My wife uses a Black & Decker Dustbuster and recently it has lost power and
doesn't seem to recharge
I noticed that the plug which connects the base unit to the mains remains
cold. Usually it is warm to touch
I assume that the plug incorporates a transformer. How can I check this?
If this transformer is faulty can I buy a replacement?
Any advice would be appreciated
Blair

Blair wrote:
My wife uses a Black & Decker Dustbuster and recently it has lost
power and doesn't seem to recharge
I noticed that the plug which connects the base unit to the mains
remains cold. Usually it is warm to touch
I assume that the plug incorporates a transformer. How can I check
this? If this transformer is faulty can I buy a replacement?
Any advice would be appreciated
Blair

Forget it, its Dust(bust). :-)

A black&decker stockist will supply you with a new one.

Blair wrote:
My wife uses a Black & Decker Dustbuster and recently it has lost power and
doesn't seem to recharge
I noticed that the plug which connects the base unit to the mains remains
cold. Usually it is warm to touch
I assume that the plug incorporates a transformer. How can I check this?
If this transformer is faulty can I buy a replacement?
Any advice would be appreciated
Blair

Your battery is knackered. Financially it won't be worth fixing but if
you like to tinker with stuff then you could always open it up and see
what kind of cells it takes.

Do these small hand held vacuums actually work? I've never been
convinced by the mains operated ones let alone rechargeable type. You
end up picking the stuff up with one hand and feeding it into the
nozzle while trying to convince yourself that you're saving time.

wrote in
oups.com:


Your battery is knackered. Financially it won't be worth fixing but if
you like to tinker with stuff then you could always open it up and see
what kind of cells it takes.

Do these small hand held vacuums actually work? I've never been
convinced by the mains operated ones let alone rechargeable type. You
end up picking the stuff up with one hand and feeding it into the
nozzle while trying to convince yourself that you're saving time.

Actually, I'm wondering how you'd know if it was busted.

I'm having a bit of a clearout, and mine goes in the dustbin, as the only
dust it's gathered is on it!

I'm too nice to give it to a charity shop.

Is there one of these things that actually works? If there is I'd like to
know

mike

mike ring wrote:

Is there one of these things that actually works? If there is I'd like to
know

They have a use apparently, but you may not want to try this at home
folks! ;-)

A friend of mine was running a sideshow at a big NHS conference a few
years back (he works for a company that hires out AV gear). One of the
"nuggets" of information that he remembered, was a section on "odd" A&E
stories. Apparently the dustbuster is one of the primary causes of
penile shaft injury in the uk! (something to do with it having a large,
sharp rotating fan blade only a few inches back from the sucking end!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

wrote in message
oups.com...

Blair wrote:
My wife uses a Black & Decker Dustbuster and recently it has lost power
and
doesn't seem to recharge
I noticed that the plug which connects the base unit to the mains
remains
cold. Usually it is warm to touch
I assume that the plug incorporates a transformer. How can I check this?
If this transformer is faulty can I buy a replacement?
Any advice would be appreciated
Blair

Your battery is knackered. Financially it won't be worth fixing but if
you like to tinker with stuff then you could always open it up and see
what kind of cells it takes.

Do these small hand held vacuums actually work? I've never been
convinced by the mains operated ones let alone rechargeable type. You
end up picking the stuff up with one hand and feeding it into the
nozzle while trying to convince yourself that you're saving time.

Thanks to all who replied. The main use my wife makes of it is in sucking up
flies mainly in our conservatory. It is extremely effective in doing this.
She also used it for crumbs and such which is easier to use than dragging
out the main cleaner.
We did enjoy the replies and they lightened up a dull day
Blair

John Rumm wrote in
:


They have a use apparently, but you may not want to try this at home
folks! ;-)

Apparently the dustbuster is one of the primary causes of
penile shaft injury in the uk! (something to do with it having a
large, sharp rotating fan blade only a few inches back from the
sucking end!

