Fixing a confusing Henry Hoover fault.

dekaspace · 21 November 2019 at 12:46AM

Summer 2018 I was given a Henry Hoover which at the time worked for a few attempts then stopped. Where it starts getting confusing though is that I noticed if say I left it plugged in overnight (with switch off) I could turn it on in morning and most times it would work first attempt, and I could wiggle the cable, bump the hoover about and it would stay on with no cut outs.

Leave it switched off for say 30 minutes or so and it wouldn't turn back on again.

I took it apart at the time and cleaned the insides of dust and it didn't seem to do any different.

My feeling at the time and still now to a point is the control board error, I took it apart again and noticed the board was coated in black soot so I assumed it was shorting it. When putting it back together I snapped one of the metal pins for cable and couldn't get a suitable replacement so its been sat in cupboard for a year till I took it out tonight, put one of the larger clips onto cable and the motor and I was happy when it turned on first time, then second a few minutes later, then I decided to extend cable to see if it still worked, success. but I accidently pulled cable out of wall as was too short.

And now its back to not powering on again.

And also in case anyone asks I have changed the fuse.

Im still wondering if its the circuit board or not as its a common problem, I don't think its the plug or power cable as if so it never cuts out when it finally works even if you bend the cable in various places.

Any ideas?

B_G_B · 21 November 2019 at 1:26AM

Maybe the black soot was actually carbon from the motor brushes. Are they sticking or worn? Depending on the motor type they may or may not be easily replaced.

neilmcl · 21 November 2019 at 12:06PM

Agree, loads of black soot usually means the brushes on the motor have worn.

Jackmydad · 21 November 2019 at 12:39PM

Agree about brushes.
If there's "black soot" anywhere in electrical gear it needs cleaning out with an electrical solvent spray.
One that doesn't leave a residue.
If the brushes are that worn, the commutator could well need a clean as well.

Have a good look at the circuit board one it's clean to check that there are no cracks in it, or "dry joints" on the soldered connections.

dekaspace · 21 November 2019 at 4:55PM

Thanks, well I took it apart again, desoldered and resoldered the circuit board, made sure the new connector on the motor was tight, and used compressed air on the motor.

Not even powering on.

troffasky · 21 November 2019 at 10:26PM

Have you looked at the cable winder contacts? I replaced those on my >20yo Henry after it stopped working with the winder in certain positions. Definitely wasn't a case of leave it overnight and it worked, however.

ianto11 · 21 November 2019 at 10:38PM

Have you checked it with a meter to see if you're getting voltage through the on/off switch, could be a dodgy switch ?

dekaspace · 22 November 2019 at 2:47PM

Thanks for updates, thinking about it, I see where the idea about the carbon brushes comes in as when I touch them my hands are blackened with soot/carbon.

I have order some new carbon brushes.

In the meantime I have gone back to testing it as I thought, leaving it overnight again it works but I noticed theres a slight surge when I power on I can see a spark in the lo/high switch and on the wall switch, when I say a spark I just mean it flashes for a second but no crackles or bright flashes so I don't know if something is now shorting inside.

Jackmydad · 22 November 2019 at 3:22PM

Seeing a slight flash in switches when they are switched is normal. If you're seeing a flash somewhere that hasn't actually been touched I'd look at that.
You always get carbon off brushes, even when they're OK they've often got dust on them. It's not usually enough to just blow the dust off. It sticks like the proverbial. As I said, spray electrical solvent shifts it.

I didn't realise they had a recoiling lead as said above. That's where I'd be looking first, they're always a PITA.

FWIW, I reckon the "leave it switched on and it works" is probably spurious. I'm not saying it's not, but it's unlikely.
I'm also not sure that it's a great idea to be leaving faulty equipment plugged in while unattended. . .

dekaspace · 22 November 2019 at 11:04PM

Thanks, for the flash, imagine I pressed it on directly at mains and the switch on the hoover was already set to on there would be a small blue flash from the plug socket, and one on the lo/hi switch on the hoover.

When I say its plugged in overnight the switches on the plug and surge protector are both on off.

ianto11 · 23 November 2019 at 9:02AM

dekaspace wrote: »

Thanks, for the flash, imagine I pressed it on directly at mains and the switch on the hoover was already set to on there would be a small blue flash from the plug socket, and one on the lo/hi switch on the hoover.

When I say its plugged in overnight the switches on the plug and surge protector are both on off.

Your fault finding is a little haphazard, have you done any tests using a multi meter ??

Fixing a confusing Henry Hoover fault.

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