Summary: You need to be lucky enough to have Shop-Vac send you a new motor. Replacing the old motor with a brand new one from the manufacture is simple. REPAIRING the old motor should be our focus here.
If I recall correctly, with the way the assembly was, replacement was the only option. Some parts were sealed and there was no access. I am a big proponent of "right-to-repair".
Typically what fails in this unit is that the motor overheats and pops the thermal fuse (it's in that block of plastic that sits between one side of the motor with one brush lead and one power lead going to it). Suitable replacement thermal fuses can be had from suppliers like Newark Electronics or DigiKey for a couple bucks plus shipping. If you want to spend a few more bucks you can go with a bimetalic thermal protection breaker that'll trip on overheat, then reset on cool-down. I'm going low-ball and just getting the fuses for now. I don't expect to go thru too many of them, since I've been using this vac hard for many years and it's only now popped on me.
As to your Shop-Vac that they sent you a new power head assembly. I have a 20 year old 12 gallon model 3331.5. The motor started making a noise and was not pulling air. I tore it apart and found the impeller work out. Your old impeller you were waving around looks identical to mine. I was wondering if you could give the dimensions of your old impeller and how thick it is? If it’s the same, was hoping you might sell it to me. I cannot find this part anywhere and on Shop-Vac website, it does not go back this far to even mention my model. Thanks for any help you can provide. Dave( p.s. great videos) 0:07
Hi, ive recently encountered trouble with my shop vac. The washer/spacer between the impeller and the bottom housing of the motor, right on the motor shaft, has split in half from its neck. What would this little piece of hardware be found or named ? Thanks in advance! It’s right at the part of your video in the 2:54 mark
@@BusyDadsWorkshop Well, after another day of poking about, i think i got it fixed without disassembling the motor. Found a big wad of stringy metal chips in the hose
It appears that your float valve is upside down. The open end should be down in the direction of the tub (bottom of vac) to capture air and float up to cover the motor. This info based on directions from Shop Vac for motor replacement which reflects what I saw when viewing the old motor and float placement. Best Regards
Dang I got some ancient shop vac from like 2001 it's a 6.5HP unit 20 gal and I've left it out in the rain, drained/cleaned a 60 gallon pound dozens of times, still going strong. Doesn't even have the same top anymore. Factory switch broke. I switched the top/lid to a tortilla warmer.
I've never had a shop vac last more than 2-3 years and I change or clean my filters frequently. I also use vacuum debris bags and socks when sucking up drywall dust. They say these units can handle drywall dust, but they really can't. I've re-greased the bearings several times and they still seem to wear out. First the squealing then it's only a matter of time before the burn up even if you re-grease them. It's a shame, I hate throwing out whole units and going out and buying more stuff, but the cost to get a new motor is almost the same as buying a new shop vac. More to the landfill I guess. What motor assembly model number did you get from shop vac? Mine is essentially the same as yours.
While we're at it, built to repair would be kind of nice. I have an older shop vac (brand) and it definitely is not built to repair. Plus you couldn't get a replacement motor out of warranty. period@@BusyDadsWorkshop
Go find an old Shelton/Genie Jet Vac. They are simple in construction and use Lamb motors, which are pretty much the best you can get. Brushes or even entire motors are still available since they're generic off the shelf parts. You can get hoses and stuff that fit them still, just gotta look around. Mine uses standard 2.25 inch hoses if I remember correctly.
Just took mine apart after 22 years of intermittent use. Used it every 2 weeks for 5 years. The little rod innacccurately called a thermal fuse broke. The fuse idea keeps showing up to fix it but noone can figure out what can replace that little rod so its safer?
@@503dcccccccccccc The other option is to get the new SVX2 powered shopvacs. The price isn't hateful on them. I ended up getting a new shop vac about a year ago with this newer motor and the power is much better.
My Dewalt DXV14P is less than one year old and has recently started shutting itself off after three minutes of running and then needs to cool for about ten minutes. I suspect thermal overload but have no idea about what to do about it. I have tried contacting the company about warranty but have had no luck. I would be happy to fix this myself if I knew what to replace or what part and where to get it. I cannot find very much information about the Dewalt DXV14P anywhere. I will much appreciate any help from anyone. Thanks much, a new subscriber.
Yeah, don't be fooled by the smaller Dewalt vacuum. It's actually not DeWalt but a cheap 3rd party manufacturer. If you want a really good shop vac you are gonna pay north of $200-250.
Hi BusyDadsWorkshop, It's good to know that you could replace the motor assembly on the shop-vac .I have a 10 gallon shop-vac 4 horse power which has a defective motor(recently).I was thinking about buying a new wet and dry vac,but found your channel(and your info).Just wonder that you could provide me the address of shop-vac(or email) from which I can get a new motor assembly for mine.A lot of thanks to you.Thinh H. Hoang(Austin,Texas).
