Cordless wet/dry vac

[Minnewaska]

DC500 2 Gallon Cordless/Corded Wet/Dry Vac | DEWALT Tools

Just got one of these and it is fantastic. I needed something easier to get the last bits of water out of the corners of the bilges that just don't drain completely.

Arrived yesterday. I filled the sink with a half inch of water and it cleaned it all out in seconds. The reservoir holds 2 gallons and will shut off automatically, but has a drain. If I prop it up over the bilge pump itself, with the drain open, there would be no need to empty.

It runs equally as well on either an 18v battery (not included) or plugged in to 110v. I haven't tested the endurance of the battery yet, only the strength. The suction is certainly not as good as a huge home wet/dry, but perfectly adequate. The filter does not have to be removed for water, which I always found tough with home wet/drys to go back and forth. Hose can be plugged into exhaust to become a blower. The whole thing is about the size of the proverbial breadbox, so it will be easy to find a home aboard or in a dock locker.

I ordered through Amazon and got a huge discount on a package of the vac, batt and charger all together.

Two thumbs up.

[redunculous]

Nice post

Been slowly walking through looking at items of interest and this was on my list!

Thanks for posting your review

[JimMcGee]

I found a 12v one gallon wet/dry at a Petro truck stop a couple of seasons ago. I think I paid around $25. Like the DeWalt it's not as powerful as a big shop vac but it does a good job with basic boat cleanup jobs. Because the shape is kind of flattened on the sides it stores in the cubby behind a seat cushion with room to spare. Truck stops are a good place to find all kinds of 12v widgets.

[HUGOSALT]

Boughtwet/dry Ryobi vac few years ago..great for boat,
same 18 volt battery powers a smaller bustbuster type vac (but more power) and portable drill, light, and palm sander...all great for boat.
My guess is Dewalt has similiar line up.
Truck stops for 12 volt widgets, great..thanks Jim McGee

[mtboat]

I have a Buckethead. Home Depot, 20 bucks. wet or dry , turns any 5 gallon bucket into a shop vac. It is not 12 volt but I can live with that. Pretty handy in saving space.

[Minnewaska]

This wet/dry vac has been one of the most useful tools on the boat. The 18v battery stays charged for a reasonable length of time and works just as well as plugging it into the wall, which is an option if the battery runs low. It's perfect for taking up water from hard to drain places and after we clean the bilge. Also comes in handy to clean the cockpit and, when the hose is moved to the blower, we've used it to inflate swim tubes.

Unfortunately, it died last week. I vacuumed the bilge, emptied the reservoir and it wouldn't not come back on. I decided to go on a home repair, disassembled the unit a found the 4amp tube fuse was blown. Unfortunately, the fuse is soldered into the circuit board and not replaceable. I actually ruined it when I went at it with needle nose pliers, as it appeared to be held within a bracket. Since I messed with it and crushed the bracket, I'm sure they wouldn't take it back.

It is possible that I jumbled the unit too hard when emptying it, but not sure that should have blown the fuse. Since we really found it to be so helpful, I decided to order another. If this one dies too, I will obviously have to look elsewhere.

[Hartley18]

Minne, don't forget that none of these things are designed for sucking up seawater, so you should not expect it to live long before the motor seizes up.

Each to their own I suppose, but as useful as a cordless/main-voltage high-capacity vacc would be, personally, I find that having to replace my almost-useless dirt-cheap 12V unit every 6-12 months hurts my wallet less than replacing an expensive cordless one with the same life span.

[treilley]

I have been using the Dewalt vac for 2 years now and we use it to clean out the bilge. You just need to clean with fresh water after sucking up salt or brackish water.

The perfect accessory for my 18v right angle drill.

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by Hartley18

Minne, don't forget that none of these things are designed for sucking up seawater, so you should not expect it to live long before the motor seizes up.

I don't think it ever touched sea water, my bilge gets rain water from down the mast or fresh water from cleaning. Not a spot of corrosion inside when I took it apart. Actually, the thruway from the hose is all plastic. The exhaust side is as well, except for an aluminum impeller. The motor is sealed outside the waterway and there is a float in the tank to prevent it from sucking water directly, but I'm sure that moisture makes its way past. I know all this because I took it all apart.

Anyway, the suction was remarkably better than I expected on a cordless vac, so we are giving it another try. Box arrived last night from Amazon. Something like $90. That part was not fun, even if well below list price.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Hartley18

Minne, don't forget that none of these things are designed for sucking up seawater, so you should not expect it to live long before the motor seizes up.

Each to their own I suppose, but as useful as a cordless/main-voltage high-capacity vacc would be, personally, I find that having to replace my almost-useless dirt-cheap 12V unit every 6-12 months hurts my wallet less than replacing an expensive cordless one with the same life span.

C,
We have one of the cheapies. I guess we use it more often than you would but its 'cheapness' annoys the hell out of me. I reckon we'll give something better a go if and when I find one. Will be checking out a DeWalt dealer shortly though I would prefer a plug in 12v model rather than rechargeable.