Tornado Strain Relief 18793

The Tornado Strain Relief 18793 is the genuine OEM cord strain relief for the PS Series professional spotters — the bushing that grips the power cord where it enters the housing so that every pull on the cord is taken by the housing instead of by the conductors inside. It also fits the Tornado PS8226 Spotter 98226, the 230-volt build of the deluxe PS Series spotter.

Compatible Models for the Strain Relief

• Tornado PS Spotter 98220 — PS Series professional spotter, 115V
• Tornado PS8225 Spotter 98225 — the deluxe PS Series spotter, Series C and Series D & E
• Tornado PS8221 Spotter 98221 — the 230-volt build of the same spotter
• Tornado PS8226 Spotter 98226 — the 230-volt build of the deluxe PS Series spotter, Series D & E

The deluxe PS8225 Spotter 98225 carries the same strain relief, listed as not shown on its wiring diagram, in both the Series C and the Series D & E book.

Tornado’s factory cross-reference lists this strain relief on thirteen machines, more than the cross-reference displays at one time. Within the window it returns it appears across Series C through G of the 98220, Series F of the 98221, and the Tornado Clean-Air Carpetkeeper wide-area range. Call us at 763-535-0770 with your model and serial number and we will confirm it before you order.

It is on the parts list but not on the diagram

Worth flagging so you do not waste time looking: Tornado’s wiring parts table marks this part Not Shown. It is a genuine item on the list with a quantity of one, but the factory chose not to call it out on the drawing, so there is no numbered bubble pointing at it.

The same table also notes that the power cord assembly includes this strain relief. So if you are replacing the whole cord assembly you are already getting one; order this part on its own when the cord itself is sound and only the bushing has failed.

What it does, and what happens when it fails

A power cord on a commercial spotter is pulled constantly — to unplug it, to drag the machine, to free it from under a door. Without a strain relief every one of those pulls would be resisted by the terminations inside the enclosure: small crimps and screw terminals never designed to carry a mechanical load.

The strain relief takes that load instead. It clamps the cord’s outer jacket and anchors it to the housing, so the force stops at the bushing and the conductors beyond it stay slack.

What makes a failed strain relief worth taking seriously is where the damage happens. When the bushing lets go, the cord starts to move in and out of the housing and the pull transfers to the terminations — inside the machine, where nobody can see it. The conductor strands fatigue and break a few at a time, resistance climbs, the joint heats, and the first external symptom is often a machine that cuts out when the cord is flexed, or a burnt terminal found much later. On a wet machine with mains inside it, a cord that can be pulled through its entry is a fault to fix before the machine goes back out, not at the next service.

When to replace it

Replace the strain relief if the cord can be moved in or out of the housing at all; if the bushing is cracked, split, broken or has lost a clamping half; if it has gone hard and brittle with age; if it is no longer gripping the jacket evenly; or if it has been replaced with tape, a cable tie or a grommet, none of which does this job.

Replace it whenever the power cord is replaced, rather than reusing the old one — it has already taken a compression set around the old jacket and will not grip a new cord as it should.

Check it at every service by taking hold of the cord close to the housing and pulling firmly. Nothing should move.

Fitting notes

Isolate the machine from the mains before the cover comes off and keep it isolated throughout. Note how the old bushing is oriented and how the cord is routed before removing anything.

Clamp on the cord’s outer jacket, never on the individual conductors, and make sure the jacket extends past the bushing into the enclosure so no single conductor is taking the grip. Leave the conductors slack between the bushing and their terminations — that slack is what the strain relief is protecting. Check the cord cannot be pulled through once the bushing is made up, confirm nothing is pinched as the cover closes, and fit a new cover gasket so the enclosure seals again. Test on an earth-leakage protected supply before returning the machine to service.

Twin City Vacuum has been selling and servicing Tornado equipment since 1956.

You can browse every assembly for this machine on our Tornado PS Spotter 98220 parts page, and the manufacturer’s specifications are published at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I not find the Strain Relief on the wiring diagram?

Because Tornado’s table marks it Not Shown. It is a genuine part of the assembly with a quantity of one, but the factory chose not to give it a numbered bubble on the drawing, so there is nothing to find there.

Do I need to order the Strain Relief separately if I am replacing the power cord?

No — the parts table notes that the power cord assembly includes it. Order this part on its own when the cord is sound and only the bushing has failed. If you are fitting a new cord, do not reuse an old bushing: it has taken a compression set around the old jacket and will not grip a new cord properly.

What happens if the Strain Relief fails?

The cord starts to move in and out of the housing and every pull transfers to the terminations inside, where you cannot see it. Strands fatigue and break a few at a time, resistance climbs and the joint heats. The first symptom is often a machine that cuts out when the cord is flexed. A cord that can be pulled through its entry should be fixed before the machine goes back out.

How do I order the Strain Relief (part# 18793) or get help?

Call us at 763-535-0770 to order the Strain Relief (part# 18793) — this is a factory-order part and we will confirm current pricing and the right bushing for your cord when you call. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.