"Central" Vac hose management

[ben1000]

I recently bought/installed a Hoover GUV for the garage. I know reviews are mixed on this but I'm impressed so far when used as intended.

One problem that I've run into is what to do with the hose when not in use. Currently I have the power unit on the 1ft wide wall between garage doors with the hose running up to a long shelf made to fit between the garage door tracks. This allows the hose end to drop down next to the air/power reels in the middle of the garage.

The problem so far with this setup is that you can't really push the hose back onto the shelf since it naturally wants to just flop to the side as you push. I have to haul out the ladder and pull the hose up onto the shelf.

So I could:
#1 - Locate a retracting vacuum hose reel to go along side the air/power reels. So far everything I've seen is either: too big and meant for exhaust systems, too small and meant for air, or only sold in Australia.
#2 - Make some sort of hose traction motor for the end of the shelf that pulls the hose up and pushes it into the shelf area. Probably something like an old drill driving an RC car tire on a simple angle iron frame with another RC car 'idler' tire and the hose in-between. Then wire up/down buttons to the bottom of the shelf.

Any other ideas? How has everyone else dealt with this?

(If I didn't put the vacuum on the tiny middle wall I'd probably just wind up the hose an keep it on the hose hook next to the vacuum. But the wall is too narrow for a bundle of hose and I'm short on wall space as it is.)

 

[tatra]

can you place a hook above the unit?..........then use big loops the are just shy of the floor?...........

 

[ben1000]

can you place a hook above the unit?..........then use big loops the are just shy of the floor?...........

Hose is stiff enough that it makes a circle on the hook instead of drooping down, but i guess option #3 would be to make a big version of the 2 hooks that upright vacs have for their power cords and wrap it around those. Still not ideal since there's a trashcan taking up the wallspace under the vac, I'll post pics soon.

 

[tatra]

have seen hoses stored in trashcans too............

 

[Keep]

Give the hose time it will loosen up so it will hang better on a hook.

Maybe mount an old rim under the unit to hang the hose on?

 

[NOVA87Wrangler]

I was looking into a central vacuum system for my house when I first moved in. I was going to run PVC to the drop and then use this system called Hide-A-Hose? that retracts the hose into the PVC hardlines when not in use. There's a couple different variations of this idea out there, but I liked the idea of keeping the hose inside the pipe the best.

 

[olds70supreme]

Could you tie a string to the hose that was long enough to hang down near the unit/wall? Instead of trying to push the hose up from the end of the hose, you could pull it back across the shelf.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

If it is up tall enough, I have commonly seen a (garden) hose hanger, mounted under the air filter, so the hose doesn't stick out too far.

 

[ben1000]

The picture probably shows it best... No room really for hose on the wall, the area between trashcan and vac will be used for the vac tools. The drill/RCtire idea is sounding better, a little crazy but a fun project. I'll need to close in the hose storage area a little better to avoid interference with the door springs. Everything in the garage still needs trim/paint so easiest to do this sort of thing now rather than later.

 

[ben1000]

I was looking into a central vacuum system for my house when I first moved in. I was going to run PVC to the drop and then use this system called Hide-A-Hose? that retracts the hose into the PVC hardlines when not in use. There's a couple different variations of this idea out there, but I liked the idea of keeping the hose inside the pipe the best.

Very neat idea... too bad the shortest one they have is 30ft. I need to look into making one in a 15ft version. With big PVC pipe, regular vacuum hose, and a big squishy gasket it could probably be done. As a bonus this way of doing it always keeps the hose as straight as possible. I'd probably need to come up with some kind of vacuum relief valve on the hose so it doesn't retract on it's own whenever the vac tool gets clogged.

Could you tie a string to the hose that was long enough to hang down near the unit/wall? Instead of trying to push the hose up from the end of the hose, you could pull it back across the shelf.

I was thinking about that but since it has to have a few loops to fit I'd have to figure out how to get the looped part up.

 

[robertlynk]

Hang the hoe from the bottom of the shelf in front of the vacuum with hanger 90 degrees to the door track

 

[shotgunfatcat]

Pictures might help?

 

[tyrell2004]

How bout modifying swimming pool hose reel, (sideways?) not sure if you have the height.
my 2¢.

 

[olds70supreme]

This might be more work than you want to do, but you could hard pipe (pvc) from the unit along the ceiling and put drops that end just within the reach of your outstretched hand - maybe 7-8' off the ground. Than, get a hose that is twice as long as the distance from the pipe to the ground. This hose would store easily hanging from its center from a hook on the wall, but wouldn't be too long to get out when needed. See the sketch attached.

From the looks of the hose you would get a little (if noticeable) benefit of the smooth walled pipe.

 

[ben1000]

Thanks everybody for the great suggestions. For now I found a solution that works... Wierd I didn't see it before, exactly enough room, not too high, and no interference with garage door. Still may try to build something like that hide-a-hose system when I get some spare time.

 

[babzog]

I did the same thing as I did for my air hose and the central vac hose in the house. Bought a wall mounted hose hanger (for a water hose). Fits a standard 30' central vac hose quite nicely if loosely coiled (ie: about 3' loops).

 

[Evmaniac]

Another solution is you could just try a stretch hose. It's one of the great features of the Garagevac, they have an 8' hose that stretches to 40 feet. You can buy the hose from their website http://www.garagevac.com/category/7...m_parts_and_accessories_for_garage_vacuum.htm
It should fit, I think all those hoses are the same 1-1/4" size.