Shop vacs Dirty Little Secret - How to Get Yourself a Free Vacuum Cleaner!

[@radozeman]

For all those wondering what the fuse is, check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX2tk6RueryLr6M also what happens when you use a car fuse in 120v system?

[@warchela]

RDAllen Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for

[@joshfattig]

RDAllen it doesn't matter, it is about the amperage

[@bigv6724]

RDAllen please learn how to edit videos. was the last 15 mins you putting together a shop vac? I kept skipping 3 or 5 mins and there you are....putting together this vac. If you want to increase your subs. you have to edit out that kind of stuff. good luck buddy

[@rnieto8625]

Big V well said.

[@andywander]

It actually does matter-the voltage rating of a fuse is the max voltage that it is rated to be able to break, without sustaining an arc. That said, a car fuse is rated for DC, which is harder to break than AC-so it might be ok....

[@richpinkerton8463]

That thermal fuse was engineered to fail prematurely.There's a perfect little spot to place a 15 amp automotive fuse behind it. The switch looked good and the wiring looked good, so the fuse hack did the trick and I didn't need to buy a new shop vac. Thanks for making this video.

[@areannaquintessa]

its a wax filled thermal overload protection circuit, its designed to protect against overheating however over time, heat and cool cycles the wax eventually breaks down enough to cause an open circuit. they add as " a safety mechanism" but in all reality its planned obsolescence.

[@normallyabnormal59]

areanna beyer

[@radozeman]

Exactly! Making you buy a new one.

[@MrMac5150]

ALL TRANSFORMERS AND ELECTRIC ENGINE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE A THERMAL FUSE. DO NOT RUN WITHOUT OUT ONE..>>> FIRE DANGER.

[@CyberMacGyver]

exactly √ its not difficult to install a resetable thermal fuse during manufacture..... but that would make it pre 21st century technology (built to last more than 18 months.

[@Psi105]

Yeah, with the thermal fuse bypassed it will catch on fire if there's any motor overload. Like if you never empty the vacuum and the motor couldn't suck air any more but was still trying to spin.

[@donreid6399]

I worked for Shopvac for 24 years. The reason that 'doohickey' was added was because a customer's vac caught fire and burned their house down. We added that little hunk of solder so that if a motor was pulling too much current, it would open up and prevent the motor from catching fire.

[@radozeman]

Good for safety, should have been a resetting type though!

[@donreid6399]

@@radozeman Too expensive. A piece of solder was SO much cheaper.

[@traumajock]

I opened mine up. The little bar of solder melted. I had been sucking up water from a failed water heater when it died. I had some thin solder, twisted it up to the right size and slipped it behind the two little right-angle springs. Then put the blade connectors back in and Bob was my uncle. I saw this vid after I bought a new shop vac. Took me about 20 minutes start to finish to fix the old one.

[@donreid6399]

@@traumajock Very good. We didn't make it to be unfixaable. We just didn't want to burn anyone else's house down! 🙂

[@jacpost5923]

hey, I fixed my shop vac after watching your video. Thanks for sharing.

[@radozeman]

Good!

[@YknotLearnall]

Nice fix! ... and I'm glad to see someone saved it from making its way into a land fill when all it needed was a simple thermal fuse replaced. I've fixed a few vacs myself heading that way... and all were silly simple fix reasons they didn't work. I haven't run into this issue with a shop vac yet, but thanks for the tip. I'll look out for it if I do. Cheers... Thanks for the tip.

[@Atrainswrld]

I've learned how to fix a bunch of vacuums around the house by watching KZbin videos but it hasn't got this serious yet LOL. Now I know how to fix it

[@sunset986S]

Watching your video brought back memories...my steel tank unit from 1985 is still going strong. The motor housing also detaches to become a leaf blower with the supplied tube. You're right when you say Shop-Vac doesn't want the user taking it apart. When I took my motor housing apart 9 screws were phillips but 2 were square with a nipple in the middle..nothing would work not even torx or robertson so I had to go at it from the side using a small flathead...got the bastards out and replaced them with phillips so 32 years on it still works great!

[@radozeman]

Yes, my dad has an old shop vac that is still going after 15-20 years, new ones you are doing good if they last a year.

[@ChickenLips412]

At 20:04, you can hear the telltale whine of a dry bearing and/or bushing as the motor comes to full rest. NOTE: Use 3-In-One MOTOR Oil (SAE-20) with a BLUE label; it is formulated specifically for bushing/bearing lubrication. CAUTION: Do NOT use 3-In-One ORIGINAL Oil with a BLACK label for bushing/bearing lubrication; it contains unwanted additives for this application. At 5:26, the bushing end of the shaft is shown oriented up; and is generally easier to access and oil than the bearing. Most Shop-Vac bushings have a wick-type material held under a slotted metal retainer; Do not attempt to dissemble. Apply several drops of oil to this wick-type material in addition to the bushing itself. At 3:49, the bearing end of the shaft is shown oriented up with the aluminum impeller removed; this is the best time to oil the bearing. Attempting to oil the bearing without fist removing the aluminum impeller generally results in oil everywhere else but the bearing.

[@passedhighschoolphysics6010]

I like this guy. He removes electrical safety features with puts a fuse designed for 12 volts in a 120 v circuit. Somebodies in for a shocking good time.

[@maxwebster7572]

Passed High School: what's the problem with a 12v fuse other than it should be a 10a? 15a @ 12v is way more than 15a@ 120v. I could see the wattage issue but at peak if you divide voltages out the draw isn't much.

