Question about shop vacuums

[Wamsutta]

Is the filter there only to clean the exhaust for use inside the house, or does it also keep the electric motor protected from dirt? I overhauled my Ridgid vacuum by taking it completely apart and thoroughly cleaning it. It was filthy inside the motor housing and I'm wondering if using it without the filter all these years is what caused it to get so dirty. Why would I not use the filter you ask? Because as the filter clogs up, you lose suction.

 

[rlitman]

Most vacuums, shop vacs included, run the exhaust air through the motor to cool it.

A small handful of better ones (Fein is one example, but not the only) have a clean air inlet for motor cooling.

 

[JRC3]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/MULTI-F...Shop-Vac-Wet-Dry-Vacs-3-Pack-VF2005/100151555

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...Plus-Gal-RIDGID-Wet-Dry-Vacs-VF6000/100022800

These are what I run in my Ridgid. It's foolish to run a shop vac without a bag.

The bag saves the filter. The filter saves everything else.

 

[four.cycle]

wow
$6 bucks a pop for those bags?

the entire set-up for my Rigid shop-vac was $150 bucks out the door WITH an add-on foam filter.
I use it to **** wet leaves and Douglas Fir needles out of raingutters, along with anything else that needs vacuuming.
Worked great for vacuuming up the pea gravel that migrated under the fence from my next door neighbor's yard.

$150 bucks / $6 bucks for each bag = 25 bags buys a new vacuum, and i get to keep all the hoses and attachments! it's a win-win deal.

I'll just keep abusing the **** out of the unit until it dies and buy another one.

I was using Craftsman until Sears went down the toilet - bought four from Sears over the last 30 years. I've been using this "Rigid" model two years now. Way mo' betta.

Shop vacs are like drill bits and torx bits -- use 'em until they're toast and then buy new ones.

 

[JRC3]

wow
$6 bucks a pop for those bags?

the entire set-up for my Rigid shop-vac was $150 bucks out the door WITH an add-on foam filter.
I use it to **** wet leaves and Douglas Fir needles out of raingutters, along with anything else that needs vacuuming.
Worked great for vacuuming up the pea gravel that migrated under the fence from my next door neighbor's yard.

$150 bucks / $6 bucks for each bag = 25 bags buys a new vacuum, and i get to keep all the hoses and attachments! it's a win-win deal.

I'll just keep abusing the **** out of the unit until it dies and buy another one.

Shop vacs are like drill bits and torx bits -- use 'em until they're toast and then buy new ones.

I don't run the bags to save the vac, that's just a bonus. I run the bags to increase productivity and to keep the exhaust air clean. You run a bag and it keeps the filter clean. You keep the filter clean and it ***** consistently and way longer between emptying/cleanings. And those empties only take a fraction of the time with very little airborne dust and the nasty mess in the trashcan and everywhere else. I use it in my own home and in customer's homes.


Btw, I do the opposite as your thoughts on trashing the vac and keeping the hose/attachments. I'm on at least my third hose and whatnot with the same Ridgid vacuum.

 

[goforbroke]

Interesting, I never even thought about running a bag. Still running my little 4hp craftsman stainless tub unit, probably 4 or 5 years old now. I just wish it had a little more power, which is why I'm looking at the 6hp Rigid stainless tub now.

 

[830singleshot]

I couldn't see paying $6 for the bag but I needed one for some drywall work on my office.
After that, I wouldn't run a shop vac inside without a bag. Much better for my allergies.

 

[Aileron]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/MULTI-F...Shop-Vac-Wet-Dry-Vacs-3-Pack-VF2005/100151555

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...Plus-Gal-RIDGID-Wet-Dry-Vacs-VF6000/100022800

These are what I run in my Ridgid. It's foolish to run a shop vac without a bag.

The bag saves the filter. The filter saves everything else.

I run the same for 20 or so years. Keeps the dust from being blown back into the air and keeps the vac tank clean. I do not notice any loss in suction because the original filter does not clog up. I think the bags came about for drywall dust.

 

[wmb67]

I recently picked up this 4 gal. unit (mine has wheels) and it came with 1 bag.
While searching for less expensive replacement bags I found these:

@ https://www.thinkcrucial.com/

I have not ordered from this company yet , but will give them a try.
5 bags @ $3.90 each seems reasonable.

 

[MushCreek]

Semi-related- Do shop vacs wear out? My Ridgid doesn't **** like it used to. Even with a clean new filter, it seems just so-so. It runs fine; what could wear out? Is there a close fit somewhere in the blower assembly that gets worn?

 

[lardy1]

A cheap plastic cyclone makes shop vac filters last a long time.

 

[Chucktin]

Usually what fails in a shop vac is the bearings. My main vac, used for sawdust from contractor saw and miter saw, was wonderfully quiet when new but has now "spun" a bearing and whines at me!
Spun meaning the outer race is loose and is turning.
FWIW you tube has videos on replacing shop vac bearings.

 

[Fly YX]

We had a vac do that at the hangar. They ran out of filters for it in the parts room and they used it without it. Loud as hell.

 

[Crabman]

I have not ordered from this company yet , but will give them a try.
5 bags @ $3.90 each seems reasonable.

I wonder if there are other aftermarket bags, one would think so.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My little Cman 2 gallon unit uses bags and a foam filter. I wouldn't want run it or any shop vac without a filter.

