I just got a wet vac :)

[David66316]

Just wanted to tell everyone after reading all the posts on wet vacs, I've just got one and it's awesome 😀 especially for getting toilets and cisterns out and I'm well impressed its a karcher 2534 and it cost me nothing :hurray:

 

[secret squirrel]

My favourite price! I used mine the other day for getting the last bit of water out of a heating system so I can solder a new pipe. Customer was very impressed and no sludge on the cream carpet.

This brings me to the second point who has a cream carpet in the hall!

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

This brings me to the second point who has a cream carpet in the hall!

Found one in a bathroom the other day... Well, I think it used to be cream!

Seriously though, the wet vac has got me out of a hole a number of times, either for de sludging in delicate places or dragging airlocks out of awkward systems 🙂

 

[Smac]

hi pipes plumbing could you explain how you use wet vac to remove airlocks out of systems some info would be great thanks

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

Hi Smac,

Put hose of wetvac onto the airlocked pipe downstream of the airlock, make a half decent seal between the pipe and the wetvac hose (I just use my hand), switch on the wetvac and pull that badboy through... Hey presto, no more airlock 🙂

80% of the time it works everytime!! lol

I'm suere someone on here has been more resourceful than me and made up an adapter to fit the wetvac hose to the pipework too

 

[Mike Jackson]

This brings me to the second point who has a cream carpet in the hall!

I did a boiler swap plus new rad valves on every rad in the hose in a massive place a couple of years back that had long pile cream carpets throughout the house. Nightmare job, took twice as long as I had to sheet the whole house.

 

[billychuff]

i had to change a ball valve in a wc with no isolation valve and the mains stopcock wouldn't shut off completely.
Undid connector, placed wetvac over pipe, changed ball valve, reconnected and Bob, was most certainly, my uncle

 

[dontknowitall]

I've a wet vac and very useful tool. You can turn on other taps if you have a dribble/faulty stop tap and frequently that stops the water coming out of the pipe you're working on.

 

[WaterTight]

That's what I was thinking. But if it's a downstairs WC and there's a good ol' dribble coming out you could be stuck. If there's enough of a supply pipe and they're desperate I'll usually cut live and wack on a push fit connector pre-attached to an iso.

 

[hammers4spanner]

One of first bits of kit out of van , since ive had mine most custs comment on it and give the thumbs up

 

[WaterTight]

I can't believe I've not got one yet given how universal the praise but I just don't find myself wishing I had one on jobs.

Need to drain a WC cistern: piece of rubber tubing > quick suck > syphon into pan. Airlocks: prefabbed flexi's to connect cistern cold feed to vent to back fill. Moving a full WC: bunch of rags and a bowl > shove behind pan outlet.

All of which just strike me as easier to carry in and out and don't require plugging in and emptying and filters..

But I trust the advice on here and so believe it's probably one of those things you have to have before you realise how silly you were to think you didn't need one.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

I can't believe I've not got one yet given how universal the praise but I just don't find myself wishing I had one on jobs.

Need to drain a WC cistern: piece of rubber tubing > quick suck > syphon into pan. Airlocks: prefabbed flexi's to connect cistern cold feed to vent to back fill. Moving a full WC: bunch of rags and a bowl > shove behind pan outlet.

All of which just strike me as easier to carry in and out and don't require plugging in and emptying and filters..

But I trust the advice on here and so believe it's probably one of those things you have to have before you realise how silly you were to think you didn't need one.

i have one but not used it for years,its in the garage somewhere

 

[dontknowitall]

Definitely a modern plumber's tool. As I get better with my plumbing this machine is used less and less.

Still wouldn't want to be without it though, especially with radiators.

 

[scotty plumber]

I am still to be convinced, As i've said before been plumbing for 9years and i personally know 8-10 plumbers and the first i ever heard of a wet-vac was on this forum! I am still a bit baffled on how you use one to drain a rad? Someone should upload a video if one day on how to do it!

 

[Mike Jackson]

You drain a rad same way as you would using a paint tray or roasting tray. Crack the nut and hold the nozzle next to it. I still prefer loosening the nuts, lifting the rad off it's brackets and swivelling it upside down.

 

[mfgs]

I was in screwfix a few months back and a very angry, wet, dirty man walked straight up to the counter slammed a wet vac down and shouted "I just bought this and it leaks!!!". He was covered in black, sludgey water from head to toe and apparently his customers house werent looking too great either lol. He said he was draining a rad and didnt realise that it was just spraying straight out the side of the wet vac and only realised when he started to get wet haha.

I havnt got one, but this did put me off slightly. Although I still think I will end up buying one, what ones do you guys use?

 

[dontknowitall]

Undo nut and water will come out - as per without using a wet vac.

With a wet vac you turn it on and it sucks the water without it going everywhere. This is the first job and while waiting you can return to your van to get the other bits and pieces you need for the job (including another towel because the flamin' hose has slipped and left you with a water feature).

Or is this a wind up question?

 

[gravytrain]

i am now a convert. got mine out of the shed after reading this thread and used it last week on a bathroom job
bloody marvellous. i was a towels and roasting tray man before but now i'm a wet vac man all the way.
just made life so much easier.

 

[grahamgas]

I was in screwfix a few months back and a very angry, wet, dirty man walked straight up to the counter slammed a wet vac down and shouted "I just bought this and it leaks!!!". He was covered in black, sludgey water from head to toe and apparently his customers house werent looking too great either lol. He said he was draining a rad and didnt realise that it was just spraying straight out the side of the wet vac and only realised when he started to get wet haha.

I havnt got one, but this did put me off slightly. Although I still think I will end up buying one, what ones do you guys use?

I have Henrys big brother George. Brilliant vac and also comes with attachments to clean a carpet, if you need it.Used to have a wickes own one, and that lasted well.