Karcher Vacuum Cleaner K 5500 User Manual

CAN: 1-800-465-4980

01-800-024-13-13

MEX:

Manual Part No. 5.960-032.0

K5500 Vacuum Manual7/24 7/29/02 11:33 AM Page 4

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS – Read First!

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

14. Always turn off this appliance before

Safety Warnings

connecting or disconnecting motorized

When using an electrical appliance, basic

nozzle.

precautions should always be followed,

including the following:

15. Hold plug when rewinding onto cord

reel. Do not allow plug to whip when

rewinding.

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

BEFORE USING THIS APPLIANCE

16. This appliance is provided with double

insulation. Use only identical

replacement parts. See instructions for

Servicing of Double-Insulated

Appliances.

WARNING-To reduce the risk of ﬁre,

electric shock, or injury:

1. Do not leave appliance when plugged

in. Unplug from outlet when not in use

and before servicing.

2. WARNING-To Reduce The Risk Of

Electric Shock. Do not use outdoors or

on wet surfaces."

1. Preparation

2. Attaching the accessory holder

• Connect the handle to the telescopic

suction tube.

• Connect the suction hose

17. Do not pick up anything that is burning

or smoking, such as cigarettes,

matches, or hot ashes.

• Connect the telescopic suction tube

and carpet turbo nozzle.

The accessory holder is for storing the

furniture brush and upholstery nozzle.

18. Do not use without all ﬁlters in place.

3. Do not allow to be used as a toy.

Close attention is necessary when

used by or near children.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

4. Use only as described in this manual.

Use only manufacturer's

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

SERVICING OF DOUBLE-

INSULATED APPLIANCES

In a double-insulated appliance, two

systems of insulation are provided

instead of grounding. No grounding

means is provided on a double-

insulated appliance, nor should a

means for grounding be added to the

appliance. Servicing a double-insulated

appliance requires extreme care and

knowledge of the system, and should

be done only by qualiﬁed service

personnel. Replacement parts for a

double-insulated appliance must be

identical to the parts they replace.

recommended attachments.

5. Do not use with damaged cord or

plug. If appliance is not working as it

should, has been dropped, damaged,

left outdoors, or dropped into water,

return it to a service center.

6. Do not pull or carry by cord, use cord

as a handle, close a door on cord, or

pull cord around sharp edges or

corners. Do not run appliance over

cord. Keep cord away from heated

surfaces.

7. Do not unplug by pulling on cord. To

unplug, grasp the plug, not the cord.

8. Do not handle plug or appliance with

wet hands.

9. Do not put any object into openings.

Do not use with any opening blocked;

keep free of dust, lint, hair, and

anything that may reduce air ﬂow.

10. Keep hair, loose clothing, ﬁngers, and

all parts of body away from openings

and moving parts.

click

1. Setting telescopic suction tube

2. Filling the water ﬁlter container

• Press the unlock button and pull out the

water ﬁlter container.

• Unlock the tube by moving the lock ring

and set the tube to the desired length by

drawing the inner pipe out or by sliding it

in further.

The appliance is delivered with the

intermediate ﬁlter and curved air guard

already assembled. When ﬁlling the container,

ensure that these components (see: Supplied

items) have been assembled correctly. They

may be the cause of poor suction

You can vacuum in a comfortable, upright

position by setting the telescopic suction

pipe to suit your height.

performance or premature failure of the

intermediate ﬁlter.

Customer Service

USA: 1-800-537-4129

11. Turn off all controls before unplugging.

12. Use extra care when cleaning on

stairs.

13. Do not use to pick up ﬂammable or

combustible liquids, such as gasoline,

or use in areas where they may be

present.

CAN: 1-800-465-4980

01-800-024-13-13

MEX:

K5500 Vacuum Manual7/24 7/29/02 11:33 AM Page 6

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS – continued

4. Using the carpet turbo nozzle

• Remove the cover from the water ﬁlter

container and ﬁll the water ﬁlter container

up to the MAX mark with tap water

(approximately 2 liters or 1/2 gallon).

• Add a capful of anti-foaming liquid

(Kärcher Foam Stop) to the water ﬁlter

container.

Slide the turbo control switch on the ﬂoor nozzle to a regulate the brushing action.