You can start here and look for your model: www.shopvac.com/us/en/service/customer-service. They have downloadable parts lists by model and you could always order the replacement part you need.
have a Douglas all terrain vacuum 5 n someone tried to fix it n didn't finish so I'm trying to figure out how to put it back together, need help please
What specifically was wrong with the motor that was causing your shop vac to have problems? You generally reference issues with the bearings and commutator but did not provide any further details with why those parts were causing problems other than mentioning that the commutator is fouled up and should be shiny. I have a shop vac 90L550A model which appears to be of similar shape, size, and color scheme to the one in your video. I have had it for about 10 years, and like yours, it has seen a lot of use, both for wet and dry cleanup, and is still in very good condition cosmetically. Several years ago, my shop vac started to make the bearing whine noise. It started out as a light squealing noise and progressed to a loud humming noise when used. The vac continued to work with strong suction, so I became complacent about replacing the bearings, and just used it as it was. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was using it, and I could hear the humming getting louder, then the motor slowed down and started to smoke with a burning electrical and plastic smell. Thinking the bad bearings were the problem, I replaced the ball bearing and I also replaced the plain bearing/bronze bushing with the same type of ball bearing as on the other side of the armature shaft. I did notice that the commutator was black, so I polished it up, dressed the brushes, cleaned both the motor armature and stator out with compressed air, and reassembled. The result was that the loud hum is now gone from the bad bearing and the armature now spins more freely. When the unit is turned on, it gets up to speed immediately, not a slightly slow start up as before, and it has a longer wind down time when powered off. However, I noticed the motor gets really hot and starts to smoke as before. I also noticed a lot of arc flash occurring in the motor when it's running. When disassembling the motor again, I noticed the commutator was dirty and black again, but I haven't seen any other signs of electrical arc burn or insulation melt around the motor winding. Of course, the armature and stator appear to be sealed to a point where one cant visually detect anything beyond the surface coils or windings. I'm thinking that I may have damaged/overheated the motor due to continual use of the vac with the bad bearings, possibly contributing to insulation melt inside the armature. I'm only guessing at this point though and perhaps it could be something else. I want to do a bit more troubleshooting on it before I give up on it and get a new vac.
That sounds very similar to what happened with mine. My power switch was also getting finicky. I have to say though, the new shop vac I got (black/red) is a lot more powerful and the switch is a better rocker switch.
No link on the replacement motor? From what i see they run between 50$-150$, it looks like the model you replaced yours with was the 150$ model. At that point it would be cheaper to just buy a brand new shop vac🤔
Not a word about motor brushes. I'm not sure if that is ignorance or something else. Motor brushes wear down like brake pads on a car and will eventually be completely worn at which point your motor won't work. Shop Vac and other low end vacuum makers do not make it easy to replace the brushes. I usually go on line and order brushes that are the right dimension and style and do a little engineering to make them fit. I've prolonged several vacuums lives by years.
The brushes were not the problem. I reshaped them and cleaned the commutator. It was simply easier to replace the entire assembly. The biggest problem was the sealed switch that wasn’t serviceable. The new Shop-vac that I now have has been solid. They have improved the motor and impeller design as well as a better switch.
Your float valve is unpside down, it's a dry/dry vac now...
It's probably a manufacture error
Summary: You need to be lucky enough to have Shop-Vac send you a new motor. Replacing the old motor with a brand new one from the manufacture is simple. REPAIRING the old motor should be our focus here.
If I recall correctly, with the way the assembly was, replacement was the only option. Some parts were sealed and there was no access. I am a big proponent of "right-to-repair".
Typically what fails in this unit is that the motor overheats and pops the thermal fuse (it's in that block of plastic that sits between one side of the motor with one brush lead and one power lead going to it). Suitable replacement thermal fuses can be had from suppliers like Newark Electronics or DigiKey for a couple bucks plus shipping. If you want to spend a few more bucks you can go with a bimetalic thermal protection breaker that'll trip on overheat, then reset on cool-down. I'm going low-ball and just getting the fuses for now. I don't expect to go thru too many of them, since I've been using this vac hard for many years and it's only now popped on me.
As to your Shop-Vac that they sent you a new power head assembly. I have a 20 year old 12 gallon model 3331.5. The motor started making a noise and was not pulling air. I tore it apart and found the impeller work out. Your old impeller you were waving around looks identical to mine. I was wondering if you could give the dimensions of your old impeller and how thick it is? If it’s the same, was hoping you might sell it to me. I cannot find this part anywhere and on Shop-Vac website, it does not go back this far to even mention my model. Thanks for any help you can provide. Dave( p.s. great videos) 0:07
Hi, ive recently encountered trouble with my shop vac. The washer/spacer between the impeller and the bottom housing of the motor, right on the motor shaft, has split in half from its neck. What would this little piece of hardware be found or named ? Thanks in advance! It’s right at the part of your video in the 2:54 mark
hi where did you buy the replacement motor? Thanks
Directly from shop vac.
