Shop Vac went kaput

Over the last month or so my 18 year old 20 gallon shop vac has been starting to have some whine in it's shutdown. Figured the bearings were going out, but the other it just wouldn't start up. After some disassemble and checking the switch and power cord, both checked out. However upon one last power on check it started up again, but noticed an electrical burning smell. So either the brushes have gone or the bearings are letting the armature rub on the windings.


Having seen good reviews both here and on google for the Rigid vacs, I decided to go with one of them. Well, actually I came home with two, the 16 gallon and the 14 gallon vacs. I need one for work around the house and cleanup in the shop. The 14 gallon will be mostly dedicated to the cnc as the duct I ran from the central system is a bit too far of a run and doesn't have enough cfm to support it.

After assembly, I'm not real impressed with the design of either unit. At least the 14 gallon one has a tool tray, though the 16 gallon one has a bag for tool storage, it's not optimal, and hose storage is difficult as the top slopes off. I think we'll see a upcoming cnc project to remedy the tool tray situation, as well as an added hook for hose storage.

Here are both units


I was hoping to find a new motor for the old shop-vac. Anyone know if the "univeral" motor is consistent across other shop vacs? Or know of where I might be able to find the motor itself. I've checked all the tool part places and all show it as unavailable, surely the guts of the motor can be bought and retrofitted into the old housing.

My priority would be how well it sucks, not how cleverly it stores its accessories. I am in the market for one for the CNC as well. So watching closely here.

Carol Reed said:

My priority would be how well it sucks, not how cleverly it stores its accessories. I am in the market for one for the CNC as well. So watching closely here.

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Well, both seem to do that well, it's not so much being clever, just making sure all the tools get from point A to B as the larger one will be used for remodeling projects and such. Just on the trip down to the house (150') I lost the hoses twice and two of the tools fell out of the bag.

Both seem to have good suction and I bought them as they were rated quieter than all the other versions on the shelf, though I think I can add an output muffler on the 14 gallon yet. HD carries the bags for each size as well, which I think made my old shop vac last as long as it did. It was used on 100 or more drywall jobs, weekly floor cleaning at my last two houses as well as the current one, and shop duty...it did it's job that is for sure.

I've got a muffler on my rigid shop vac. Really makes a big difference in the annoying high pitched whine.

I thought for sure i was gonna get deja vu in this thread. I had to replace my 10-ish year old shop vac after about 6 months after the CNC was completed. It did NOT like being run for 6+ hours solid sometimes ... lol

In the end, I picked up another very similar model, knowing that I have a cyclone half built that may be able to be used on it. I'm with you on the storage issues - mine had what looked like a deep bedpan for all the tools that didn't hold the straight sections very well because they were top heavy. And there was no hose storage on board. Thankfully, I don't have to move mine around much - i went a little crazy with a dust deputy installation and plumbing job that keeps the vac in a closet now and a long ranger remote turns it on/off.

I do need to put together a slightly better tool/hose storage - it used to be fine but as the shop has evolved, it's more of a nuisance to get out than it used to be. funny how new acquisitions impact layout sometimes...