Page 4 of 9 FirstFirst 123456789 LastLast
Results 46 to 60 of 135
  1. #46

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    One aspect of this shop vacuum hose thread that seems to be important is suction and, hence, air flow. While trying not to get too technical about it, this suction amount is measured in inches of mercury or in/Hg. This measurement is derived by how far in inches the heavy liquid mercury can be moved up a tube when suction is applied to it. This is "different" than air flow, which is cubic feet per minute, or cfm and is how much air (cubic feet being volume) can be moved through a opening (orifice) in one minute of time. You have all seen pictures in vacuum cleaner advertisements of a particular make and model of vacuum cleaner being able to lift a bowling ball up. Suction is air flow, but in reverse, because it creates lift, hence the in/Hg measurement, with the Hg being kind of the weight part of it with how far a suction can lift it up the tube. There are four things that have an effect on creating this suction in a shop vac:
    1) The power (horsepower) and speed (revolutions per minute) of the electric motor
    2) The impeller mechanical design and housing that produces the actual suction
    3) The filter media, which will limit the canister air movement and cause air resistance
    4) The hose media and nozzle attachments, which also causes air resistance

    There is a reason Dyson spent millions of dollars on design and trial-and-error development of item two: the unique and patented super-efficient lightweight impeller and housing design for a consumer vacuum.

    The Metro has a more powerful and "robust" motor design, item 1, than most shop vacs, and its metal construction verses molded plastic canister and housing of typical shop vacs, but it is also the reason it is more expensive. You do get what you pay for, sometimes.

    My long-winded point is that filter media is overlooked and keeping that clean to provide less resistance is sometimes forgotten, or the media type itself. I have Sears Craftsmen Shop Vac that can be fitted with thee different filter medias:
    1) Standard paper (AKA, Original Equipment of Manufacturer that came with it
    2) Upgraded paper for fine debris, like fireplace ash
    3) HEPA-grade media for ultra-fine debris, like sheet rock particle board dust

    With each "upgrade" in a filter media, the more resistance in air flow it creates, and hence its reduction in suction. I "learned" this from a HVAC service tech, who informed me my allergen-rated furnace filter will greatly reduce my furnace fan motor life due to its higher air-restriction because of the finer media needed for its allergen rating.

    I use the"upgraded paper" filter on my Shop Vac because I deal with dried clay debris or home construction debris in the carpets of vehicles I clean, so it is not sucked through the filter and exhausted into the air in my garage when vacuuming. Its a small trade-off I am willing to live with. With that, though, I do try to keep my filter clean as possible. I clean it after every dirty job, if possible, even just knocking out the trapped dirt in the filter. The other thing I do is to wash (scrub and clean) the inside of the nozzle attachments periodically and the hose as well. If you use your shop vac as a carpet extractor OR vacuum when your carpets are damp, you probably have solidified mud in both the nozzle attachments and hose. While it may offer a minimal amount of air movement resistance, keeping your filter media clean and the hose and nozzle attachments clean can help contribute to optimal shop vac suction performance. (Which only proves that you REALLY are an Obsessive-Compulsive Detailer, Captain Obvious!)

    Edit: I forgot to post this tip about keeping a filter clean when vacuuming a REALLY dirty environment, like dried clay silt after a flood or a lot of fine/short animal (darn cats and dogs!) hair, is to wrap paper toweling (like Bounty, but not the hard, brown or white hand toweling) around the filter, just enough to encircle the filter once and tape it on with masking or duct tape along the edges seam and then to the filter at the top and bottom. Yes, it restricts the air flow a lot, BUT it makes for easy clean-up of the filter. You may even find it necessary to put an new piece of toweling on should you do a lot of vacuuming. Just a hint that might save your from having to discard/throw-away a shop vac filter after such usage.
    I appreciate the write up, Thanks.

    Have you tried the Gore, Hepa filter from Shop Vac? The filter supposed to have a non stick surface, while maintaining its suction power. Clean up is supposed to be just a tap and everything should fall out of it.
    Likes Stokdgs liked this post

  2. #47

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Heh heh, I`ll argue that one! Any time I miscommunicate I`m gonna consider whether it`s *my* fault, and that time I think it was. I set my Communication Bar awfully high
    I just appreciate that you replied to my questions.

    And heh heh...yeah, my local vacuum shops will build hoses too, but like your place and "removable ends", there are always some little details that prevent me from getting exactly what I want..."oh, you want a power wire for the motorized attachment...sorry.."
    In my case It`s hard to find the proper adapter to attach the hose to the vac. I bought a kit with a bunch of adapters but nothing fit properly. Either to loose or to big.

