[thepez17]

Hi everyone,

Need some advice please...

Whilst half way through a job the other day, I smelt that 'electrical' smell whilst the element was on. My ninja has done this before and it was the wire on the thermostat burned out.

I managed to complete the job and once all packed away i opened the machine up, but could not find the problem.

Now... after inspecting the wiring of my machine, it could do with some replacing. Also, I have been given some firbeglass insulation which I intend to wrap around the heating element. (I have my suspicians that its getting far too hot for those wires in there)

Another thing, I am thinking about getting a spare thermostat and possibly an element. Just in case anything ever goes wrong on a job, I want to be able to fix it. Can anyone recommend a site I can buy these spare parts from. I have been searching for the last hour and I give up!

Can anyone give me any advice on how to keep my machine in tip top order? And can anyone recommnd any further ways of stopping this 'electrical smell' has it ever happened to anyone else?

Cheers

[cleaning co]

ashbys might sell parts     how old is machine ?  what model is it ?  did u buy it new?
gary
p.s what part essex u in

[thepez17]

hello,

i got a Ashcombe ninja twin vac instant heater exchange. Not sure of the model number. I bought it second hand from a friend.

Cheers

[cleaning co]

 if iam right i think ashcombe was ashbys trading name some years ago ,if iam right it would make your machine a few years old
,also are u talking about a tank heater or a built in v2 heater?

[thepez17]

hello,

yeah, the machine is a few years old. its one below the new one i believe. there is no heater in the tank, just uses the heater exchange.

which is ok, but bloody annoying when customers turn their boilers off. being a few years old, this constant relying on the heater exchange is putting alot of wear on it.

its a very good machine, extremely powerful extraction also very good pressure coming out those jets when up to temperature. cannot afford a new machine, thats why i must keep this one maintained. hows business in braintree?

[cleaning co]

 cant really advise u on prob as not sure about the gear inside machie as i hav never seen one, but one thing id say if every thing is still working i woudlnt thought any thing was burnt out, it might av sucked bit water into vacs,  heres ashbys phone number and web site   01322227806     www.ashbys-uk.com

[thepez17]

my friend who i bought it from bought a new one. and apparently, the guts inside are pretty much the same.

[cleaning co]

bizz in braintree has bin slow this year , how about u  were u based?
gary

[carpetguy]

when I experienced electrical burning smell, the outcome, was one damaged vac' motor which had to be replaced

good luck

robbie

[AJB]

I've found the best thing to cover the Heat exchanger is
car radiator hose bandage.

If the firerod becomes loose it can slide out of the body and set fire to
any wadding placed around the exchanger.

Mines cracked a couple of times, but a local aluminium welding service
has cut out a piece and welded in a new plate.

If you have the small fixed temp' thermostatic switches, these are available from RS
at about 90p each. they are fixed at 90 degrees centigrade.

Usually that eletrical smell is a sure sign that the vac' motor brushes are on the way out
when you replace them use an airline to blow as much carbon dust out as you can, this can cause arcing and lead to that distinct smell.

[Matt Read]

Have used ninja's for 12 years and its always a vac motor on the way out in my experience.

[JS2]

Dear Friend

Get a proper replacement or qualified repair - please don't bind up any parts to seal a fault in electrical equipment.

Pete
(JS2)

[Mike Osbourne]

Hmm. think Ill get a spare vac motor then.

What's involved in changing a vac motor. Is it bolt off bolt on connect hose and power connectors?

Ashbys want me to send my machine by post at a cost of £70 and a tenner for a 'special' cardboard box for an overhaul. Could I just take it to an electrician or would I be better of say taking it to Craftex.

[Ian Gourlay]

thepez7

If its an Ashnys machine if I was you I would take a trip through the Dartford tunnel and get them to look at it.


Puzzled because Ashcombe was the trading name used by a lloyd owens company which close down about 15 years ago  but that was in Cambridgeshire.

The  other alternitive is go and see if Woodbridge in Harlow can help as they have spares for most machines.

[cleaning co]

mike  save u money theres nothing in any of these machines u cant replace yourself  , just couple bolts and wires and its got new vac in
gary

[Mike Osbourne]

I would go to Ashbys if close by, but wrong end of the M5.

Is there a preventative maintenance regime for wands as well?

My next door neighbour works for Hotpoint repairing washing machines, if I got stuck he'd probably sort it for me.

 

[thepez17]

thanks for all your help.

i noticed the electrical smell whilst half way thru a job. i turned the 'hetare exchanger' plug off, and carried on using the twin vacs and the smell went away.

i'll open the beast up again this afternoon and have a proper good look, make sure theres no loose cables etc.

i got a private job tomorrow and its a recommendation, i just hope the bitch holds out on me.

would love to know though if there is a website where i can buy spare parts...

would Maplin sell them?

[fletch]

thepez7
Have you checked for any water leakage from pipes, parts & the casing the only reason I'm asking is because I've just found a hairline fracture at the bottom of my solution tank, this part of the tank is not under any type of stress apart from heat, so with my day to day use of it it should not of been damaged.
I personnaly dont think the casing is strong enough for that exsposure to heat.
                                Regards,
                                      Fletch.

[Kinver_Clean]

The wreckage of Ashcombe was bought by Alltec and their early machines were the same. If you are near to Royston you could try them they will help if they can.

[thepez17]

yo!

did a little private job yesterday. i asked the client to leave the emersion heater on high and took my kettle with me.

because of the problem i had (see start post) i didnt use the heater exchange at all.

it was only a one bed house, so i did two buckets of hot water from the tank and added one full kettle load of boiling water.

i started the job and topped the machine up after each section with another load of boiling water. i reckon i kept the temp between 75 + 85 c.

it wasn't ideal by any means, slowed me down a helleva lot. but i did not smell any electrical smell from the vacs, but i was weary all the same. im not ruling anything out, but i reckon is was that wire coming into the heater exchange that had infused itself onto the side of it!