Beam Vac randomly starts/stops

[dtfeld]

Noticed last year the Beam vacuum would occasionally/randomly start/stop almost instantaneously, for about 1/2 a second. Annoying as hell. I don’t think it’s the contact switch at the hose inlet. Any ideas before I dig into it. Cant unplug it with out removing it, plug is buried behind it.

 

[mrsrobinson]

No suggestions; funny how this was a marketing thing for our boats years ago. It's pretty much useless now especially since you have to find, purchase, install, remove, and throw away the bags.

 

[boatrboy]

No suggestions; funny how this was a marketing thing for our boats years ago. It's pretty much useless now especially since you have to find, purchase, install, remove, and throw away the bags.

Wow - maybe I’m still on the honeymoon with my boat but I love that vacuum. I’ll bet I’ll go years without filling it up. I have spare bags from the po too.

Sorry dt - not much help from me - but can you remove the switch plate in the cabinet and open the circuit there?

 

[gerryb]

We love ours too. Best feature is that by sending the exhaust outside, the cabin stays quiet (with no airborne pollutants) than using other vacuum methods. Haven't replaced the bag in years but we do have a few extras onboard.

You probably have a short somewhere. I would disconnect the low voltage line at the unit and see if that stops it from happening. If so, might be something to replace from the unit to the inlet. If not, it could also be a short or malfunction in the relay or unit itself.

 

[Creekwood]

There is probably a switch on the side of the cannister that can be used to turn it off from there. Something may be leaning on that switch or it may be loose/shorting. If not that, then maybe the wires at the hose inlet may be shorting periodically. The wiring of those things is dead simple. Connecting the two low voltage wires starts the motor via a relay. So the wires are getting connected/shorted somewhere. You just need to find it.

 

[boatrboy]

Dt - per my suggestion it appears it’s easy to open the circuit and test the theory if the switch is bad.

 

[dtfeld]

Dt - per my suggestion it appears it’s easy to open the circuit and test the theory if the switch is bad.
View attachment 146463

I looked at the hose socket, not much there. I assume this is a low voltage circuit that closes when the hose is inserted with a metal band. I think the issue is somewhere there is a solenoid that works the 120V AC side, and I suspect something loose/bad.

Need a manual or schematic.

I’d like to get it working, works well when needed, and bags are readily available. Plus it’s not easily coming out from its hiding place under the stairs, so might as well fix it.

 

[atrick]

Mine stayed on all the time and to get to low voltage wiring involved removing the whole unit so I just bought a remote control plug and plugged it into outlet and plug sweeper into that, actually like it better this way as you can turn it on and off while using unit without removing hose.

 

[techmitch]

Mine stayed on all the time and to get to low voltage wiring involved removing the whole unit so I just bought a remote control plug and plugged it into outlet and plug sweeper into that, actually like it better this way as you can turn it on and off while using unit without removing hose.

I also have a couple of these around the house for some lamps and a lighted light house that are near un-switched outlet's.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant...-Remote-Control-with-3-RCV-YLT-42-3/301844754
They also make single outlet versions and Bluetooth versions.

 

[dtfeld]

I did a little more poking around. No loose wires or connections were obvious. There is a switch on the side, but it is NOT an on/off switch. It selects between the unit turning on when the hose is inserted, or just ON.

No easy way to get it out and work on it, so I think I’ll pick up one of these remote switches.

 

[Creekwood]

I did a little more poking around. No loose wires or connections were obvious. There is a switch on the side, but it is NOT an on/off switch. It selects between the unit turning on when the hose is inserted, or just ON.

No easy way to get it out and work on it, so I think I’ll pick up one of these remote switches.

the switch on the side just bridges the two low voltage wires. The same as the hose bridges the wires via those brass contacts in the outlet. It’s still possible that switch has loose wire inside where they connect in the canister. Or the relay itself may be failing.

it’s probably a pain in the ass to get at though and sounds like you have a solution.

 

[dtfeld]

the switch on the side just bridges the two low voltage wires. The same as the hose bridges the wires via those brass contacts in the outlet. It’s still possible that switch has loose wire inside where they connect in the canister. Or the relay itself may be failing.

it’s probably a pain in the ass to get at though and sounds like you have a solution.

I don't see a way to easily access the internal components, so I guess a make shift solution will be best. Too bad, its a nice thing to have onboard and I use it alot. I'm not a fan of having another vacuum on onboard, just another thing to keep track of.

Maybe a winter project...

 

[Sgrochow]

Wow - maybe I’m still on the honeymoon with my boat but I love that vacuum. I’ll bet I’ll go years without filling it up. I have spare bags from the po too.

Sorry dt - not much help from me - but can you remove the switch plate in the cabinet and open the circuit there?

Ditto, it’s great. Bags are easy to find, parts not so much. The motor burned out last year but I was able to get a replacement.

 

[dtfeld]

Ditto, it’s great. Bags are easy to find, parts not so much. The motor burned out last year but I was able to get a replacement.

How did you extract the unit from the boat? Its under the steps in my boat.

 

[Sgrochow]

How did you extract the unit from the boat? Its under the steps in my boat.

Mine is under the dinette seating, forward compartment.

 

[Jeremygavin]

Mine was doing that recently and I “fiddled” with the 2 contacts in the female socket that you plug the hose into that that seemed to fix the issue for now. I am not sure why but something was touching in that socket. When I have more time I am going to pull the socket out and see what may have been touching to turn on the circuit but for now it is operating correctly again.

 

[atrick]

Mine was doing that recently and I “fiddled” with the 2 contacts in the female socket that you plug the hose into that that seemed to fix the issue for now. I am not sure why but something was touching in that socket. When I have more time I am going to pull the socket out and see what may have been touching to turn on the circuit but for now it is operating correctly again.

Becareful when you pull the socket apart, there is a backing plate that the screws go into, when you take the front screws out the backing plate is loose and it is a job getting it back together.

 

[Sgrochow]

No suggestions; funny how this was a marketing thing for our boats years ago. It's pretty much useless now especially since you have to find, purchase, install, remove, and throw away the bags.

Wow, catching up. Please let us know where your pain points were/was.

Finding?
Purchasing?
Installing?
Removing?
Throwing away?

 

[Tripsdad]

Mine stopped working but I got lucky and it was a short in the hose outlet. Simple 2 wire, 2 screw inexpensive replacement and it’s worked fine since.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Wow, catching up. Please let us know where your pain points were/was.

Finding?
Purchasing?
Installing?
Removing?
Throwing away?

Funny guy... I'm guessing you still listen to 8 tracks?

To answer your questions since you asked, on the last boat I owned that had one of these I could never find the bags to purchase. In today's modern era, 2023, I find a battery operated handheld to be easier. Plug it in, charge it, use it, empty it. No bags to purchase and install and then remove. No hose to unpack, carry around, and pack back up. I'm guessing the manufacturers of these handhelds figured that we like them better since they're selling pretty well I heard.