THE BRUSH STRTS AND STOPS LIKE YOU ARE CUTTING A SWITCH ON AND OFF .HOW DO YOU GET TO THE BELT?
THE STICKER WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL NUMBER WAS PUT ON THE BACK IN THE SWIVEL AREA AND I CANT READ IT

WENDELL RICHARDSON, December 2004

Problem usually isn't the switch. The circuit board has a current sensing circuit which cuts off the power to the brush motor when the brush is jammed to prevent a fire. The chip on these boards has a bad tendency to fail and cut off when it shouldn't,the brush motor will pulse and the brush status light will be dark. Boards are readily available and easy to replace - pull the 3 connectors off, unscrew and remove the dead board, reverse procedure to install.

J. Fischer, December 2006

This question is mentioned on the Fantom page:

http://fantomvacuums.net/faq/faq.shtml

and is raised in numerous forums. The answer on the Fantom page re being caused by "turning the roller by hand" is completely bogus. There is indeed a circuit board you can see by going through the belt replacement procedure detailed above. The circuit board has a switch on it that is designed to turn the brush motor off when the vac handle is upright.

There are several things that can cause the problem. The brush is intermittent because either the switch on the board has gone out (caused by manufacturer using a cheap switch) or by wear on the switch roller and the vacuum (caused by poor design and manufacture), or because the board has moved, causing the switch to not be depressed fully. The board with the switch is held in place by just one small screw in the center. This allows the board to pivot around the screw so that when the handle goes up and down, it doesn't press the switch far enough to fully turn it on. When you remove the front cover per belt replacement, you can see the switch and move the handle up and down to determine whether the handle on your vac is properly depressing the switch. It should make a good solid click.

This seems to be almost a universal problem that renders the vacuums unusable after a few years. If the switch is OK, but not being depressed fully due to wear or board movement, then you can fix it mechanically by tying it in the on position with something like a wire tie. If the switch itself is bad, then you'll need soldering skills to fix it. If you have those skills, you can figure out what you need to do. Tying the switch in the on position worked for me. Just be sure you turn the beater off with the switch if you're using it in the upright position on carpet.

Its a shame these vacs have this issue, because it is otherwise a nice vac with a nice ergonomic design, but the foot latch that holds it upright chronically breaks off, and the brush motor chronically has this intermittent power issue. It seems that Fantom is being intentionally evasive about the solution, because once you know what the problem is, you can see that it is the result of a bad design. I have a Hoover that is 30 years old - it does a very mediocre job at cleaning, but it still works great and nothing is broken off it. Why is it so hard to make a decent vacuum cleaner??

Steve Rogers, October 2006

My Fantom keeps on cutting out like the above question. It is not the belt . When I change the position of the handle unit it will keep cutting out But if I put pressure on one side the vacuum brush keeps turning. Would it be that small switch that turns the motor on and off. If it is how do I get one and where can I get a parts list ?
Thank you.

Richard Haines, August 2006

Note sure this will help solve the brush starting and stopping problem, but here's how to get to the belt:

Replacing a Broken Belt

Unplug the machine.
Place the machine in its upright storage position.
Remove the collection bin.
The headlight lenses are hinged at the bottom and lift up and out from the cleaner head cover. To lift one up use a flat-edged screwdriver to unlatch the top of the lens. Lift up and remove from its hinge.
Remove the bulbs by twisting counter-clockwise.
Remove the 2 screws with a Phillips screwdriver located in the headlight bulb pockets.
Turn the machine around so the back is facing you.
Release the 2 locking tabs with a flat-edged screwdriver near the rear wheels.
Lift the cover up and away.
Disconnect the headlight harness from the control board.
Using both hands, press upward on the rotary brush from the underside of the cleaner head base until the end plates clear the locking slots.
Take the old belt off the motor gear and the brush gear.
Place new belt on the motor gear and the brush gear.
Slide the rotary brush in the locking slots until it is completely in place.
Reconnect the headlight harness from the control board to the cover.
Place the cover on the front and pivot into place over the rear wheels.
Fasten the 2 screws located in the headlight bulb pockets.
Place the bulbs in the sockets by pushing them in and turning clockwise to lock them in place.
Rehinge the bottom of the lens on the cleaner head cover and snap the lens back into place.

anon, January 2005