Shop vac fail

[DeaconSteve]

I was running this vac to remove some yellow jackets from behind my siding for about an hour and a half. I had done this before several times in my yard. Today, I guess my vac just had enough. The motor burned to the extent that it fell inside the bucket before I discovered it. Thankfully it didn't set the deck or house on fire along with it.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Never seen anything like that before. Is it a Craftman? It looks a lot like mine. I've owned mine for likely 35+ years and it still is doing its job. In fact I used it tonight to **** a feeder line through a conduit to take communication wiring to feed my garage.

 

[Mikeske]

Only one remaining question. Did you get all the yellow jackets? I am quite allergic to stinging insects and I make sure that they are completely dead all of them.

 

[dadsEH]

Never seen anything like that before. Is it a Craftman? It looks a lot like mine. I've owned mine for likely 35+ years and it still is doing its job. In fact I used it tonight to **** a feeder line through a conduit to take communication wiring to feed my garage.

Not to hijack this thread ( even though it *****..)lol.
Can you explain the process please

 

[jdcompman]

Not to hijack this thread ( even though it *****..)lol.
Can you explain the process please

One very easy way to do this is to simply tie a string to the handles of a plastic garbage bag. Stuff the bag into the conduit, walk to the other side of the conduit and **** the bag through. Insanely easy and efficient!

 

[DeaconSteve]

So the idea was that I put the end of the hose about an inch from the yellow jacket''s hole. When they flew out they went to their new home. I run it for an hour or two for a few days until I know all the bees are gone. After a day with the vac just sitting in the sun will cause them to die inside. There are more bees left in this nest so I am in the market for another vac.

This one is a ShopVac brand that was given to me used about 8 years ago. I am going to look at a Rigid vac that posted on Craigslist today. I am sceptical of it being a fake though, since it''s an almost new 6.5 amp for $70. Hopefully I will be able to tell.

 

[Stuey]

Wow. I've never seen that happen before either.

Mind if I use the photo in an awareness post?

Did the manual mention a duty cycle of any kind? It could be that prolonged use accelerated the vac's demise, or maybe this was a catastrophic failure from that particular session.

Still... it overheated until it MELTED its plastic housing. Yikes!!

 

[DeaconSteve]

Feel free to use it. I didn't get a manual, probably would have thrown it away anyway!

 

[Codejack]

One very easy way to do this is to simply tie a string to the handles of a plastic garbage bag. Stuff the bag into the conduit, walk to the other side of the conduit and **** the bag through. Insanely easy and efficient!

Ah, empty conduit is so easy to work with.

I'm always having to fish wire down an already-stuffed conduit that I can't replace because it's buried in concrete.

 

[LB-1911]

On an extension cord or directly to an outlet?

Did the filter survive and what was the condition?

Numerous sessions of continuous operation of 1 1/2 hours more or less on a vac that you acquired used 8 years ago, not surprised what happened.

I guess my vac just had enough Defiantly.

 

[mv213]

I guess my vac just had enough Defiantly.

These darned defiant vacuums need to be taught a lesson!

 

[48RON54]

That's impressive honestly. Never seen that before.

Thankfully you caught it before it caught anything on fire. A used shop vac that you got 8 years of use out of? I'd just chalk that up to **** happens and find another one. Sure makes for an interesting story on the internet though!

You would think a motor overheating/catching fire to that extent would have tripped a breaker in the house or something.... very strange situation.

 

[Richard Cranium]

strange, I have never seen one melt through it's top. Scary

 

[tarbellb]

Wow.

Impressive feature- self disposal !

Now if it could roll to the dumpster...

 

[JRC3]

Put a bag in the next one so the filter doesn't get clogged dead bees and debri.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Multi-Fi...Shop-Vac-Wet-Dry-Vacs-3-Pack-VF2005/100151555

 

[Honest Bob]

Nice work!

 

[MikeF2316]

Now that's what I call thermal protection!

Was it still running, or making any kind of noise?

 

[DanielC99]

These darned defiant vacuums need to be taught a lesson!

Laugh out loud!

 

[Slinger646]

My pops always poured gas down the hole and lit it in the evening. It was neat to watch the hole burn like a candle for about an hour.

