AFTER FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS BELOW PLACE THE VAC ON IT'S WHEELS, CAREFULLY REMOVE THE TOP HALF, YOU WILL HAVE TO REMOVE ONE OF THE HOSES THAT CONNECTS TO THE FAULTY "CONTROL VALVE" (BY THE WAY GO TO ELECTROLUX/AERUS AND GET A NEW ONE, THEY ARE NOT EXPENSIVE). TAKE PHOTOS BEFORE EVERY STEP. ONCE YOU HAVE THE TOP OFF (IT WILL STILL BE ATTACHED TO THE MOTOR BY WIRES, DON'T MESS WITH THEM!) LAID TO THE SIDE THE VALVE WILL BE THE CLEAR CIRCULAR OBJECT WITH THREE HOSES ATTACHED. ONCE THE HOSES ARE REMOVED (NO NEED TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE SWITCH,BACK OF THE VAC BAG HOLDER) THE VALVE WILL POP OUT WITH LITTLE EFFORT,IT'S JUST HELD IN PLACE BY FRICTION ATTACHED BY TWO PLASTIC PINS. PUT IN THE NEW VALVE ATTACH THE HOSES (THE HOSE THAT COMES FROM THE DOOR ALONG THE SIDE OF THE VAC BAG CONTAINER WILL NEED THE TOP HALF ALMOST COMPLETELY ATOP THE VAC TO RE-CONNECT. NOW BEFORE PUTTING EVERY THING BACK TOGETHER, PUT A BAG IN THE MACHINE TURN IT ON AND HOLD YOU HAND OVER THE HOLE. IF THE VAC DOESN'T SHUT ITSELF OFF YOU FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOW THE SECOND PROBLEM... PUTTING IT ALL BACK TOGETHER! IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING (YOU'LL NEED A LOT OF PATIENTS). MAKE SURE EVERY THING IS IN PLACE BEFORE REPLACING THE RUBBER SIDE BUMPERS AND THE BACK PIECE (WHAT THE VAC SITS ON WHEN STOOD UP RIGHT). IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO PUT THAT PART ON FIRST BEFORE REPLACING THE BUMPERS. IT'S A LOT OF WORK. ASK YOUR DEALER WHAT THEY WOULD CHARGE TO REPLACE THE CONTROL VALVE. THEN DECIDE IF THE PRICE IS APPROPRIATE COMPARED TO YOUR TIME.
I'D SAY KEEPING YOUR OLDER MACHINE IN WORKING ORDER IS GOOD IDEA, AS AERUS DESIGN CHANGES ARE QUITE QUIRKY (BULKY WANDS THAT DON'T FIT PLACES THE STEEL WANDS WOULD, AWKWARD HOSE, THE NEED TO USE AN ADAPTER TO USE THE COMBINATION DUST/UPHOLSTERY BRUSH) AND MAKE THE MACHINE DIFFICULT TO USE. FORTUNATELY ANY PART OF AN ELECTROLUX CAN BE REPLACED, SO THERE'S NO REASON THAT IT SHOULDN'T LAST A LIFETIME!
MICHGO, May 2007