Boom goes the carpet cleaner!!!

[Jabbajaws]

I was cleaning my friend's carpets with her brand new VAX cleaner, the other day, when l smelt an all too familiar metallic smell, which most of us will recognise from our Sca-letrix racing cars days.

This was followed by a great amount of sparks, within the VAX unit, from what appeared to be the motor windings, then came the electric buzzing sound, which sounded like arcing, followed by the 13A plugtop fuse blowing. At least the fuse did its job.

Now l have stringently followed the instructions, concerning the operation of the VAX unit.

The only concern l have, regarding this, is that prior to cleaning the carpets, l put soda crystals onto the carpet, as the hallway carpet is stained.

I have no test equipment, and can not examine the unit internally, as breaking any seals will affect warranty, and the unit is being returned. I am having to try and work this out logically, if at all possible.

My Questions:

Obviously there has been an overload, due to the fuse blowing, as well as the arcing noise.

HAS ANYBODY GOT A REALISTIC IDEA, WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN? ( I followed all the instructions carefully )

CAN SODA CRYSTALS CAUSE DAMAGE TO A CARPET CLEANER? ( Surely a carpet cleaner which is designed to clean stains and suck up large spillages from carpets, should be able to handle this. What if l had spilled loads of soda water? )

Prior to cleaning the carpets, l couldn't find any evidence that soda crystals can cause damage to carpet cleaners.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CARPET CLEANER BECOMES BLOCKED? WOULD THIS CAUSE THE MOTOR TO OVERLOAD?

The unit concerned is the ORANGE VAX 6131 3 in 1 CLEANER...

 

[gaffer]

The carpet detergent used with carpet cleaners usually contains an anti foaming agent,Im guessing the soda crystals you put down has caused a foam to build up in the tank of the machine.And then maybe overflowing into the motor somehow,causing the problems you have described.Did the circuit have RCD protection?

 

[pmac10]

dunno if this will help but my da had a similar episode with a normal vacumn cleaner ( same symptons), anyway not under warranty so i took it apart and a spade connector to motor winding had come off, reconnected it and it worked fine

 

[Jabbajaws]

The carpet detergent used with carpet cleaners usually contains an anti foaming agent,Im guessing the soda crystals you put down has caused a foam to build up in the tank of the machine.And then maybe overflowing into the motor somehow,causing the problems you have described.Did the circuit have RCD protection?

That sounds like a realistic theory. The tank where the clean water, ready for shampooing, was kept, was a very dark murky colour.

The motor unit, which is placed over the clean water tank, has a suction pipe attached to it. This pipe is placed into the clean water tank, when the VAX unit is assembled. There was no evidence of foaming.

Could something have travelled down the suction pipe, l wonder, changing the colour of the water from clean to murky?

30mA RCD present on circuit. RCD did NOT trip. 13A plugtop fuse DID blow.

 

[Jabbajaws]

Thanks pmac10,

im sort of hoping that youre right actually, because at least then l know its down to the manufacturer...

 

[Sharlene]

Hi I have a vac carpet cleaner and lent to friend he has put the wrong shampoo in andnot the recommended vac solution could this blow the motor because friend has said that motor and vac was full of dogs hair is using the wrong solution the cause of motor breaking thanks