This FoodSaver sealer's heat strip does not heat up anymore, so it doesn't seal the bags. The vacuum works, but what good is that if it won't seal. Let's get it working again.
Thanks man you saved me some $$$ I was just about to buy a new one. I was tired of taking it apart and looking for the problem. On mine the connection was loose and not building up pressure to trigger the heat bar. There is a shortage of people like us who'd rather find out why something is not working, people these days just throw stuff away and buy new that's hard for me to do since I grew up poor and didn't have that luxury.
I've stopped buying FoodSaver machines for this very same problem; they give up the ghost after about six months!! And I had this very same model!! Every FoodSaver machine has done this to me! Even others like it!! The heater strip had stopped working. I got so fed up with this crap, that I bought a chamber vacuum seal machine, & it has worked good ever since!!! I'm a happy camper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've had mine for like 15 years and I never could make it work right but I knew I paid a lot of money for it and it was still brand new. Today I got it to work, I didn't realize the little things on the side needed to be pushed locked into place
These FoodSaver Units are great when they work but they are not the best built. I have gone through several over that last 30 years. Cracks in various places are very common in my experience. I have sealed cracks with epoxy and that solved the problem over and over. Eventually they are not repairable. The other problem is the foam seals go bad. I learned to store my units with a doll rod or something in the liquid catch channel so it holds the lid up and off of the foam seals. Otherwise the foam seal deforms over time and smashes and it won't seal properly. This trick more than doubles the usable life of the foam seal. One more tip. I had to seal around screws due to cracks in the plastic that formed around those screws over time.
If you ever get food liquid on the foam seals they tend to deteriorate very quickly. I make a habit of rinsing and saueezing them in warm water if they get any juices on them.
@@501talon It works. Saves the upper and lower seals from compressing and losing their effectiveness. Got the idea from the unit being new and having cardboard blocks to keep the 2 seals from smashing each other.
Thank you for your video. You’re great! I’ve had the exact same food saver for years…( I actually can’t remember it’s been so long). Recently bought new sealing strip because the other one kept lifting up. It still worked great for years. Just decided to give it to my mom to let her try it out (so if she did I could buy her one for Christmas). Haha sorry for the book. Anyway, she wasn’t sure she wanted to try it but took it reluctantly and started trying it out last night. After 6 or 7 bags it stopped working. 😳. She called me and said it’s not working and we spent an hour on FaceTime trying to figure it out because I thought she was using it wrong. I’m going to watch your video again and maybe try to fix it myself! Thanks again and keep making more videos!!
I recently saw a vac room sealer that you have to hold both side of the unit till you hear it click locked. then it will run. If it is like the on I saw
This one is not like that. This one has two locks on the sides toward the bottom that hold the top down when you close it and then it releases the top when it is finished. If! I remember correctly. Lol...
The tape was later replaced by the owner. The heating element was ok so it didn't need to be replaced. The little white piece I melted together was the main problem why it didn't work.
Thank you, and that sealer is not mine, so I'm not exactly sure what that is. I did not look into it at all when I had it in my possession. I would have to believe though that it is for something like you had mentioned. Some sort of attachment would connect to it and would help seal a dish of some sort.
Could be the same problem as in the video, or maybe a leak around the foam seal if you’re trying to vacuum a bag. It needs to pull the air from the bag before it will seal if you’re using a bag. If you’re not vacuuming a bag, it could be the little switch on the inside I showed in the video or no power from the transformer on the inside/broken wire/connection. Also, make sure the altitude knob is adjusted correctly for your city's altitude. I hope this helps.
Well done :-D What a nasty vacuum connector, it should not of cracked with such a small amount of suction :-( Clever how they wired it up, no impossible to get micro controllers to fail :-D
The repair guy commented that it was working fine before the owner took it apart and then put it back together. The vacuum didn't break the fitting, the clumsy owner did.
Took mine apart. Held a wet finger over the end of the vacuum hose connector - no air leak in system, at all, it held vacuum against my finger tip for many seconds without leaking down. But it still won't seal - the green light does not come on. The voltage I'm getting at the end of the two heater strip wires while system is in a vacuum is only 6.2 volts - not 21 volts like you were getting on video. Seems this is not enough voltage to heat up the strip for me. What else could be causing this low voltage to the heater strip? Thanks.
Correction. I just now, seconds ago, put it back together - was going to wait on your reply. And guess what? It's working properly now - sealing the bag, too, at the end of the vacuum run / and or sealing the bag, only, when I put it over the heating strip, only, as it should. Maybe me messing around it there jiggling all the wires, etc., (on purpose, as you did in the video), shook something just right and made a better connection, internally, on something, hah! Well, anyway, it's now working again, though I can't really say why it decided to do so - especially when it was only getting 6.2 volts at the two yellow transformer wires that go to the heating strip, (not 21 volts like you got), before I gave up and closed it up. We'll see how long it works. Thanks for a great video, too, by the way! I appreciate you doing it!