    Since my vac is around the 10 years old. Most accessories, hose isn`t design for this particular vac. Most vac today have some kind of locking connections.

    Maybe my hoses don`t accordian-tug the units because they`re so old! I am pretty careful about not tugging on them too hard though, an expensive lesson related to my Daimer steamer made me awfully conscious of what can happen and with hoses for the older Hoovers N/A I gotta be very gentle.


    I get lazy sometimes. I just tug on the hose without thinking that I might damage the hose. Especially now that Shop Vac don`t make this particular hose anymore.
    Likes Stokdgs liked this post

  3. #48

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Jack View Post
    You`re inline with my thinking, Lonnie.
    Last year, when I decided to by a smaller wet-dry vac for detailing, I searched the `net for specs to make my decision. The mfr`s publish HP specs, but that doesn`t really tell the whole story about performance. Example: One of the highest-rated 5 gallon units is the PowrFlite, from a company that makes commercial and industrial equipment, with only 1.4 hp, but 114 cfm and 100" lift. I know the Rigid units are popular, but I could never find either a volume or lift spec, so I kept looking.
    Of all the brands I could find specs of, the highest numbers were on the Vacmaster Beast, at 102 CFM and 86" lift, at just about half the price of the Powrflite, so that`s the direction I went and I don`t regret my purchase at all. Ironically, the best price was from Home Depot, obviously home of the Rigids. Paired up with a Rigid Detailing kit, I`m set for a while. If it craps out tomorrow, I`ll still be debating value between it and a PowrFlite.

    Bill
    When this Shop Vac let go, I think my next vac would be either Ridgid or Vacmaster Beast. Never heard of Vacmaster until a forum member of Autopia, or Autogeek Online mentioned the vacs. Might of been you.

  4. #49

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    For MORE info on a shop vac for the do-it-yourself weekend warrior, see the thread:
    Vacuum for the weekender

    In the above linked thread, post No. 23 from SuperBuick talks about an English (United Kingdom or UK) vacuum company named Numatic and their specific model "George" as his vac of choice.
    Sorry, no links to Numatic due to forum rules, but it is worth Google-ing "Numatic George GVE370" for yourself. Expensive though and funky-looking; kind of like Mini-Coopers. Leave it to the Brits!
    I read about the Numatic George on a different forum. Some members were replying that they rather use the Bissell Little Green Machine, or the Pro version while others prefer George, for liquid extracting. A lot of mixed reviews.
    Likes Lonnie liked this post

  5. #50

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Carnage- Oh yeah, the locking end pieces....some of my newer ones (still over 20YO) have those and I use them in conjunction with the older friction-fit ones.

    I haven`t looked into it, but I`d *think* that there`s some way to adapt one to the other.

    Too-small male ends can be made larger by wrapping with tape (preferably, IMO, the self-vulcanizing/fusing kind, my current fave being from F4). The same approach can work to improve other too-loose connections. Might seem like a rednecky-type hack but it can work fine.

    That F4 tape is what I use to repair worn-out unavailable hoses too.

    I`m surprised that anybody would prefer the Bissell units over the George...is it just because the Bissells are smaller/lighter and still sufficient for light work? I mean, I really like my Bissells, and even find uses for the tiny (and pretty crappy) Hoover Steamvac (what a misnomer!) Jr. But for some jobs those just aren`t the ticket, especially when I want to really *inject* the spray down into the carpeting.
    Thanks carnage thanked for this post

  6. #51

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    @ Accumulator

    I haven`t looked into it, but I`d *think* that there`s some way to adapt one to the other.

    Too-small male ends can be made larger by wrapping with tape (preferably, IMO, the self-vulcanizing/fusing kind, my current fave being from F4). The same approach can work to improve other too-loose connections. Might seem like a rednecky-type hack but it can work fine.

    That F4 tape is what I use to repair worn-out unavailable hoses too.

    I`m surprised that anybody would prefer the Bissell units over the George...is it just because the Bissells are smaller/lighter and still sufficient for light work? I mean, I really like my Bissells, and even find uses for the tiny (and pretty crappy) Hoover Steamvac (what a misnomer!) Jr. But for some jobs those just aren`t the ticket, especially when I want to really *inject* the spray down into the carpeting.[/QUOTE]

    After reading this thread, asking questions. I`m going to stay with the original 1 1/4 hose, for the better performance. Kind of hard to find the right size adapters, or accessories. I don`t think I`m going to used this shop vac for any home improvements projects.