[@passedhighschoolphysics6010]

max webster I was thinking like you until recently. 15 amps is 15 amps at 12 vdc or AC is the same as 15 a at 120 VAC or DC. That is correct. Here's what i learned. Auto fuses are rated at rated for only 40 volts. The way auto fuses are constructed if used in a 120v circuit when the fuse blows, it can create a condition where the current arcs across the terminals were the fuseable link was attached. So effectively you have no fuse and have full current flowing. If one looks at the distance between the fuseable link terminals in a 120 VAC fuse and a DC you will see the distance between the fuseable terminal links is much greater which is why it's rated for a higher voltage. As I said this is something I just learned. Hope this helps you for getting a shocked. The black box you cut out of the circuit was a probably a protective thrysistor. They are in power-strips. One can think of them as sort-of like a fuse but they do much more. It was put in the circuit to protect you from getting shocked and damaging the equipment. You might be trying to win a Darwin Award, but hope you don't mind me trying to prevent you from winning one.

[@maxwebster7572]

Passed High School, what I was trying to say is that a 15a load at 12v is like 1.2a @ 120.

[@maxwebster7572]

My bad typo, 1.5v. It doesn't really matter to me because I have an assortment of sefuses here anyway but I might also add that BUSS fuses come in different sizes i.e. 5 x 20, 6 x 30, 6 x 10. I don't see where the arc theory applies, they use the same fuses in microwaves,small air compressors and mig welders. The 10a sefuse that was in the vacuum is designed to blow BEFORE heat damage occurs internally. GFCI protects from electrocution not fuses. You will be dead before the fuse blows.

[@passedhighschoolphysics6010]

max webster Yes Buss fuses come in a different sizes but they come with different not to exceed voltages too. A blown fuse in a circuit used for a higher voltage can arc the terminals. This arcing is a resistance which may not trip a GFCI. But are you using a GFCI protected circuit? Fuses actually have TWO ratings. Voltage AND current. 1. You may use a higher voltage rated fuse anywhere a lower voltage fuse is used, as long as the current rating is the same. THUS, the Handbook statement that you can use a 1 Amp. 250 Volt fuse in a low voltage (e.g. 12 Volt) circuit in place of a 1 Amp. 32 volt fuse. You MAY NOT safely use a 1 Amp. 32 Volt fuse in place of a 1 Amp. 250 Volt fuse! 2. The voltage rating DOES matter. The fuses are designed to ensure that when a fuse blows, the result will not lead to an arc inside the fuse body. (600 Volt rated fuses are usually ceramic insulated to withstand the additional heat and stress from the possible higher voltage. 3. The current rating of a fuse is for AC OR DC. It does NOT matter. The "appearance" of a blown fuse tells you nothing about the type of current (AC or DC) going through the fuse, just the AMOUNT OF CURRENT flowing through the fuse when it failed. A large surge will "vaporize" the fuse element, whether it's AC or DC. A small amount of overload will often leave much of the element still visible, whether the current was AC or DC. 4. The fusible element width, etc. is NOT determined by the voltage rating, but by the current rating. 10 Amp fuses will appear similar, whether they are 32 Volt or 250 Volt units. Low voltage (e.g., 32 volt types used in Automotive applications) will often have thicker or wider, or physically "larger" fusible elements because they typically carry larger CURRENT than 250 volt rated fuses. Auto (cylindrical type) fuses often go up to 20 or 25 Amps, values not often seen in the 250 Volt variety. (Think about it: 20 Amperes from the AC line in the U.S. would be protecting 2400 Watts- a rating that meets or exceeds the main circuit breaker of many residential lines. (Usually 15 or 20 Ampere service.) Yet, 20 Ampere fuses are common in automotive lighting systems, Air conditioning systems, etc.)

[@bruceaugustine6486]

that part that holds the fuse is called a fuse able link and if the person running the vac draws up to much water the fuse blows so the person does not get electrocuted while standing on a wet surface, not a good idea to use butt connectors to join the wires and eliminate that safety feature. You put the float upside down. the foam thing goes on the exhaust hole to defuse the air and quiet the vac slightly.

[@MrDavidbrockmeyer]

Thank you for posting this video... I inserted a fuse the same way you did and it fired right up.

[@donreid6399]

Actually, the dude who engineered this fix was named Jerry - I won't give his last name...but he was a fantastic engineer and a great guy! 🙂

[@keithnoneya]

Had the same problem with my shop vac. Opened it up and found a burnt wire in some kind of holder. Put a piece of solder in it and it has worked since. Thanks for sharing, I like the car fuse Idea. Best Wishes n Blessings. Keith

[@radozeman]

Most common failure point on them, though now I am starting to see switches fail, seems like they have really cheapened out on the switches now.

[@terriecotham1567]

Some units have a Temp fuse its works like a normal fuse but pops at a pre-set temp were a normal fuse pops at a pre -set current - level. Most fans have a temp sensor/fuse that pops as well if the airflow in the motor is cut off or way down from dust, pet hair or any other stuff that blocks the air flow for cooling the motor and letting it over-heat. If there's no cooling the wires get hot and melt the light coating and letting them short- out and could lead to a fire if the Circuit Braker or fuse is- to big. Many years ago motors did not have this and at times it's like the fourth of July when a motor shorts out and starts to burn as flames at times come out along with sparks and the smell of burnt wires I love people who take the time to fix things like this and save money thanks for taking the time to show this and post.

