Did you ever ask yourself, why is my Dyson pulsing?
Stick vacuums have yet again upped the convenience factor of modern cleaning utensils, and Dyson makes some of the best in the biz!
But as great as these devices are, there are no such things as perfect electronics, so it’s not uncommon for them to misbehave from time to time.
One particularly confounding spot of mechanical mischief you’re bound to run into at some point is the dreaded pulsing, when your Dyson only works in short bursts separated by small periods of inactivity.
It slows you down, it’s irritating, and it seems to come out of nowhere for no reason at all — boo!
Not to worry, though! Not only are we going to tell you what the problem could be with your house hurricane, we’re also going to tell you how to fix it. Let’s dive right in!
Why is My Dyson Pulsing: Causes
The infuriating pulsing of your Dyson stick hoover could potentially be the cause of one of the following issues:
– MAX button malfunction
– Blockages
– Failure to charge
Lucky for you, we’re going to be giving you the low down on all three of these diagnoses. Run through our fixes one by one, and by the end of this article, your vacuum will almost certainly be back to its former glory.
MAX Button Malfunction
The MAX button on your Dyson stick vacuum does exactly what you’d think it would, it offers you a super high level of suction to tackle those really stubborn spots at the expense of battery duration.
It’s an incredibly handy addition to the Dyson blueprint; however, it’s not unheard of for this powerful component to occasionally go on the fritz.
The good news is it’s easy to diagnose and even easier to fix, which is why I’d recommend starting with this check.
Should your MAX button be flashing when your hoover starts to pulse, then it’s almost certainly the root of the problem.
To get things back in full working order, oftentimes, all you have to do is run your vacuum for a while with it switched off.
Not to worry if this doesn’t work for you, as you can also try hitting that MAX button with a reset, achieved by…
– Holding in the power button
– Pressing the MAX button once, making sure it’s switched off
Blockages
No matter which model you own, there are two areas of your Dyson stick vacuum that suffer from blockages, the filter and the tube, and guess what? Both can cause the pulsing suction that’s plaguing your spring cleaning.
Attachments – if you use them – can also become blocked, but it’s best to start by cleaning out the main vacuum components first.
Remove the filter and you should see numerous little illustrations of faucets on the enclosure.
This is to communicate that they’re washable, so rinse it under some clean water, perhaps even give it a delicate scrub, then leave it to completely air dry.
If, however, your filter is over a year old, it’s time to purchase a replacement.
Moving on to the tube. Grab yourself a flashlight, and shine it down the hollow shaft. See anything?
If yes, it could well be the problem. Clogs will usually accumulate around the roller. If this is the case, use a coin to uncouple the roller system and remove any debris.
Once that’s dealt with and your filter is completely dry, give your Dyson a whirl. If the pulsing has stopped, try a few attachments and see if it starts again. If not, you’re in the clear — hooray!
Should the attachments trigger the pulsing reaction, you’ll need to give them a thorough cleaning as well or simply stop using them.
If you tried all this but the problem persists, there’s likely a deeper issue with your hoover, so move on to our third troubleshooting step.
Failure To Charge
The reason your Dyson hoover is sputtering may be the very same reason most other things sputter… a lack of energy.
Yep, if your hoover is running on fumes, it won’t be able to maintain a consistent output amounting to that stop-start functionality that drives you up the wall.
Thankfully, this is an easy fix. All you have to do is treat your hoover to a hearty charging session.
Be sure to check the power cable is secure in both the outlet and hoover, and remember to secure your hoover in place, as turbulence may inhibit the charging process.
If you’re certain that the power cable is plugged all the way in at both ends, yet your hoover won’t pick up a charge, it’s possible that your Dyson’s battery is not long for this world.
This is the most likely scenario if you’ve had your hoover for a fair while.
Should the battery be quite new, it’s perhaps more likely that the charger is the accessory to blame.
If possible, try to charge your hoover using a friend or family member’s charger. If it works, your charger is the problem. If it doesn’t work, point the blame at the battery.
Either way, we’re afraid you’ll have to fork out for a replacement part.
– For a V6 model, we’d recommend this FirstPower battery.
– For a V7, you’ll need something more along the lines of this Tsuciaue cell.
– A V8 model requires a battery such as this from the folks over PowerExtra.
– We’d suggest this FlylinkTech monster for a V10.
That said, if you’re still covered by the warranty, contact Dyson directly, and they’ll sort the problem out free of charge.
Final Thoughts
There you have it — The dreaded pulsing of Dyson stick vacuums will likely be caused by one (or perhaps two) of three things: MAX button on the fritz, clogs in the system, or faulty charging components.
Having said that, although it’s rare, it is possible that none of the above fixes worked for you, in which case, we’d highly recommend contacting Dyson technical support and asking if they have any bright ideas to revive your once-healthy hoover.
They may even send out a specialist or have your hoover picked up and taken to one of their facilities for repair.
Either way, your vacuum will be back on top form in no time!