by Bob
12. March 2010 07:36
As dirt, dust and lint pass through your vacuum cleaner, a buildup in the bearing housings and bearings will slow down the brush roll causing excessive wear on your vacuum motor and belt. Over a period of time some brushes become soft, lose effectiveness and need to be replaced. A worn out brush may still look completely fine. If not replaced, it will simply turn, never touching the carpet. This cuts your cleaning efficiency by as much as 50 percent.
Accumulated dirt and dust in the motor bearings will slow down the motor along with a sluggish brush roll. The result is an overheated motor which can drastically shorten the life of a vacuum motor or even require total replacement of the entire vacuum cleaner.
Carbon brushes in the motor transmit electricity to the armature. As the motor turns, the brushes wear out. Should they wear out, the electric wire could touch the armature, cause a short circuit and ultimately burn out the motor. Dust and lint building up in the motor can become lodged between the armature and carbon brush causing motor failure and may even present a fire hazard.