[@spruceheights]

I am an electromecanical technicien, I repair small appliances, and shop vacs I see all the time for that exact problem and another one also, the thermal fuse is there to prevent the overheating of the motor, thus preventing the motor to reach a temperature that can cause a fire, it is important to replace it with the proper value, this problem is mostly do to the fact that people do not change the bag often enought, if clogged, it will affect the cooling of the motor. As for the other problem, it is the top bearing that is not lubricated, after two years of regular use, it is worn out, mechanical moving parts should always be lubricated, it is wear in that bearing that cause the vibrating sound we hear when the vacuum in the video is turned on, no parts available for the motor. So before taking to much time to look for a replacement thermal fuse, check the top bearing of the motor first, for signs of excessive wear.

[@TheRainHarvester]

Christian-Maurice Duval , my shop vac honked like a goose. I put some motor oil on the bearing and it is quiet now. Wd40 didn't work.

[@HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP]

Very nice, honest video, refreshingly rated G, no unnecessary curse words or foul language- or annoying "I'm smarter than you" attitude. *Thank you, subbed*

i stopped watching at 2:53. you need to get to the point.

[@darioinfini]

2:22. Same criticism.

[@gregs7519]

I stopped at 2:13 once I saw he used an auto blade fuse to replace the stock thermal fuse.

[@misfitthemad276]

Almost. When he looked at the brushes and commutator and said "Ummm, shoes and whatnot look good" I realised he didn't have anything to teach me - quite the contrary. That was 2:04 I believe.

[@kenball1980]

Misfit the mad that was the funniest part!! i think he was referring to the brushes. hahaha!. i just bypass the O/L and run the vac on a GFI strip. theyre a bitch to open when the philips head rust out and wont turn without stripping.

[@glennkrzeminski7539]

2:30 exactly.

[@malcolmdastur4411]

Good video. If you want to turn your torx driver magnetic, just sit it on a strong magnet for a few days, preferably one out of an old microwave.

[@JustinSmith-ph1le]

I believe what you did was bypassed the thermal overload. it keeps you from burning up the motor because it got too hot, usually from the vacuum being clogged up

[@donreid6399]

Absolutely right, Justin. In fact, it was just a piece of solder acting as a thermal overload.

[@skeeterburke]

you remember the movie The Brave Little Toaster? Remember the scene where they end up in a fix it shop? The guy was fixing blenders and toasters and whatnot. Nowadays they all end up at goodwill. nobody wants to turn a wrench anymore! thanks for the vid

[@dodgee_doo]

Thermal overload protection. On many devices, it's a self-resetting fuse. It snaps out of place with heat from the motor. When it cools down, it's designed to snap back into place and complete the circuit. I had a fan that got knocked over and the fuse worked as intended but it never snapped back. So I simply removed it from the circuit. I've labeled this fan and I only use it in my garage when I'm present. Similarly, you would only use a shop vac when you are present. This is OK advice for the average DIY minded person. Average consumer? Not so much.

[@radozeman]

In this case they don't use self resetting fuses, which would make more sense if you ask me! But then again how would you get someone to buy a new vacuum.

[@GFlCh]

Great video... I learned something new here. At 04:45 - I'd tighten those screws a bit more, and/or use some Lock-tite. You don't want the motor to come loose from the screws falling out from vibration.

[@Unakite100]

Take photos when you take it apart. Makes it easier to put together.

[@Wilted_Brainz]

Nice. I was like, "You are forgetting the ball float!". Nice catch before you had it all together. Thanks for sharing.

[@clockguy2]

I had one that started squealing and found the sleeve bushings of the motor to be worn out. I replaced them with sealed ball bearings and epoxied them in. Has been running great for over 5 years now.

[@fngonuts]

yep.. this one sounds sketchy on startup (vibration..though not real bad) ..and low suction. another vid i saw .. dude puts a skateboard wheel bearing in the top shaft.. after throwing the brass bushing in the trash. serious suction and sounded new.

[@Roller76]

@@fngonuts can you paste a link to the video with the skateboard bearing that helped create better suction?

[@fngonuts]

@@Roller76 ..its been awhile...but i think this might be it..kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZW3mIR9e8usb9E

[@donreid6399]

Yeah...we used some pretty cheap bushings when we made those motors. There was a BIG push on saving money at the time!

[@jims2507]

Thank you for including all the reassembly. There are a lot of parts to reassemble!

[@ChrisAdvena]

I'm an engineer. It is hard to see in the video, but it looks like a thermal overload protection device, that is thermal cutoff. You need that it to prevent burning out your motor and/or starting a fire. It cuts power when it gets too hot. If the motor won't start after cooling down, the cutoff died. Look up the manual for your vac online, then find the thermal cutoff and replace it with a like item. You can bypass it briefly in the shop for testing only. While testing, be sure to clean bearings. Check for any rough movement of any parts and burn marks. Listen for bad/dirty bearings. If the thermal overload switch failed for a reason, you want to fix the problem. Otherwise, the new switch will have a short life. A fuse or jumper may work, but at the expense of the motor and safety. Do not replace a part unless you know what it is and with a like rated part. For your safety, seek help from a pro. Please consider updating the video. Good luck and be safe.

[@HighestRank]

Most thermal fuses are sacrificial and permanently mounted in the most inaccessible locations; both technical expertise and versioning concerns obviate listing any cutoffs replacement in manuals. A good engineer would know this.

[@jrjackson334]

above definitely not an engineer or english major either...

[@echodelta9]

In a world of plastic things that should be metal, the thermal fuse is a CYA tactic marketing bonanza fill the landfills dream come true. I found one of these so clean it looked new but was dead. It's that little yellow thing. Thing is, it looked like it failed on it's own cheap design and assembly. If the hose is blocked it's supposed to DIE!

