A Wet-Dry vac is a handy tool almost anywhere and absolutely essential in any shop. They are often referred to as a shop-vac, but that is mostly due to marketing and branding by the company Shop-Vac.
There are many other brands and models available. Broken down to the most basic elements, the wet-dry vac is very similar to a regular vacuum. Its design, however, enables it to accomplish more in different environments than an average vacuum. Once you have a wet-dry vac, you won’t be able to live without it.
The major attribute that sets this style apart is its versatility. These machines have powerful suction that can pick up nails, screws, and other debris that would clog and damage normal vacuums. They can also be used in wet environments with no change in operation.
While wet-dry vacs come in many sizes, the most popular run between 5 and 10 gallon capacity. This large capacity allows you to clean up larges areas with a lot of dirt or debris.
These machines work with three major components – the bucket, motor, and hose. The motor sits over the bucket (sometime referred to as the collection chamber) and drives the fan that sucks air in through the hose. As the air passes through the larger area into the smaller one, it increases in speed – this is what creates the suction. As the air enters the larger collection chamber the air slows down and debris is released. The air is then vented out through the upper part of the vacuum.
The reason these machines are able to handle both dry and wet material has to do with its design. Nothing that gets picked up ever passes by or through any electrical or mechanical components. The motor is completely separate from the bucket so there is no chance of electric shorts or shock.
Centaur Machines makes several models of Wet-Dry vacs. Our SL-6 and SL-8 vacs are very popular and designed with the end use in mind just as much as the machine. The SL-6 has the regular motor while the SL-8 has a turbo charged motor. The machine body made of heavy polyethylene while the top is chrome-plated steel. The 4 casters are steel-ball bearing and polyurethane rolling ball. These machines are excellent for day-in and day-out hard work.
We build the SL-6,- SL-8 vacuum cleaners to withstand the most rigorous use. Machines made 40 years ago are still in use today. Call us to talk about your needs and we’ll set you up with the perfect vacuum.