Did they get one right? A shop vac test

[nailshooter41]

In the dark recesses of my memory I seem to remember Leon saying a while back he was pleasantly surprised with a new "scroll technology" shop vac from Ridgid.

We have had a lot of flooding in the area here the last few days, and due to the saturated ground not holding any more water, my sunken den got it on the last rain. About a 1/2 or so of water was in the den before I knew it.

All water extractors are rented now for the month since we have had so much rain. So I tried one of my old shop vacs, but it has been in the job so long it doesn't pull much air, and it leaks so much that it really is only good for big sawdust. It was pitiful.

So with no extractors available, down to HD I go. I saw the "new, quiet scroll technology" proudly emblazoned on the box. Since HD is so good about taking things back, I thought why not... it isn't like I have a plan B on this.

Got it home an plugged it in and away I went. Much to my disbelief, it is probably only half as loud as a regular shop vac. To my astonishment, it has so much suction that with the utility nozzle on it, it pulled as much water out of the carpet as a water extractor! No kiddin!

This thing really sucks hard. Not the normal way that things from HD suck, but in a good way. It pulled out about 13 - 14 gallons of water out of carpet, not off vinyl or tile, in just about 20 minutes. And it left it as dry as the extractor I normally use.

It may break tomorrow and I'll be pissed and rail out against HD, and then give corporate America a good cussin' too, but for today it is working quite well. So if you are looking for a good vac, or a second vac (since all the Feins and Festools are now no doubt dedicated to the new Domino machines) put this one on the list for a test drive. I think it's a helluva deal for about $100.

Robert

[Robatoy]

On May 3, 6:08 pm, " [e-mail]" wrote: [snip]

Does it have 'by-pass' cooling? IOW, is there a fan just to cool the motor, or does it use the airflow from the regular impellor?

One the big deals about the Fein, is that you can completely block the suction, like when you're using it as a hold-down, or veneer-vacuum- bag, without overheating the motor. Does it have a model number?

r

[Leon]

Nope, it was not me, but thanks for the report. I'll keep'er in mind should I decide to return to using a shop vac.

[Leon]

Heck, my old Craftsman has a separate fan for the motor. Unfortunately I think it gets its air from the suction in take. LOL. Their heart was in the right place. ;~) I remember back in the mid 70's when catalectic converters were new and while looking under a new Ford setting on a lift I noticed 1 catalectic converter on the right side exhaust. No catalectic converter on the left side exhaust. I guess they were confused about how a catalectic converter was suppose to work. Or maybe only the right side of the engine worked and the left side did not work at all. Yeah! that explains why the hp ratings in the 70's sucked. See how I came back to the original subject. ;~)

[nailshooter41]

or does it use the airflow from the regular >impellor?

I am almost sure there is no other motor. And at that price point I would be surprised if there was.

suction, like when you're using it as a >hold-down, or veneer-vacuum- bag, without overheating the >motor.

I would seriously doubt this machine would do that. It would draw down the vacuum, but I can't see it holding or maintaining it. You can tell when it was pumping water out of the carpet and pad it was higher pitch, like the old style arrangement of these vacs. It never strained or got hot, but then it never ran more than 15 - 20 minutes at a time as I hade to dump out the water. But it worked like that for an hour just fine, at the higher pitch because I had the utility head planted squarely on the wet carpet.

The thing I still can't get over is that the machine is so much quieter than my old 16 or 18 gallon vac. I hate that POS. And the amount of air moved by this unit will genuinely blow off tools well and clean off the shop floor, so you could actually use it for a blower.

It also has a 20 ft cord on it (not a ten!), the Ridgid lifetime warrantly (for whatever that is actually worth), and a clip arrangement on the hose connection to the machine called a "tug along" so you can pull the cannister around with the hose without being disconnected. It comes with a three ply pleated filter that is washable, too.

The off/on and the drain at the bottom of the cannister are large and will easily operate with gloves on. Gloved operation is important to me from time to time. I buy the nitrile gloves at HF by the hundreds

- literally - for wet fungus growing insulation, moldy wet sheetrock, and pretty much anything else that is dark colored, smells really bad and is gooey.

It is the WD1450, a 14 gallon shop 6 hp vac marked as a "professional". There is a 14 gal that doesn't have the scroll drive, but is the same as the Sears, etc. and no scroll drive. You will know that one as it is cheaper.

Robert

[Lee Michaels]

The above statement could be interperted a dozen different ways.

As an old marketing guy, I just kept hearing a line from a commercial for this vacuum cleaner.

"It sucks hard, but in a good way."

The problem with that line is that nobody would be thinking of shop equipment.

[nailshooter41]

suck, but in a good way.

this vacuum cleaner.

Ambiguity and double entendre completely intended. ;^)

Robert

[Bob]

I bought a different model (not scroll technology) a couple of years ago, but I've been every bit as pleased. Its much quieter and "screamless" compared to previous shop vacs. Mine was 16 gallon and included "throw in" stinger model to boot for $65. I've used it a lot, as well.

Get one of those orange, long super flexible vac hoses and a Grizzly remote control and I bet you'll use it all the time all over the shop.

Bob

[alexy]

There is a central vacuum installation company here (Atlanta) that uses as a tagline on its radio ads "Our business really sucks"