How to Service a SEBO ET-1 Powerhead: A Quick Maintenance Walkthrough

Hey everyone, it’s Matt from House of Vacuums, and today I’m diving into a machine that doesn’t always get its moment in the spotlight—the SEBO ET-1 powerhead. While we’ve talked about this guy in some of our previous videos, I figured it was time to give it a proper breakdown, especially for anyone wanting to do some basic maintenance at home.

This ET-1 came in as part of a full-service job for a customer’s K3 canister, and while the canister got its own video, this is where we give the powerhead some love. Let’s jump in!

Tool-Free Brush Roll Removal (Yep, Dishwasher Safe)

One of the biggest selling points of the ET-1 is how ridiculously easy it is to pop out the brush roll. There’s a tab you press, and the end cap rotates out. Boom—brush roll removed. The best part? It’s washable. You can toss it in the dishwasher—just make sure to check with your spouse first. (Trust me on that one.)

You’ve also got tool-free access to check for clogs and a handy brush roll status indicator to let you know if you’re too high, too low, or if something’s jammed up. There’s even a brush on/off switch and a 4-level height adjustment. Pro tip: I don’t usually go below level 2 for most flooring, including commercial carpet.

Under the Hood: Built to Last

Getting inside this powerhead is simple—just three screws to pop off the access plate (note: one is longer, so keep track). Once you’re in, scrape out any gunk that’s built up, especially around the screws. SEBO uses brass press-fit bushings here—metal screws into metal threads—which means no stripping out plastic parts. That right there tells you SEBO doesn’t mess around with quality.

Once you pull off the hood (a few more screws), you’ll find a thick, durable plastic housing and a powerful, quiet motor. It’s quiet in part because of how beefy the plastic is—seriously, this thing is dense. Everything inside this unit just screams longevity.

Check the Carbon Brushes (But Don’t Overdo It)

Quick check on the motor’s carbon brushes showed they’re clean, not burned, and still have plenty of life. Unless you’re seeing clear signs of wear or smell something burning, leave them be.

Also, take a look at the motor shaft for wrapped hair—ours was clean, so no worries there. The belt? Still in perfect shape. All we really needed to do was vacuum out some dust buildup. This customer brings in his unit yearly, and it shows—just some regular cleaning goes a long way.

Reassembly & Final Touches

Once everything’s clean, it’s just a matter of putting it all back together. A quick sweep with a hook tool pulls out any remaining hair or dirt, and I hit the moving parts with just a single drop of oil. That’s all it takes. Then I gave it a light coat of wax—because hey, who doesn’t want a powerhead that looks as good as it runs?

And a quick note—if your ET-1 is black, it may show more scratches and dust than the white or red models. Just something to keep in mind when choosing your next unit.

Wrap-Up

So that’s it—a basic service on a SEBO ET-1. Nothing fancy, but it’s a great reminder of how well-built and user-friendly these machines are. If you’re seeing bigger issues than dust or debris, definitely take it to a service dealer. And if your machine’s under warranty, don’t crack it open—let your dealer handle it.

Thanks for checking this out, and I’ll catch you in the next video. Stay clean out there!