[@endall6783]

Did not know someone had to be a English major to tell somebody something.. I guess most of us are just f*cked.......

[@alagogo]

Chris Advena thermal RELAY !

[@beejme9time]

I'm not gonna watch 20 minutes for you to explain why I clicked on the video..but you still win- you got my view and a comment

[@dalesworld1308]

16 1/2 minutes of reassembly before we find out if you fixed it. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[@OldBenOne]

almost like real life !

[@dalesworld1308]

True that.

[@CplSkiUSMC]

Chinese kids can put those together 50 time faster! :-)

[@garybrinker4522]

dalesworld I feel asleep, my wife stayed I was snoring I still can't fix one.

[@duanebarrett2409]

He should have tested it before completely reassembling it. If it didn't work he would have had to completely disassemble it again. It's not hard to reattach the switch and plug and test before reassembling the whole thing.

[@louiel8711]

good video, all pre 2002 shop vacs had no thermal protection fuses in them. that feature was added mostly to curb overheating during high load testing as done on the assembly lines.

[@radozeman]

Must be why the 15 year old vacuum cleaner keeps on working, while the 1 year old ones keep dying.

[@louiel8711]

RDAllen you know it I got first hand experience building them as the main factory is in my home town

[@loungelizard836]

Good find but remember that you are using a fuse probably rated 25 or 50v arcover voltage in a 110v motor. It could blow but still arc causing a fire!

[@radozeman]

And what about breakers?

[@loungelizard836]

RDAllen Breakers are rather large. There are thermal breakers like in a coffee brewer, but that won't protect from arcing.

[@loungelizard836]

RDAllen Why not just install a 110 or 220v rated fuse, in a fuse holder? They are really cheap. You can get them off Ebay or Amazon.

[@vince55sanders]

I think the doohickey is a temperature protection sensor. i bridged mine over when it shit the bed too

[@loungelizard836]

peetrpeetr I'm good with the Oky-style fixes, long as the person knows what they are doing and what they are changing. 20 years ago there was no thermal protection in these products. The mfr doesn't care either because obviously it costs nearly the same with a resettable thermal breaker as opposed to a thermal fuse, if that is what the device is.

[@shotokankaratedo6155]

thermal electrical fuse that takes a load and when it warm-up on load the fuse switches off until it cools. I place a piece of heat sink to keep it running longer. great video and fuse you added.

[@radozeman]

The type of fuse they use burns up and is done!

[@hossrod]

Sounds like motor bearings are worn and/or dry. The top bearing (and sometimes bottom one) have a foam ring around them soaked with oil. I've rescued several "screaming" shop vacs by pulling them apart, cleaning the bearing and shaft, and reoiling the bearing and soaking the sponge.

[@dodgydruid]

Over here in the UK, we have what was an industrial vac called a Henry and it was designed as totally modular, no part cannot be replaced meaning that they can last many long years and are a doddle to work on.

[@radozeman]

And over here we have shop vacs that if you are doing good last about 6 months!

[@petertyrrell6690]

Wow, lots of negative criticism. The correct part should of course be used but what he did is not so bad. Most of us are not going to turn on a vacuum cleaner, leave it and go out for a walk. In normal use, if the unit did overload/overheat you would hear something was wrong long before it caught fire and you would turn it off. He is in no danger at all from his repair as long as he uses it normally.

[@radozeman]

Plus unlike what everyone is saying, I don't believe that is a thermal fuse that we replaced.

[@petertyrrell6690]

RDAllen If I got a vacuum with the same issue, I would do a similar repair in a heart beat. I wouldn't do it for anyone else though unless they understood the risks.. It is likely a thermal cutout as there is a small chance that the unit might over heat and melt the plastic but if you use it normally you would realise something was going wrong and you would shut it off.

[@kevinman5019]

Everyone is a critic because it is easy and takes no effort. Critics risk nothing. Thanks for the video. I wasn’t too lazy to tap through the slower parts. Good info. Keep charging!

[@allanhmelnitski978]

21 minutes. Twenty one minutes. Twenty. One... and 19 seconds. Nineteen. Seconds.

[@mariannehall345]

Allan Hmelnitski c

[@rtel123]

or, how to make 3 minutes of info into a 21 minute ramble. BTW, A thermal fuse has an engineered safety function, An overcurrent fuse does NOT replace it!

[@jamesha175]

that is correct. you need to replace it with the exact same part.

[@oldman9843]

Unfortunately, the replacement part isn't available or cost a dollar more than a new shopvac ...I am kidding of course but it makes the point .

[@HighestRank]

Friggit!

[@petergambier]

It's incredible what people throw away isn't it? and just like you I cannot resist trying to fix things. Just recently I found a decent full size Makita drill, which I took apart and fixed after I found there were 2 cables that had come loose, no idea why it was dumped. Last year I came across a complete non-working 110 volt cement mixer and fixed that too, so now I'm the proud owner of 2 cement mixers.

[@radozeman]

Nice, see that type of thing all the time, that is the way I got my larger speaker system, picked it up really cheap (too cheap) previous owner said everything worked (liar) . Turns out the sub did not work, took it apart to find one of the wires to the sub fell off. Fixed and I got myself a really cheap speaker system.

