I am keen to get my old machine actually running, my big issue in the past was it blowing dust all around the dining room. It’s now located outside but I share the space with the washing machine, so don’t want to blow too much dust around.
Before trying to make a dust boot, the only sucker I have now is a Truper brand shop vac that I had retired from house work as it doesn’t suck very well. I pulled it apart, cleaned everything, and looked for leaks but didn’t find any. Using the hose without the head it picks up dust, so I’m hoping it will do the trick. Buying another better one isn’t an option right now (no money).
SO, Qu 1. How strong a suction do I need to run a dust boot? The vac says it is Max 3 HP.
Qu 2. Any suggestions as why it has lost a fair bit of power from when it was new? I know Truper is a crap brand, but when I bought it it was the only option I had here.
Vacuums work on a pressure differential, drawing from the lower pressure to the higher pressure to equalize.
So with that in mind if you have a loss in suction then you have a low pressure differential between the high (outside) and the low (inside the machine). To increase suction you need to lower the pressure inside the machine. Make sure there are no leaks (seals, holes, etc) increase speed of fan, ensure no blockage in exhaust (from fan to outside) and no leaks in hose. ensure fan blades are clean and not bent etc.
Other than that it is probably a worn motor that is not getting the RPM needed for proper suction.
Have you cleaned/replaced the filter recently?
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Brandon Parker
I checked and cleaned the filter when I noticed it wasn’t working as well as before, it didn’t make much of a difference. That was a couple of years ago and it’s just been sitting in the back of my junk closet until this week.
I guess I will give it another search for leaks. The motor sounds like it is working OK, but maybe it is worn. Is there any way to check that, would it have brushes that might be worn?
I can say for sure, but my last shop-vac was a brushed motor. They are way cheaper for a manufacturer to build. Also, they tend to build the cheaper ones in such a way that the brushes are not easily replaceable. My last shop-vac brushes finally gave up a few months ago and they did so with a large amount of smoke and fantastically awesome smell. I had to air out my shop for days…
If yours does have brushes and can be replaced, I would definitely check them to see if they are worn down.
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Brandon Parker