@@steveandrews8301 I'm glad it helped you out and that yours started working again. It's always a mystery how things start to work again on their own. Lol...
It sounds like the same problem that I was having. Something to do with the vacuum section. And don't mess with the altitude knob if it worked before because turning that knob will make it not work as well (if there's one on yours).
@@ElectronicsEditor When you go to seal only as you did in testing it once the light was coming on, is the vacuum motor suppose to be running while sealing...? This vac was given to me and I was hoping it would work...
@@adctex Yes, the vacuum motor will run every time. If you don't want to vacuum out the bag you're sealing, don't put the bag into the vacuum area, just put it over the hot strip to seal the bag. If everything is working properly, it should only take a few seconds to seal the bag with the hot strip as in the video.
Mine suction but won't seal. I'm narrowing it down to the open/close switch or the transformer. I do get 120v on the switch but there's no voltage out of the two yellow cables coming out from the transformer. Is there a way to confirm using the multimeter?
Check the switch with your meter on ohms or continuity and press the button to see if the switch is turning on and off. The switch should be what turns on the transformer to allow voltage to come out of the two yellow wires.
@@ElectronicsEditor Not sure we are talking about the same switch, I'm referring to the circuit underneath the altimeter, the one that bends to allow power to the transformer.
@@cachencoriver5738 If I remember correctly, that is used for the timer for the sealing. There should be continuity with a meter lead on both sides of it and when the current gets too high it breaks the connection at that point and you shouldn't have continuity anymore. With no power connected you should be able to make and break the connection with your finger by gently pulling it apart. I hope this helps.
Watching you struggling to open it up upside down was absolutely killing me 😆 I have already had mine opened up 3 times trying to troubleshoot.
I struggle to please. Lol... I hope you finally got yours to work.
Thanks man you saved me some $$$ I was just about to buy a new one. I was tired of taking it apart and looking for the problem. On mine the connection was loose and not building up pressure to trigger the heat bar. There is a shortage of people like us who'd rather find out why something is not working, people these days just throw stuff away and buy new that's hard for me to do since I grew up poor and didn't have that luxury.
Thanks
I've stopped buying FoodSaver machines for this very same problem; they give up the ghost after about six months!! And I had this very same model!! Every FoodSaver machine has done this to me! Even others like it!! The heater strip had stopped working. I got so fed up with this crap, that I bought a chamber vacuum seal machine, & it has worked good ever since!!! I'm a happy camper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've had mine for like 15 years and I never could make it work right but I knew I paid a lot of money for it and it was still brand new. Today I got it to work, I didn't realize the little things on the side needed to be pushed locked into place
Thank you ! You fixed my foodsaver also. The part wasn't cracked , but it WAS slightly off the fitting . Thanks very much.
Mine has the same problem. Glad u persevered. Mine is going in trash
Yeah, sometimes you just have to upgrade. Lol
When I was fixing plumbing leaks we turned the suction on and applied glue to the area not sealing. It sucked the glue in the joints.
These FoodSaver Units are great when they work but they are not the best built. I have gone through several over that last 30 years. Cracks in various places are very common in my experience. I have sealed cracks with epoxy and that solved the problem over and over. Eventually they are not repairable. The other problem is the foam seals go bad. I learned to store my units with a doll rod or something in the liquid catch channel so it holds the lid up and off of the foam seals. Otherwise the foam seal deforms over time and smashes and it won't seal properly. This trick more than doubles the usable life of the foam seal. One more tip. I had to seal around screws due to cracks in the plastic that formed around those screws over time.
Thanks for your experiences and for your tips.
If you ever get food liquid on the foam seals they tend to deteriorate very quickly. I make a habit of rinsing and saueezing them in warm water if they get any juices on them.
@@Er-sv5tn Yes. Always clean after use before long term storage.
Good idea about the dowel rod. I just bought a second FoodSaver same model as the one I have (V2470) I'll put one in there for storage.
@@501talon It works. Saves the upper and lower seals from compressing and losing their effectiveness. Got the idea from the unit being new and having cardboard blocks to keep the 2 seals from smashing each other.
Thank you for your video. You’re great! I’ve had the exact same food saver for years…( I actually can’t remember it’s been so long). Recently bought new sealing strip because the other one kept lifting up. It still worked great for years. Just decided to give it to my mom to let her try it out (so if she did I could buy her one for Christmas). Haha sorry for the book. Anyway, she wasn’t sure she wanted to try it but took it reluctantly and started trying it out last night. After 6 or 7 bags it stopped working. 😳. She called me and said it’s not working and we spent an hour on FaceTime trying to figure it out because I thought she was using it wrong. I’m going to watch your video again and maybe try to fix it myself! Thanks again and keep making more videos!!
Thank you for sharing you knowledge
good eye.they don't secure parts very well do they?
So in essence it just keeps sucking air and won't max out the vacuuming so it won't go to "seal mode"?
That's about it.
You can replace that Teflon tape too.
