Will My Old, Forgotten, Weathered Shop Vac Still Run?

Originally recorded July 11, 2022.

I decided it was high time to dig out my old Shop Vac that lives in the corner in the backyard and see if it still worked. I originally bought this Shop Vac when I bought the house. There was a big garbage can in the basement filled with water, and I needed a way to empty it. At the time, I had no idea that there was a pool cover pump in the garage that would have done the trick. This particular model can not only suck up water, but pump it out, great thing for a flood as well. Plus, it can be used to do anything a regular Shop Vac would do. It worked perfectly for its intended operation.

Then I got a call from xjoe81x, who was going to be renting an apartment 8 blocks away. He wanted to borrow it. Sure, why not, this way it can get some use instead of sitting dormant. Of all things that could happen, the house that had the apartment he was going to rent CAUGHT FIRE, and this was inside. It was smoke damaged, smelled like smoke, and had some holes in the hose where it melted through. I couldn't any longer store it in the house or the garage because of how it smelled, so it stayed in the corner of the backyard for years. Every year I'd use it and it would work fine. Over the years, the smell dissipated, but it always had a home in that corner.

Eventually, something went wrong with it, where the vacuum wouldn't stay turned on. I took it apart, hoping to jump out the switch going to the motor, only to find that it was actually 2 switches, and there was absolutely no slack on the wire. I used an inordinate amount of hot glue to glue the "plungers" of the switches down to make it run. It ran great, turned on when plugged in, and off when unplugged.

It fell into disuse many years ago. Just never had a need for it. Will it still work after all these years, almost 14 of which it spent sitting outside, uncovered? Watch and find out!

Related video:
Outdoorsy Stuff & Old Shop Vac

[Z-Ack]

One hell of a damn shop vac story you had there.. jesus... like an episode of "these are the days of our lives" type of mind numbing story tale.. lol..

[shirosurfer]

Man I appreciate good shop vac stories

I'm just missing some popcorn 🍿 🤔

Man you are a great story teller I can tell you do people very greatly

[dynatrak]

That is impressive it still runs!
Yes, from the fire at my friend's house, I remember it takes a long time for that smell to dissipate.

[Epiccatsandkittens]

That looks like the one my dad used to have, but it didn't have the little bucket on the back. I used to play with that thing by sucking up paper and small bags and thought the sound it made was funny.

[applianceman]

We had a Shop Vac QSP that lasted 20 years. It was used a few times a month. I took our newer one apart, and the motor’s design hasn’t really changed all that much compared to the older one. I guess I’ll have to see how long it holds up. So far, it is 4 years old.

[bread-gzrl]

I've left an early 2000s QSP model (6.5 gallon from like 2007) outside for like 4 years in the snow, rain and all sorts of shit. Still sucks out the smoker ash with no filter

[isaac]

Will you get copyright claimed by calling it the "Old Cold Forgotten Shop Vuick"?

[Bloxy.Builds]

Do you still own the shopvac, or has it been thrown out, I possibly might know what is wrong with it