Found a wall-mount garage vacuum to try...

[BoCRon]

Last year I bought myself a wall-mounted Metro vacuum/blower. It is a great garage unit that doesn't require any work install wise. Just hang on the wall and you have a great 4HP vac with a 24ft hose and nice attachments. It also converts to a blower for a quick blow out of the garage. It cost around $300.00. Here's a pic of mine,on the wall to the right of the workbench-
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/Garage%20Redeux/EPSN1172.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

I just found this unit at Frontgate for half the cost. It probably isn't as powerful as my metro, but should do a good job. As a bonus it says it is also ok to use for wet pick up as well. I may pick one up for myself since I can always use another wall mounted vacuum for our kennel.

Here's the link-
http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?sort=-1&itemID=7748&itemType=PRODUCT&AS=1&keyword=vacuum&page=1

Annette

 

[Flintstone]

I bought that exact vacuum (the Frontgate one) at Home Depot last year on clearance... I think I paid $40 for it.

Made in China

At the time, I figured I had nothing to lose at that price - turns out to be a fantastic vacuum. For cleaning the cars and sawdust it's perfect.

If I was going to spend $150 on it, I'd get the Oreck one instead (steel, better quality hose).

T

 

[Jason B]

Last year I bought myself a wall-mounted Metro vacuum/blower. It is a great garage unit that doesn't require any work install wise. Just hang on the wall and you have a great 4HP vac with a 24ft hose and nice attachments. It also converts to a blower for a quick blow out of the garage. It cost around $300.00. Here's a pic of mine,on the wall to the right of the workbench-
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/Garage%20Redeux/EPSN1172.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

I just found this unit at Frontgate for half the cost. It probably isn't as powerful as my metro, but should do a good job. As a bonus it says it is also ok to use for wet pick up as well. I may pick one up for myself since I can always use another wall mounted vacuum for our kennel.

Here's the link-
http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?sort=-1&itemID=7748&itemType=PRODUCT&AS=1&keyword=vacuum&page=1

Annette

Cool! Where did you get the checkerboard mat by the door??? Also, is the checker on wall just wallpaper?

 

[Steve Szakats]

I bought that exact vacuum (the Frontgate one) at Home Depot last year on clearance... I think I paid $40 for it.

Made in China

At the time, I figured I had nothing to lose at that price - turns out to be a fantastic vacuum. For cleaning the cars and sawdust it's perfect.

If I was going to spend $150 on it, I'd get the Oreck one instead (steel, better quality hose).

T

I can't find the Oreck one you are referring to, its not on the Oreck website. Any ideas?

What are some of the other brands you guys have installed. I notice Griots has one for $199. Is it any good?

 

[Flintstone]

Sorry, I meant Hoover. They are on eBay all the time for $150

Hoover L2310 GUV

http://cgi.ebay.com/HOOVER-L2310-GU...yZ115988QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[bmwpower]

What's the suction like after 24 feet of hose? That's one thing I can't stand in my garage...the darn Craftsman "robot" vacuum. I'm always trying to find a place to store it.

 

[Jason B]

Found a great deal on the Hoover GUV vacuum for, $139+20 shipping!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000289920/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Anyone else have it?

 

[GunMoto]

We recently moved into a town home and we need this.

For now, I have we resorted to using our upright vacuum to clean out our auto interiors and sucking up debris from the concrete expansion joint in our garage.

Found a great deal on the Hoover GUV vacuum for, $139+20 shipping!

Nice find!

 

[Danglerb]

Are these wall mounts really that much of a replacement for a cheap shopvac?

Long hose, small tank, vs where to keep R2D2 parked.

 

[Flintstone]

Suction on my cheapo Chinese unit is just fine - I haven't had any issues getting solids 'thru' the hose into the unit.

Why are they better than a shop-vac? Imagine those times when you're inside the car trying to get the Cheerios out from under the seat. That Shop-vac is banging around on the outside of the car because the hose isn't long enough.

Plus, when you're done, you coil up the hose and drink a beer, no coiling the power cord and wheeling the vac back to it's spot in the corner.

I'm much more likely to vacuum things up knowing all I have to do is flip a switch and walk the hose over to the mess.

 

[PoorOwner]

I have the shop vac brand "hang up" one.. got it for $40 on black friday one year. Works fine.. Hang up vacs are a little overrated I think, takes up more space than you imagine, since wall space also important to me, so I hung it onto my shelving instead of wall. I would just get the ridgid one that can be put on a shelf instead.

 

[Danglerb]

I agree the shopvac hoses are WAY too short, but doesn't anybody sell long hoses?

/Waves mouse hand over ebay/
http://cgi.ebay.com/BEAM-CENTRAL-VA...ryZ43521QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
.
$43 shipped, but looked like its a busy category with items at all price ranges.

 

[Willy Victor]

As usual Annette your garage is LOOKING GOOD


Willy

 

[Aceman]

What's the suction like after 24 feet of hose?

Length shouldn't affect it.

For example, doing electrical work we sometimes have buried pvc pipes 2000+ feet long. To get wire in a pipe that long, we just use a standard 5-6hp shop vac hooked to one end to **** a wal-mart bag with some kite string tied to it from the other end. Long story short, length makes no difference......at least that's what she told me!

 

[bmwpower]

Length shouldn't affect it.

For example, doing electrical work we sometimes have buried pvc pipes 2000+ feet long. To get wire in a pipe that long, we just use a standard 5-6hp shop vac hooked to one end to **** a wal-mart bag with some kite string tied to it from the other end. Long story short, length makes no difference......at least that's what she told me!