[@petergambier]

There is a program where the British comedian, Paul Merton is travelling around China, he visits this amazing man who makes automata and other devices from electronic scrap. A real eye opener is when another Brit, comedian Bill bailey, visits the e-waste capital in another out of the way Chinese city where everybodies old computer junk goes to die. I have never seen so much junk and pollution, and right in the middle of all this is a restaurent that sells every single type of animal to eat that you can imagine and there inside the place he sees a beautiful Eurasion Eagle owl for sale to anybody with the right money and the right appetite, it's just so sad but at least Bill buys the thing and releases it back into the wild. Anyway, watch the Chinese Junk guy, he's inspirational. All the best from the UK.

[@wolvenar]

As others have pointed out, that looks like a thermal fuse. It fails when the motor gets to a dangerous heat. Thus happens when the airflow is interrupted for to long and or often.

[@nthkeoaeosntuhaeosnu]

Ok, mine had the exact same screw missing just where you said. And I was not sure which way to put the float. Open on top or bottom ? I assembled like you did. But somewhere else I looked said turn the cup up. I can't find any schemic to see for sure. But I think you are right on the way it goes.

[@radozeman]

I put it in the way it came out, I don’t know that it matter which way it goes, especially if you don’t use it for liquids

[@maxquigley9524]

Me too, in a similar Shop Vac. It seems to be done on purpose at the factory.

[@christopherscallio2539]

Planned obsolescence. Corporations scientifically study how to make a product fail. They want an acceptable time of use before the failure. How thin can we make the filament of a light bulb. How thin cotton thread of a shirt. How thin on vulcanized rubber tires. ect.

[@radozeman]

Exactly!

[@tomtorbet7758]

Christopher Scallio

[@Mosfet510]

Oh sure they do! They take what ever the max/envelopes edge is for a part etc and derate it by xx% and failure here we come.

[@HighestRank]

How long can we make a short circuit.

[@billcoley8520]

How much warranty on a car battery? 4 years 1 day

[@edwardnorton2012]

That filter you figured out to put in on the top is just that, a filter. It is there to filter the incoming air. Not to offend but may I suggest you do a couple of things. 1) invest in a cordless drill or screw driver to shorten your time in repairs as well as time used for the video ( seems most here are complaining about the time). 2) don't be so rough tossing the components around, you can break more than you repair on things like this. Shop-Vac does not make the fuse accessible because they do not want the consumer replacing them, they want people to run out and buy a new vac! In fairness most manufactures work that way on things like this. Other than what I said above, you made a nice clear video! You made out well with that freebee for sure. I own 2 of them and they have ran perfectly for 10 years now! On one of them I did replace that on/off switch with a toggle since shop-vac wanted $28 for a replacement.

[@bardrick4220]

You shouldn't reassemble the vacuum until you test the motor. Just clamp the motor down and keep your fingers out of the electrical bits. Then you don't need to do all the reassembly work if it's still broken. ;P

[@ericsquire9036]

Bardrick jtf

[@tomkaye4103]

Eric Squire QQ

[@cheryltrozelle4855]

D here, I just put the twenty amp fuse in my shop vac and tested it. , it works like a champ. I bent the existing connection points to the outside and there was plenty of room to allow the fuse in and plenty of resistance to hold the fuse in place. You must have done plenty of box jobs for folks. I know I have . I take some pics if it's really complicated but on things like this I just wing it. Mine was missing one screw at the end also but One of the holes showed no sign of a screw being in there so I just left it out... Thanks for the video

[@radozeman]

I've fixed so many of these things I've lost track, easy fix just takes time!

[@dbstelly]

Editing is your friend!

[@brettking8663]

No raw and genuine is the way to go. I like to see people struggling just like me

[@phoenixfireclusterbomb]

And so is the 10 second forward feature and video time slider. Just a little tap on the screen.

[@grantpeters9014]

By a Ridgid. Lifetime replacement on the motor. I bought mine in 2005 and still runs like a champ and I use it a lot.

[@aflyfishr]

You got the switch installed backward, green is on, red is off.

[@Delekham]

I am enjoying these DIY videos. Keep up the great work RD!!!

[@radozeman]

+Delekham Thanks!

[@feynthefallen]

Guessing what a doohickey did once might be dangerous sometimes. In case you guess wrong you know, and end up accidentially replacing a doohickey with a thingamabob. One that doesn't do the doohickeyin' and too much thingamabobin' instead. If I were you, I'd make darn sure I replaced a doohickey with a doohickey and a thingamabob with a thingamabob, unless I really knew what doohickeyin' or thingamabobin' they were supposed to do. Just saying.

[@radozeman]

LOL

[@jirojosephesman8175]

Great video...can you convert a dewalt cordless vacuum broken to home depot portable vacuum..so I can use the battery parts thank you have a blessed day and be blessed

[@shafferjoe1962]

Thanks for the tip and laugh, OMG when it started after you hit the red button and then you said well it is wired backwards, I busted out laughing... WHY?? Because it is something I would have done... BAHAHAHAHAHAH

[@radozeman]

50/50 chance of getting it right! I'd better not play the lottery!

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

So yesterday, I put all the gusts of my genies electrical panel back. Tonight, I fire her up... but wtf? no power?! Turns out, I never turned the breaker back on. lol

[@shafferjoe1962]

@@jed-henrywitkowski6470 LMAO...BAHAHA something else I would have done in trying to get it running... Keep laughing brother it's all good...

[@thomascleavenger6444]

Most enjoyable video I've seen in a long time. I've done this kind of thing many times in my life. I'm retired now, can't hardly do much anymore. Here's a tip: put a small magnet on your screw driver to hold on the screws while putting then in place. Don't listen to all the critics about the fuse, the one you used is fine. I mean how long do you ever have is turned on at a tine anyway. It's not going to overload in two or tree minutes if you're not abusing it ! Again- great video !

