Central Vac

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I'll break the ice.

If I turn on the switch for our vac. it goes on weather you have a port with a hose in it or not. I have purchased to new hose ports and they have two brass tits in the opening and when you shove the metal end of the hose in it is only then that it should go on.

We have 2 ports for the hose 1 out and 1 in. I have tried every way to mess with the smaller wires that hook to them, to no avail. If the switch is on, it runs, hose plugged in or not.

The on/off switch is in the bay with the vac itself so if vacuuming inside it stinks. I am considering installing a 3-way switch and then there would be a switch inside at that hose port too. I would prefer for it to work as designed.

Anybody have any ideas?

[garyde]

Hi Joe. I have to think the two LV wires are shorting together. If you can turn off the system and do a continuity test on those two prongs and see what it reads.

[Petervs]

The two little buttons in the hose fitting are low voltage contacts that turn the motor on when the metal hose is inserted, this completes the circuit.

In your case the circuit is completed before you put the hose end in, so yes, there is a short in that set of wires somewhere. You need to remove the fittings where the hose goes in, ( all of them) and inspect for a crossed, damaged, or otherwise defective wire. When you find the one place it is damaged, it will work correctly all over.

Good luck. You might find it in 2 minutes, you might need a half day. You could always run new control wires to each location if you can not find the bad spot.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I pulled the 2 wires from the terminals on the outside of the unit. It still does not shut off, accept with the master switch.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Joe, there exists the possibility that some previous owner had trouble with the system switching and jumped the hose switches to be on at all times thereby requiring one to use the master switch to control the unit. Look in the main power unit to see if the hose switches are jumper wired out of the system.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I'm gonna pull it this weekend and open it up.

That and the booze pump too.
We've 5 choices and only 1 actually pumps. The other 4 just run with no results. Got to it once before but found that the unit is pop-riveted together. I'm gonna drill them out open it up and see if I can fix it. Maybe some o-rings or some stuck impellers I hope.

Won't this job be a fun one. I've been trying to figure out my 5 choices;

This is how they are currently labled:
Bourbon, Scotch, Whiskey, Vermouth, Gin.:mad:

This is what we will chang it to:
1st Gray Goose
2nd Jack Daniels
3rd Captain Morgan
4th I'm thinking Tequila but don't know whats good.
#5-Don't know Gin maybe (yuck) or maybe another whiskey Seagrams or Crown Royal.:)

Decisions decisions:rolleyes:

[garylstevens]

This is what we will chang it to:
1st Gray Goose
2nd Jack Daniels
3rd Captain Morgan
4th I'm thinking Tequila but don't know whats good.
#5-Don't know Gin maybe (yuck) or maybe another whiskey Seagrams or Crown Royal.:)

Decisions decisions:rolleyes:

Since you asked here are my choices:

4th Tequila Silver Patron
5th Gin Blue Sapphire Bombay Gin

[phorner]

Gary, I like the way you think.....

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Finally got around to looking at this vac closer.

Jim you nailed it. Someone moved some wires around inside the unit to get it to function as it currently does. I'm guessin cause something went bad.

All electrical guru's

I moved all the terminals back according to the schematic that was posted inside. Now when I turn the master on it does not go on however it also does not go on when you insert the hose either:mad:

There are two additional separate electrical items inside, aside from the motor, a small coil and a transformer. With the master switch on and hose inserted I can get the thing to go on by manually connecting contacts in that coil. There is nothing visibly burnt on either piece.

Question
What is bad the transformer or the coil?

I'm sure both items are not very much and can replace both but I thought I'd throw this out there anyway.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

One at a time, maybe? I'm typing as I am making up your answer.

The first question you did not ask. Are the wires from the main control unit to the new hose plugs (good), (continuous)? Make up a continuity tester with a battery and a lamp (bulb) and check each wire of the two wire pairs to be sure they are whole and will pass a voltage. Because of the jump wiring I will guess that the wires to the plugs are broken.

Check the coil with an ohm meter for continuity and to see what the resistance is. I do not know the function of the coil, but check it out to know where you are at. It sounds like to get it to run you are bypassing this coil. When you make it run by the manual connection of the coil contacts as you stated, will the unit shut off if you pull the hose from the socket?

Check the voltage from the secondary winding of the transformer, that is the voltage between the two leads that are not connected to the power source.

I can not tell you any more without knowing how the components are connected, but after some of these tests we might know better how to proceed?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Thanks Jim yes it shuts back off as soon as I release the contacts on that coil.

Wires have continuity.

I will make those two tests and get back.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

A little hectic here today. My daughter's 18 B day.

Post a picture of the unit so one can see the components and how they are connected. The knowledge of others in the group will come forth when you focus the questions. What's important now is to figure out the functional validity of each part of the component assembly and then how all the parts relate to each other. You can sketch out your own schematic of what you have and keep it for future reference. You may be better off adding a switch in the coach that manually turns on the unit when required. Can you tell if when the unit was modified that any original parts and pieces were discarded (removed)?

A whole other question is. Do you want a central vac. at all? I personally don't like them. They don't have as much cleaning ability as a regular house vacuum cleaner, and the long hose is a pain in the a__ and when they break down you have to f___ around with them to end up with an old unit that is marginal at best, (and a pain to empty) instead of buying a whole new and current technology vacuum cleaner that can be used anywhere not just in the bus.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Jim the resistance on that coil is 40 or 50k and I get no reading at all out of the transformer.

1637

In responce to the other question. It's powerful, easy to clean, compact, I do not have to carry an additional vac and it is an original component that I would like to keep. The suction plumbing is designed real short and simple should there be a clog.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Question
What is bad the transformer or the coil?

It sounds like the transformer is bad. It seems from the schematic that it makes the supply voltage for the relay. That way you have low voltage at the hose connection for safety.

Examine the transformer for v. in and v. out. It might state pri v., sec, v., or ?

If none look at the relay for working voltage.

If none apply 12v. to the coil of the relay to see if it works at that voltage.

If it seems too slow or weak to hold the closed condition, up the test voltage maybe to 24v. Too high of voltage will burn out the relay proceed with caution.

If none of that is what you want to do, then buy a new transformer to supply the correct voltage for a new relay and wire them into the circuit.

[MangoMike]

JIm,

Get off the computer and celebrate your daughters 18th. She'll be gone before you know it. Enjoy the moment.

Mike

[wrongagain]

having the misfortune of having to deal with a lot of low voltage wiring, I will say this, if that transformer is not warm when the unit is activated then as a rule it is no good.
transformers tend make heat, they also have a slight hum to them when they are on.
so, that being said, break out the test meter to check for voltage in and out of the transformer, or,
use your mechanics stethoscope to listen to it, or,
use your infrared thermometer to check for a temp change between it and its surrounding environment.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

It was the transformer, 12 bucks. Another 22 year old original accessory that is repaired without replacement.

It is tucked behind some panels in the plumbing bay starboard side up against the holding tank along with the Dave Mathews valve and the odor control.

1646

1647
The rear of this compartment where the pumps and filters reside is designed with a bunch of wasted space and this is where I am moving our U-Line ice maker.

1648
All back together with a quick buff on the fresh and holding tanks:)