Light Socket A018-0900

The light socket (part# A018-0900) is the bulb holder and electrical contact for the headlight in the nozzle of Tacony-built ultra-lightweight uprights. It clips into the nozzle housing behind the lens, grips the 12-volt bulb, and connects it to the machine wiring. Tacony catalogues the part as a light socket for ultra-lightweight vacuums.

This is a genuine Tacony OEM part. It is one of a three-part group with the lens (B018-0415) and the bulb (A350-0000B).

Compatible Models for the Light Socket A018-0900

• Tornado: TV280-W12-U (CK ULW 13/1)
• Riccar: R10D, R10E, R10E.PRG, R10P, R10S, R10 (R10SAND), R17

The models above are the ones confirmed for this socket. Tacony’s own catalogue name for the part is generic to its ultra-lightweight range rather than to one machine, so other lighted Tacony-built ultralights may take the same socket. If your machine is not listed, call and we will check the part list for your model rather than guess.

What the light socket does

The socket does two jobs at once. Mechanically it holds the bulb square behind the lens so the beam points along the floor ahead of the nozzle. Electrically it is the last link in the headlight circuit, carrying low-voltage current through a pair of spring contacts to the bulb base. Because it sits in the nozzle, it lives with the heat of the bulb and the vibration of the brushroll, and those are what eventually kill it.

Signs the light socket needs replacing

The usual sign is a headlight that has gone out and stays out through a bulb change. Flicker when you push the machine, or a light that comes on only if you nudge the bulb, points at tired contacts inside the socket. Discolouration or a melted look around the bulb seat, a bulb that drops out under vibration, or brittle insulation on the leads are all reasons to replace the socket rather than persevere with it.

Installation and fit

Unplug the machine before starting. The socket is reached by removing the lens and the nozzle cover, and it unclips from the housing once its leads are disconnected. Fit the new socket, seat the bulb fully, reconnect the leads, and test the light before reassembling the cover so you are not taking it apart twice. Take a photo of the lead routing before you disturb it if you have not been inside the nozzle before.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the light socket A018-0900 do?

The socket holds the 12-volt bulb at the front of the nozzle and carries current to it from the machine wiring. It is the mount and the electrical contact in one, so a failed socket puts the headlight out even when the bulb itself is good.

How do I know whether my headlight problem is the bulb or the socket?

Fit a known-good bulb first. If the new bulb still does not light, or lights only when you press it sideways in the holder, the socket contacts or its leads are the fault and the socket is the part to replace.

Which machines does the light socket A018-0900 fit?

It is confirmed on the Tornado CK ULW 13/1 (model TV280-W12-U) and on the Riccar R10 series and R17 nozzle assemblies. Tacony catalogues it for ultra-lightweight uprights generally, so other lighted Tacony-built ultralights can use it as well.

Do I need the bulb and lens too?

They are separate parts. The krypton 12-volt bulb is A350-0000B and the lens is B018-0415. If the old socket failed because of heat or a loose bulb, it is worth replacing the bulb at the same time, since both are inexpensive and the nozzle only has to come apart once.