Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've 
fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and keep 
encouraging her to buy a new one.

This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A 
little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads, 
confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and 
stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor life.

She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120 range 
for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.

So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field 
winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would 
account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped 
splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery 
revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field winding 
tested continuous. 

Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the 
damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio 
Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to 
relatively good health.

I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot 
simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.

Smitty Two wrote:
> Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've 
> fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and keep 
> encouraging her to buy a new one.
> 
> This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A 
> little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads, 
> confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and 
> stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor life.
> 
> She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120 range 
> for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.
> 
> So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field 
> winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would 
> account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped 
> splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery 
> revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field winding 
> tested continuous. 
> 
> Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the 
> damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio 
> Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to 
> relatively good health.
> 
> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot 
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.


It's feels good when things work out like that, isn't it?

My experience isn that those little thermal fuses can fail from "old 
age" without actually ever being heated to their "melting point".

Jeff

-- 
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

Smitty Two wrote:
> Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've
> fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and keep
> encouraging her to buy a new one.
>
> This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A
> little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads,
> confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and
> stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor life.
>
> She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120 range
> for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.
>
> So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field
> winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would
> account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped
> splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery
> revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field winding
> tested continuous.
>
> Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the
> damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio
> Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to
> relatively good health.
>
> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.
Hi,
Here goes simple "Atta boy" for you.

Smitty Two wrote:
> Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've
> fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and
> keep encouraging her to buy a new one.
>
> This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A
> little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads,
> confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and
> stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor
> life.
>
> She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120
> range for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.
>
> So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field
> winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would
> account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped
> splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery
> revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field
> winding tested continuous.
>
> Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the
> damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio
> Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to
> relatively good health.
>
> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.

Way to go. It'll probably outlast you now.

On Nov 3, 7:36=A0am, Smitty Two  wrote:
> Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've
> fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and keep
> encouraging her to buy a new one.
>
> This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A
> little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads,
> confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and
> stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor life.
>
> She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120 range
> for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.
>
> So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field
> winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would
> account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped
> splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery
> revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field winding
> tested continuous.
>
> Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the
> damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio
> Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to
> relatively good health.
>
> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.

Well done!

If you dont want to keep fixing this one....take a look on ebay,
decent used units can be had for a good price.

btw   are you sure the g/f is that concerned about a vacuum?  and
might that be happier with a "vacuumer"?   :)

for some reason my wife really likes it when I vacuum, maybe cuz she
can't hear me talking?

cheers
Bob

The key to living well is to simplify life. KISS

-- 
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
"Smitty Two" <p...@earthlink.net> wrote in message 
news:p...@newsfarm.iad.highwinds-media.com...
> Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've
> fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and keep
> encouraging her to buy a new one.
>
> This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A
> little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads,
> confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and
> stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor life.
>
> She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120 range
> for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.
>
> So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field
> winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would
> account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped
> splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery
> revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field winding
> tested continuous.
>
> Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the
> damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio
> Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to
> relatively good health.
>
> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff. 

On Nov 3, 12:36=A0pm, Smitty Two  wrote:

May seem like a small thing but one senses the pride of an
achievement. And that's what do it your self is all about.
Well done. As long as a repair is safe; and in addition to saving the
cost of a new vacuum, not helping fill up the landfill with the
existing one and having the satisfaction of returning something to
service.

Our vacuum is well over 40 years old and we even have a spare motor
which we will probably never use!

But also importantly demonstrating that make-do and ability to cope
attitude often missing in our high expectation throw-away society.

Keep at it and you will live more cheaply, will have greater
confidence and ability to cope with life etc.

On Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:36:33 -0800, Smitty Two wrote:
> $1.69 plus tax at Radio Shack

Was that seriously for the fuse? I didn't think RatShack sold anything
remotely *useful* these days.

> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.

Amen to that. I like my gadgets simple and well-built, not all this
plastic-fantastic micro-controlled crap that's floating around these days.

Now, where'd I put my steam-powered computer and modem... ;)

cheers

Jules

Smitty Two wrote:
> Hey, it's a home appliance, so it's almost home repair. Anyway I've
> fixed my girlfriend's aging vacuum three times in three years, and
> keep encouraging her to buy a new one.
>
> This weekend's episode concerned the motor that drives the brush. A
> little VOM work confirmed voltage was reaching the motor leads,
> confirming switch and wiring integrity. As a double-check I cut and
> stripped the wires and got out the suicide cord. No sign of motor
> life.
>
> She went on the internet and started pulling up prices in the $120
> range for a new motor. Sheesh. I'm in the wrong business.
>
> So I took the motor apart. A quick ohmmeter check showed the field
> winding to be open, but I sure didn't see any damage to it that would
> account for it being open. I decided to take a look at the crimped
> splices that connect the magnet wire to the leads, and my surgery
> revealed a little thermal fuse. The fuse tested open, the field
> winding tested continuous.
>
> Maybe I shot myself in the foot, because now I'm stuck maintaining the
> damn thing for a while longer. But anyway, $1.69 plus tax at Radio
> Shack, and an hour's work is all it took to restore the thing to
> relatively good health.
>
> I love simple stuff. I'm glad I have the experience to troubleshoot
> simple stuff and the tools and the time to fix simple stuff.

Then there's the residual benefits. For example, I suspect you were a real 
stallion last night. 

On Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:25:57 -0600, Jules
<j...@remove.this.gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:36:33 -0800, Smitty Two wrote:
>> $1.69 plus tax at Radio Shack
>
>Was that seriously for the fuse? I didn't think RatShack sold anything
>remotely *useful* these days.

One of my local Radio Shack not only has a crapload of *useful* stuff,
they also have a guy who works there who knows how to use it--- and
can explain it in English to a slacker like myself.

Jim
[and just in case corporate bots usenet- it is store #01-1332 in
Niskayuna, NY]