a screwdriver behind one of the blue arms, and pry inwards. Here’s a picture of what this looks like;

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Once you have removed both of these clasps, the tool lid will pull straight upwards and off, leaving you with only the bottom part of the canister. This is how the vacuum cleaner should look now;

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Now you’ll need to remove the black speed control box from the canister. There is one screw in the front of the black speed control box that needs to be removed. After the screw has been removed, turn the vacuum cleaner around so that the back of the machine where the cord reel goes into the vacuum is now facing you. If you look where the black speed control box meets the bottom part of the canister, you can see two clips that you’ll need to release before the variable speed control box can be removed. Simply put a screw driver and push in on the clip while lifting the black speed control box at the same time. Here’s where the clips are located on the vacuum;

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Ok, now that the speed control box has been removed, it’s time to separate the colored plastic from the base of the vacuum cleaner. There are 7 screws that need to be removed in order to get these housings separated. I have circled the location of each screw in the picture below;

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After removing all 7 screws, you can then simply pull upwards on the colored plastic housing, and remove the housing from the base of the vacuum cleaner so that the motor and cord reel are exposed. Once you have exposed the cord reel, you’ll need to remove the internal wires (white wire is in the higher posistion, and to the left of the lower right side black wire), as well as the rubber hose part. The rubber hose part simply pulls off, just like the wire terminals do. After removing these parts, you’ll need to remove one more screw with your screw driver. Here’s the picture of which screw needs to be removed;

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After the final screw has been removed, you’ll have to remove the rectangular shaped wire harness that sits at the top of the cord reel. Pay close attention to how this wire harness is correctly seated which will save some aggravation when putting the vacuum back together. Here’s a picture of the wire harness that needs to be removed from the old cord reel;

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Once the wire harness has been completely removed from the old cord reel, you may simply pull up on the cord reel and remove it. The new cord reel will come completely assembled, with all the parts and compontents that your faulty cord reel had. You simply need to line up the screw hole on the new cord reel with the hole in the bottom of the base of the vacuum. When installing the new cord reel be very careful that you don’t pinch any of the wires down by putting the cord reel on top of them. The wires have a specific place they go, and you’ll be able to see the correct path for these wires when paying close attention. Also remember to install the rubber tube back onto the new cord reel as well. Once the new cord reel has been installed, and screwed down, pull the plug out a little ways, and guide the plug through the colored top housing first, then screw the 7 screws that hold the upper housing to the lower housing back into to secure these housings together.

That’s about all there is to that repair! Please feel free to request a repair clarification if you have any questions about the repair that I can help you with, I’m always more then happy to help.
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If this repair guide was helpful to you, please click the thumbs up icon in the bottom right part of this solution to rate it has helpful.

Thank you so much,

Chris Jones

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My vacuum just stopped working, so I don’t know what the problem is. I used it in the kitchen to vacuum the hard wood floor. I turned it off, and a few minutes later, turned it back on to finish vaccuuming the kitchen floor. It just would not turn on. I had not unplugged it or did anything to it. I then tried to see if it would work in another plug, and no luck. I’m trying to figure out if it can be fixed or if I need to look for a new vacuum.
ANSWER : When I get most Vacuums that have dies on people most of them the wire has been worn and cut one or more wires on the plug cord. Sometimes the cut can be over looked. Please unplug and check the wire carefully.
Also please post the make model and year you bought it would help in getting you a answer.

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I have a Kirby G4 Vacuum Cleaner – MOdel G4 D. I have never had any problems or repairs done to it in the past ten plus years that I’ve had it. This is an upright vacuum. I was vacuuming the carpet floor and was not having any trouble at all. I switched the vacuum off and moved it into a different room. When I tried to turn on the vacuum, it would not turn on. I checked with different outlets, used both front attachment and hose attachment. Checked the front part of the motor/ spiral case. This
ANSWER : Hello,
.My educated guess is that it’s either the switch or the power cord. Here are a couple of guides to help with diagnosis and repair…
.
.http://reviews.ebay.com/COMMON-PROBLEMS-WITH-THE-KIRBY-VACUUM-TROUBLESHOOTING_W0QQugidZ10000000003800312
.
.http://reviews.ebay.com/REPLACING-THE-POWER-SWITCH-ON-ANY-KIRBY-G-SERIES-VACUUM_W0QQugidZ10000000003752018
.
.Hope this helps!!
.Marci