The replacement motor for my 5.5 hp Shop Vac was $153. New Shop Vac was $95.
How did you get the fan cover off the motor? I removed the two screws, which loosened it, but it catches on something when i try to pull it off.
I wish I could remember. That was so long ago.
@@BusyDadsWorkshop Well, after another day of poking about, i think i got it fixed without disassembling the motor. Found a big wad of stringy metal chips in the hose
It appears that your float valve is upside down. The open end should be down in the direction of the tub (bottom of vac) to capture air and float up to cover the motor. This info based on directions from Shop Vac for motor replacement which reflects what I saw when viewing the old motor and float placement. Best Regards
Can you install a somewhat larger (maybe longer) motor for added vacuum?
Probably not since everything is molded together.
@@BusyDadsWorkshop yeah that sounds right! Thank you 🤓
Dang I got some ancient shop vac from like 2001 it's a 6.5HP unit 20 gal and I've left it out in the rain, drained/cleaned a 60 gallon pound dozens of times, still going strong. Doesn't even have the same top anymore. Factory switch broke. I switched the top/lid to a tortilla warmer.
I've never had a shop vac last more than 2-3 years and I change or clean my filters frequently. I also use vacuum debris bags and socks when sucking up drywall dust. They say these units can handle drywall dust, but they really can't. I've re-greased the bearings several times and they still seem to wear out. First the squealing then it's only a matter of time before the burn up even if you re-grease them. It's a shame, I hate throwing out whole units and going out and buying more stuff, but the cost to get a new motor is almost the same as buying a new shop vac. More to the landfill I guess. What motor assembly model number did you get from shop vac? Mine is essentially the same as yours.
"Right to repair" needs to become more of a thing.
While we're at it, built to repair would be kind of nice. I have an older shop vac (brand) and it definitely is not built to repair. Plus you couldn't get a replacement motor out of warranty. period@@BusyDadsWorkshop
Go find an old Shelton/Genie Jet Vac. They are simple in construction and use Lamb motors, which are pretty much the best you can get. Brushes or even entire motors are still available since they're generic off the shelf parts. You can get hoses and stuff that fit them still, just gotta look around. Mine uses standard 2.25 inch hoses if I remember correctly.
Where did you find the replacement motor?
Directly from ShopVac.
Thank you
Just took mine apart after 22 years of intermittent use. Used it every 2 weeks for 5 years. The little rod innacccurately called a thermal fuse broke. The fuse idea keeps showing up to fix it but noone can figure out what can replace that little rod so its safer?
where do you suggest to get the replacement motor? my brushes looked like the detonated and one was 3x's more worn down than the other. weird.
Shop Vac sell replacement parts right on their website. www.shopvac.com
BusyDadsWorkshop I was hoping it was somewhere cheaper. I found those
BusyDadsWorkshop I’ve been trying to find somewhere that’s selling the motor only to save money or up the hp
@@503dcccccccccccc I haven't seen them anywhere else.
@@503dcccccccccccc The other option is to get the new SVX2 powered shopvacs. The price isn't hateful on them. I ended up getting a new shop vac about a year ago with this newer motor and the power is much better.
My Dewalt DXV14P is less than one year old and has recently started shutting itself off after three minutes of running and then needs to cool for about ten minutes. I suspect thermal overload but have no idea about what to do about it. I have tried contacting the company about warranty but have had no luck. I would be happy to fix this myself if I knew what to replace or what part and where to get it. I cannot find very much information about the Dewalt DXV14P anywhere. I will much appreciate any help from anyone. Thanks much, a new subscriber.
Yeah, don't be fooled by the smaller Dewalt vacuum. It's actually not DeWalt but a cheap 3rd party manufacturer. If you want a really good shop vac you are gonna pay north of $200-250.
Hi BusyDadsWorkshop,
It's good to know that you could replace the motor assembly on the shop-vac .I have a 10 gallon shop-vac
4 horse power which has a defective motor(recently).I was thinking about buying a new wet and dry vac,but found your
channel(and your info).Just wonder that you could provide me the address of shop-vac(or email) from which I can get a new motor assembly for mine.A lot of thanks to you.Thinh H. Hoang(Austin,Texas).
You can start here and look for your model: www.shopvac.com/us/en/service/customer-service. They have downloadable parts lists by model and you could always order the replacement part you need.
How much was the replacement motor ? thanks for any reply.
If I recall, it was about $20-30.
@@BusyDadsWorkshop Really? Do you know the model number?