 

[DeaconSteve]

It tripped the breaker alright. I can't imagine the noise the vac was making during its last moments. The only recognizable parts inside the bucket was made of metal. The rest was just a bucket of melted plastic dolloped over the dead yellow jackets. I don't think the filter was the issue because in the past bee evictions, they were all at the bottom and the filter was clean. I think the motor just overheated....big time.

 

[DeaconSteve]

My pops always poured gas down the hole and lit it in the evening. It was neat to watch the hole burn like a candle for about an hour.

I tried that on the first hive, but the results were limited because the hole was offset from their hive which as about 6 inches or so to the side. Plus, my well was nearby that one and I didn't want to pour too much gas around it. Another remedy I heard of is to pack the hole with Sevin dust at night. That way they have to eat through the poison to get out and by then....RIP.

 

[mikegt4]

Maybe those yellow jackets were really mad and broke out of the shop vac through the top!

Years ago I used a shop vac to blow air into a inaccessible area in a sailboat to dry it out. After about 45 minutes the motor had gotten really hot. They don't seem to be made for continuous use although it did dry the compartment out..

 

[johnnyradiant]

So the idea was that I put the end of the hose about an inch from the yellow jacket''s hole. When they flew out they went to their new home. I run it for an hour or two for a few days until I know all the bees are gone. After a day with the vac just sitting in the sun will cause them to die inside. There are more bees left in this nest so I am in the market for another vac.

This one is a ShopVac brand that was given to me used about 8 years ago. I am going to look at a Rigid vac that posted on Craigslist today. I am sceptical of it being a fake though, since it''s an almost new 6.5 amp for $70. Hopefully I will be able to tell.

I've had a 6.5 Ridgid I think it's duty cycle was about the same or less than your dead one. The shop vacs often need to be used for a while yet they always seem to have cheap short duty cycle motors on them till you start spending big bucks. I did not like the Ridgid's fit and finish but I wrote that part of the equation out as I wasn't entering it in a beauty pageant. I suspect based on know actual experience that the ShopVac is no different and is just living on it years ago reputation and its current price point.

 

[Al Borland]

We use Ridgids at work and they frequently run all day.
As far as the Yellow Jackets go, get some starting fluid at the auto parts store. Spray it into the nest entrance (after dark or when its raining) Yellow Jackets, bees, wasps and creepy-crawlies of all sorts don't tolerate Ether.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Put a bag in the next one so the filter doesn't get clogged dead bees and debri.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Multi-Fi...Shop-Vac-Wet-Dry-Vacs-3-Pack-VF2005/100151555

No need to bag the bees this unit was dual purpose besides being a vac it was also an incinerator. Yes I know the bag was the o keep the filter clean. Just had too!!

 

[fourjeepin]

So the idea was that I put the end of the hose about an inch from the yellow jacket''s hole. When they flew out they went to their new home. I run it for an hour or two for a few days until I know all the bees are gone. After a day with the vac just sitting in the sun will cause them to die inside. There are more bees left in this nest so I am in the market for another vac.

This one is a ShopVac brand that was given to me used about 8 years ago. I am going to look at a Rigid vac that posted on Craigslist today. I am sceptical of it being a fake though, since it''s an almost new 6.5 amp for $70. Hopefully I will be able to tell.

I am a big fan of the Ridgid vacs. They work great.

 

[AndypCT]

That is a loooooong time to run that motor. I bet it was insanely hot.

 

[Two Speed]

strange, I have never seen one melt through it's top. Scary

You probably never left one unattended for extended periods of time either...


My last shop vac let the smoke out. She let out a high pitched shriek, I looked at it, and suddenly a big whoof of smoke came out, but it was still running when I unplugged it.

Alex.

 

[JRC3]

I've often considered doing a whole house vac system using a shop vac and attached cyclone filter housed in the laundry room. This kinda makes me think twice. It would never be left on for that long, but it would be unattended.

 

[ThumBanger]

Thanks...very creative...very logical!

 

[CoogarXR]

Were the yellow jackets soaked in bug killer?

 

[ScottsGT]

Right now Home Depot has the upgraded Ridgid 1451 on sale for $99 shipped. Online only. It appears to be the 1450 but with an extra hose and accessorie Kit that sells for $99 alone. I have one on the way.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-1...Dry-Vac-with-Auto-Detail-Kit-WD1451/203820088