I recently saw a vac room sealer that you have to hold both side of the unit till you hear it click locked. then it will run. If it is like the on I saw
This one is not like that. This one has two locks on the sides toward the bottom that hold the top down when you close it and then it releases the top when it is finished. If! I remember correctly. Lol...
Good idea to melt that little plastic piece with soldering iron. Was the tape replaced & could have the heating element / wire have been replaced?
The tape was later replaced by the owner. The heating element was ok so it didn't need to be replaced. The little white piece I melted together was the main problem why it didn't work.
Excellent demonstration sir! Have you used that little gray hole on top? Is it the port for FS vacuum lids? Please and thank you 🙏
Thank you, and that sealer is not mine, so I'm not exactly sure what that is. I did not look into it at all when I had it in my possession. I would have to believe though that it is for something like you had mentioned. Some sort of attachment would connect to it and would help seal a dish of some sort.
Yes that's what the hole is for. Even though my sealer is not working, the vacuum port for sealing kids still works.
Where can I get the wire that seals the bag
Pretty much anywhere. Just look for your model number and include "heating element" or "heat strip" in your search.
Have the same one mine vacumes but won't seal any advice
Could be the same problem as in the video, or maybe a leak around the foam seal if you’re trying to vacuum a bag. It needs to pull the air from the bag before it will seal if you’re using a bag. If you’re not vacuuming a bag, it could be the little switch on the inside I showed in the video or no power from the transformer on the inside/broken wire/connection. Also, make sure the altitude knob is adjusted correctly for your city's altitude. I hope this helps.
Well done :-D
What a nasty vacuum connector, it should not of cracked with such a small amount of suction :-(
Clever how they wired it up, no impossible to get micro controllers to fail :-D
The repair guy commented that it was working fine before the owner took it apart and then put it back together. The vacuum didn't break the fitting, the clumsy owner did.
Took mine apart. Held a wet finger over the end of the vacuum hose connector - no air leak in system, at all, it held vacuum against my finger tip for many seconds without leaking down. But it still won't seal - the green light does not come on. The voltage I'm getting at the end of the two heater strip wires while system is in a vacuum is only 6.2 volts - not 21 volts like you were getting on video. Seems this is not enough voltage to heat up the strip for me. What else could be causing this low voltage to the heater strip? Thanks.
Correction. I just now, seconds ago, put it back together - was going to wait on your reply. And guess what? It's working properly now - sealing the bag, too, at the end of the vacuum run / and or sealing the bag, only, when I put it over the heating strip, only, as it should. Maybe me messing around it there jiggling all the wires, etc., (on purpose, as you did in the video), shook something just right and made a better connection, internally, on something, hah! Well, anyway, it's now working again, though I can't really say why it decided to do so - especially when it was only getting 6.2 volts at the two yellow transformer wires that go to the heating strip, (not 21 volts like you got), before I gave up and closed it up. We'll see how long it works. Thanks for a great video, too, by the way! I appreciate you doing it!
@@steveandrews8301 I'm glad it helped you out and that yours started working again. It's always a mystery how things start to work again on their own. Lol...
Mine is acting same way.... NO green light... Not sealing... However, mine appears to vacuum the bag OK.... just never goes into seal cycle....
It sounds like the same problem that I was having. Something to do with the vacuum section. And don't mess with the altitude knob if it worked before because turning that knob will make it not work as well (if there's one on yours).
@@ElectronicsEditor When you go to seal only as you did in testing it once the light was coming on, is the vacuum motor suppose to be running while sealing...? This vac was given to me and I was hoping it would work...
@@adctex Yes, the vacuum motor will run every time. If you don't want to vacuum out the bag you're sealing, don't put the bag into the vacuum area, just put it over the hot strip to seal the bag. If everything is working properly, it should only take a few seconds to seal the bag with the hot strip as in the video.
Did you find a fix for yours?
It sounds like it's the flux capacitor that keeps the food from going forward in time is failing and is not trying to go "Back to the future"
Mine suction but won't seal. I'm narrowing it down to the open/close switch or the transformer. I do get 120v on the switch but there's no voltage out of the two yellow cables coming out from the transformer. Is there a way to confirm using the multimeter?
Check the switch with your meter on ohms or continuity and press the button to see if the switch is turning on and off. The switch should be what turns on the transformer to allow voltage to come out of the two yellow wires.
@@ElectronicsEditor Not sure we are talking about the same switch, I'm referring to the circuit underneath the altimeter, the one that bends to allow power to the transformer.
@@cachencoriver5738 If I remember correctly, that is used for the timer for the sealing. There should be continuity with a meter lead on both sides of it and when the current gets too high it breaks the connection at that point and you shouldn't have continuity anymore. With no power connected you should be able to make and break the connection with your finger by gently pulling it apart. I hope this helps.
@@ElectronicsEditor I'll try that, thanks.
@@ElectronicsEditor That's the problem, continuity never changes. I'll try to find it locally or via internet. Thanks again.
Dude. Wtf. Don't turn the sound down