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Author Topic: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds  (Read 19951 times)

Offline JoJoCamel

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DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds. Sounds like dead battery.

My Dyson DC16 Animal developed a condition where a pull of the “trigger” would cause the motor to come up to speed and then shut down after a few seconds in conjunction with the red light coming on steady, (not blinking). Without doing any research, and in view of the fact that the battery had been in the machine for some time, I assumed it needed a new battery and purchased one. With the new battery installed and charged, I had the same issue. In researching this problem I learned the red light can also come on to indicate the filter is not in place. How? A hall effect sensor on the enclosed circuit board detects a small magnet embedded in the filter. When the filter is not installed, the hall effect sensor is “open” between pins 1 and 3 (see image below) which results in the above condition and red light. When the filter is in place the circuit is effectively closed between pins 1 and 3. If the hall effect sensor fails, it may not close the circuit between pins 1 and 3 (w/filter installed) and the motor will shut down as above w/red warning light on. If your filter IS in place w/the embedded, small magnet in position and you have encountered the above, providing the hall effect sensor has failed, there are two things you can do:

1) Solder a small jumper between pins 1 and 3 (your machine will now “think” a filter is installed, whether installed or not).
2) Replace the hall effect sensor

I opted for number 2 after installing a jumper to confirm the sensor failure. With the jumper in place between pins 1 and 3 the vacuum operated as normal.

You can order the hall effect sensor (part number TLE4913) from DigiKey here: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/TLE4913/TLE4913INCT-ND/520120 or from Mouser here: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Infineon-Technologies/TLE4913/?qs=DPMK3kMt%252bodAcbBB0h9aZg%3D%3D I would suggest buying a few as they are cheap.

Unfortunately I did not photograph all the steps required to disassemble. That being said, disassembly is straight forward. You will need to remove the battery first. You will then need Torx screwdrivers to complete the disassembly. Before you remove the circuit board you will have to unplug both the red and white connectors and remove one torx screw from the center of the board. You can then (carefully) extract the board.

You are going to need a soldering iron with a very small tip. Take a look at the hall effect sensor on your board. Compare with the tip on your iron. If you don’t have experience soldering very small, surface-mount components/semiconductors (or you don’t have the correct iron), I would opt for step (1) above. I used a small dental tool to lift the sensor pins from the board as I heated them. I did this through a jewelers loop, (primarily because I’m 62). I then used desoldering braid to clean the remaining solder from the surface before installing the new sensor. I also made a small, spring-loaded arm from a piece of wire to hold the new sensor on the board, in position, for soldering. You don’t want to overheat your new sensor; (you want to get on and off quickly). You’ll need a very steady hand. Your wrist should be resting on something solid. Again, if you don’t have experience here or don’t feel comfortable working this small, take a deep breath and install a jumper. Just remember to use a filter in your vacuum :) Hope this helps.


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Offline beko1987

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2015, 10:51:28 am »
Awesome how to!

Do you have a background in small electrical components or just hoped that the links contained the right part?
Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!

Offline Parwaz7862

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2015, 11:35:26 am »
My God, even their DC16 is complex! Thought it was a simple series circuit lol

Offline beko1987

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2015, 11:41:14 am »
I tried to get the motor out of mine when I first got it, gave up after half an hour...
Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!


Offline JoJoCamel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2015, 08:54:18 pm »
Hey, GW. For years I worked in the engineering department of a defense contractor here in the states on some very small log amps used in aircraft. Also, my hobby is restoration of vintage audio, primarily tubes/valves and German radios from the 50’s. I’m no genius, just diligent and always eager (and hoping) to learn. Wish I had your knowledge of Dysons. By the way, I didn’t remove the motor in my DC16. Not sure I’d attempt it after reading your words :)

Offline beko1987

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2015, 09:32:15 pm »
Sounds like youve done some micro electrics then!

I couldnt find any hidden screws to get it out,  and some hard levering didnt get it oit so I bravely left it alone!

