Author Topic: Vax Power 1 U88-P1-B Power 1 Trash Find! Stripdown and Refurb (Read 13356 times)

beko1987 · « **on:** February 12, 2018, 10:29:11 pm »

A while ago now, late-ish last year infact, I found an ~~amazing~~, no... ~~rare~~, no, ~~old~~ cheap horrible Vax upright next to a skip. It was hanging, soaking wet and probably didn't work because they usually burn out

So I bought it home of course!

Not a valid youtube URL
And I stupidly set myself a challenge to refurb the sodding thing in the video, and that is why I am writing this on my elderly IBM Thinkpad T40, and you are reading it!

However, I start with the filter, because if this is scrap, it's game over before it's begun...

The top twists off the bin a quarter turn

And reveals a slightly dusty filter...

And a bin full of damp crap

However, some time with a Henry later and the filter looked almost passable. Air certainly passed through it again!

There were still some clingons, but I wasn't spending any money on this if I could help it, just time

Fair enough, it's got this far, time for the main show

Vax Power 1 U88-P1-B Power 1 Trash Find! Stripdown and Refurb

Cyclone off

Extension wand and crevice tool removed

beko1987 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2018, 10:36:05 pm »

Cable dropped now

Top handle unscrewed and removed

And split with some more screws removed

The wand holder screws on here

Then falls off

These various screws here hold the middle part to the bottom part

All the electrics in these are in the base, nothing goes higher than this

2 screws sit behind the suction inlet for the cyclone

ryevac · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2018, 11:14:02 am »

Funny, i found a similar vax a couple of weeks ago on my travels, very similar so threw it in the back of the car. Gave it a quick pat test and passed so plugged in to reveal it was fully working.
Thought great, but then noticed all filters were missing as well as tools so in the garage for parts as i aint spending a penny on it.

beko1987 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2018, 11:19:16 am »

Nice! I fell asleep typing it up last night... Will carry on later!

beko1987 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2018, 08:38:59 pm »

Right, time to carry on, and I've moved onto the Thinkpad X60 Tablet now as the T40 isn't running too well with Bunsenlabs Linux, might try Mint, or put it back to XP.

Anyhoo, the cap that covers the hose inlet pops off

Then, we can remove the baseplate

Except we can't, as it doesn't come off! Instead, what we do is remove the front wheels by lifting until the notched bits line up and pulling

Then we get access to the screw holding the height control knob in place

Which lifts off from the top

Then, 2 screws on the rear and the hood pivots up and lifts off

An internal hose connects from the bit we took the cap off earlier to this, which I removed before this for washing. This piece just lifts out

Then the very worn brushroll and belt come out

The brushroll splits down quite nicely, take an end cap off and tap the other side out with your favourite hammer

beko1987 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2018, 08:43:42 pm »

The innards of the brush roll end caps looks like this in order

626z bearings if anyone is reading this trying to fix a jammed brushroll!

The baseplate was FULL of compacted grit

And was still a bit wet despite me leaving it a few weeks to dry in the shed

Now to split the base from the motor housing, and pivot caps sit either side

And it all then seperates

The bit that actually adjusts the height turns until tabs align with cut-outs, and out it comes!

Rear wheels now, and the chassis is VERY thin where these roll, this machine, fair play to it has taken some abuse

beko1987 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2018, 08:47:34 pm »

Release pedal out

At last a ratings plate shot!

And we can finally get to the motor

Screws are undone

The beating heart is removed

And we can see where the mains cable comes in

The switch is screwed in here

And once the housing is unscrewed the switch itself pops out of that

Mains cable is chopped out now, and the internal wiring is free

beko1987 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2018, 08:53:56 pm »

Time to remove the mains cable from the machine. And because the bit above it is the main suction channel, it's capped off, so pop the cap up

And pull the cable out and away!

To the outside now, and the switch cover comes off

Then the bottom cord hook

Motor again now, and this is the state of the exhaust vent

A state matched by the foam sound deadening wrapped around the motor

Top mount lifted off

Then the fancase seal, which revealed yet more water

Motor ID, made by the Smiling Dragon Hidden Chipmunk Suction Motor and Novelty Condom Concern (China) Ltd

MVacs · « **Reply #8 on:** February 13, 2018, 09:05:58 pm »

Quote from: Beko

Smiling Dragon Hidden Chipmunk Suction Motor and Novelty Condom Concern (China) Ltd

Some of the Chinese trading names can be hilarious. I happen to have some Chinese brochures right here that I picked up.

Who wouldn't want to patronise the "Everflying Industry Co Ltd" or my favourite "Jiangsu High Hope International Group Sunshine Import and Export Corporation".

It reminds me of this Top Gear segment.

Congratulations on the tragic Vax. It looks as though it may unfortunately live again.........

beko1987 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 13, 2018, 09:09:10 pm »

Which looked remarkably clean and not burning out

Cyclone now, and the damp mess in the bottom of the bin got scraped out

Then I found 2 screws in the top of the cyclone

Which reveals the pitiful 'cyclonic action' duct!

The cyclone latch and it's spring pop out from the top

And it's apart! No exploded shots on this as I rushed it back together to sell it, but as usual, it was all washed, dried and polished, and as you will see, came up very well!

So, cyclone latch

These have a hole in to let excess airflow out (George told me to stop them burning out so quickly...) so I taped that up as the air rushing through it was damn annoying!

It's hidden with the catch fitted

The air path thing can go back in now

beko1987 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 13, 2018, 09:11:03 pm »

Quote from: MVacs on February 13, 2018, 09:05:58 pm

Quote from: Beko
Smiling Dragon Hidden Chipmunk Suction Motor and Novelty Condom Concern (China) Ltd

Some of the Chinese trading names can be hilarious. I happen to have some Chinese brochures right here that I picked up.

(Attachment Link)

Who wouldn't want to patronise the "Everflying Industry Co Ltd" or my favourite "Jiangsu High Hope International Group Sunshine Import and Export Corporation".

It reminds me of this Top Gear segment.

Congratulations on the tragic Vax. It looks as though it may unfortunately live again.........

I didn't realise I was so close to the mark! I didn't make that name up, someone else did, I stole it just like the chinese steal designs...

Of course the tragic vax lives, would I be typing this up now if it didn't?