Thread Number: 12583
Blown up fan in Kirby
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Post# 134567   4/28/2011 at 22:54 (4,717 days old) by gmerkt (Edmonds WA)        

I made a quick stop in one of the large thrift stores today and found a Kirby G-4. I've got one already, but the mini-emptor in it was cracked. I repaired it with epoxy and it's serviceable, but I've been keeping my eye out for an intact replacement. The G-4 I bought today I didn't even bother plugging in; as a parts donor it really didn't matter. When I got it home, I decided to check into it some more as the machine didn't look all that bad and was complete, fairly clean, etc. I plugged it in and tapped the power switch and got a loud, UNNNNNNHH, the sound of trapped electrical power yearning for release. I knew right away that the motor was stuck, so took the nozzle off as a first step to inquiry. Right away, I could see blades missing from the fan. Next, I pulled off the fan cover and wow, what a scene of destruction. I'm used to the usual one fin missing scenario but this one was B-A-D.

In addition to pieces of fan, there were numerous objects that probably shouldn't have been run into the vacuum. Like machine screws, a ring, a small glass triangle, a slip-on pencil eraser, and various other metallic objects. And lots of plastic dust. At some point, an object had gotten behind the fan and been spun around. Fortunately, no damage to fan case or any other part.

As it happened, I had the partial remains of a G-6 (G-Six?) that I'd gotten in a trade for another Kirby part. The fan was intact in the parts G-6 so I just put that in the "new" G-4. Now all is fine with it and I have another G-4. I guess I'm still looking for that mini-emptor for G-4 #1.

This is a good example about the perils to direct induction system vacuum cleaners. This reminds me of an inadvertent version of the numbskull on YouTube who intentionally vacuums up rocks and screws to destroy vacs for kicks.

When a used Kirby comes my way, I always wonder about the machine. Because of how they are marketed, I think many a new Kirby being introduced into a household has caused a scene of family confrontation. "You bought what???!" and "You paid what???!" are phrases that come to mind. Every Kirby has caused another little domestic drama. Well, of course not all, but many. Another thing I wonder is, for a machine that originally costs, say, $1,200 +/-, how badly treated they can be. I guess it's the same thing with a new Cadillac. Someone pays $40, $50K for one and in ten or twelve years, it's gone to scrap.


Post# 134569 , Reply# 1   4/28/2011 at 23:03 (4,717 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

suckolux's profile picture
WOW!

Post# 134583 , Reply# 2   4/29/2011 at 01:06 (4,717 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

I had that happen to me-but well not directly-I made the mistake of lending my new G4 to a neighbor to shampoo her carpets.When I got the machine back-was HORRIBLE.I didn't even talk to her anymore after that-fortunately the local vacuum shop says--"we will fix your Kirby under a warrantee claim"Sure enough-OK after that.Hard lesson to me-DO NOT LEND OUT machines no matter how nice or pretty the neighbor is.It looked like she tried to pick up candy or something after her floor and carpets were still damp-really tore up the fan like in the picture.Again I think a metal fan would have withstood that treatment.But NO fan(unless made from Titanium or something like that)could withstand the screws,rocks,peices of glass,erasors,Barbie shoes,etc.You need a STREET SWEEPER for some of those things!And direct air vacs make poor rock crushers!I am also amazed at the abuse of high end vacuums-Kirbys treated as shown in the picture-and even used to try to vacuum gravel and debris from pools with water still in it!TriStars being used to pick up doggy poop-and mice being picked up by Sanitaires and last but not least a Carpet Pro used to pick up a HAMBURGER!

Post# 134613 , Reply# 3   4/29/2011 at 08:15 (4,716 days old) by Trebor ()        
The Tribe of Vac-killers is alive...

As I have said previously some people just do not understand the subtle distinctions between a vacuum cleaner and a back hoe...

Post# 134630 , Reply# 4   4/29/2011 at 09:58 (4,716 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest)        
I do not understand people

Would you buy a Rolls-Royce and go mudding in it? Would you take a F-150 as a Wedding coach?
So why would someone use any vacuum is such an abusive manner, let alone a Kirby is beyond comprehension.

Recently a co-worker's husband used her Diamond Jubilee to clean up plaster dust. She was so P'd she made him take it completely apart and clean every bit of dust out of the machine. When he put it back together he caught holly-h#ll because it wouldn't run. Later she discovered he didn't put a new bag in it and the interlock was what was keeping it from running. She never appologized, and never told him different.

Just remember. You can't fix stupid.


Post# 134664 , Reply# 5   4/29/2011 at 14:31 (4,716 days old) by kirbyds80 (California)        
How could someone do that

You wouldn't take a Porsche and go drag racing with it would you? So why take a Kirby like that and abuse it? It makes no sense to me at all.
And that's my 2 cents worth,
Jayson


Post# 134668 , Reply# 6   4/29/2011 at 14:47 (4,716 days old) by djtaylor (Salt Lake City, Utah)        
You can't fix stupid.

djtaylor's profile picture
You can't fix stupid.... I once had a woman come into my shop with a Heritage II that would not pick up the dirt, it kept spitting it out. I picked it up to put it on the counter, it weighed a ton... more than a normal kirby. The outer bag was packed as tight as it could possibly be, the fill tube...down to the emtor and into the fan housing were also packed full. I asked her when she changed the bag last, she looked at me like I were speaking a foreign language. She told me that she did not know that you were supposed to 'change bags'. I asked her where she thought the dirt went AFTER the vacuum sucked it up, she said she thought it 'went away'. She was, by far, the STUPIDEST person I have ever met... and I have met my sister-in-law's family... Now that's saying something.
So, I emptied the vacuum out, changed the belt and told her to change the bags every two months NO MATTER WHAT.
Dumb, so dumb.
Justin


Post# 134671 , Reply# 7   4/29/2011 at 16:04 (4,716 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
lol

kirbymodel2c's profile picture
Now there's a advert for forced sterilisation;o) lol

James:o)


Post# 134673 , Reply# 8   4/29/2011 at 17:02 (4,716 days old) by vac_whisperer ()        
She thought it just "went away" LOL

Oh that was HILARIOUS! And yet at the same time almost saddining, to see a Heretage 2 treated like that...:P

VW


Post# 134863 , Reply# 9   5/1/2011 at 05:02 (4,714 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

If the ring looks of value (get it checked by a jeweller, they'll either give a value or laugh you out of the shop depending on if it's a toy ring or a real one!!), sell it and make a bit of money back for repairing a moron's mistake... :P

And those grey coloured fans are the older Lexan ones, they're known for breaking when something hits them hard, the later cream/white fans are Kevlar and are a bit tougher, though I do believe the suction/airflow drops slightly with those fans cos they're not utilising the space within the fan chamber efficiently (I mean, if you have a tapered fan, you need a tapered fan chamber!! NASA didn't quite get that fan design right!!!)... :)



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