Diagnosing and repairing a Dyson DC16 vacuum that just won't suck!

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
That's a very good question. We've had a number of cheap vacuum cleaners in the last ten years -- maybe five. But a couple were given to us and I don't think we've spend more than $30 on any of them since my wife is a master of the garage and thrift store sales. But with the pet hair problem, they were always clogging. So my wife got fed up and decided that it was worth it if an expensive vacuum cleaner got rid of that aggravation -- and I would have agreed with her had she asked me beforehand. I think she paid $300 for it and it is specifically advertised as being for houses with shedding animals. I'm far from convinced that the aggravation factor has been reduced much at all. Although the Dyson clogs just as quickly, it IS easier to take apart (without tools) to unclog. With a couple of the others it was quite a task to disassemble them enough to clear the clog and it was also evident that they were not intended to be disassemble that way very often since they used self-tapping screws into plastic in some places. They Dyson is also quite a bit lighter than the others and is cordless. So, IF it lasts long enough, it was probably still worth it.
That same friend of mine does a pet sitting business in her home, so hair is a huge issue. She has a robotic vacuum which she loves but it’s only for touchup after she has gotten the bulk of the hair up with a regular vacuum. Otherwise it fills up in minutes. The part she loves is that your home just feels notably cleaner with that thing on the job.
 

KJ6EAD

Joined Apr 30, 2011
1,581
If and when you repair that vacuum, keep the old battery pack. You can either fill it with new cells or turn it into a connector to a 24VDC supply for unlimited wired vacuuming.
 

Thread Starter

-Ty-

Joined Feb 5, 2017
83
That same friend of mine does a pet sitting business in her home, so hair is a huge issue. She has a robotic vacuum which she loves but it’s only for touchup after she has gotten the bulk of the hair up with a regular vacuum. Otherwise it fills up in minutes. The part she loves is that your home just feels notably cleaner with that thing on the job.

So what you're saying is, there's a market need for a robot that autonomously empties your autonomous vacuum robot?
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
So what you're saying is, there's a market need for a robot that autonomously empties your autonomous vacuum robot?
This probably isn't as far fetched as it sounds.

One thing that used to be relatively common was a central vacuum system. It was handy because you only had to draw around the hose and attachment and plug into the nearest port. The act of plugging in turned on the central canister vacuum, usually located in the garage or a utility room of some kind, and the capacity of the canister (which might or might not have a bag) was significant. You could go for months or sometimes years without needing to empty it. The problem with the systems was that they were generally expensive to install (unless built with the house) and if they did plug up or if a joint cracked then you might be looking as serious expenditures to clear it if the plugged section was in a finished wall. Another problem was the long runs of the vacuum pipes which reduced the suction and minor leaks in the piping could add up to become a major loss of suction.

But consider the possibility now. You position your docking port for your small autonomous robot near a wall adjacent to the garage (or wherever you want to place your canister). Then when the robot docks it not only recharges, but also docks an oversize port that sucks the contents of the robot's waste bin into the canister (which only needs to run for a few seconds each time the robot docks). The system would be very inexpensive to install and maintain since there is only a single wall that is penetrated with a simple, straight section of tubing.
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
But consider the possibility now. You position your docking port for your small autonomous robot near a wall adjacent to the garage (or wherever you want to place your canister). Then when the robot docks it not only recharges, but also docks an oversize port that sucks the contents of the robot's waste bin into the canister (which only needs to run for a few seconds each time the robot docks). The system would be very inexpensive to install and maintain since there is only a single wall that is penetrated with a simple, straight section of tubing.
I want one. When will you be marketing this wonderful system?
 

Thread Starter

-Ty-

Joined Feb 5, 2017
83
This probably isn't as far fetched as it sounds.

One thing that used to be relatively common was a central vacuum system. It was handy because you only had to draw around the hose and attachment and plug into the nearest port. The act of plugging in turned on the central canister vacuum, usually located in the garage or a utility room of some kind, and the capacity of the canister (which might or might not have a bag) was significant. You could go for months or sometimes years without needing to empty it. The problem with the systems was that they were generally expensive to install (unless built with the house) and if they did plug up or if a joint cracked then you might be looking as serious expenditures to clear it if the plugged section was in a finished wall. Another problem was the long runs of the vacuum pipes which reduced the suction and minor leaks in the piping could add up to become a major loss of suction.

But consider the possibility now. You position your docking port for your small autonomous robot near a wall adjacent to the garage (or wherever you want to place your canister). Then when the robot docks it not only recharges, but also docks an oversize port that sucks the contents of the robot's waste bin into the canister (which only needs to run for a few seconds each time the robot docks). The system would be very inexpensive to install and maintain since there is only a single wall that is penetrated with a simple, straight section of tubing.
Hey now buddy, step off, I'm already filling out the patent requests, okay? Get off my turf brah
 
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