# Foodsaver doesn't auto seal



## notactjack (Mar 25, 2019)

So I have a Foodsaver V2480. I picked it up used. After packing a few deer and hogs with it. It stopped auto sealing. I tried new gaskets but I would have to manually hit the seal button to get it to work. It pulled a vacuum and the bags were tight it just would not auto seal. Well I pulled it apart to see if I could see something obviously broken. What I noticed that there was dried blood inside the unit. Kinda stuck in the hoses and splattered in the base of the unit.  After cleaning the hoses, and putting alcohol into the vacuum pressure sensor (little red cylinder on the circuit board with a hose plugged into it) I let it dry for 20 minutes and now everything works. Glad I could get some more life out of this unit as it seams the 100 dollar models are throwaway items now.


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## Winterrider (Mar 25, 2019)

Good to know, might help others that have same issues.


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## newsmokerky (Mar 25, 2019)

Very good to know. I picked mine up on camofire.com for $40, with a few bags and roll to go with it.  5 year warranty.  Keep an eye out on camofire.com.  They change deals every day, and they will have the foodsaver again.


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## chew2475 (Mar 25, 2019)

notactjack said:


> So I have a Foodsaver V2480. I picked it up used. After packing a few deer and hogs with it. It stopped auto sealing. I tried new gaskets but I would have to manually hit the seal button to get it to work. It pulled a vacuum and the bags were tight it just would not auto seal. Well I pulled it apart to see if I could see something obviously broken. What I noticed that there was dried blood inside the unit. Kinda stuck in the hoses and splattered in the base of the unit.  After cleaning the hoses, and putting alcohol into the vacuum pressure sensor (little red cylinder on the circuit board with a hose plugged into it) I let it dry for 20 minutes and now everything works. Glad I could get some more life out of this unit as it seams the 100 dollar models are throwaway items now.


 
I have exact same one and was just experiencing the same thing.  I will give this a try.  Can you explain what you mean by adding alcohol to the vacuum pressure sensor?

Thanks


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## Geebs (Mar 25, 2019)

I bought the one from Costco. They warranty their items for the life you have them so if it breaks I take it back and get a new one.


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## desertlites (Mar 25, 2019)

good idea to run armor all or a silicone threw them now and than, lubes the seals.


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## daveomak (Mar 26, 2019)

After a wet meat seal, I learned to run a bit of warm water through the vac system...


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## notactjack (Mar 26, 2019)

chew2475 said:


> I have exact same one and was just experiencing the same thing.  I will give this a try.  Can you explain what you mean by adding alcohol to the vacuum pressure sensor?
> 
> Thanks



_I also did some more research apparently you can take the sensor apart and there is a hex screw on the underside that adjusts the pressure cut off. Other people have disassembled that red unit and cleaned it out and had to replace a spring. It maybe be difficult to remove the sensor because it look like mine is soldered to the main circuit board. 
_
Sure there is a little tube that splits off of the red vacuum sensor.  I pulled the tube off and squirted 91 percent isopropyl alcohol. I used that as a way to break up any gunk and it evaporates quickly. I filled the tube up and covered one end with my finger. Then I plugged the other into the sensor and let it sit. (at this time I was flying blind) I put my mouth on the end of the tube and applied a little air pressure and all of the alcohol went inside. I then let it sit for about 20 minutes and it worked after reassembly.  I was a little worried because I didn't see any of the alcohol exit the sensor but my assumption is that the dried blood cemented any moving parts in there and the alcohol broke it up.   Maybe I should note that I'm not an expert in anyway I was just tinkering and since it was already not functioning correctly I had planned on buying a new one if I couldn't get it working or broke it further.


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## johnmeyer (Mar 26, 2019)

I have a 20+ year-old Foodsaver and the autoseal has been gimpy for years. I tried cleaning various things, but never got it to work all the time. However, pressing the manual seal is no big deal, and I actually often use that manual seal button to avoid the very problem you are now trying to fix: having liquid get into the vacuum chamber and then possibly up into the mechanism. With really juicy stuff, I chill or freeze it before doing the vac, but for many things I simply press the manual seal button just before the bag gets tight. After doing this hundreds of times over the years I can usually get the seal to finish just as the juice reaches the seal. 

And, of course, if you get liquid into the seal, the vacuum often won't hold.


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## chew2475 (Mar 26, 2019)

notactjack said:


> _I also did some more research apparently you can take the sensor apart and there is a hex screw on the underside that adjusts the pressure cut off. Other people have disassembled that red unit and cleaned it out and had to replace a spring. It maybe be difficult to remove the sensor because it look like mine is soldered to the main circuit board.
> _
> Sure there is a little tube that splits off of the red vacuum sensor.  I pulled the tube off and squirted 91 percent isopropyl alcohol. I used that as a way to break up any gunk and it evaporates quickly. I filled the tube up and covered one end with my finger. Then I plugged the other into the sensor and let it sit. (at this time I was flying blind) I put my mouth on the end of the tube and applied a little air pressure and all of the alcohol went inside. I then let it sit for about 20 minutes and it worked after reassembly.  I was a little worried because I didn't see any of the alcohol exit the sensor but my assumption is that the dried blood cemented any moving parts in there and the alcohol broke it up.   Maybe I should note that I'm not an expert in anyway I was just tinkering and since it was already not functioning correctly I had planned on buying a new one if I couldn't get it working or broke it further.


Awesome Thank you.


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