Vacuum?

[Gizzygone]

I’ve seen some wall-mount garage vacuum solutions posted on Detail sites. Right now I have a simple shop-vac. It works… but it’s a bear to drag out. I’ve considered getting a smaller model, or even a battery-powered model, but I’m intrigued by the built-in options out there….

50’ of hose makes me think the suction isn’t nearly as good as a shop vac…. Anybody have experience with these?

 

[kbuhagiar]

I have both kinds - a seven-year-old wall-mounted 5 gallon DuraVac (now called VacMaster):

Duravac Wall Mountable Wet/Dry Vac w/Remote Control & 2-Stage Motor - 19 Litres*

Vacmaster | Master Any Mess | Wet/Dry Vacuums, Floor Care, Automotive, and Air Movers.

vacmastervacs.ca

...plus two traditional roll-arounds (a Craftsman and a Rigid) and the wall-mount, with (on mine) 40 ft of hose, is every bit as good as the other two. In fact, if I had to choose I would probably keep the DuraVac over the others. mainly because it takes up less space, and the remote control is REALLY handy. Plus, the DuraVac is quieter than the others; I'm not sure if that is a common feature amongst all wall mount vacuums, or if the DuraVac is just a better unit. BTW The trick is learning how to deploy and then retract the hose if you have a crowded garage (like mine). And the hose that comes with the DuraVac is much more pliable and easier to control, unlike the standard stiff PVC hose that comes with the others. Ultimately it's still easier than dragging out the huge canister on wheels.

EDIT: Upon further review I guess this is a hearty endorsement for the DuraVac (VacMaster) wall mount; can't vouch for other wall-mount units, but if you are thinking about a wall-mount I would look into the VacMaster.

 

[niget2002]

I was in the same boat as you a while back. I went to HD and got the smaller Rigid shop vac. It's light enough to easily carry, but still has wheels so it can drag around. It's worked well for me. Just used it in the house for a project last night. Much easier moving it around than the big shop vac I have out in the shop.

 

[gizardlizard]

I’ve got the Vacuumaid and it’s ok. Has a 50 foot hose with attachments. Made a hose reel for it. Has plenty of suction. Just wish the hose diameter was a little bigger.

 

[Skellyii]

I have both kinds - a seven-year-old wall-mounted 5 gallon DuraVac (now called VacMaster):

Duravac Wall Mountable Wet/Dry Vac w/Remote Control & 2-Stage Motor - 19 Litres*

Vacmaster | Master Any Mess | Wet/Dry Vacuums, Floor Care, Automotive, and Air Movers.

vacmastervacs.ca

...plus two traditional roll-arounds (a Craftsman and a Rigid) and the wall-mount, with (on mine) 40 ft of hose, is every bit as good as the other two. In fact, if I had to choose I would probably keep the DuraVac over the others. mainly because it takes up less space, and the remote control is REALLY handy. Plus, the DuraVac is quieter than the others; I'm not sure if that is a common feature amongst all wall mount vacuums, or if the DuraVac is just a better unit. BTW The trick is learning how to deploy and then retract the hose if you have a crowded garage (like mine). And the hose that comes with the DuraVac is much more pliable and easier to control, unlike the standard stiff PVC hose that comes with the others. Ultimately it's still easier than dragging out the huge canister on wheels.

EDIT: Upon further review I guess this is a hearty endorsement for the DuraVac (VacMaster) wall mount; can't vouch for other wall-mount units, but if you are thinking about a wall-mount I would look into the VacMaster.

Hey @kbuhagiar , I notice you mentioned that you were using 40ft of hose? I'm currently looking for a wall mount, and I need to reach 35 feet from where I'm mounting the vac. Two questions, how does the DuraVac perform with a 40ft hose? And where did you get the additional hose? I didn't see any additional long hoses listed on the website.

Thanks!

 

[kbuhagiar]

Skelly,
If there was any suction loss with the 25ft extension I didn't notice it, performance was still exceptional.

When I purchased the Duravac it was being sold by Costco and it came with the standard 1 7/8" diameter 15ft long hose. However (on my version, at least) the actual outlet of the vacuum is 2 1/2", so I was also able to use a conventional (Craftsman, Rigid, etc) 25 ft. extension, and then adapt it down to the 1 7/8" size.

Bonus item for tight spaces - I found a 90 degree elbow designed for use with wet/dry vacs which kept the hose out of the way:


Here is the coupler used to connect the two hoses - I found an adapter kit online (can't remember where) that had this, plus other adapters for mixing and matching various hoses and attachments.


Stock hose configuration.

 

[Joe Reed]

I have a Bissell Garage Pro wall mount that my son gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, and a small Armor All branded portable unit I got cheap at AutoZone a few years back. They both have their advantages.

Wall mount: I use it ALL the time. The 30+ foot hose easily reaches anywhere in my 2-car garage so it's used to clean the cars, clean up after projects, etc. I also use it to vacuum the floor occasionally. Sometimes I'll use it to blow off the floor, but the leaf blower is actually better for that. It's plenty powerful - and it doesn't have to be emptied often.

Portable: Obviously the advantage is portability. I can slip the Bissell off the mount and take it with me, but it's a bit awkward due to the size, and the 30+ foot hose is overkill for that use. This small unit takes very little space on the shelf since the hose stores in the base.

 

[Skellyii]

Skelly,
If there was any suction loss with the 25ft extension I didn't notice it, performance was still exceptional.

When I purchased the Duravac it was being sold by Costco and it came with the standard 1 7/8" diameter 15ft long hose. However (on my version, at least) the actual outlet of the vacuum is 2 1/2", so I was also able to use a conventional (Craftsman, Rigid, etc) 25 ft. extension, and then adapt it down to the 1 7/8" size.

Bonus item for tight spaces - I found a 90 degree elbow designed for use with wet/dry vacs which kept the hose out of the way:


Here is the coupler used to connect the two hoses - I found an adapter kit online (can't remember where) that had this, plus other adapters for mixing and matching various hoses and attachments.


Stock hose configuration.

@kbuhagiar , I appreciate the quick response and the pictures! I already have both full size ShopVacs and Rigids, with a variety of adapters and hoses, so I shouldn't have any issues getting it setup similar to yours.

The local Amazon warehouse had an open box of the same model as yours, so I pulled the trigger on it, and it will be delivered tomorrow!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Metallitubby]

This thread *****.