Why does the check bag light come on when the bag is new on my riccar vacuum?

Red light on means a clog or restriction somewhere. Have to find it.

Attach the bag securely in the bag holder. Slide the bag holder into the groove in the vacuum making sure the hole in the bag lines up with the hole in the vacuum where the hose attaches to.

sometimes that can happen if the pores in the bag are clogged, as might happen if you have been vacuuming very fine dust like wallboard dust. this means that the bag might be functionally full, even though it still appears un-full. also, check the hose for a clog, because that can also give a false indication light.

It depends on which model and where the clip went. On most models it will just suck the clip right into the bag causing no harm to the vacuum. If you can't find it and don't hear any funny noises it probably will not cause any harm. You can have it checked out by your Riccar dealer to be sure.

The light indicates a restriction, a full bag or clog or something restricting the airflow

Open the bag door, slide the bag out of the bag holder, slide the new bag in and close the door.

It means there is a clog or obstruction somewhere

Hi There,

This sounds like the Thermal Switch in your motor tripped. All Riccar vacuum cleaners have a motor reset switch, that will shut the motor down when it gets hot. Usually it's caused by a full bag, clog, or dirty filter.

Try resetting the thermal switch first. If this doesn't work, you may have done some more serious damage to the motor, and it might be a good idea to take it into a local Riccar dealer in your area.

Here's a step by step guide on how to check the reset switch on your Riccar 8850:

To reset the thermal fuse:

1. Unplug the vacuum cleaner
2. Check for problem – over–filled bag, clog in hose, clogged filters, etc.

Remove the vacuum bag, and see if you can visibly see any obstructions, or replace the bag if it's full:



Also inspect the Secondary filter while you have the vacuum bag removed from the machine. If the filter is clogged or dirty, rinse under warm water, and air dry completely before reinstalling it into the vacuum. It's best to wash this filter every 30 days, and replace after 4-5 washings.

Here's a link to the secondary filter on our website if you ever need to purchase one:
Riccar 8800 Series Secondary Filter



Your Riccar 8850 also has a set of exhaust filters that are on the front of the vacuum, near the bottom where the upright body meets the agitator housing. These filters when clogged may also cause the thermal switch to trip. These filters are recommended to be replaced every 6-12 months, and are not recommended to be washed.

Here's a link to 2 sets of the exhaust filters for the Riccar 8850 on our website:
Riccar 8850 Exhaust Final Filters, 2 Sets, 4 Total Filters



It's also possible that you may have clog in the suction port inside of the agitator housing. Remove the bottom plate from the vacuum, and look for the tube that runs on the left hand side from the tray to the rear of the agitator housing. Make sure that this tube is clear from obstructions:



Locate "tripped" fuse – the small white button located on the bottom of the back side of
the main body (roughly one inch to the right of the left wheel)


Using a pencil, paper clip or other pointed object, push the reset button in, you should hear a clicking noise when it resets.

Plug the vacuum cleaner back into the wall, and try turning the vacuum on. It should come right back on. If not, it's best to take your machine into a local Riccar authorized repair facility for further more advanced diagnosing.

Please feel free to ask any follow up questions by adding a comment to this repair, I'm always more then happy to answer any and all follow up questions if you need some clarification. If this was helpful, please rate the repair helpful or leave some feedback for me. Thanks so much,

Chris Jones
Govacuum.com

Greetings from GoVacuum,

If the light on your Riccar 8850 is coming on, but the motor is not coming on, this indicates that your motor has gone bad. There is a reset switch on the back of the vacuum cleaner that sometimes trips if the bag is too full, or the filters are not maintained, but when this happens nothing on the vacuum comes on including the headlight. If the headlight is coming on, this indicates that electricity is making it down to the headlight, and the current is going through, but just not activating the motor. This is a tell tale sign of your motor being bad, and needing replacement. You can purchase the motor for the Riccar 8850 (12 AMP, 2 stage motor, Riccar part D113-1700 $122.44) from GoVacuum by giving us a call, as we don't yet have this part on our website.

I hope this helped you. We have been fixing Riccar's for over 30 years, and they are great vacuum cleaners, and the age of the model 8850 is probably the life expectancy of this vacuum cleaner.

Chris Jones
GoVacuum.com

Greetings from GoVacuum.com,

I just wanted to let you know that we are an authorized Riccar dealer, and we can certainly get the replacement wheels for your Riccar 4812 upright vacuum cleaner.

We stock some parts, and what we don't stock we'll order for you. We don't currently have the wheels on our site, but if you still need the wheels, you may email me at [email protected].

We do stock a lot of parts for your 4812 Riccar, including the following;

Riccar 4000 Series Bags That Fit the 4812. Paper Bags 12pk.
http://www.govacuum.com/ricc103.html

Riccar 4000 Series Exhaust Filters for the 4812 Part RF4-2;
http://www.govacuum.com/ricc117.html

Riccar 4000 / 8000 Series Drive Belts Part # A20-R2P
http://www.govacuum.com/ricc112.html

Foam Filter Underneath of Bag Riccar 4812 Part B622-0500
http://www.govacuum.com/ricc133.html

I look forward to helping you if you still need to get the wheels for your vacuum.

Thank you,

Chris J.
GoVacuum.com