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The great "can't fix that" racket


Nick Jones

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Our vac (Shark Lift-away thing, model AZ950UKT) sort of broken. It still worked, but the latch mechanism that keeps it upright when standing un-used (or when you are using the hand vac function) broke - basically the extrusion in the upper part of the case that 2 screws go into had snapped off. I tried superb glue - but that just parted company on the 2nd use. It's a poor system in my mind that the detent system for holding it upright is achieved by straining the case fixings between the 2 positions. Anyway.... A new bottom brush unit wasn't cheap - so I started toying with drilling it out and putting small long bolts in place of the screws into a captive plate on the top of the unit. In the mean time I started shopping for second hand parts. Most of the brush units were broken in the same way as ours, or worse.

I found one on evilBay that claimed to be complete and working for £35 - so I took a chance and bought it. The advert said "no returns" which was a bit of a warning sign. When I hooked it up, did it bollox like work. The seller was clearly a chancer who thought that by setting the auction up without returns they wouldn't have to deal with the fraudulent listing issues.... wrong. I contacted evilBay who immediately opened a case for me. That day the seller gave me a full refund.

The upshot of this was I had an intact upper casing I could use to replace our broken one. Vac works properly again and due to the seller's dishonesty - it cost me nothing. 

Shark AZ950UKT Powered Lift-Away DuoClean Power Floor Brush WORKING - Picture 1 of 3

Edited by yorkshire_spam
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5 hours ago, yorkshire_spam said:

Shark Lift-away thing, model AZ950UKT

Spawn of the effing devil, those things!

Mine has broken three times now. First time the bottom section that you provide a photo for broke, and Shark replaced it under warranty. Then the handle stopped working, which I eventually sourced a replacement for via evilbay, which has subsequently again stopped working. I've given up on it..........

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Not familiar with that particular model…. But I’ve had a few requests from neighbours to mend similar poxy plastic shite having made the mistake of successfully repairing a rechargeable Mini-Vax thing for one of them. That was easy - battery borked - buy and fit new one.  But she grassed me up and now they all seem to think I can work miracles …..

One got the gaffer tape treatment and I believe is still working, but that hardly counts!  The others though - Some astonishingly poor design out there - including you Mr Dyson! And your parts are unforgivably overpriced!

“Buy a Henry” is my usual advice!

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15 hours ago, thebrookster said:

Spawn of the effing devil, those things!

Mine has broken three times now. First time the bottom section that you provide a photo for broke, and Shark replaced it under warranty. Then the handle stopped working, which I eventually sourced a replacement for via evilbay, which has subsequently again stopped working. I've given up on it..........

I'm not a fan of the quality/how it's built - but we haven't ever had anything anywhere near as good when it comes to dealing with pet hair (4 dogs in the house!) So keeping it running is a good thing. 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I expect I’ve moaned about my ride-in mower on here before. 

The “non-professional” machines have few near rivals when it comes to the over-priced and under-built challenge. Spares too are eye-watering, if even available. 
 

Anyway, it broke again. Or at least, it spat the cutting deck belt off (I thought it broken initially).

Inspecting the belt showed some big chunks out of it, which is irritating as it’s only a couple of seasons old. Even more irritating is that the main drive belt renewed at the same time, is on its very last legs. It least it didn’t break on the far side of the church yard and need dragging back. 
 

I bought new belts (not cheap) and spent a couple of expletive-filled hours fitting them. The drive belt is particularly obnoxious as it goes round many things which have to be removed, some of them very inaccessible and needing other things removing first……

Pics won’t upload… will try later….

 

The other little treat today was reassembling our big gate which has had a brush with a certain TT (no, I have absolutely no idea how she managed it….:blink:). Mostly it had come apart at the glued and pegged joints and it looks like it’ll survive.

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On 9/10/2024 at 9:37 PM, Nick Jones said:

“Buy a Henry” is my usual advice!

Sound advice as it is surely no coincidence that Numatic machines are the choice for any sort of industrial use.....

