Strongest vacuum in small form factor
- Thread starter danickstr
- Start date
- Status
I have a little 1gal Dayton (shop vac oem, you can buy the shop vac version for 1/2 the price but the Dayton has more attachments and a longer cord) Its tiny, and has really strong suction. I easily vac lines with it using whatever scrap of plastic I can find on the floor tied to the line. Shop Vac calls it the 'Shop Vac HangUp Mini' google that and you will find it.
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
IMO, you shouldn't cheap out on the vacuum. The greenlee is a 3-stage vacuum and is rated to lift a column of water about 139". There are times you will need this much suction.
The shop vacs you normally buy are 1-stage and rated at best 60" lift (questionable). The vacs at car washes are usually 2-stage and lift about
85".
This is the one I have/use.
http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/...=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=38594
The shop vacs you normally buy are 1-stage and rated at best 60" lift (questionable). The vacs at car washes are usually 2-stage and lift about
85".
This is the one I have/use.
http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/...=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=38594
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
I do a lot of underground work and had my fill of getting the line allllmmooooossssstttt there. I cost some $$$, but worth it for me.
$26 vs. $4xx, I can see why you would try out the smaller one.
Someone in another thread posted they use a CO2 bottle to blow a string. I've seen that method and it works great.
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
The Greenlee looks serious. Can it be used as a regular vac as well for clean up or is it dedicated to pulling?
I have the Dayton 1 gal. which I see is rated about 54" of water pull. So far I've never had any problems with getting a bag and string through. At most I've pulled the filters out for cleaner suction. Longest run I did was probably 300' or so in 2". If you're using the Greenlee sponges (or pulling a really long way uphill), you will probably need more suction. The sponges like to stick in joints and even a big shop vac may not be enough.
I have the Dayton 1 gal. which I see is rated about 54" of water pull. So far I've never had any problems with getting a bag and string through. At most I've pulled the filters out for cleaner suction. Longest run I did was probably 300' or so in 2". If you're using the Greenlee sponges (or pulling a really long way uphill), you will probably need more suction. The sponges like to stick in joints and even a big shop vac may not be enough.
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
Mine is dedicated to pulling.
I've cleared out many water-filled pipes with the GB.
I would have to agree.
It has been many years since I've seen one though.
I remember there are three switches for three stages of blow.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Research the term vacuum PSI.
At the start most vacuums (home units)on average are creating on average a 14 PSI draw, now inserting that into a smaller orifice such as a conduit will cause this space of restricted volume/space to become pressurized to the draw from the other side IE the vacuum. I can't commit on the PSI of any of the larger unit they don't state it ...
This PSI will always try to eqaualize the space being worked and try to being it back to 14 PSI, but it does not becuase it has to compansate to the humidity and barometric pressure of the enviroment and the length and size it has to work againest.
I didn't research any ratio of sizes of vacuum or even any PSI to conduit sizes. I'm sure others might have that at there finger tips.
If underground conduit sat waiting for some circuits one can feel the resistance of the water to the pressure and will slap back and in waves to the applied end. This is either with the push or pull depending on compression or suction, respectively.
As earlier stated the compressor can way exceed the 14 PSI of a vacuum.
At the start most vacuums (home units)on average are creating on average a 14 PSI draw, now inserting that into a smaller orifice such as a conduit will cause this space of restricted volume/space to become pressurized to the draw from the other side IE the vacuum. I can't commit on the PSI of any of the larger unit they don't state it ...
This PSI will always try to eqaualize the space being worked and try to being it back to 14 PSI, but it does not becuase it has to compansate to the humidity and barometric pressure of the enviroment and the length and size it has to work againest.
I didn't research any ratio of sizes of vacuum or even any PSI to conduit sizes. I'm sure others might have that at there finger tips.
If underground conduit sat waiting for some circuits one can feel the resistance of the water to the pressure and will slap back and in waves to the applied end. This is either with the push or pull depending on compression or suction, respectively.
As earlier stated the compressor can way exceed the 14 PSI of a vacuum.
Last edited:
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
For commercial any shopvac will do but for most resi I have a 1/2 gal 18v wet /dry dewalt which customers love to see you spend an extra 5 minutes vacuuming up the work area. I use it for fishing lines in pipes out to about 200 feet resi.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
I haven't used a vacuum in a while, I have a small 2 hp air compressor, and a air tank with a 1/2" discharge hose with a ball ball valve and 1/2" nipple on the other end.
You have to hold onto it good, but it will almost blow a string through a pipe without any thing tied to it, but a piece of a little scrap plastic or napkin and I haven't seen a pipe yet I couldn't blow a line in.
You have to hold onto it good, but it will almost blow a string through a pipe without any thing tied to it, but a piece of a little scrap plastic or napkin and I haven't seen a pipe yet I couldn't blow a line in.
Doug S.
Senior Member
- Location
- West Michigan
You need a better blower then? I've had decent luck with greenlee in the past. I've seen a blower move water, never had good luck moving too much of it sucking. Am I alone in this observation?
I've got some great stories about water and blowing in a string. The one I'm thinking of, the stink water was still perfectly 3" around, and moving fast, when it hit my co-worker several feet from the conduit. It took a few minutes to build the pressure, but a LOT (10 gallons?) of water was blown out of that pipe.
The best part is we told him to wear old clothes for manhole work. He didn't listen. I was laughing so hard I almost wizzed myself. :grin:
Doug S.
I used a GB blower to clear out a 2" pipe feeding a sign for a motel. I set the thing up, and turned it on. I went out to the sign to see if anything was coming out.
Keep in mind, due to local codes, the sign was restricted to 8' tall, and the pipe came up in the bottom.
As I rounded the corner of the building, some poor shmuck happened to be walking by, and heard some strange noise coming from the sign. As he sauntered over, he looked directly into the pipe.
Out came about 5 gallons of the stinkiest, slimiest, gunkiest water I've ever seen.
I laughed myself senseless.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
I made a big mistake and hit me like a ton of bricks it takes a mimimum of 14 PSI to creata vacuum. Sorry about that. 
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
It's nice to see a product that, the more it sucks or blows, the better it is.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
it's always fun to break in a new helper, by telling him to watch the pipe closely with goggles on of course
with goggles on of course- Status