Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

Nice idea but not much of an answer to my desires.  My S7 can easily be flipped over and the scissor guides (thank you Lucky1) on the body of the brushroll to make cutting away thread and hair easy enough without removal of the base plate.  Nonetheless, the brushrolls and belts are not removable for maintenance or replacement by users regarding the Miele S7 or Vax's Mach Air series.  (See the link to the Mach Air manual.) If problems arise, I have to call Miele and Vax owners have to get in touch with Vax.  That's not my idea of convenient.

http://www.vax.co.uk/downloads/pdf/u90-u91-ma_series_user_guide.pdf

Please see page 7.  Vax goes so far as to say "IMPORTANT: for your safety, never try to access / replace brushbar drive belt."  This to me is just another way of making procedures that should literally be no-brainers for users overly complicated, inconvenient and of unnecessary cost even if we're merely speaking of the a drive to an authorized place of repair. 

Venson

Venson wrote:
I do hope your desires aren't going over loose threads to test the destructibility of your machine! It is also fairly easy to speculate the problems you would incur, but what have you incurred so far?
There was a time when I would agree with you - after all, as a SEBO owner the roller brushes on both the K/D/ cylinders with electric heads, Felix/Dart and X models are far simpler to remove to clean etc. BUT, the SEBO company have always been a commercial vacuum company first and foremost - as you are aware - so their machines have easy enough to remove components by the owner to maintain their vacuums.

Miele and other brands are different though since they are domestic brands that have little commercial range outside their niche markets. I believe that makes all the difference in this respect - although it is clear where Miele have cut corners since their cylinder floor heads have easy to remove screws on their base plates should anything get tangled/needs maintained. The Vax Mach Air has a reset button on the floor head - so if it does seize up, the floor head can re-brake itself. I've only had one problem with my Mach Air in this respect and once the button was pushed, the roller bar came back to life.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi,

Not at all!  I have no problems with loose thread, long tresses or pet fur mucking up the works with my vacuums but many do.  Thus maintenance should be simple.  And . . . if an owner hopefully has his or her machine for a good amount of time and feels a brushroll change is in order that should be simple too.  Other than to buy the replacement piece, there should be no need for a run to a vac shop over the matter.

As for the auto-shutoff for brushrolls -- it should be a given in any clean-air upright vacuum.  Long hair, thread, etc., will usually not stop a brushroll.  The unseen sock, kid's toy, fringe on rugs or the edge of a scatter rug will.

Venson

Venson wrote:
Well, that's why there's a reset button on the Vax floor head - any fringes etc, kid's toys. I think sometimes though as an owner logic has to take over. Owners after all dont put rocks in their washing machine, or towels in their dishwasher!

vacmanuk wrote:

Never underestimate user "ingenuity".  There was once a cookbook composed of recipes that could be cooked (wrapped in foil of course) in your dishwasher as you ran a load of dishes.  I've made tea and grilled cheese sandwiches with a travel iron.  But that's not the issue.  My point is that this sudden trend for having to bring a vacuum back to a shop over what should be small issues is needless.  Burned out carbon motor brushes, short circuits, breakage all are more in order for shop visits but belt and brushrool replace or management should never be.

Venson

User vacuum maintenance wrt brush roll and belt is a double sided coin.  It doesn't aid IMHO in the initial sale of the vacuum but allows for longevity of product use.  To be user friendly, the product must first allow for easy access to the parts and easy replacement.   More importantly the parts, brush roll and belts, must be affordable and readily available to users.  Both [easily accomplished and readily available at affordable prices] are needed if the brand/model is to be owned/used by homeowners for the long haul. 

Some brands/models warn users up front not to tackle replacement although they may make access easy.  They advise seeing an authorized dealer.  Other brands/models clearly show users "how to" but may use 4-6 standard screws for the job to get done.  In the final analysis, if the parts are inexpensive and available, and users are so inclined they will go with doing the replacement themselves regardless of the screws, clips, and/or both.  I lean toward the latter for product longevity and usage for the long haul.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
I agree with you on some points Carmine, but I don't feel paying top dollar for the parts has to be an issue or indeed making things affordable. If companies are out to make a quick buck then most of their products will reflect that not just in inaccessible areas that other brands have always put to the top of their list (SEBO being one I can strongly identify with) but with the general build quality and sometimes even the design of the product in question. As you say it is a "double sided coin," where maintenance is concerned, but as buyers we can't specify down to the iota what "affordable" is. I've been down this route with you before, remember the cost of Oreck bags in the U.K? Yes, it is a poor exchange rate from U.S to U.K currency / vice versa but when you look at prices in the U.S for SEBO products or even Miele, I'd say you guys get the raw deal compared to cheaper UK prices. The upside is that the U.S seems to get a better array of vacuum cleaners generally - and yes I've often thought about moving to the U.S!!

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk:

Plus the transportation costs to ship the ORECK bags over the pond to the UK.  The second most expensive cost for appliances, after the actual raw materials to make them, is the transportations and shipping costs to get them to market.

Now is a very good time to move to the US.  Housing is the most affordable it's been in almost 50 years and the rates on mortgages are the lowest in over 30 years. 

Carmine D.

The Kompressor series has a new model that I've just seen at a nearby Sears.  It's the LuV400T.  It's basically the same as the blue LuV330B but is now color-schemed an authoritarianly efficient looking basic  black with chrome acents.  A bare floor tool, mattress tool which I think vibrates and an extra-flexible crevice tool with carrying case.

Say goodnight gracie . . .

Venson

Venson wrote:

Good night Gracie.  Looks like LG is here to stay awhile.  With some neat ideas.

Carmine D.