    I just order the Craftsman CMXZVBE38690 nozzle accessory. When I went to the vacuum store I was looking for the Ridgid or under a different name, the triangle brush. No luck. I`m going to look for accessories that I don`t have in 1 1/4 diameter.

    I had to Google F4 tape. It`s like duct tape on steroids.

    I think the members of that forum like the way the Bissell LGM maneuver, light weight, the sprayer head has better spray pattern. By the specs the Numatic George should have better suction, if the water lift measurement is correct.

  7. #52

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by carnage View Post
    After reading this thread, asking questions. I`m going to stay with the original 1 1/4 hose, for the better performance. Kind of hard to find the right size adapters, or accessories..I`m going to look for accessories that I don`t have in 1 1/4 diameter..
    Once you figure out the dimensions/configuration/etc. of what you`d like to use, check out ebay. All sorts of discontinued bits in different sizes at low prices.
    I had to Google F4 tape. It`s like duct tape on steroids.
    EXCEPT THAT...the F4 only sticks *to itself* and not to whatever you apply it to. IMO that makes it a whole different animal than tapes with adhesive.

    I think the members of that forum like the way the Bissell LGM maneuver, light weight, the sprayer head has better spray pattern. By the specs the Numatic George should have better suction, if the water lift measurement is correct.
    Well, OK...I use the smaller extractors for that reason too (when they`ll do the job).

    What about the *sprayer* on the George? Sometimes I want the Century just for the way it really *SPRAYS* with a lot of pressure that gets the fluid down in there. The little ones like the Bissell just don`t have that kind of potency (not that you always need it). OR...does the George even *have* a sprayer? (Sorry, if I looked I don`t remember )
    Thanks carnage thanked for this post

  8. #53

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Once you figure out the dimensions/configuration/etc. of what you`d like to use, check out ebay. All sorts of discontinued bits in different sizes at low prices.
    I wanted the Ridgid 1 1/4 triangle brush. Ridgid only sells the brushes in the kit, not separate. I did a Google search for the brushes, nothing came up not even on Ebay.

    What`s the longest crevice tool attachment do you use for detailing?

    EXCEPT THAT...the F4 only sticks *to itself* and not to whatever you apply it to. IMO that makes it a whole different animal than tapes with adhesive.
    I didn`t read this part on Amazon.

    Might seem like a dumb question. If the tape doesn`t stick to whatever your taping how would it repair something? Does the tape have to stick to the item in order to repair it?

    What about the *sprayer* on the George? Sometimes I want the Century just for the way it really *SPRAYS* with a lot of pressure that gets the fluid down in there. The little ones like the Bissell just don`t have that kind of potency (not that you always need it). OR...does the George even *have* a sprayer? (Sorry, if I looked I don`t remember )
    I tried to find the thread where I read about the comparison, I couldn`t find it.

    My guess is George has a uneven spray pattern. Where the Bissell LGM has a even spray pattern. Both machine don`t over wet the surface. Makes it easier to extracting fluid.

    The Numatic 26A kit for the George is the extractor. The kit may come with the George or has to be purchase separate.

    Years ago I thought about buying a George for extracting fluid but for the price I rather buy a real carpet extractor, not a wet/dry vac rig up to be a extractor. I don`t do much carpet cleaning to purchase a extractor so the Bissell LGM suits my needs, for now.

  9. #54

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    267
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Is the Shop Vac brush part # 9018100 a good replacement for the Ridgid triangle brush?

    Autogeek also have the kit with the brushes. https://www.autogeek.net/shop-vac-au...aning-kit.html
    Likes Stokdgs liked this post

  10. #55

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by carnage View Post
    I wanted the Ridgid 1 1/4 triangle brush. Ridgid only sells the brushes in the kit, not separate. I did a Google search for the brushes, nothing came up not even on Ebay...
    Oh well, maybe that Shop Vac brush will be a good substitute.
    What`s the longest crevice tool attachment do you use for detailing?
    One that`s cobbled together with pieces from a couple of those "mini-attachment" sets, including a piece of hose/tubing for when flexibility is handy. I can put the pieces together in whatever combo reaches where I need it. The regular Crevice Tool that came with the Hoover canister vac is generally good enough, but I *would indeed* be up a creek without the pieces from those mini kits.



    I didn`t read this part on Amazon...
    Heh heh, *THAT* is the most important part

    Might seem like a dumb question. If the tape doesn`t stick to whatever your taping how would it repair something? Does the tape have to stick to the item in order to repair it?
    The F4 tape stretches...a *LOT*...and when you wrap things up tightly that stretching provides very tight seal once the tape has done it`s "self-vulcanizing" thing. I`ve sealed pretty high-pressure situations with it (no, not saying that`s always a good idea) and they stayed fixed for ages (still have some half-@$$ plumbing repairs that`re fine after many years, might *never* have to get `em fixed right).

