First a pre-amble:

   Visiting my friends last weekend I ended up with their broken Dyson DC01 DE STIJL Vacuum Cleaner. It was going in the bin, they know I like taking things apart so it went in my car instead!

   Now I am not totally crazy, I knew electrically it worked perfectly. I also knew the lady of the house wanted a new cleaner, so chances were nobody had made much effort to fix it. Plus I have been toying with the idea of buying a Dyson but could never stomach the cost, so a few hours taking it apart would be time well spent (and fun!!)

   My Thoughts on Why Dyson's have a reputation for Breaking:

   Reading the instruction manual and then taking the thing apart makes me think there is a good reason for popular thought that they break easily. Vacuum cleaners fit into the category of equipment that doesn't require instruction, you should be able to figure it out, plug it in and use it. Due to the complex nature of the dust collection device a Dyson requires that you occasionally refer to the manual for cleaning instructions. Not to mention some of the attachments being a bit fiddly, there is the correct way to use them and the force it till it works way.

   The other reason they break is that the unblocking guide in the user manual doesn't cover all the possible places it can get blocked up. And I think ultimately most Dyson cleaners die from blockages.

   The problem:

   Dyson’s by their nature are made up of lots of narrow air passages. Compared to almost every other vacuum I have ever encountered all the tubing and internal passages are significantly narrower than other 1000watt cleaners. Also unlike other models there are lots of 90 degree bends and strange connecting bits for gunk to get lodged in.

   Combine the two and you will get problems that whilst straightforward are insurmountable for people who just want to plug and go... and lets face it you buy a vacuum cleaner to clean not take apart, in the same way that I don't fiddle with anything mechanical on my car!

   The Solution:

   I started off by following the instructions, pulling off all tubing, look up all the inspection holes and down the hoses. I found some fluff and a lot of grit that never made it as far as the dust bowl, but nothing to account for poor suction.

   Then I took the soleplate off of the bottom of the cleaner, mentioned in the manual as the cover for the drivebelt. It also happens to be the first piece of ducting in the Dyson cleaning system.

   Lo and behold I found a massive piece of heavily compacted hair and fluff. Knowing my friends I suspect it comprised of cat fur, human hair shavings and builders rubble. It had the consistency of felt and had completely blocked up the ducting. Further investigation discovered more wads of fluff in other pieces of ducting that were restricting airflow but had not yet blocked it entirely.

   A thorough clean of everything inside and out and the DC01 was back working again. Because the filters had been removed in an attempt to increase suction I have invested £20 in HEPA filters (the DE STIJL is the HEPA filtration model). And for that I have a functional if slightly battered cleaner. I did the required clean of the flat, and can attest that I could see the difference compared with my very old Electrolux bag cleaner. The floor was back to the right colour and there was a lot of fluff in the clear plastic dust bowl.

The offending blockage

   My Recommended preventative steps for all users:

   Dyson DC01's (and probably other models too) have some very small ducting close to the brush bar on the bottom of the cleaner. This has vanes in it that long fluff can wrap around, and over time accumulate to cause blockage.

   Unplug the cleaner when following these instructions

   Periodically follow the manufacturers instructions to remove the soleplate, and remove any build-up, also check the other tubing for fluff. Do this by following the air passages past the drivebelt and into the body of the cleaner, open up the rubber inspection holes to hook out any errant fluff.

   Hope that helps anyone with a broken Dyson... most people I have heard complaining it doesn't suck properly anymore are probably suffering this problem.