Full closed (+) increases brushing action for deep pile carpets and full open (-) for

5. Use and assembly of

the hard ﬂoor nozzle

The hard ﬂoor nozzle includes nylon and

The vacuum cleaner operates on the basis of swirling suction air into the water

ﬁlter. The vacuumed material and detergent residues from the ﬂoor covering are

being ﬁltered in the water bath. Under certain circumstances this may result in the

formation of foam. To prevent this, add a capful of anti-foaming liquid to the water

ﬁlter bath. The anti-foaming liquid is environmentally friendly and completely

biodegradable. Slight foam formation during operation is normal and does not

impair function.

natural bristle brush inserts for cleaning

smooth hard surfaces. Use the nylon brush

set for ceramic tile or similar scratch

resistant surfaces. Use the soft natural

brushes for ﬁnished wood ﬂoors or other

scratch sensitive surfaces. To change the

brushes use a ﬂat bladed screw driver or putty knife to gently pry open the plastic nozzle clips

to release the brush inserts. Then slide the replacement brushes into the white plastic holder

and snap holder back into place. Brushes must be replaced as a set for proper operation.

click

• Re-attach the cover. Push in the water

ﬁlter container all the way and pull up

until it “clicks” into position.

3. Switching on

• Unwind the power chord completely and

insert the plug into the power outlet.

6. Suction control (false-air slide) 7. Using the crevice nozzle

Crevice nozzle: For edges, crevices,

Due to the high constant suction capacity

of the appliance, the suction nozzles may

be too powerful for cleaning carpets,

upholstery, curtains, etc. In this case use

the false air slide to reduce the suction

capacity. After use, close again.

radiators, etc.

Upholstery nozzle: For cleaning upholstery

and curtains

Furniture brush: (can be rotated 360°)

For gentle cleaning of furniture, dusting

books, dashboards, etc.

If the water level in the container drops

below the “MIN” mark during operation,

Do not vacuum large quantities of powdered

please reﬁll with water.

• To switch on, press the On/Off switch.

substances such as cocoa, ﬂour, washing

powder, custard powder, etc.

8. Wet vacuuming

Use either the crevice nozzle, upholstery nozzle or the hard surface nozzle with the nylon

bristles for vacuuming wet surfaces (do not use the carpet turbo nozzle for wet surfaces).

• When the water filter container is empty, up to 2.5 liters or 1/2 gallon of liquid can be

vacuumed.

Damp dirt or small quantities of liquid up to approximately 0.5 liters or 2 cups can be

vacuumed at any time when the water filter container is full. Use the crevice nozzle or the

handle without attached accessory.

K5500 Vacuum Manual7/24 7/29/02 11:33 AM Page 8

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS – continued

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

9. Storage of accessories

WARNING • Before any care and maintenance

• After use, attach upholstery nozzle and

furniture brush to the accessory holder.

• Store the crevice nozzle and the Kärcher

foam stop on the appliance.

work on the machine, unplug

the power cord.

1. Cleaning the appliance

and accessories

• If required, wipe down the exterior of

the appliance with a damp cloth. Do

not use any aggressive agents such as

scouring powder.

• The suction hose and handle can be

dismantled for cleaning.

• Check the accessories for blockages and,

if required, clean. Do NOT use water to

clean the ﬂoor nozzle.

Press in on the left and right hose release

clips at the same time to dismantle the

hose for cleaning.

11. Shut down for storage

10. Taking a break

• To switch off, press the On/Off button.

• Pull the plug out of the power outlet.

2. Changing the intermediate ﬁlter

• If taking a break from work, attach the

ﬂoor nozzle to the appliance.

• Under normal conditions of use please

change the intermediate ﬁlter after at least

8 weeks or earlier if required (see page 2,

model 5500 overview item number 13).

• Press the cord rewind button. The power

cord is automatically wound up.

Note: After each use, the water ﬁlter

container, ﬁlter cover and bafﬂe plate must

be cleaned and dried.

The intermediate ﬁlter must be disposed of in

the residual waste.

3. Changing the HEPA ﬁlter

The HEPA-Plus ﬁlter consists of the HEPA

ﬁlter and an exhaust air ﬁlter. To ensure

that the appliance cleans and functions

optimally, this ﬁlter should be changed

after 15 months. If damaged or very dirty,

change earlier.

IMPORTANT

• Do not wash the

HEPA-Plus filter!