    The whole trick is to really *stretch* it out, that elastic tension, which even increases when the stuff bonds to itself, is what makes it hold so tightly.

    Honestly, IMO that`s a product *EVERY HOUSEHOLD* oughta have. Incredible how many applications we find for it. I`m 100% confident you won`t be wasting your $ even if it sits on the shelf for a few years... before suddenly being just the thing to save the day. Just buy the stuff I won`t say that very often about anything, but IMO this stuff is at least as essential as Duct/Duck/Electrical tapes, and I sure wouldn`t want to be without any of those either.


    My guess is George has a uneven spray pattern. Where the Bissell LGM has a even spray pattern. Both machine don`t over wet the surface. Makes it easier to extracting fluid...
    Maybe you and I want different levels of sprayer performance. My Bissells/Hoovers don`t spray nearly as potently as my Century...usually enough but not the same.

    Note I`m not wetting things *more*, just deeper.

    I myself have little concern about the spray pattern; one of my adapted nozzles makes the sprayer awfully imprecise but that`s very seldom an issue. Though I can see how it would be when doing stuff inside a vehicle.

    Years ago I thought about buying a George for extracting fluid but for the price I rather buy a real carpet extractor, not a wet/dry vac rig up to be a extractor. I don`t do much carpet cleaning to purchase a extractor so the Bissell LGM suits my needs, for now.

    Actually, I bet 99% of my extracting is *NOT* vehicle-related...don`t you need to extract your household carpets/rugs a few times/year?

    IMO you`re on the right track about extractor vs. wet/dry with attachments. I did have one Sears setup that was *VERY* good, but a proprietary part broke and they`d discontinued it. My extractors do work much better, even though one or two of the older Bissells are really just wet/dry vacs with a sprayer (hey, they still work great even after decades of use too).

    Autogeek also have the kit with the brushes. https://www.autogeek.net/shop-vac-au...aning-kit.html
    I dunno...I`d pass but that`s just me. That adapter piece appeals to me more than the other bits.

    Different people, etc. etc. but I`d get the Mini-attachment Kit first.
    Thanks carnage thanked for this post

  11. #56
    dansautodetailing.com Stokdgs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    NorCal.. Avatar = Swan Lake, Hallstatt, Austria
    Posts
    5,190
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Quote Originally Posted by carnage View Post
    Is the Shop Vac brush part # 9018100 a good replacement for the Ridgid triangle brush?

    Autogeek also have the kit with the brushes. https://www.autogeek.net/shop-vac-au...aning-kit.html
    Hello, carnage ! Hope you guys are having a great weekend !

    The Shop Vac Brush part # 901800 looks like a good brush - I use the wording you used above, and found it on Amazon.. It is not triangular but it looks like it would be good for getting into tight places, perhaps even better than the Rigid Triangular brush I have also used, and worn a couple of them out.. It is unfortunate Rigid does not offer this brush separately.. But like all great Detailers, we have to be - Innovative - if we want to be the best..

    You asked about Crevice tools - I absolutely use these every time I vacuum out every vehicle.. it is the only way to get in between most consoles and the seats, to that strip of carpet that is really hard sometimes to get from underneath.. This tool is also very good at getting that deep carpet area on the outside of the seats right next to the rocker panel you see when you open the door.. And of course I always use these same crevice tools underneath the seats to get that area that is always in the middle and just unreachable from other attachments..

    The crevice tool I use the most is 14" long, and the bottom 4" of it is a hard section of flexible rubber that allows me to bend it there when needed to just reach that little piece of something that does not belong on that pristine black, clean, carpet..

    The other crevice tool I use is 11-1/2" long, and it is All hard, flexible, rubber, and it also comes in handy for a lot of places.. Sometimes, the seats are absolutely really tight against some consoles, and this thinner, longer, tool will allow me to carefully get down there and reach the place with all those M&M`s, etc., and not damage any of the console or the seat edges..

    These tools I speak of are all for 1-1/4" vacuum hose and fittings..

    I cannot for the life of me remember where I purchased this really long crevice tool, but I bet it can still be purchased.. Perhaps it was a vacuum supply company...
    Dan F
    Thanks carnage thanked for this post

  12. #57

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Stokdgs- Hey, those flexible Crevice Tools sound good!

