How Many Uses For a Wet/Dry Vac Aboard?

dwhatty said:

Injected it into hot water tank this summer in attempt to remove sulfur smell. Worked.

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That's hydrogen peroxide, not your Shopvac, right David?

smitty477 said:

Stinger wet vac - Can use it to inflate vac and blow. Have a few of them always one on the boat. Works well stores easily and cheaply replaced if necessary.


Stinger 2.5 gal. 1.75-Peak HP Compact Wet Dry Vac-WD2025 - The Home Depot

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We have one of those; great size for a boat, was a real "MVT" for sure.

FlyWright said:

That's hydrogen peroxide, not your Shopvac, right David?

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Ayuh.

I've seen a few posts on here about using the vac to inflate a dinghy. How do you step the vacuum hose down enough for it to mate with the valve fitting? On my caribe, I would need to step down to a 1" OD hose.

Often all you have to do is hold it over the hole till the inflatable gets firm...then top it off with the normal foot pump.

psneeld said:

Often all you have to do is hold it over the hole till the inflatable gets firm...then top it off with the normal foot pump.

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Ditto

I always have at least two, and I abuse the hell out of 'em. The biggest job is dust, mostly from fiberglass, teak, metal shavings and some kind of terrible black, original glue dust that the builder used on walls and roof panels. I use them to clean out head clogs, bilge, thru-hulls, vents, and the occasional wasp nest. Here is a shot of my smaller unit drawing moisture out of the core of my transom. When I drilled the holes for the swim platform brackets, one of them was weeping moisture. I found the lowest place on the transom that was still cored and drew a vacuum on it while leaving the other holes open for air intake. Turns out that there wasn't much in it, but many yards use the same process to dry wet cores.

Bucket vac! I can also use the bucket for crabs.

I use it when draining antifreeze from the engines.
Take out the plug, the vac hose sucks all the antifreeze as it drains out the hole, so nothing gets into the bilge.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Is it snowing in NY already?

Use it to suck a string through a wiring chase so you can use it to pull wire.

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If it is a long run, tie a cotton ball to the end.

O C Diver said:

Can't tell you how many holes drilled, cuts with a saber saw, and sanding with a Dremel tool, I've done with the shop vac nozzle in the other hand. It's easier to suck up the mess as you make it.

Ted

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Mule said:

If it is a long run, tie a cotton ball to the end.

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That's were a Tampon comes in handy. As it already has a string attached.

Capt.Bill11 said:

That's were a Tampon comes in handy. As it already has a string attached.

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For larger diameter conduit, take a poly shopping bag (for all you "green" types) and make a small bubble (trapped air) in one corner. Wrap/tie your pulling string with electrical tape to seal bubble and stuff it into the conduit. Easy-peasy