@@chrisloesch1870 It has been so long that I don't remember. You could reach out to them directly.
have a Douglas all terrain vacuum 5 n someone tried to fix it n didn't finish so I'm trying to figure out how to put it back together, need help please
I'm not familiar with that model.
I want to order a compatable motor
What's the motor assembly part number
I wish I could tell you. I donated this shopvac to a friend and I no longer have the information.
I have a smaller vac that the suction fan nut keeps loosing up.
Use a little blue thread locker liquid on them
love your gang boxes, very jealous
Just wait until I do a tour of my new workshop!
Isn't your float on upside down?
Yep lol
No. I was working on it upside down.
@@BusyDadsWorkshopfloat is definitely upside down. Clean looking vac though. Good video.
@iilmac It definitely is upside down
My experience has been that shop vacs do fine until you try to take advantage of the wet part of the wet/dry vac. After that, it’s all downhill.
I have only used my for dust collection and general cleaning. Never tried to use it to extract liquid.
and drywall dust. Drywall dust or sawdust eats these units up even with filters and bags.
My shop vac motor burned out a few days ago.
Sorry to hear that. Hope you can get it fixed up
Where’d you order the part? How much?
You should be able to find it on shopvac.com under their replacement parts. If not, you can call Shop Vac with your model number.
This is great if the replacement motor is available.
Very true.
Where can I find a motor? I'd even take a used one if it works
If you contact shop vac directly, they should be able to provide you with a replacement.
What specifically was wrong with the motor that was causing your shop vac to have problems? You generally reference issues with the bearings and commutator but did not provide any further details with why those parts were causing problems other than mentioning that the commutator is fouled up and should be shiny. I have a shop vac 90L550A model which appears to be of similar shape, size, and color scheme to the one in your video. I have had it for about 10 years, and like yours, it has seen a lot of use, both for wet and dry cleanup, and is still in very good condition cosmetically. Several years ago, my shop vac started to make the bearing whine noise. It started out as a light squealing noise and progressed to a loud humming noise when used. The vac continued to work with strong suction, so I became complacent about replacing the bearings, and just used it as it was. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was using it, and I could hear the humming getting louder, then the motor slowed down and started to smoke with a burning electrical and plastic smell. Thinking the bad bearings were the problem, I replaced the ball bearing and I also replaced the plain bearing/bronze bushing with the same type of ball bearing as on the other side of the armature shaft. I did notice that the commutator was black, so I polished it up, dressed the brushes, cleaned both the motor armature and stator out with compressed air, and reassembled. The result was that the loud hum is now gone from the bad bearing and the armature now spins more freely. When the unit is turned on, it gets up to speed immediately, not a slightly slow start up as before, and it has a longer wind down time when powered off. However, I noticed the motor gets really hot and starts to smoke as before. I also noticed a lot of arc flash occurring in the motor when it's running. When disassembling the motor again, I noticed the commutator was dirty and black again, but I haven't seen any other signs of electrical arc burn or insulation melt around the motor winding. Of course, the armature and stator appear to be sealed to a point where one cant visually detect anything beyond the surface coils or windings. I'm thinking that I may have damaged/overheated the motor due to continual use of the vac with the bad bearings, possibly contributing to insulation melt inside the armature. I'm only guessing at this point though and perhaps it could be something else. I want to do a bit more troubleshooting on it before I give up on it and get a new vac.
That sounds very similar to what happened with mine. My power switch was also getting finicky. I have to say though, the new shop vac I got (black/red) is a lot more powerful and the switch is a better rocker switch.
No link on the replacement motor? From what i see they run between 50$-150$, it looks like the model you replaced yours with was the 150$ model. At that point it would be cheaper to just buy a brand new shop vac🤔
I'm not so sure you can even get replacements any more considering Shop Vac Corp. is now defunct.
@@BusyDadsWorkshop I think they are now being sold as Craftsman brand, yikes!
@@chrisloesch1870 I just saw a few weeks ago that the parent company brought the Shop Vac brand back.
lol wish mine came apart that easy.
Not a word about motor brushes. I'm not sure if that is ignorance or something else. Motor brushes wear down like brake pads on a car and will eventually be completely worn at which point your motor won't work. Shop Vac and other low end vacuum makers do not make it easy to replace the brushes. I usually go on line and order brushes that are the right dimension and style and do a little engineering to make them fit. I've prolonged several vacuums lives by years.
The brushes were not the problem. I reshaped them and cleaned the commutator. It was simply easier to replace the entire assembly. The biggest problem was the sealed switch that wasn’t serviceable. The new Shop-vac that I now have has been solid. They have improved the motor and impeller design as well as a better switch.
shop vac has shut down
Yes, unfortunately that is true. I knew the sales manager from there.
Dude what
,
Did you have a question?