    Maybe somebody will find a source for `em, could be something else I didn`t know I can`t live without
    Likes Stokdgs liked this post

  13. #58
    Billy Jack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    460
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    I bought one of those long ones about 3-4 years ago, either from Autogeek or Autopia, can`t remember which. I do remember it was hard to find on their page and it was listed on one site but not the other. It`s a great tool for under seats and between seats and console.

    Bill

    Edit: I found it in the AG Store https://www.autogeek.net/super-exten...vice-tool.html

  14. #59

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    Billy Jack- Hey, that`s intriguing...can you close off that "side port" opening or the usual one at the end? Just wondering whether both are open all the time (easy enough to deal with, just curious).

  15. #60

    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    507
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Shop Vac hose upgrade question.

    ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH! So I spent 15 minutes in the vacuum section at Home Depot a few days ago. I have the Ridgid hose car kit, and someone lost my end connectors, they have 20 different attachments and a 3 pack of converters. But they don`t sell the ones that come in the kit separately. In the 3 pack EVERYTHING was reversed what I needed. I`m sure I could pick up the pieces I need somewhere on-line, but it`s madness how with everything they had in that isle nothing would work for me. I would literally send $200 to back a Kickstarter that came with a ton of attachments and all the needed hose converters. I wanted to also buy the Ridgid LED nozzle attachment which they sell in two different sizes. One fits a different model Rigid hose they sell, neither fits the car kit one though. And of course they don`t sell a converter I`m guessing the car kit comes with what I need, because I owned the LED nozzle and know I hooked it to my hose. I wonder why they don`t make it in a size that fits one of their own damn hoses without needing a converter? The car kit hose is 1 1/4 according to HD`s web site. Yet this attachment they call a "Locking LED Lighted Car Nozzle Accessory" doesn`t come in a size made for that hose. But it comes in a 1 7/8 size, which unless I`m stupid Rigid doesn`t even sell a hose in that size. At least not in store.

    The attachment comes in 2 1/2 & 1 7/8 sizes. I want it in 1 1/4 or whatever the hell size the car kit hose is. But, then I still need a hose adapter because the car kit hose doesn`t natively fit my Vac & Blow. The kit comes with the adapter already attached to the hose that fit my Metro, but like I said someone removed mine, probably to get the hose to hook to a shop vac. Rigid sell an adapter to put a 1 1/4 attachment on a 1 7/8 hose, but it doesn`t work the other way around. I`m baffled how this works, or rather doesn`t work. But I found a combo pack that had been opened and tried, nope nothing fits either attachment I wanted to buy. And even if one did the other end wouldn`t have fit my vacuum`s hose spout thingy. The 3 pack of converters is absolutely worthless for anything I`m trying to use. I have a few other RIDGID attachments in my detailing cabinet that won`t fit my RIGID hose either. All I`m trying to do is buy RIDGID accessories for a RIDGID hose that I bought at the only store that sells RIDGID products lol. I`m guessing that maybe, I could order them direct from Rigid online. With shipping that would only cost me probably $20 for 50 cents worth of plastic for a converter adapter

    Seriously, someone here with a 3D printer and some skills needs to start a Kickstarter campaign. I`ll be one of your biggest backer. I have 3 different hoses in the garage and a shelf full of different size attachments, it`s absolute madness how much trouble I`m having here. AND I HATE Duct taping crap to a hose to make it "fit" and work with like half the suction power. I am not buying another $45 damn kit I`m damn telling you that lol.


    Sorry for this rant I`m just super frustrated at the moment. Anyone want to run down the parts I need to use my hose with my Metro AND be able to connect my attachments to it? I just looked on Ridgid web site for replacement parts and don`t see any of them sold separately, just the entire damn car kit. Looking at the Q&A on HD`s web site Ridgid basically recommend people buy an entire new size hose when they ask about needing an adapter lol.
    Thanks carnage thanked for this post

 

 
Page 4 of 9 FirstFirst 123456789 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. I Need a Reccomendation on Shop Vac Power & Hose Size Please!
    By 5jjt in forum Professional Detailer General Discussion
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-16-2014, 07:01 PM
  2. Fire Hose Nozzle - great alternative to garden hose?
    By reyo in forum Car Detailing Product Discussion
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 04-15-2011, 08:31 AM
  3. PC upgrade question
    By imported_bpfoley in forum Machine Polishing & Sanding
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 07-26-2007, 09:25 PM
  4. Shop Vac hose question?
    By imported_Lawdog in forum Car Detailing
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 08-05-2004, 10:51 PM
  5. Shop vac hose replacements
    By 2500Hemi in forum Car Detailing
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 07-16-2003, 11:58 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •