Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hi,

Well, I've put New York behind me plus all the vacuums I had except for my Miele Capricorn. It's been doing an especially great job as I've moved into a place with carpeting already installed. The living room rug is brand new and not a problem but the one in the bedroom is only surface clean.

I've been amazed at the way the vacuum's filled almost two fresh bags in a row in just the first two days of going over that one, not so large room. It appears the prior renter had on hand only a Dirt Devil stick vac and a really beat up canister that both merited no more than throwing out.

Nonetheless, my problem is not that but that after pushing on the pedal for the Miele's SEB-236 PN's height adjustment a few times with my toe to get the height set-up "just right" (should have left it on "1" in the first place) the thing got stuck on setting "3". I can't get it to engage again and move me back to setting "1".

I at first thought this was something I could easily fix myself, but you know Miele. What's the name of the tool that undoes the weirdo screws on the PN's sole plate? Can I buy one? Indie guys can pass on any helpful info by PMing me. My lips are sealed and I promise I won't blow your cover. Thanks.

Venson

Im pretty sure you're referring to a star screwdriver - star heads are what Miele use to screw things in - that can't be undone by the owner unless they have the specified tool/driver.

Also if you have new carpets or just a carpet that evidently hasn't been properly cleaned, you will be liable to fill up dust bags. It's a sad fact of life and one I can't stand being a bagged vacuum fan. However, having a bagless upright on standby (and they're pretty cheap in the U.S compared to the poor economy we now have in the UK) is handier!

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

I'm going to have to check that out.  I've looked at the aluminum screw heads on my power nozzle and you might be right, better yet I may even have a small set in the house.  Still, even though the torx screws do allow for putting a "seal" of sorts on the inner workings of a pricey vac that I wouldn't want just anyone messing around with, I don't think life needs to be made quite that complicated for something as small as I experienced. 

First thing I noted when I brought my Tango S7 upright home was that the instructions indicated that a coin could be used to undo the two locking screws holding the little cover at the back of the machine in place if you needed to remove it to clear clogs.  Stuff like that is my idea of simple.

Since the age of ten, if some obviously minor problem arose with a vacuum in the house, I simply went to our kitchen's odds-and-ends drawer and pulled out a screwdriver for either Phillips-head or slotted screws -- sometimes a plain old table knife did the trick just as well -- and voila, the problems was solved.  I'm talking not to be sneezed at Hoovers, Eurekas, Electroluxes, Rainbows you name it and simple things I managed.

I have common sense enough to know what I can fix and what I should leave for better trained hands  However, my Capricorn and the Miele Tango I had to leave behind both leave you wondering how to get them  apart.   The performance and design of either is wonderful I but dread the day a belt replacement or some other small repair is required that I should easily be able to do myself but can't due to difficulty of access.  An air of mystery did a lot for Garbo but doesn't do a thing for a vacuum cleaner.

As for bags, I'm still groaning and moaning over the price of a package of high-filtration bags but thoroughly enjoy that dust disposal is neat and easy and, from what I can tell, the bags do their job.  I do confess here that, getting past the three year mark by now, I have yet to replace the HEPA.  But, just the other day I took it out of the machine and it and the bag chamber are quite clean.  To be on the safe side,  I did go over the HEPA with a hanheld just in case there might be some minute quantity of "schmutz" on it and put it back. 

Check the back of the AirTeq 650 floor head pic I put on - the screws that hold everything in place on the base plate/sole plate are star screws - you may find the same on most other Miele floor heads including the electric power brush.

Torx Screws aren't used to keep you from opening the machine...That's what a warranty is for...LOL Actually torx is used because it is easier for the Assembler to put it onto a screw gun when they put the machine together... it won't fall off the screw gun as easily as a Flat head or Phillips head would. There ARE however Torx that have a center pin that ARE designed that way to prevent you from opening the product (I have these on the Rice Cookers we service). You need a Hollow Torx to get them.

Lucky1 wrote:

Thanks Lucky1, that's good to know. Do you have any idea of how much of a Miele vac's assembly is handled by robotics?

Venson