[@jssamp4442]

As an electrical engineer and a former fire fighter, all I can say is...nothing. The number of comments showing a careless disregard for fire safety (other people's) combined with the apparent ignorance of the design intent of the thermal cut-off have left me speechless. Congratulations, that is a rare condition for me. The engineers who designed this thing and the company that built it did not include a TCO device just because there was extra space in the vacuum and extra money in the production budget. Believe me, if it wasn't important they would have saved the cost of putting it in there. But enough people die in fires each year that we have agreed as a society, that screaming alpha class fires are worth a few extra pennies to prevent. It's not going to overload in 2 or 3 minutes you say? OK, I'll bite. In your expert opinion, how long would it take an unrestricted current, supplied by a 12 gauge, 120 volt line, to generate enough resistive heating to melt the nearby insulation and cause a fire in an electric motor? What about if the motor is stalled? And if it is a commutated, series-wound motor with nothing but the resistance of the winding to restrict the current, and whatever you have used to bypass the safety limit devices? Seconds maybe? Hopefully it takes longer than it does the circuit breaker to trip.

[@RutgersSieve]

@@jssamp4442 Uh, dude this is why electrical boxes have breakers. Nobody's talking about "unrestricted current" here.

[@BestLittleStudio]

Torx, spoken like "Torks", rhymes with forks. Specifically, not pacifically, unless it has to do with the pacific ocean.

[@thedesertfix2666]

I literally just jammed a 15a fuse (same as the one you used) into my motor, in a similar spot on a different unit... and IT WORKED! 🤣🤣🤣Thanks! Saved me from buying another $99 shopvac

[@radozeman]

Right! Mine is still going strong yet!

[@joseph-mariopelerin7028]

its a heat switch and/or diode... 45 cents at radio shack

[@court2379]

joseph-mario pelerin And a time machine to go back and find a radio shack.

[@RangerM98]

This is my style of shopping!...thanks for sharing!

[@hogfeeder7680]

prime example of people who should be arrested for buying tools.

[@WiliamBennettwildarbennett]

HogFeeder or as I like to say The Electricity has a higher rating than his IQ #

[@roscoe454]

if you leave dust cap off it will have more suction..i got the very same one and fixed it just like you..i also ran black tape around the top of the container that the upper half sits on it works sooo good for me :)

[@radozeman]

I've noticed that as well with the dust cap.

[@-CCdude]

torx not tor-axe A cordless driver set on low torque would be faster too. Thanks for cool video but next time we don't need to see how to put in 12 screws, it's kind of captain obvious.

[@ChuckRoss77]

CCdude I agree...tor-ax? What a knothead lol

[@williamhill406]

Chuck Ross I could barely stand to watch the approximately 7min.and 50 seconds just to hear him say Tor-Axe screw !!! Oh so painful....(Would have been more entertaining to take a Hammer and hit myself in the Hard repeatedly.....)

[@scottfirman]

I used to pick them up at construction jobs. A guy told me he always figures in the price of a new shop vac at every job because when he is done with them,they are junk. I have gotten several from him in the past,tear them down,clean them up and sell them. He is right though, they get pretty messed up,especially working around drywall. He sometimes buys two at a time,one for cleanup after,but he reuses those on the next job till they are trashed out. Drywall dust really kills those things,the filters choke out pretty bad and most guys just keep using them until they quit.

[@radozeman]

We have that at work as well, usually use the bags though and that helps.

[@trevormangus7832]

Why not plug it in and test BEFORE reassembling

[@jimthehermit8113]

that was my idea too

[@robovaccollector]

Motors are pretty dangerous, and when you will plug them in, they will without softstart board make a pretty big turn, and they can "jump" off the table, fall on you, etc.

[@neilwilliams8608]

Awesome video, RDAllen. I have a 2 year old RIDGID 5 gal. shop vac. Why does it have a small blue spark when plugged into a wall socket. Thanks so much.

[@radozeman]

Is the switch bad?

[@neilwilliams8608]

When the switch is at the OFF position and plugged into the wall outlet that's when the small blue spark happens. Thanks for your reply and your video.

[@saltyd2137]

Very annoying. Sorry. I really wanted to see how you fixed but just could not handle the circles you were going in.

[@gunner4q]

agreed, I got so dizzy I fell off the merry-go-round of useless knowledge...

[@kimdavis3835]

Just repaired a Shop Vac with a 15 amp fuse, works great.

[@radozeman]

nice!

[@davetaylor2449]

I agree after watching this video, I drove down my street, and found fifteen of these things just sitting out in front of people's houes waiting to be hauled off by the trash companies. Even found a black guy out in front of one house, but I did not pick him up, cause I knew no one has ever got one of these things to work.

[@hardway523]

Cool video man, the haters crying cause you showed step by step are the same folks tossing perfectly good merchandise on the curb with minor flows.

[@radozeman]

True!

[@richardgray5207]

based on the comments this chap must greatly regret ever having made this video!

[@radozeman]

Nope, fun reading how smart people think they are

[@jimintaos]

My own experience with shop vacs is that it is usually the top bushing that fails. The bottom end of the shaft has a real bearing but the top has a oil lite bronze bushing. When the bushing wears and begins to bind the shop vac screams about it. Then, when the bushing totally fails the rotor wobbles and shorts out against the windings. Unfortunately, even if you could fine the bushing on line, the shaft is so scored that a new bushing would fail shortly after it is put back into use.