Ace,
Pressure drop, man. It does matter. Sometimes you can get away with making the pipe smaller, which is probably one of the reasons why the hose is smaller in diameter.

A Wal-Mart bag is one thing. Try sucking up some nails or something heavy.

 

[Danglerb]

Length resists flow, but not max suction which has very little flow. Unfortunately in general its flow that picks stuff up, suction just helps clear clogs. What you can do to momentarily increase the flow is to block the end of the vacuum hose and let suction build for a second or two then pop the end open right where you want stuff sucked up.

Most of the time though you need enough power to put good flow at the end of whatever length of hose you are using.

 

[ultgar]

Vacuum Hoses

There are 2 common hose types for shop vacs....."oil resistant" and "anti-static" . If you do any sort or woodworking (especially tool port dust extraction on sanders and saws), go with the anti-static....you'll have a lot less debris clinging to the outside of the hose, especially in dry conditions.

Hose diameters typically run 1" or 1.25" for woodworkers using tool port collection.

These smaller diameter hoses have less pressure drop and are lighter in weight meaning less fatigue when you're hand holding a sannder for long periods of time.

The best all around hose is 1 1/2" (36mm) inside diameter. This is the size that comes standard with many of the better vacuums and the size that has been engineered for most of the available hand and floor tools. For large cleanups (especially construction debris), a 2" to 2 1/2" hose is the way to go.

I stock a good supply of German made hoses in 1", 1 1/2" and 2" in both oil resistant and anti-static versions. The oil resistant 1 1/2" size (the most popular with car guys in the garage) can be purchased in lengths up to 20m (65').

SD

 

[Lloydthumper]

I thought about buying a wall mount vac but where I work we buy Craftsman shop vacs 10 at a time and they are used to **** up plastic the brushes get stuck when the plastic melts to them and they throw them away and I take them and in 15-20 mins I take the brushes out and clean them and have a perfectly good working shop vac these are the ones the sell for about $100 I have fixed probally a hundred of them and gave them to friends who never have any problems with them. I have 8 of them now fixed so It just doesn't seem smart to buy one just to hang it up when I get them free and all the hoses and accesories with them. They usually use them less than a week when this happens a couple times a day so they are almost new.

 

[bmwpower]

I thought about buying a wall mount vac but where I work we buy Craftsman shop vacs 10 at a time and they are used to **** up plastic the brushes get stuck when the plastic melts to them and they throw them away and I take them and in 15-20 mins I take the brushes out and clean them and have a perfectly good working shop vac these are the ones the sell for about $100 I have fixed probally a hundred of them and gave them to friends who never have any problems with them. I have 8 of them now fixed so It just doesn't seem smart to buy one just to hang it up when I get them free and all the hoses and accesories with them. They usually use them less than a week when this happens a couple times a day so they are almost new.

Got a DIY on this??

 

[Danglerb]

Re: Vacuum Hoses

These smaller diameter hoses have less pressure drop and are lighter in weight meaning less fatigue when you're hand holding a sannder for long periods of time.

SD

Smaller diameter hoses flow less air than larger diameter hoses.

Its like comparing a floor tool with a crevice tool. The smaller hose or tool usually has a higher velocity, because the reduction in cross section is greater than the reduction in airflow.

The denser the junk you want to vacuum up, the higher the velocity you need to pick it up.

The more junk you need to pick up per unit of time, the higher airflow you need.

Size the hose to the job.

 

[ultgar]

Re: Vacuum Hoses

Smaller diameter hoses flow less air than larger diameter hoses.

Its like comparing a floor tool with a crevice tool. The smaller hose or tool usually has a higher velocity, because the reduction in cross section is greater than the reduction in airflow.

The denser the junk you want to vacuum up, the higher the velocity you need to pick it up.

The more junk you need to pick up per unit of time, the higher airflow you need.

Size the hose to the job.

Oops...smaller hoses yield less air flow, higher static pressure. Y's and extra length will also increase SP and decrease suction. (That's what I get for trying to type something that makes sense early in the morning. )

Yes...size the hose for the job assuming you've got a decent vacuum to work with. If your vac can generate 75+ inches of lift at the end of the hose (as measured with a manometer, not going by the mfg spec sheet), you're in good shape.

 

[BoCRon]

Hey all, sorry for not responding. I posted then left to go out of town to chaperone a school field trip.
I looked at the Hoover GUV, but didn't think it had the blower option, which is a big deal for me. I love being able to just grab the hose, switch over to blow and do a quick clean up.
Ultgar, my husband has the big Festool vacuum in his woodworking shop and I love it. I'm thinking of buying the Festool floor roller attachment to use on my Metro unit.
Jason B, I got the door mat on ebay and the border is a wallpaper. Also check out www.racechex.com
Annette

 

[Jason B]

Can the one from frontgate be found anywhere else? I wonder who actually makes it?

 

[bmwpower]

I want one of these! Anyone have the Hoover?

Ultgar,
What's your take on these wall mount units? Have you ever tested one agianst an Alto/Wap?

 

[ultgar]

I want one of these! Anyone have the Hoover?

Ultgar,
What's your take on these wall mount units? Have you ever tested one agianst an Alto/Wap?

I've never tested one of the wall mount units. I have seen garages with central vac ports in the garage. That's fine if all you ever intend to do is vacuum out the mats of the car but its not recommended for any types of fluids or heavy debris cleanup.


I looked at wall mount Hoover vacuum you mentioned on some website. Curious to see how much suction it generates. Under "waterlift" (the specification measured by a manometer to indicated suction), the spec says "dry use only" . Amazing! SD