 

Ian

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6 hours ago, Sprint95m said:

Sound advice as it is surely no coincidence that Numatic machines are the choice for any sort of industrial use.....

 

Ian

I am in charge of a fleet of about 10 Henrys, all in student houses. Mostly bought used or "reconditioned"

Just bought abnother locally for £25, but missing the tools (this will be for home).

In the last 15 years I have had 2 issues. One required a new motor (surprisingly easy) the other was a callout to a 5 bedroom student house in March a few years ago. The report was that the hoover wasn't working properly. When I got there, I picked it up. It weoghed a ton. Opened it, the bag was stuffed so full it was about to burst. I asked when they last emptied it. Blank looks ensued. They had moved in the previous August.....

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Not just ignorant students.  In West London we have quite a few high street repair shops for domestic appliances.

Henry's are a popular target.

My Henry conked out overnight a while back.  Easy enough to take apart.  

The culprit was the power switch suppressor (Capacitor + Resistor)    On-Line suppliers wanted £20. but a 2 week delivery

So I popped along to a local shop. Doh!!  I asked if he had a power switch suppressor - blank look.

I describe it - blamk look

This East European is happily repairing these machines but hasn't a clue what he is doing. 

So I order the components from RS Comps. They arrive next day and Henry is restored to its former sucking glory

The parts cost about £2 for the one machine -= but I had to buy enough parts for 5 machines.

 

Roger

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1 hour ago, zetecspit said:

I asked when they last emptied it. Blank looks ensued. They had moved in the previous August.....

Hey, the miracle is they were actually using it! :biggrin:

 

20 minutes ago, RogerH said:

The culprit was the power switch suppressor (Capacitor + Resistor)    On-Line suppliers wanted £20. but a 2 week delivery

Yeah - bandits. Similar story with the Saniflo suppliers. I know what the capacitor is for next time though!

Our Henry is a skip rescue running with Vax tools (the Vax died young). Numatic are just up the road and I know people who work there. Quality company. Better apprenticeship scheme that our local helicopter factory!

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Another irritation that got me yesterday.

Earlier in the week I was aware that the heating wasn't on (and it should have been)

So I powered up the system and asked for heat. There was an ominous clicking sound from the 2 port selector valve motor.

Remove motor an d the valve was shut.

Thursday I pop along to my favourite plumbing supplier only to find out that the motor had be discontinued.

It is a Sunvic SM5203.  There is no direct replacement.  The counter clerk said I would have to change the motor AND valve for a current one.  I explained this was the same advice you gave 10 - 15 years ago. So If i change the valve will I have to do it again in 10 - 15 years time.  Anyway they didn't have a two port valve+ motor in stock.

Onto Ebay - there is a new one at £150 Bl**dy h*ll. Anyway I ordered it  ( a fool and his money)

Curiosity got me. I took the old one apart and found just one tooth on the output gear wheel (plastic)  had broken away. But I also found that the two gears were only engaging by about 50% of the tooth depth.  Had it been properly engaged it may never have failed.

Can this be repaired - of course it can.  Find a piece of brass sheet. Attach sheet to gear wheel and re-cut the teeth into the brass.

I was going to fit it this morning to see if it worked. Annoyingly the new motor that should be here next Tuesday turned up an hour ago.  

Now, do I fit the new one or the old one - so many decisions.

 

Roger

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This story shows the comparison between my engineering capability and those of the above.

Last weekend, I turned the gas central heating back on. The hot water heating had been fine all summer, but the radiators did not come on.     So Monday, I rang the company that services the boiler and asked if they would visit.  The receptionist asked me a few questions, fair enough, to inform the technician.  Then she asked me about the thermostat.  Yes it's set to a reasonable value, and its on the hall table.  "Ah!  You have a wireless thermostat!   Please check the batteries?"     And Lo!   The AA rechargable batteries were down to 1.27V, and recharging them immediately fired up the gas boiler!    Boiler Company 10, me Nul point!

So well done to Rogerson Homeserve of  Carnforth, for ensuring that their telephone receptionist is so well trained, and for being such an honest company.  It could have meant a call-out fee to tell me to change the batteries!

