20 Most Recent Riccar 8850 Vacuum - Page 2 Questions & Answers

Your vacuum is at least 10 years old. There are some inexpensive parts that can wear or may need adjustment. You have a very durable vacuum that may have many more years of life but Just like a car, needs to be serviced by a trained qualified technician who knows what to look for. It will save you money I the long run.

The third wire is a hot wire that goes to the headlight.

sounds like you need a new belt as the one you have is either been stretched or was the wrong one supplied you can find replacements at most electrical stores ebay or amazon hope this helps

Your vacuum may have a clog in the hose or in the tube where the hose inserts into. Make sure to replace the belt it it's been over a year.

yes if you use a flat head screwdriver and pry it off gently cant see you doing any harm,,the link below is the manualhttp://www.riccar.com/ftp/whitepapers/8000_Owners_Manual.pdf

Hello there, when sparks come flying out of your vacuum cleaner it usually is as a result of messed up connections and power fluctuations.The probability of the motor needing replacement is very high as unless i examine it i cannot say for certain but one thing i can say for certain is that the entire wiring of the unit has to be inspected thoroughly because this is where the main problem would have emanated from. The unit would definitely need other components other than the motor changed this is because if the other components which have been affected dont get replaced then even a new motor will face the same problem after a relatively short period. best refer the unit to an expert to determine the extent to which the other components are affected and what other parts are damaged. Also to determine if the entire motor needs replacement or some part of the motor can still be salvaged.
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You seem to have two model numbers. I plugged the following into Google and got plenty of locations for Riccar belts.
Riccar 8850 Vacuum belts
You can do this and find a supplier you might want to deal with.

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