• Take the water ﬁlter container out of the

appliance (see: Filling the water ﬁlter

container).

• Clean and dry the cover and water ﬁlter

container.

• If the appliance is used regularly, wash

the intermediate ﬁlter every 2 weeks under

running water.

• Remove the cover and air guard.

• Empty the water ﬁlter container via one

of the corners.

12. Transporting / Storing

• Transport the appliance by the

carrying handle.

• Remove the cover.

• Remove the HEPA-Plus ﬁlter.

CAUTION

• Insert a new HEPA-Plus ﬁlter, ensuring that

it “clicks” into position.

•

All parts of the water ﬁlter system,

especially the intermediate ﬁlter,

must be dried thoroughly before

being stored!

• To ventilate the water ﬁlter container while

the appliance is in storage, do not insert

container fully into the appliance.

• Attach the cover, ensuring that it “clicks”

into position.

K5500 Vacuum Manual7/24 7/29/02 11:33 AM Page 10

CARE AND MAINTENANCE – continued

TROUBLE SHOOTING

Often symptoms have causes which you can ﬁx yourself with the aid of the following table. In

case of doubt, or if you encounter a symptom or cause not listed, please consult an authorized

Customer Service center.

Symptom

Cause

Solution

Machine does

not work.

Pull out power cord, check the

connection plug and power cord for

damage.

Current power supply has

been interrupted.

Suction

Air guard is missing or not

inserted correctly.

Insert air guard correctly (see model

overview page 1 & 2).

performance

decreases during

operation.

4. Cleaning the suction manifold

in the water ﬁlter container

Intermediate ﬁlter in

container cover wet.

Wash and dry intermediate ﬁlter

or insert a new ﬁlter

(see Care / Maintenance page 7 & 8).

•

Deposits in the suction manifold can be

removed by rinsing from above with a jet

of water.

Too little or too much water

in the water container.

Check MIN / MAX mark on the

container.

Intermediate ﬁlter

in container cover

is wet.

Excessive foam formation in Change water and add 1–2 capfuls of

SERVICE

the water ﬁlter container.

Kärcher foam stop. Wash and dry

intermediate ﬁlter or insert a new ﬁlter.

Warranty

Suction

performance

inadequate.

Customer Service

USA: 1-800-537-4129

Intermediate ﬁlter is missing

or not inserted correctly.

Check.

Please refer to the warranty card included

with the product. Should you have any

questions regarding the warranty please feel

free to call our customer service department.

HEPA-Plus ﬁlter is dirty.

Intermediate ﬁlter is dirty.

Accessory blocked.

Change HEPA-Plus ﬁlter

(see Care / Maintenance page 7 & 8).

CAN: 1-800-465-4980

Wash ﬁlter; if required, insert new ﬁlter

(see Care and Maintenance page 7 & 8).

01-800-024-13-13

MEX:

Remove blockage.

Deposits in suction manifold. Remove deposits (see Care and

Maintenance page 7 & 8).

Water container not

inserted correctly.

Check (see Operation page 3 & 4).

Technical Speciﬁcations

Circuit diagram

False air slide on

handle open.

Close false air slide.

Rated voltage

Rated frequency

Power P max

Power P nom

Vacuum

120 V

60 Hz

1400 W

1200 W

90.55 inches water lift

S1 Vacuum motor switch

C1 Interference suppressor

M1 Turbine

Excessive foam

formation in the

container.

No or inadequate Foam

Stop.

Change water and add 1 capful of

Foam Stop to the water ﬁlter container.

X1 Plug with cable rewinder

Air ﬂow rate

116.54 cubic feet per minute

Repair work on this machine may only be carried out by an authorized Kärcher Service Center.

Capacity of water ﬁlter container 1/2 gallon

Sound level

69 dB( A)

Weight without accessories

Connection cable

Dimensions

Nominal width, accessory

HEPA - Plus ﬁlter

18 3/4 pounds

18 feet

19 x 12 x 24 inches

Ø 1.5 inches

H 12 class in compliance

with EN 1822

Customer Service

USA: 1-800-537-4129

WARNING!

To reduce the risk

of ﬁre or electric

shock, do not remove this

cover, No user serviceable

parts inside. Repair should

be done by authorized

service personnel only.

CAN: 1-800-465-4980

We reserve the right to introduce technical

changes without prior notice.

01-800-024-13-13