Thread Number: 15501
You guys are rubbing off on me.... trash find!
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Post# 164787   1/5/2012 at 15:10 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

OK, now you all have me doing it! I guess I was meant to find a trash vacuum this week anyway, because earlier in the week, I saw one that I passed up. I was working at my second job (overnight security for a condo complex) and there was a bagged Bissell (the cheap black one from Wal-mart) at the dumpster... I thought about taking it in to clean it up an resell it because I see them on Craig's List all the time.... but I had a bunch of stuff in the car and decided against it at the last minute.

So last night, as I was getting home from the second job in the wee hours of the morning, (and it was freezing, frost all over everything!) I noticed a new vacuum box outside by the trash cans. It was for a bagless Hoover Windtunnel. I thought, "Well, if someone got a new vacuum, they must have thrown their old one in the trash!" I looked around, and in the box, with the handle folded down, was a (OK, you can predict what I'm going to say next.... it's either got to be a bagless dirt devil or bissell....nobody ever throws a Sebo X4 in the trash unfortunately).... red bagless Dirt Devil Quick Power. Of course I knew it was junk right away... bagless, paper filter, plastic, dirt devil, 50 dollars new... junk, but I thought I'd take it in just for fun and just see what the matter with it was.

When I got it in, I was surprised at what good shape it was in cosmetically. It even had all the attachments. I turned it on to see if it ran (I've learned my lesson there.... too many times, I've taken a vacuum apart, cleaned it, waxed it, and realized then tested it only to find that it didn't even run).... it ran, but the bleeder valve opened up right away, so I knew it was clogged. While I had it on, I noticed that the brush was spinning just fine.

So, I went to bed and got up to clean it this morning. The dirt chamber filter looked brand new, but the post motor filter had a lot of dirt on it. I bleached everything including the brushroll and bottom plate. The clog, as it often is, was in the small hose that goes from the nozzle to the dirt chamber....

So, the parts are drying on the kitchen floor right now, I may keep it a few weeks and play with it and then sell it on Craig's List.

A few things impressed me.... It has a cord clip and a finger tip mounted switch. The hose seems pretty good quality and it has height adjust, and a bleeder valve. Plus, the machine seemed pretty quiet when I had it on. Not things you'd expect from a dirt devil, especially at this price point.

I couldn't care less about the fold down handle.... I actually don't like them because there's always some amount of play, and this one is no exception.

If I can make 20 or 25 dollars on it, I'll be happy. I see machines like this on C/L for similar prices all the time. I just can't believe that someone threw the vacuum away and bought a new one just for that. The nozzle opening is very small, so it would seem to be a model that would clog fast.

Here are some pics....



Post# 164789 , Reply# 1   1/5/2012 at 15:11 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

close up of base

Post# 164790 , Reply# 2   1/5/2012 at 15:12 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Even the brushroll was surprisingly clean!

Post# 164792 , Reply# 3   1/5/2012 at 15:19 (4,466 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Wow, it looks in very good condition, and for a Bagless, is quite pleasing to the eye!

Post# 164796 , Reply# 4   1/5/2012 at 15:32 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

This was the filter how I found it.... almost looks brand new.... smells a little of carpet fresh though....

Post# 164797 , Reply# 5   1/5/2012 at 15:34 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

This was the post motor filter.... I don't even know why they put it on there, it's so thin, that it can't possibly do any good. It's clean and drying now.

Post# 164798 , Reply# 6   1/5/2012 at 15:36 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

This was the small hose that was clogged.... you can see part of the clog! Not only is it small, but part of it is bent at a silly curve instead of being straight, which doesn't help matters.

The hardest part when cleaning a "new" vacuum is waiting for the parts to dry so you can play with it and see how it works... I'm about ready to take a hair blower to them!


Post# 164799 , Reply# 7   1/5/2012 at 15:37 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

This was all the dirt that was clogging it... not a huge amount really.... there was none in the dirt bin.... it was all right there instead!

I cleaned up the mess with one of my Orecks because I didn't want to get anything better all nasty.


Post# 164800 , Reply# 8   1/5/2012 at 15:39 (4,466 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        
final pic

This is what they got instead apparently... better, but I guess they still haven't learned much about quality.

Post# 164801 , Reply# 9   1/5/2012 at 15:41 (4,466 days old) by director12 ()        

I heard you should try a video on the Dirt Devil Hand vac, and do a Windtunnel Vs. Wildcat Vs. Dyson.

Post# 164804 , Reply# 10   1/5/2012 at 15:55 (4,466 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

while not my cuppa tea either if you can get a few bucks for it, or give it to a friend to use or even donate it why not.. better than it being trashed.

Post# 164863 , Reply# 11   1/5/2012 at 21:06 (4,466 days old) by szymonrules (Philadelphia, PA )        

szymonrules's profile picture
Hmmm, not bad actually! BTW, I seond director12's idea of a wildcat vs. oreck vs. dyson!

Post# 164965 , Reply# 12   1/6/2012 at 20:55 (4,465 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Hey guys I have a question.... I got it all back together and tried to run it and the bleeder valve is popping open and shut the whole time I'm using it and that really interferes with the suction. I'm thinking about just removing the bleeder valve and covering the hole with tape.... I know the filter is clean because I cleaned it and the vacuum isn't clogged at all.... the attachment hose was clogged as well.... I discovered that after I got the machine all back together and tried to run it and there still wasn't any suction.... but a 20 minutes of shoving the broom handle down and pick debris out solved that and there is suction at the hose now... I just can't figure out what's going on with that silly bleeder valve!

The other thing is that I think the bristles are worn.... they are barely even with the bottom plate.... we have flat hard carpet in these apartments and it is really hard on brushrolls and when I found the vacuum, it was on the lowest height setting, so I imagine the previous owner used it like that which doesn't help matters any....

Help!


Post# 164983 , Reply# 13   1/7/2012 at 03:31 (4,464 days old) by rob_89 ()        
Aka...

Hey,

We have a near identical model sold here in the UK under various brand names- the Dirt Devil model here sells for around £100. I've had the same cleaner in black from supermarket Tesco (around £40 new, same machine)- I bought one brand new, and returned it. The carpets in my rented house looked similar to yours, quite tough low pile, and I found the vacuum tended to flick little bits of sand etc away from the nozzle.

I was given another one to repair recently and that also had completely worn down bristles after a year's use. Certainly on our models over here the brush bristles were quite soft, so presumably they wear quicker. Replacement brushrolls might be available but I guess that may eliminate any profit when you sell it on.

On a positive note though, they are quite a neat design, I found the hose suction was good and the accessories easy to use. Probably a play thing for a few weeks!

Rob



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