Why is there no power to the beater bar head?

If the beater bar on your Vax Air Reach vacuum cleaner won't spin, despite the fact that the green light is on, there may be a few possible causes:

1. Belt is worn or broken: If the beater bar belt is worn or broken, it will not spin. Check the belt to see if it is intact and not stretched or frayed. If it is, you may need to replace the belt.
2. Beater bar is clogged: If the beater bar is clogged with hair, debris, or other objects, it may not be able to spin. Remove the beater bar and clean it thoroughly, removing any blockages or tangles.
3. Motor is faulty: If the motor that powers the beater bar is faulty, it may not be able to turn the bar. If the above steps do not resolve the issue, the motor may need to be repaired or replaced.

Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Turn off the vacuum and unplug it from the power source.
2. Remove the beater bar by releasing the clips or screws that hold it in place.
3. Check the beater bar for blockages, and clean it thoroughly.
4. Check the beater bar belt for wear or damage, and replace it if necessary.
5. Reinstall the beater bar and secure it in place.
6. Plug in the vacuum and turn it on to see if the beater bar is now spinning.

If the above steps do not work, it may be necessary to contact Vax customer support or a professional repair technician for further assistance.

Without more info, I would investigate the drive belt, make sure the beater bar is free to spin (no hair or carpet fibers twisted onto the moving parts), and then check that the power is getting to the motor of the power head. Most often it is hair/fibers that collect around the ends of the beater bar. This causes the belt to stall, heat up and stretch due to the drive motor shaft spinning on one spot because the belt can't move. After removing twisted hair/fibers, you probably only need to replace the belt.

Beckiande485:

You will need to unplug the vacuum from the wall, lay it down so you can see the bottom of the vacuum head and remove the bottom plate (foot plate) Probably philllips head screws. pull up on the roller (called the beater bar). The beater bar will come straight up. Disconnect the belt and check the fittings at the ends of the beater bar... I'll bet that they don't spin easily (The fittings have roller bearings in them, and the roller bearings get gunked up with hair, carpet fibers and dirt). Pull the end fittings off of the roller and remove all of the hair and carpet fibers off of the end of the beater bar and the fittings and out of the bearings. Check to make sure that the roller bearings spin freely. If they do not spin freely, put some rubbing alcohol in the bearing (you can pour it onto the bearing and spin the bearing manually until it spins freely, or you can use a spray bottle with alcohol in it as I do. Once the bearing spin freely, dry them out so no alcohol remains in the bearing, then a drop or two of light machine oil (3 in 1 oil will do) in each bearing and spin the bearing again to distribute the oil. Now would be a good time to check for any clogs in the vacuum head where the hose connects, and check the hose for clogs. Reassemble the beater bar and reinstall it in the vacuum with a new belt, reinstall the foot plate.

Your machine should run like new.

Larry Kessler:

Unplug the vacuum and lay it down on the floor upside down on some newspaper. Remove the vacuum head foot plate with a Phillips head screwdriver. Remove the beater bar and belt by pulling straight up on the beater bar. Pull the end caps and bearings from the ends of the beater bar... it may take a two-grunt pull to remove them, or CAREFULLY use a screwdriver to pry them off. Remove the hair, carpet fibers and other gunk from the ends of the beater bar, bearings and end caps. Pour (or spray) alcohol on the bearings and spin them until they spin freely. Dry the bearings so there is no alcohol in them.
Put a few drops of light machine oil in the bearings, (3 in 1 oil will do), and spin the bearings to distribute the oil and ensure the bearings spin freely. Now would be a good time to check the vacuum head opening and the hose for clogs. Reassemble the end caps and bearings to the ends of the beater bar and reinstall the beater bar assembly (with a new belt) in the vacuum head. Reinstall the foot plate, and your machine should pick up fuzz balls the size of Michigan!

Conmaur102:

I don't know what type of vacuum you have, but you should check the drive belt to see if it is damaged. Remove the sole plate (at the bottom of the head) and remove the belt and roller (called the beater bar). check the bearings at each end of the beater bar (they must roll easily and smoothly). If they are bound up, pull them off of the ends of the beater bar and remove the hair, strings, and fibers wound around the end of the beater bar. Lubricate the bearings with light machine oil, and spin them by hand until they spin freely. Reinstall the belt and beater bar, and reinstall the sole plate. While you are at it... check the hose and head to make sure they are not clogged.

If you take the carpet head apart and take a look at the belt that drives the beater bar -- if it is stretched or broken, replacing it should resolve the issue. If the belt is in good shape, check the beater bar for debris that could keep it from spinning (I have long hair and it tents to jam up the carpet head of my vacuum on a regular basis).
If neither of the above solutions help, you might have an issue with a dead motor, or no power to the carpet head. Check that all of your connections are nice and tight and give it another shot. If it is still not working, I recommend bringing it to a repair shop to see if it would be cheaper to fix the part or buy a new one.

Hello, W/D here.
Since the brush will not spin, but the motor works, either the belt has come off of the motor shaft, the belt is worn past it's useful life, or the beater bar has seized.
1. Turn off the power (unplug).
2. Remove the bottom plate. With the plate off, use your finger to test the tension of the belt. It should be tight, and roll when you roll the beater bar by hand.
3. Remove the beater bar and belt. Inspect the beater bar, particularly by the bearings. Remove any twine, hair, etc.
4. Inspect the belt for abnormal wear. If there is any significant wear in the belt, replace it.
5. Reassembly is in the reverse order. Place the belt on the beater bar. While holding the beater bar close to it's position, place the belt on the motor shaft. Rotate the beater bar bearings to their proper position and install the beater bar. Replace the cover plate.

Best regards, --W/D--

the drive belt only controls the beater bar if the bar is spinning the belt is fine.
the no suction problem is probably caused by an obstruction in the line , the most common place that this occurs is where the handle pivots from the power head, if the tool hose can not be pulled at this location, remove the cover for the beater bar and you should be able to reach obstruction from there

Change the belt because it sounds like the belt has snapped if its not turning around. Easy to do if you flip the machine over with the beater bar looking upwards. Locate the three/two screw heads and undo with a coin. When the roller section is revealed by taking off the floor head you should replace the belt with a new one and be careful putting the beater bar in the right way on both ends. The belt will be tight brand new so expect some tension in it.
If this works for you please rate Fixya! Thanks.

If you hear the motor in the head running and the beater bar isn't rotating, you probably need a drive belt. With the power off, make sure you can rotate the beater bar freely by hand, if it isn't bound up.. then locate and remove the baseplate screws to gain access to the beater bar itself, you'll see a drive belt pulley system and chances are, a broken belt. Replace it with a new one by pulling the beater bar assembly out of the housing and plcing the belt onto the motor shaft pulley as well as the beater bar pulley.. nest the beater bar back into the holder and reinstall the cover. Hope that helps !