Dyson DC78 CY18 Big Ball Cinetic Canister Vacuum HEPA Filter Replacement - DIY Tutorial

The worlds most complicated HEPA filter swap? Maybe.
Filter P/N 961886-03

[@jasondoust4935]

Thank you for working this jigsaw puzzle out for us all. (Dyson vacuum cleaners make Honda engines look sensible in comparison.)

[@timtotters3240]

Couldn't have done it without your video, many thanks !

[@Rustbelt_Research]

Kudos to you for actually attempting (and it sounds like you succeeded?) to change this filter. It's literally the most complicated vacuum filter replacement I've ever seen.

[@justingagnier2871]

If the vacuum seems to. Have less suction this is probably the reason. Had my machine over 10 yrs. Checked everything else it could be

[@AwesomeVacuums]

So much easier than just changing a simple filter

[@richgit]

Thanks for the breakdown, just followed this to replace the motor and hepa post-filter in my 10 year old DC39 Animal. The post-filter was absolutely filthy inside, so well worth replacing at the same time. The outer side was completely clean so it's obviously doing its job well. That's another 10 years life added to the machine for £100 in parts direct from Dyson.

[@iamaparanoidandroid1]

Ours is also 10 years old and the beater bar has become feeble because it's driven by suck. I have bought a new main filter, and am thinking I will use the compressor in the garage to blow out the HEPA filter if it's dirty.

[@richgit]

​@@iamaparanoidandroid1 tbh for the relatively small cost I'd buy a new one, the filter is so fine and it's more ingrained dirt than physical dust so I'm not sure blowing out with compressed air will properly clean it. Good luck if you try it though.

[@iamaparanoidandroid1]

@@richgit the HEPA filter wasn't that dirty really, just a bit of carbon motor dust, and it seems to have blown out OK. The main improvement has been changing the prefilter. This was visibly dirty (but nothing coming out when washed), and it now has a good deal more suck.

[@cujoman187]

Well you certainly deserve that drink or three lol! I'm actually surprised Dyson can get away with claiming this vacuum doesn't have any filters when it clearly does! So where did you get the filter from and do you have a part number? Also how often should the filterless vacuum filter be changed? I just did my first deep clean on the bin on mine where I took it down as far as I could. I didn't have a T8 screwdriver only one T8 bit out of all my hundreds of bits so the deep screw holes I couldn't fit the bit screwdriver into those holes unfortunately so I just taped the inners of the cyclone up and used a can of compressed air to "clean" the rest of it. It's definitely not as clean as the rest of it which I washed with running water in the sink but it's way cleaner than what it was!

[@Rustbelt_Research]

Whoops. I thought I'd added a filter P/N to the description. I fixed that. You can get the filter from most online parts suppliers, even Amazon sells them. I'd change the hepa filter every 2-5 years depending on how much you use it. This was the first time It'd been changed in about 5 years I think.

[@cujoman187]

@Cap10323 Awesome! Thanks man! Just so you know I've added your KZbin video to a review I just did on Amazon about this vacuum along with added it to a couple other comments on other KZbin videos cause a lot of people were complaining about there being "star" bit screws T15's on the sides of their canister Dyson vacuums when the KZbin video was showing them how to change their filter and it was just a plastic tab you would unscrew on the UK models. I was wondering if you can maybe help me with the canister part of the vacuum as I just did a deep clean on mine and I took apart the cyclone top part as far as I could (my T8 bit driver wouldn't fit in the small deep holes so couldn't take it apart any further and the smallest screwdriver I have is a T10) but there's a rubber seal that goes around the base of the bottom purple cyclone head and the gray plastic and mesh screen which I can't remember which way it goes on. Does the rubber open part of the flange open up towards the top of the machine or does it open down towards the bottom? It's the rubber seal that seals the clear waste bin onto the cyclone head. I thought it opened towards the top of the machine but as I was tightening the screws it looks like it's getting distorted.

[@cujoman187]

Actually I got it now that I watched another KZbin video which I also linked your video to cause the guy was struggling pretty bad with the teardown of the bottom base part of the bottom but like I commented on his video had I not already watched this one I would have rode the struggle buss big time as well. This thing is definitely over complicated! Lol. I had the gasket seal on the right way but when you put it back together you've kinda got to pull it out and away from the two pieces while tightening the screws to get it to seat properly. It's a little tricky but once I figured it out the rest of it went very easily. I think it may have shrunk a little when I was soaking it in hot water so maybe use cooler water to clean the gasket seal. Now to put the canister back on the base and see if this thing works like it should again lol man it was dirty but not nearly as dirty as this guy's. His wife really needs to empty her container a heck of a lot more than she was! Hers was so caked full of dirt it was blowing dirt all the way through the filter and motor and back out of the vacuum! If you want to see a very dirty one of these watch this video... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHqap2N-g6x6aMU

[@cujoman187]

@John Machotka No filters to maintain is also false advertising cause you do have to replace them. Nice try trying to change my mind though. Lol

[@leongtan8573]

This is the best video I have ever watched!!! Whahahaha!!! 🙂

[@brettster3331]

I am so intrigued by this video, thank you for posting this how to video, I am surprised bu how clean the old filter is.I saw only some carbon dust on the surface and that is amazing. The cyclones do work very well in this model.

[@haillerae5541]

finally found a video for this!! I have a different model, same inner parts though. could not find how to get the filter out anywhere. now just time to find a replacement motor :(

[@Rustbelt_Research]

Motor part number is "Dyson 965642-04", they are available on Amazon.

[@bpabbott]

Thank you for this guide! I just completed the HEPA replacement on our DC37 Animal (different model number, same internals) and now I swear I'll never do it again. Those plastic tabs are a nightmare! Hopefully this gets another 5ish years and then I'll look for a more easily servicable unit when this one croaks.

[@HSBAusind]

Such a poor design dyson. No ease of maintenance..my vaccum hepa filter is choked but looking at this video, its really hard to replace. I used Nilkfisk earlier. Very powerful and very easy to replace hepa.

[@RosieAtHome]

I’d have loved some detailed images of removing the cable retract from the upper clam assembly. Removing that part, and reinstalling it was the most difficult part of the job. Oh, and attaching the spring of the cable retract assembly when someone pulled that in two pieces and couldn’t remember how to reassemble it!

[@eoinholohan5518]

Is this why my dyson is whining so loudly?

[@sicilianotoronto]

I don't like the DC39-esque machines either. But why replace the HEPA if you don't have to? I have DC23 Turbinehead and I love it, never touched the HEPA, but I have heard I could if I wanted to.

[@timtotters3240]

My HEPA filter was filthy !!! So bad I don't know how any air was getting through. I think years of ash from the log fire had ruined it.