I dug mine out, but it doesn't seem suitable, even for recreational use.

I'm also a bit intrigued by penile *shaft* injury. Seems an unlikely
outcome, I would think you'd be more likely to trim the top off your
todger.

mike

On 27 Aug 2005 10:44:01 -0700, wrote:


Blair wrote:
My wife uses a Black & Decker Dustbuster and recently it has lost power and
doesn't seem to recharge
I noticed that the plug which connects the base unit to the mains remains
cold. Usually it is warm to touch
I assume that the plug incorporates a transformer. How can I check this?
If this transformer is faulty can I buy a replacement?
Any advice would be appreciated
Blair

Your battery is knackered. Financially it won't be worth fixing but if
you like to tinker with stuff then you could always open it up and see
what kind of cells it takes.

I think they take 4 x sub C tagged cells (available at most model
shops).

To test the charger you will need a multimeter .. probably set on 20V
DC and applied to the two contacts in the charging base (it may say on
the transformer / plug thing what the output voltage is).

I think I did mine a while back and it gave it a new lease of life ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

On 27 Aug 2005 21:37:20 GMT, mike ring
wrote:


I'm too nice to give it to a charity shop.

I'm not sure they could take it anyway .. wouldn't it be considered
'electrical goods' even if low voltage?

All the best ..

T i m

T i m wrote in news:3o63h11a4dme2lv9dlubtv2qsrisanmhjg@
4ax.com:

On 27 Aug 2005 21:37:20 GMT, mike ring
wrote:


I'm not sure they could take it anyway .. wouldn't it be considered
'electrical goods' even if low voltage?

Some still take electricals, if they have a tame PAT tester.

mike

On 28 Aug 2005 19:26:40 GMT, mike ring
wrote:

T i m wrote in news:3o63h11a4dme2lv9dlubtv2qsrisanmhjg@
4ax.com:

On 27 Aug 2005 21:37:20 GMT, mike ring
wrote:


I'm not sure they could take it anyway .. wouldn't it be considered
'electrical goods' even if low voltage?

Some still take electricals, if they have a tame PAT tester.

Ah .. maybe ours hasn't such then? Would 'everything' need PAT
testing, even if only low voltage was coming out of the sealed, two
pin, plastic earth pin, transformer bit would you know Mike?

All the best ..

T i m

T i m wrote in
:


Some still take electricals, if they have a tame PAT tester.

Ah .. maybe ours hasn't such then? Would 'everything' need PAT
testing, even if only low voltage was coming out of the sealed, two
pin, plastic earth pin, transformer bit would you know Mike?

I wouldn't have thought it necessary, I don't know exackerly what's
involved - but you can bet it's required.

I expect it includes an eyeball physical condition, if nothing else.

I hoped to get a job doing it, but when I first raised it, there were too
many active retired qualified engineers already on the books.

Recently a chance came up, but I decided there were too many hoops
(criminal investigation etc) to jump through these days for a job sitting
in a back room PATting old light fittings, and dumping 1963 eighttracks
;-)

mike

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 21:32:31 GMT, T i m wrote:

On 28 Aug 2005 19:26:40 GMT, mike ring
wrote:

T i m wrote in news:3o63h11a4dme2lv9dlubtv2qsrisanmhjg@
4ax.com:

On 27 Aug 2005 21:37:20 GMT, mike ring
wrote:


I'm not sure they could take it anyway .. wouldn't it be considered
'electrical goods' even if low voltage?

Some still take electricals, if they have a tame PAT tester.

Ah .. maybe ours hasn't such then? Would 'everything' need PAT
testing, even if only low voltage was coming out of the sealed, two
pin, plastic earth pin, transformer bit would you know Mike?


If it was less than 25 volts single phase, and originally designed and
type tested to the SELV standard (Safety Extra Low Voltage) I'd say
no. Hopefully if it was made by a reputable manufacturer it would be.