[@radozeman]

Well I have one I repaired over 10 years ago as you said the bushing is probably going, but still got another 10 years and still going out of it

[@fade2black510]

Just to let you know TORX does not have a A in it ....lol

[@chriswonsmos1007]

Fade2black I believe he was mistakenly calling it tor ... X. Not torax, but still...

[@stevenfoster618]

Isn't that screwdriver the back half of a bug?:-)

[@totallyfrozen]

Steven Foster Uh, no, that’d be the abdomen.

[@jimmytate7587]

you will see very few shop vacs with a fuse. that one is to protect the motor if the filter becomes plugged. if that happens the motor runs wild and current rises, the fuse blows, but again you will see very few shop vacs that use them. i would have just thrown it away, but your method works well.

[@radozeman]

Every shop vac I have seen has always had some sorta of fuse like this, sometimes they are in different place though.

[@kryczeck]

So as far as I can tell. This is a video demonstration on how to insert screws into plastic. 20 minutes of turning screws, 30 seconds of actually showing the main topic. And seriously? You put the whole thing back together without first checking to make sure the motor actually worked? Really? No really?

[@radozeman]

It worked didn't it?

[@brettking8663]

@@radozeman GOT 'EM!!! Bet he feels stupid. Love the video bro

[@raylopez9153]

😂

[@s1monstar23]

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing this excavation. Probably coulda been 8 mins though. Keep up the good work!

[@zee-lusay4087]

"Torax"? you mean Torx

[@tornadokat]

A Torax is created by humping a Lorax with a Torx screwdriver.

[@JillofAllTrades2]

tornadokat In Hooville

[@brettking8663]

It's the cousin of the T-Rex 🦖. Y'all jealous cause you don't have a pet dinosaur

[@rayanthony6865]

Look almost 33,000 people subscribed so that they can see when this guy wins the Darwin Award.

[@paulmarsh9544]

I thought you were talking about my wife in the beginning

[@NorthernChev]

ATTENTION VIEWERS: Skip to 3:00 to blow by three minutes of telling you "what it isn't" and to get right to the point. BTW, I can confirm that he is correct. This part, other than bearing failure is almost always the demise of most shop vac motors. He is right on the money. Great video.

[@kenball1980]

at least hes trying, a lot of the younger generation are afraid of getting their hands dirty.

[@BGraves]

4 years later and the youth maker generation is stronger than ever before. Such an old man condescending outlook.

[@saadesaade582]

great video, just fixed my shop vac exactly as shown in your video, I'm stoked, thanks a bush you saved me money☺

[@saadesaade582]

bunch *

[@radozeman]

Not a problem! Glad it worked!

[@tomlangley8852]

Too much Damned talking! Get to the point!

[@freuderickfrankenstein8417]

When you're in love with your own voice what can you do?

[@bertsbug5757]

He did..... I like when it's story time to fix something it's more amusing and watchable

[@samanth7777]

At 1:29 in ur video under your finger black wire, mine had a resistor or capacitor hidden in the wire. just saying I cut it out n reconnected works like a dream.

[@radozeman]

I've seen that before as well on an older vac.

[@samanth7777]

@@radozeman But this one is on my brand new vac!

[@captron7250]

You need to learn to do "jump cuts" in video

[@benjamingenenderjr.1450]

nice video good job Tip if you have a cell? I take a pic or two during the break down to refer to them for the rebuiid

[@radozeman]

I've done that before, works great!

[@imnobody4522]

you really should be concerned with why it failed early. prime candidate moisture in the bearings causing it to work harder pulling excessive current. I've rebuilt enough box fans to have learned, maybe you will too.

[@430Alloy]

It sounded like a bearing problem to me also. The "bearing noise", lack of suction, and the motor didn't dramatically speed up when the intake was blocked.

[@elizclark1967]

Oddly enuf, the bearing is my 1st thought as well-& I'm just the daughter of a Professional Electronic &Mechanical Engineer...as if its rockets science?? I think the video is cute, long winded but he is having fun--gotta satisfy that need to fix things & use TORAX tool bits-LOL😬

[@bread-gz3rl]

You should oil the bearings

[@maxquigley9524]

I have a similar Shop Vac. Air comes out of it at 140 degrees F. It's 95 in my garage. The motor spins freely, but I oiled it a little anyway. Is the air supposed to be so hot as it blows out?

[@bread-gz3rl]

@@maxquigley9524 dunno about specific temperatures they're supposed to run but it's usually like 30-45% higher then room temperature

[@carolinabeacher1558]

is that dan aykroyds son?

[@EdwardZNorton]

It's a pain in the neck but if you know what your doing you can remove or add any screw with a pocket knife, the "star bit" screws like you had in your shop vac or hexagonal head screws all the same, I figured that out when I had to repair something and the screwdriver I needed was only made in Japan and cost 80 bucks just for the screwdriver the s&h was like another 70 bucks, when I got the gadget apart I proceeded to replace all the screws with Philips and flat heads

[@radozeman]

Don't blame you there!

[@JimmyKoKo2]

Crazy fool. Hope someone doesn't get hurt following your advise.

[@mo-reesespieces9066]

Thanks for taking the time to show this. Great video. I am guessing I have the same problems with the cheap electrical pressure washer. Guess I need to start taking it apart. lol

[@radozeman]

Yes, very common in all the cheap stuff now days.

[@yellowskunk3465]

Appreciate it man. Good upload!

[@MrPajamaman40]

thank you for the video. I'm keeping my eye open for a old vac on the side-road now .;-)

[@radozeman]

Easy way to get one!

[@jumpingjo3689]

Perfect. The safety features are for people who are deaf.

