My Vacuum Cleaner Won't Work!
Firstly, is the electrical power on to ALL circuits in your house?
Taking extreme care, flex the electric cable by 3 pin plug, holding it about a foot down the cord in case sparks blow out of it by the plug.
In the case of cord rewind reels, pull the cord carefully all the way out and carefully flex along its length.
Is the power on to the power-point? Will something else such as a hair dryer, work in that power-point?
Is the vacuum hot? Check for blockage in the nozzle, pipe, hose, especially the bent tube, which is usually the most constricted point. Drop a metal socket, from a socket set, a marble or $2 coin through the hose to ensure it's not obstructed.
Check the filters are not blocked. Clean or in the case of the domestic vacuum cleaners non-hazardous HEPA filters, replace it.
However, if you can see the dirty side, check if it's clogged, by banging gently dirty side down on a sheet of paper, or in a clear plastic bag. You will be amazed at what comes out of it!
On the Nilfisk Extreme, Kings and Compact, the HEPA rated main filters are underneath the machine, between the rear wheels and Nilfisk recommend they should be replaced each year. The Nilfisk GM200 and GM300 and GM400 filters should be replaced every couple of years.
However, this is simply a guide and they may need to be done more frequently in dusty situations, that is, in country locations, or where building work is taking place.
Where there are old carpets with build up of old dust in them, or in a situation where an old machine has previously been use in the home, and now a new, more powerful machine with very efficient filtration system has been bought and used on the carpets, pulling years of dust up from the underlay.
This can reduce the suction of the vacuum considerably, as the filters have done the job they were meant for, and stopped the fine dust, being picked up and passed through the vacuum cleaner.
Is the paper dustbag “sheeting” with fine dust? This means, it effectively creates a concentrated patch on the paper bag which blocks the air, causing lack of suction and the machine to heat up and operate thermal switch, turning the unit off. This can be alleviated by reducing the suction level, after knocking the dust away from where it adheres to the vacuum bag.
You also may try putting screwed up tissues or kitchen roll in the dustbag, which in cyclonic machines may mix with the fine dust and reduce the sheeting effect.
Leave the vacuum cleaner to cool down for up to 2 hrs, on the small cheap units, 10 mins on the Nilfisk GM200 GM300 GM400 and the Nilfisk GM500 King and the Nilfisk Compact with front cover open. Then try again, whilst reading the instruction book.
If after trying all this, there is still no-go, the vacuum cleaner can be brought to our premises at 8/35, Darlot Road, Landsdale, WA6065 Ph. 08 9362 6044, but please note, there is a $55 Unaccepted quote charge if due to use other than in accordance with Nilfisk instruction book, and customer decides not to go ahead with repair.