Service/Repair Manuals for domestic appliances

MikeyMacbeth

Rather than chuck appliances and stuff out I do like to at least have one crack at repairing them 1st if it looks feasible (and safe!) to do so.

F'rinstance I've got an old vac where the motor is still sound, the only problem being as far as I can tell is that the thingamy bob on the end of the whatsit is broken and needs replacing... and therein lies the problem when one is not an expert - what, exactly, is the name of the part that is needed?

I reckon there's not many spares suppliers out there that can instantly identify a rotating semi-flanged archimedian counter-valve assembly* when given the above description so the question is how do repair technicians know what part to order? - surely the answer must be that they have access to service and repair manuals (or, of course, vast amounts of experience and knowledge)

So for somebody who is willing to have a go themselves (I know I know! - thereby doing a repair technician out of a job but times are hard and a lot of people can't afford to get it done "properly" but may still be competent enough to fix simple stuff themselves) where on earth can you get service manuals for a low cost fee/free - the internet is great if you are after an instruction manual, but service manuals just don't seem to be easily findable...

I'd assume the manufacturers would be able to supply but from past experience of what they've wanted to charge for paper copy instruction manuals I would expect them to be quite dear...

Incidentally the thingamybob I do really need is the plastic mount/casing for the roller brush at the belt end for an Electrolux Z2265 Vac. - I expect it would be probably the whole brush I would need to replace?

* I'd like to think I made that up - but what's the betting there is such a thing?

ormus

repair or parts manuals are virtually unobtainable for the end users.
even official distributors have problems getting them.

fwor

IMO, all of the big name manufacturers have this properly stitched up to suit only themselves.

Most will only provide Service Manuals to authorised service agents, which must not be disclosed to third parties as part of the contract conditions.

The manufacturers have no interest in stocking and selling spare parts unless in the form of a complete (expensive) subassembly such as a main circuit board or controller subsystem. Where minor parts are stocked, the prices are ridiculous (e.g. I needed a simple rubber door seal for a Hotpoint dishwasher and the only supplier I could find wanted £60 for it).

In general their attitude seems to be that they would much rather you throw it away and bought new - much more profit in it for them that way.

Having said that, it's sometimes possibly to find rogue copies of manuals that have escaped into the wild if you search on places like Diplodocs (aka Safemanuals in the UK).

MikeyMacbeth

fwor wrote: »

IMO, all of the big name manufacturers have this properly stitched up to suit only themselves....

In general their attitude seems to be that they would much rather you throw it away and bought new - much more profit in it for them that way.

Having said that, it's sometimes possibly to find rogue copies of manuals that have escaped into the wild if you search on places like Diplodocs (aka Safemanuals in the UK).

That's pretty much what the cynical side of me thought...:( Thanks for the Diplodocs tip though! I'll give them a try.

Sometimes I despair about the throwaway nature of consumer society these days - any manufacturers out there who don't do this? they would get my business!

VoucherMan

Another method which I've used successfully when my washing machine broke down.

Ask on here.
The part I needed was identified from my rough description, along with suggestions on where to get a replacement. In that instance it was eBay.