Main Switch A428-2014

The Main Switch (part# A428-2014) is the rocker switch in the handle that turns the machine on and off. It is the most widely shared part on this breakdown: it fits the Tornado CK-LW 13/1 ProLite in both voltages, models 97130 (115V) and 97131 (230V), the Powr-Flite PF62EC, the Simplicity F3400, F3500 and F3500C, and the Riccar SupraLite RSL3 and RSL3C.

That spread is not a coincidence. These lightweight uprights are built on the same platform under different brands and share the great majority of their parts, and the switch is one of the components the factory carries across the whole family. If you service a mixed fleet, this is a part worth holding in stock, because one number covers machines wearing four different badges.

Compatible Models

• Tornado CK-LW 13/1 ProLite, model 97130 (115V)
• Tornado CK-LW 13/1 ProLite, model 97131 (230V)
• Powr-Flite PF62EC
• Simplicity F3400
• Simplicity F3500
• Simplicity F3500C
• Riccar SupraLite RSL3
• Riccar SupraLite RSL3C

Diagnosing a failing switch

Switch failure on a commercial upright is rarely sudden. It starts as a machine that needs the rocker pressed twice, or that cuts out when the handle is jolted, and operators work around it for weeks before reporting it. Both symptoms mean the contacts are arcing, and arcing contacts get hotter and worse, not better. Before condemning the switch, check the cord where it enters the handle and check that the cable clamp is still gripping the jacket — a cord that has been tugged with no strain relief pulls on the switch terminals and produces exactly the same intermittent fault.

The switch is reached by opening the handle assembly, which means freeing the cord at the clips first. Work on it unplugged, and if the terminals show any browning or melted insulation, replace the cord end as well rather than reterminating onto damaged wire.

Twin City Vacuum has been selling and servicing Tornado equipment since 1956. Call 763-535-0770 with your model and serial number and we will confirm the part before you order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which machines does this switch fit?

Eight: the Tornado CK-LW 13/1 ProLite models 97130 and 97131, the Powr-Flite PF62EC, the Simplicity F3400, F3500 and F3500C, and the Riccar SupraLite RSL3 and RSL3C. These machines are built on the same platform under different brands and share the great majority of their parts.

Is the 115V and 230V switch the same part?

Yes. The same switch number is catalogued for both the 115V model 97130 and the 230V model 97131. The motor differs between those two machines, but the switch does not.

My machine cuts out when I move the handle. Is it the switch?

Usually, but check the cord first. A cord that has been pulled with a missing or loose cable clamp puts strain straight onto the switch terminals and gives an identical intermittent fault. If the cable clamp is gone, fit one (part A090-0100) as part of the repair.