John

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Oh yeah…. The battery powered thermostat…… that gets me from time to time as the thermostat itself continues to display and respond as normal with no low battery warning.   Same on the AC remote at work. Unhelpful design!

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Wireless devices. Absolutely fantastic until they aren't.

The heating went on a couple of times shortly before I headed out to Mallorca. I originally installed before wireless so don't have that issue at least.

Was expecting one of the two two-port c/h valves to stick and stop the pump switching off, but no. My 'big capacitor' fix seems to have done the trick. 

The server still not accepting pictures?

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Hi,
Not all electronic equipment is suitable for rechargeable battery. Some mention it in the manual.
 1.2V vs 1.5V.
A 1.5V rechargeable battery is available but the voltage is very, very flat until 99%; no warning before empty.
Cheers,
Iain.

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If you can afford Eneloop batteries, they are the best. It would be best if you used a compatible charger. Eneloop batteries will last over 2000 cycles.

Something portable with no low battery indication & consumes nowt would push me to quality alkaline.

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We have Honeywell Evohome wireless radiator valves (and a Evohome controller, great bit of of kit designed by a heating company rather than a software company), work well and means that you can control each room temp separately. But they take 2 AA batteries in each radiator valve and are very good at warning when the battery is getting low but I now just go round every 18 months and change all the batteries. 
Rechargeable are a problem as the fully charged voltage is 0.25V less than an alkaline battery, 1.25 rather than 1.5V. 
 

We were away for a few days, in a very wet Yorkshire, and when we got back one of the smoke alarms was beeping low battery. Changed the batteries and after 2 days one of them started beeping again (why do they always fail at night-time).
Changed the battery as it was down to 8.5V after. Decided to test the smoke alarms with a smoke match, neither alarmed. Took them off the ceiling and realised the use by date was 2017! They have a low level source which decays quite quickly so I guess they had reached the end of life. 2 new ones fitted with 10 years battery life.... 
mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

So just to prove that the appliance gods are ever-vigilant and always listening (just like Alexa, Siri et al), I am being punished for suggesting Henry might be invincible.

Our skip-rescue Henry stopped mid flow today. Apparently just stopped as if switched off and could not be revived.

Investigation led to this IMG_6695.jpeg

Cable drum contacts snapped off on the neutral side.

You can see one of the snapped contacts lying loose top right - dunno where it’s mate is….

Should look like bottom left.

Parts are available. I’ve opted for the genuine contact set at a princely £8 delivered….

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My appliance god is called Bosch and his other name is tumble dryer.  Yesterday I went to empty it, and found the clothes a bit damp.   OK, there was a towel in there, so turn it back on for another ten minutes.  Fine, it sprang into life, but then stopped as soon as my finger left the 'Start' button.   It no longer latches to 'on'.

The dryer could be twenty years old!  Never given trouble before (there I've really jinxed it)   So parts, like a new switch, may not be easy to find, but I have enquiries out withhtwo Bosch parts suppliers, one of whom has even responded with a request for the machine's details.

So, hopeful.   Anyone know of a Parts supplier to ask?

John

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just got rid of our 6 year old Bosch washing machine, always had Bosch but this had an fault on the PSU that tripped the RCBO on the kitchen cct if left plugged in. Luckily it did it the day before we went away for a few days....
Thought this would be an easy fix, just change the capacitors on the mains input filter (nearly all the Bosch have these as separate components) but on this one everything was builtin to one very complex combined control and power supply board. Found a supplier of a new board but nearly £200 for a replacement board and over a weeks delivery.
So cut our loses we brought a new AEG machine with 5 warranty.
It hurts not repairing stuff, but sometime you need to get the machine back and working quickly particularly if you are just back from holiday! Next day delivery machine from John Lewis and they took the old machine away.
Apparently, the new machine is much better at doing what its designed for, washing clothes! Fast and stuff comes out clean and soft and it will also wash jumpers without reducing the size by a factor or 2.... so more of an upgrade than a replacement.
If it lasts for >5 years then the annual cost is not too bad.....
Mike

 

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