[@FloatingIdeasonanarrowboat]

Cutty Sark springs to mind!

[@EngTecher]

Seems in various videos there is always one philips screw missing. Odd huh! I have two shop vacs that do not turn on. The 14 gal Shop vac did work after making a bad noise but i fixed it. But during use today, it stopped working after 1 hour. I will review video again. The smaller drywet shop does the same thing, when turned, not working. I will get back to you if they are working.

[@practicalman45]

Many Universal Motors (brushes and commutator energizes the spinning rotor coils) are short-lived because of their brushes wearing down in limited usage hours. They also wear out the shaft bushings pretty quickly, too. Yes, shaft bushings, NOT sealed bearings, like a quality power tool has, along with provisions for replacing the worn carbon brushes... They support the motor shaft on bushings made from powdered brass pressed together (sintered) and soaked with oil. In a dusty environment (a shop vac, are you kidding?) the oil catches dust which eats out the bushings and the motor brushes. The loose bushing allows the shaft to sort of "walk around" inside the bushing chattering. It is a characteristic sound you'd recognize ("yep, this thing is about shot...") That growling sound chatter also puts heavy load on motor amperage draw, which heats up and melts the one time wax fuse open (better than that motor catching on fire!) and your shop vac is ready for the landfill. Defeat that fuse and you may have a catastrophic fire. Stop it right away if it is "growling"! A drop or two of oil on the bushing MAY buy you a short extra usage time, usually not much..... Manufacturers plan it this way to sell you a new one every year or so. Your $100 shop vac has a motor the manufacturer probably paid $5 for. Those cheap motors/fan assemblies are often common to multiple vacuum models and "maybe" it can be found brand new/inexpensively at an industrial liquidators? (Burdens Surplus, Northern Tool, etc. and only buy it for the $10 it is actually worth...) Alternatively, you might scrounge up an older, quality, used but still good, industrial vacuum cleaner (Electrolux, Dyson. Rainbow? etc.) and adapt that motor/fan assembly onto your broken shop vac and get many years out of it? (if you're handy...) Look at any of these type tool motors closely before buying the new tool. Sealed ball bearings supported shafts and replaceable brushes are highly desirable. Does the owner's manual include a parts list (and there is a way to purchase replacements?) That's a good sign... A shop vac with a stainless steel tank probably has one of those quality motors, one with an all plastic housing setup probably does not.... If we all insisted on only buying well made tools, the makers of shabby disposable ones would be forced to improve quality.

[@elizclark1967]

Wow!! Well spoken & very informative--after 20 yrs of house cleaning. Becomes apparent the huge differences between brands/models..I still use the Electrolux canister vac that Mom used back in the 1970's...(HMM)yes that would improve my wet/dry vac good idea! I'm just glad that Torax/ partial educated guy got.his wet/dry back together & it worked! The suspense! I appreciate ur post esp that consumers SHOULD be demanding nowadays. Upon quality

[@DavidRamos-fl6dk]

You got the right idea repairing It i myself enjoy repairing leaf blower's lawn tractors snowblowers but believe me you will definitely be better off just ordering the original part it'll probably cost you 2 to 3 dollars 💵 if you're like me you probably store gasoline in your garage and other chemicals not worth the risk of catching fire in the garage good luck 🍀 God bless and be safe

[@radozeman]

I've never been able to find the original part or even figure out what it is to replace it with the correct part. I know a lot of the commenters say it is a thermal fuse, but I have to disagree and think it just a regular fuse link.

[@Wookiemonsterfreak]

Thermal fuse. Had a vacuum fail, cleaned it up of fine dust, them once cooled, it worked again. Think they only trip so often until they fail completely. Had a stereo do the same thing. One thing, I would test before the trouble of reassembly, but that just a time save, the objective was met regardless.

[@bohabdestructo7489]

what they sead is true about the thermal high limit fuse, but everyone missed the reason it failed. Just from the sound, I can tell the bearings are bad. Fried they are. Sleeve bearing with a saw dust soaked in oil for lubrication. The saw dust now comes with almost no oil. If you want a shop vac to last soak the bearings over night with household oil, or mineral oil if you dont have that use automotive oil, or two stroke. oil.

[@TheZwieblekopf]

Great little video . internally that machine is just like mine and you did it just like I would have. Going out to put a 20 amp fuse in mine because that's what I have. Thanks

[@ChrisAdvena]

Don't do it. You need that thermal overload protector to prevent burning out your motor and starting a fire. It is like a thermostat to turn off the motor when it gets too hot. Do not replace it with a fuse. Look up the manual for your vac online, then find the thermal overload switch and replace it with a like rated item. It may have just gone bad. Or, it may have saved the the last owner! Anyway, be sure to clean and lube bearings. Check for any rough movement of any parts. Listen for shot bearings. If the thermal overload switch failed for a reason, you need to fix the problem. Otherwise, the new switch will also fail. Never replace a part unless you know what it is and if you can safely bypass it. Good luck and be safe.

[@donms99]

Forget all the rest of the comments (it works) it’s more than likely a thermistor you have bypassed. And yes it should Be replaced with the original part if available. But you did get it working again and did make a video and posted it, a lot more than the rest of the haters did. Words are so cheep when you don’t have anything to gain. Good luck Don

[@radozeman]

Finally someone with a decent comment! All the rest are just upset they threw their vacuums away when they could have fixed em really simply lol. Thanks!

[@scottpowell6145]

you are supposed to memorize the thing as you take it apart, yes? great job

[@radozeman]

Nah.

[@scottpowell6145]

Lol