When the filter gets plugged, you can hear the pitch of the motor change and it'll start getting warm. That tells me a clean filter is important to the life and usefulness of the vac.

However, considering what the vac does, I consider them expendable pieces of equipment. I use them but try not to abuse them.

 

[Chevy-SS]

I never would have imagined running my vacuums without filters. Oh well, learn something every day. But I'm still gonna use filters!!!!

 

[fasteddie]

A cheap plastic cyclone makes shop vac filters last a long time.

I set up one of these on one of my shop vacs. I was amazed at how well it works. Absolutely no dust in the vac drum, it all goes into the 5 gal cyclone bucket. The vac stays so clean, I decided to store the vac wheels inside. The vac and cyclone bucket both ride on a custom made rolling dolly.

 

[lardy1]

Same here. I made a mobile platform that holds both. A bit bulky but effective for me. I also do woodworking in my shop. Probably not very good for a small auto repair bay but filters last forever.

 

[johninct]

Does anyone use a real industrial type shop vac, I think they call it 2 stage? I know they cost big bucks, but if they work a lot better it may be worth it.

 

[rlitman]

wow
$6 bucks a pop for those bags?...

If you don't like it, buy a 5-pack of bags for $8 at HF.

Vacuum bags are THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of a vacuum. Your suction comes from the free-flowing nature of a good filter system (the motor is only secondary), and that starts with the bags.

 

[JRC3]

Same here. I made a mobile platform that holds both. A bit bulky but effective for me. I also do woodworking in my shop. Probably not very good for a small auto repair bay but filters last forever.

That's fine in a shop setting, but bags are the obvious choice when using a vac out and about.

I've actually considered doing a whole-house (WH) setup using a Ridgid and a cyclone, just trying to figure out a way to use something bigger than a 5G bucket as a canister. You can buy the WH outlets, hose kits and attachments pretty cheap. The WH vac unit itself is pricey and has dinky canister capacity.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I use a Hepa filter on my Craftsman shop vac. Even if you use a bag, use a high quality Hepa filter.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I love my Ridgid, but about 3 years in I had to make a new attachment for the filter after the plastic hold down screw broke off. Still, for what I paid, it's been a beast. Best money I spent.

Also I've been blowing my filter out on it since I got it. I mean, it's a shop vac. If it ever disintegrates I'll replace it... but I usually use it for sawdust, metal chips, and floor sweepings... not my living room carpet.

 

[JRC3]

Also I've been blowing my filter out on it since I got it. I mean, it's a shop vac. If it ever disintegrates I'll replace it... but I usually use it for sawdust, metal chips, and floor sweepings... not my living room carpet.

You know that 1/2-1" thick compacted **** you're cleaning from your filter? A bag will prevent that and keep it consistently sucking as powerfully as the first 5 minutes after cleaning your filter . It's not about cleaning your living room carpet, it's about performance...Consistent, long run performance between emptying.

 

[Snapped-off]

Does anyone use a real industrial type shop vac, I think they call it 2 stage? I know they cost big bucks, but if they work a lot better it may be worth it.

I've got a Hoover commercial dual motor 20gal wet/dry vac. It was free or I'd have a regular old shop vac. It uses a cloth filter bag. They're a little pricey so I'm not sure I'll be buying any.


Sent from my SM-G973U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

The science behind filters is interesting and critical for your lungs. That packed dust is really your filter. The dust you don't see is what does serious damage to your lungs. Wood dust is a silicate as in miner's lung. There is a reason Fien and Festool vacs cost what they do.

 

[TMcCay]

Well this thread gave me something else to think about. Next time I'm in HD will have to look to see what bags they have for my vac. I don't mind the small amount of extra cost if it will reduce the amount of time it takes me to clean the filter.

 

[four.cycle]

Yes, yes, yes..... I know I'm doing it all wrong....

I use an attachment on the exhaust port on the top of the motor (which came with one of the Craftsman units, not the Rigid) which has a foam filter in it, and over that I have half a leg off an old pair of pantyhose. The amount of dust exiting the unit from the exhaust port is minimal.
I don't allow the paper filter element to get clogged up. I blow it out regularly with an electric leaf blower.
If I've been cleaning up really fine particulates - drywall dust or sanding dust - and the efficacy of the filter is diminished, I just go down and buy a new filter. Easy peasy.

Somebody asked something along the line of "do shop vacs fail?"

Previous to purchasing the Rigid model last spring, I owned four Craftsmans - the big 16-gallon models. They all saw heavy use.
One of the design flaws on them was that they used an aluminum impeller in the motor, which would fail repeatedly. (I still have a spare one in the garage because the last time it happened I just ordered two so I didn't have to wait for the part to arrive.)
The last two Craftsmans failed when the motors stopped working.
I replaced lots of "on-off" switches on them, and had to fix broken wiring, but when smoke starts boiling out of an electric motor it gets above my pay grade.

Again, one of the primary uses of mine is cleaning out rain gutters full of soaking wet or soggy moss, fir needles, pine cones, and other debris. Adding a bag would just add to the mess, and I wouldn't be able to just dump the contents of the vacuum into the yard waste stream here.

YMMV.

 

[goforbroke]

I never even thought about running a bag filter in my shop vac, but now I think I'm going to try it out.