But then OTOH it could be a "street market special", and how would the
charity shop know?

I own 2 pat testers, but I've stopped using them. Because it seems I'm
not qualified despite having a degree in Electronics and 30 years
experience to issue a certificate. To be qualified I'd have to go to
the local college of FE and sit in a class full of pimply youfs for a
couple of days.

AAMOF more and more I'm seeing the PAT testing scheme falling into
disuse. Most (say 70%) of the nhs equipment I get to work on has a
label indicating it hasn't been tested since 2,000/2,001.

It never was mandatory for electrical equipment in the workplace to be
PAT tested, merely regularly inspected. In simple equipment like
kettles with class 1 insulation (IE earthed) it is enough to inspect
the appliance, mainslead in particular, for damage or deterioration.

Where class 2 equipment (double insulated) is concerned PAT testing
couldn't test much anyway.

DG

On 28 Aug 2005 22:08:34 GMT, mike ring
wrote:

T i m wrote in
:


Some still take electricals, if they have a tame PAT tester.

Ah .. maybe ours hasn't such then? Would 'everything' need PAT
testing, even if only low voltage was coming out of the sealed, two
pin, plastic earth pin, transformer bit would you know Mike?

I wouldn't have thought it necessary, I don't know exackerly what's
involved - but you can bet it's required.

I expect it includes an eyeball physical condition, if nothing else.

I hoped to get a job doing it, but when I first raised it, there were too
many active retired qualified engineers already on the books.

Recently a chance came up, but I decided there were too many hoops
(criminal investigation etc) to jump through these days for a job sitting
in a back room PATting old light fittings, and dumping 1963 eighttracks
;-)

LOL. Sounds a bit like BS5750 when it first came out writing a QA
Manual .. often a 'job for the boys' etc ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

mike ring wrote:

I'm also a bit intrigued by penile *shaft* injury. Seems an unlikely

Tis the phrase they used... not sure if that means it is as a generic
"at any place along the exposed bit" description, or they really did
mean under the chin strap! ;-)

outcome, I would think you'd be more likely to trim the top off your
todger.

It don't sound pleasent either way!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 23:12:43 +0100, Derek ^
wrote:


Would 'everything' need PAT
testing, even if only low voltage was coming out of the sealed, two
pin, plastic earth pin, transformer bit would you know Mike?


If it was less than 25 volts single phase, and originally designed and
type tested to the SELV standard (Safety Extra Low Voltage) I'd say
no. Hopefully if it was made by a reputable manufacturer it would be.

Does B&D count? ;-)

But then OTOH it could be a "street market special", and how would the
charity shop know?

Well, that's the rub,, and possibly why ours won't touch anything
electrical (well they didn't the last time I asked).

I own 2 pat testers, but I've stopped using them. Because it seems I'm
not qualified despite having a degree in Electronics and 30 years
experience to issue a certificate.

Shame. I see more and more 'real world' experience being 'superceeded'
by forms that are often meaningless (IMHO).

To be qualified I'd have to go to
the local college of FE and sit in a class full of pimply youfs for a
couple of days.

Might be a laugh .. long as you don't mind being called 'Grandad' ..
;-)

AAMOF more and more I'm seeing the PAT testing scheme falling into
disuse. Most (say 70%) of the nhs equipment I get to work on has a
label indicating it hasn't been tested since 2,000/2,001.

And EVERY time I visit such places (delivering / collecting family
members etc) I see plugs with the outer cord outside the cable grip,
broken equipment held together with tape etc etc .. ;-(

It never was mandatory for electrical equipment in the workplace to be
PAT tested, merely regularly inspected. In simple equipment like
kettles with class 1 insulation (IE earthed) it is enough to inspect
the appliance, mainslead in particular, for damage or deterioration.

Common sense you mean (often anyway)?

Where class 2 equipment (double insulated) is concerned PAT testing
couldn't test much anyway.

Ah .. ho hum .. ;-(

All the best ..

T i m