How to Troubleshoot a Sharper Image Model S1871 Air Cleaner

Turn the air purifier on and listen for the hum of the ionizing. This is caused by the electrical current being passed through the metal blades, thus ionizing the air. This ionization effect causes the air to stream over the blades, which in turn causes a faint humming sound. This can be barely audible against normal background noise. This step is necessary to see if the unit is receiving power at all. If the hum is not present, then there is no power and it needs to be taken to an electrician for repair.

Turn the unit off and unplug it from the wall outlet. Pull the metal blades out by pulling up on the handle at the top back of the unit. Wash the blades off with water and a cloth, making sure to fully dry the blades afterwards. Do not use soap or any chemicals on the blades, just warm water. Put the blades back in by pushing the blade carrier back into the hole you pulled it out of. If the blades are not clean then the dust will prevent the metal from coming into contact with the air. The metal must be exposed to air to ionize it and thus clean it. If the metal is coated in dust then the air will not be cleaned.

Pull the ultra violet germicidal light out of the unit if you cannot see the purple light being emitted. The light is held in a panel that is secured by a simple pressure clip. Press the clip down by hand and the light will flip out and down. Unscrew the light from its cage and read the UV rating. Replace the light bulb with a UV bulb with the same ratings. Reinsert the light back into the unit and turn it on. If the bulb is not working then the the air would not be exposed to UV light, which kills germs and bacteria.