Shop Vacuum Drain Pump: Hot or Not?
By Nate Bezanson
Today at Sears I came across what might be the most unique wet/dry vacuum accessory I’ve seen yet: a small pump that screws into the drain opening. Upon further research I discovered that Shop Vac’s new line has this feature built right in. Now I’m curious.
It’s obvious from the Craftsman’s input screen that this is not for trash pumping. Sucking crap out of a clogged sink, sure, but anything nasty will proably clog it in a hurry. The input filter on the Shop Vac looks more serious, but it’s only going to give you a few more minutes before you have to stop and clean it.
The big question is, as always, does it work? It does look like it’d be useful for cleaning up spills and such. I’d love to hear from anyone who owns the Shop Vac or the Craftsman version – or any similar product for that matter. How often does this feature come in handy? How awkward is it to clean? Any failures to report?
Craftsman Pump Out [Sears]
Shop Vac Models [ShopVac]
Street Pricing [Froogle]
Related:
January 19th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
So this is to pump out your wet/dry vac? I’m not seeing the utility yet.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Works great when using shop-vac to clear an inch of water from the basement, with the pumpout attached to a hose and running you don’t have to stop every couple minutes to haul the shopvac up the stairs and dump it out. You do have to stop with the vac every once in a while though because it can take in a lot more than the pump can remove.
January 20th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
I guess none of you guys have ever had water in your basement. I use a big shopvac to clean up after really heavy storms to suck dry the carpet and tile. But when its time to empty it I have two options, pick it up and dump it in the slop sink, or lug it up the stairs and outside and pull the drain plug. With this it seems I could just leave a hose connected and pump it right into the sink when full or up and out the window since it says it can pump up to 40feet high.
Wonder if ridgid makes one, since thats the vac i have.
January 20th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Ah..if only I had a basement…
January 21st, 2007 at 10:22 am
I’ve got the Craftsman shop-vac with the integrated pump and it has worked great pumpin water up 10′ or so out of a flooded basement.
January 27th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
[…] Shop Vacuum Drain Pump: Hot. While those of us in basment-less Texas couldn’t see the usefulness, our Toolmonger friends from other states clued us in to how handt this is for clearing flooded basements. Many readers also noted that more and more new high-end wet/dry vacs are including this feature now, removing the need for purchasing an add-on like this one. […]
January 31st, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Why is it that there are cordless drills, cordless mitre saws, cordless *whatever* - but no cordless shop vacs?!?!
January 31st, 2007 at 4:56 pm
No cordless shop vacs? Take a look at the DeWalt DC500 and DC515, or the Ryobi p3200, or the Coleman PMV6990.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:42 pm
I have the Sears Pump Out attachment for my Craftsman Shop Vacuum. Best $40 I ever spent. Twice I’ve had water in the basement when the sump pump failed, and this unit made the cleanup job very simple. Vacuum up water until Shop Vacuum tank is full, and switch off Vacuum. Then switch on the Pump Out, which is connected to a garden hose running outside, and the water is quickly pumped up one story and outside. Very simple operation.
December 24th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
Same unit avail for Ridgid at home depot.
Would be nice if pump could run concurrently with vacuum so unit could be left active while water is coming into basement.
would be nice to not have to stay up all night while rain clears out….
December 30th, 2007 at 1:16 am
Emerson tools makes both the Craftsman Wet/Dry Vacs and Ridgid, so this accessory is the exact same thing either place you shop.