I run mine without the foam filter in too,  just the cage.  Rebel... (it never gets any fine dust,  biscuits and craft day leftovers usually...)
Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!

Offline beko1987

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2015, 10:06:33 pm »
Wish I had your knowledge of Dysons.

I only have that through repetition. It's the rare cleaners with unobtanium parts but super valuable that are the tricky ones. That's where my rebuild threads originated from, I can put them back together if I follow the pictures backwards!

It's why I havent done my DC03 Clear or Hoover Galaxy yet, need a quiet night on my own with a fully charged phone to attempt those!
Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!

Offline JoJoCamel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2015, 03:19:51 pm »
Got you regarding the stubborn motor in the DC16. I’ve learned to put that stuff away if it’s too late and my tolerance level is low :) Guess I’m a bit of a rebel too. And got you re. “repetition.” It’s amazing how much time you can save the second time around. When I was sixteen I put an entire VW bug engine back together and into the car without the paper gaskets between the cylinders and the block. Bugger! But taking it out and correcting my stupid mistake took much less time. Live and learn.

Offline Mel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2016, 01:09:54 am »
Bypassing the senior didn't work for me 😕 what else could cause this problem !?

Offline JoJoCamel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2016, 04:04:41 pm »
Providing you've eliminated the possibility of the battery being the culprit, I don't know. I'm reasonably sure replacing the board as a whole would get you back up and running, but I'm going to leave your question for others with more experience to answer should there be another way to troubleshoot the existing electronics. Best, JoJo

Offline Mel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2016, 04:21:35 pm »
Thanks JoJo. Battery is  not new so is not out of the suspects list yet, but finding replacement pcb is mission impossible to   :'(

Offline JoJoCamel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2016, 05:17:29 pm »
Got you. Though I've not done this, perhaps you can dismount/unplug the battery and slip a couple wires between the contacts and the mount (so you can feed a voltmeter). Put the battery back into position and I believe the voltage (unit not running/no load) should be somewhere around 21vdc. Now attempt to run the vac and note the voltage under load. While this is only speculation, if you're down around 15 volts or lower you may want to consider purchasing another battery. The 15 is only an arbitrary number that I pulled out of my hat, so 16 or 17 volts would cause me to think battery replacement as well. Also make sure your charger isn't the issue. With your leads still in place connect the charger to see what your voltage bumps up to. If you're seeing roughly 24 or 25 volts with the charger connected (and unit not running), it's unlikely the charger is the issue. Hope this helps. Someone please correct me if you see any mistakes in my copy. Thanks.

Offline Mel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2016, 09:14:30 pm »
Thanks  jojo. Done that. One of the cells is discharging  faster 21v/23v/23v. Charger out put over 25v. That's the only unusual think I notice. I don't know how sensetive the cotrol circuit is to this 2v difference to trip off. What do you thing? 22 euro for battery?!?

Offline JoJoCamel

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Re: Dyson DC16 Animal Red light on steady as motor dies after a few seconds
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2016, 10:12:12 pm »
Did you measure those voltages with the charger out of the circuit and your finger on the trigger, (vacuum essentially turned on, red light on but no vacuum motor running – or – motor running)? While I could certainly be wrong, I would not think a 2 volt difference would cause the board to shut the vac motor down. Again, I'm not certain of this. You wrote, "One of the cells is discharging faster," and this is information that's tricky to assess. Why? OK. If you pulled the trigger and the motor started and you immediately read 23v/23v/23v, yet just before the motor died you read 21v/23v/23v I'd think there might be some correlation between the voltage drop and shut down. That being said, if the battery can maintain 21 volts with the motor running, I'd think the motor would stay running. Mel, I need someone with more experience than me to enter the conversation, and certainly before I send you off to spend 22 Euro. Is there any chance you could visit a Dyson outlet and simply plug in a new battery to try it? When it WAS running, how many minutes would it run for ... if you know.

 

 

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