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REMOTE CONTROL IS MALFUNCTIONING & NOT TURNING ON CUSHION – Hello. I bought a used (by near new) Shiatsu+ Massaging Cushion from Ebay. When I installed it today the remote control was faulty. When you push the Power button, the blue light comes on, but none of the other buttons work. When you push the Power button again to turn it off, it clicks & turns itself back on again. So it’s running but nothing is happening in the massage cushion.
I did see a card in the box saying “For the Shiatsu
ANSWER : Before you use this cushion you MUST first ‘unlock’ the rollers which are held in place by a screw which MUST be removed or the unit will self destruct. The manufacturer provides a hex wrench to remove the shipping screw and a large label on the back of the device states that if the screw is not removed then the item will be damaged when you turn it on.

The large tag says “For the shiatsu mechanism to function, you MUST remove and discard screw BEFORE using this cushion. Failure to do so WILL CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE PRODUCT”. The manual does not mention this screw. There is a two year warranty and a $(ten dollar) handling fee for warranty repairs. I suppose that the warranty is void if you do not remove the screw, however, it seems that only by luck would one normally find this shipping screw (and tag) that holds the rolling mechanism in place during shipping....Remove the screw from the back as instructed by the manual.When you first get the massage cushion you will need to open the box and set it up. The first thing you need to do is remove the safety screw. This screw is holding the massage mechanism in place for shipping purposes. If you do not remove this screw before you turn it on you could permanently damage the cushion.After removing the screw you need to find a good chair and strap it on and plug it in. There are two straps that you need to attach. One is on the back and the other is where the back meets the seat. Once those are around the chair then you plug in the transformer to the wall and the massager.After setting up the massager all you need to do is sit on it and turn it on. You may want to start out with a rolling massage so that you can get a feel for the massager.————–.but as you mentioned, that its a used product, then yes the screw must be already removed by the previous user.and in that case, it indicates any thing internally is got shorted, a loose wire or shorted transformer or burned circuit or weak motor.This are few possibilities , that can cause the problem.Also check batteries in remote.——— And i dont think, this problem is caused by you.This problem must be there before buying this product.Thats why, the user must have sold this on ebay.A local electrical parts repair store tech can get the internal board checked and confirm.If this board is faulty or any small loose wire or shorted wire.————–.This should help.Thanks.Helpmech..

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I have a kenmore progressive direct drive handi mate jr. upright vacuum. My daughter used it last night to vacuum up some cat litter that had spilled on the floor. I went to use it today and it turned on for a second and then stopped working. I have hit the reset button but it will not turn on. Help this vacuum is only 2 years old Is there anything that I need to reset or do so that the vacuum will work again?
ANSWER : Its probably clogged up with cat litter.might have gotten into the motor.your motor has a motor guard inside if it. when it overheats it will shut down till it cools off.you need to clean all th cat liter out of it.and clean the filters.with a direct drive you might want to take it in to a repairman to sevice. its not a shop vac i advise you not to pick up things like cat liter

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Infinity Vaccum by Shark, model number NV31COS, will not start. The vacuum was running just fine until it grabbed the edge of a curtain. Turned it off to release the suction. Turned it back on and was working fine. About a minute later the vacuum was making an odd noise. Every 2 seconds or so it would “heave” (lack of a better word) then go away, then come back and so on. Turned the vacuum off and checked for blockage, none that could be seen or felt, and now the vacuum won’t turn. Any suggestio
ANSWER : Carpet brush won’t turn when vac on

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I have only had my shark steam mop for about a month and only used it twice. I tried to use it yesterday and it would not work. The green light came on and it worked for maybe ten seconds, then it completely shut off. I tried switching outlets and draining the water but nothing worked. It still doesn’t work today either. What do you think is wrong? Does this product have a warranty?
ANSWER : Yes has warranty call Shark/europro.

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