What cordless Vac to use aboard

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I finally figured out there is no advantage to cordless or DC appliances, as you have to have AC power to charge the batteries, so may as well run them off the inverter.

If your boat is 120v, the benefit with using cordless - assuming you have a backup charger - is that when one of the tools fails, you can buy a replacement in just about every country on the planet that works with your universal system.

But for a wet/dry vacuum I want something that can run longer than most batteries last, so I finally broke down and imported a 120v replacement Shopvac from the States a few weeks ago.

We also have a cheap Ryobi cordless hand vac for everyday use.... it barely works but is so convenient.

Matt

[carlosproa]

Originally Posted by Telesail

Disappointing to hear that. We have found with 7 series we can vac the interior on a single charge at high power. I don’t think the battery is owner changeable but, based on Dyson customer service on a different product, I would expect them to sort it PDQ. I hope they come through for you.

I have a series 7 vac and lasted 1 year with good performance...after that the battery dies too quickly

[FlyingScot]

Small 1 gallon wet/dry 120vac for the big jobs.
Ridgid (Home Depot / USA) brand takes same 18v batteries that all my power tools & hybrid 18vdc/120vac fans use. Too noisy.
Dyson V7 handheld. Use it multiple times per day. Love it. I consider it so critical I ordered a second one with wall mount so two can clean at once, or have as a spare.

[carlosproa]

Thanks for all the replies

I am thinking that I have a 1.75 HP max shop vac already at home. Although I have a couple of small inverters. I am wondering what would it take to upgrade and run the 2 gal shop across from AC120V vía inverter
I try to stay away from loading the boat from the electrical toys, and my charger comes from 2 175w solar- that is it as the O/B is 15 HP and does not charge. Never felt the need for more battery power.

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Have had two Dyson's batteries go tits up on two different vacuums. Haven't gotten in touch with them to see if the battery is owner changeable [...]

You should contact them. I did and it seems they're well aware of the shortcomings of their earlier batteries (without actually re-calling them).
In my case they offered a replacement at no cost.

[Waterford]

+1 for Dyson and Ryobi here. We use the Dyson for floors. Never had any battery issues. I have several Ryobi 18v tools and they are all good, but not great. Their advantage is the shared batteries.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by hzcruiser

You should contact them. I did and it seems they're well aware of the shortcomings of their earlier batteries (without actually re-calling them).
In my case they offered a replacement at no cost.

Replacement for the battery or the vacuum. Curious how hard it is to change the battery if that is possible??

[CarlF]

Recently got this MOOSOO corded vacuum for the boat. They have a cordless version but like so many here I've given up on cordless vacuums on a boat. But if the OP is determined to have a rechargeable vacuum, this one might fit the bill.

The cord is 33ft long. It folds up into a tiny package and includes a hook. Mine mounted in a hanging locker.

This is like a Dyson but much cheaper - it feels every bit as powerful and easy to handle in the tight confines of the boat. The little crevice tool is perfect for sucking sand out of tight corners.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085C75SM6/ref=dp_cerb_1

[onewadd]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

I bought a Dyson for my boat. It is simply the best in this class. In the full stick form it's like a regular vacuum, remove the stick portion and it's a fantastic handheld.

What he said. We love our Dyson!

[jkleins]

We love our Dyson at home and did carry it on the boat for a while but when we had to buy one for the boat we went with the Black and Decker with the small hose as it allow us to get into small spaces better. We wore out an older model but the new lithium one is pretty sweet.

[Pizzazz]

Cordless vacuums do not work for anything on a boat. Most automotive style cordless vacuums are 80-100W. The Dyson, I believe is more powerful, probably 200W. Even the cheapest corded vacuum stick with a HEPA filter is 500W and many are 700-800W. The numbers speak for themselves. You need a HEPA filter to eliminate mold, smells, corona viruses . These filters restrict the airflow so you need a more powerful motor. The other benefit is that you finish your cleaning job much faster (the cordless vacuums have very small tubes to create greater suction, so you end up going over and over a few square inches with minimal result. With the powerful AC vacuum, I can clean the boat in five minutes. You will need to get an inverter if you want to use it at sea.

Next you need to decide on dry+HEPA filter (my strong recommendation) vs. wet/dry (nice to be able to vacuum the bilge). I do not like wet/dry vacuums on a boat because many of the liquids in the bilge, engine compartment, etc. have minute amounts of oil in them which clogs your filters and smells bad. Clean the liquids with a sponge and then apply detergent. Clean the rest with a dry vacuum.

Another good solution is to have a central vacuum that vents outboard (hopefully downwind . You can easily make one yourself (get a cheap AC vacuum, attach one hose to the front of the motor, the exhaust hose to the back and outboard and mount permanently. No need for filters at all, great suction. It has been on my list of project for a while. Plus, you can use it as a ventilation tool.

SV Pizzazz

[Liberta T48]

Dewalt makes a shop vac that uses the same batteries as my drill and sander. Does a great job.

[jimellifritt]

Originally Posted by carlosproa

As much as we try to be careful, I am on guard against sand particles in the sailboat. We do row to shore a lot and we even if we dip 1/8 of the shoe bottom into the water to get rid of the sand, we’ll there is some that gets into different part of the boat.

I am thinking of getting one of those portable car vacuums or cordless that are advertised in Amazon from $30 to $55.

Anybody willing to comment of what type you have for your boat? I don’t have a pet so no hair other than human, mainly sand.

Thanks

We have a DYSON, yes it is expensive. Key thing we found with the 4 types we tried. Beater bar and battery. We have had the standard corded and non corded, Ryobi, shop vac. The Dyson has best cleaning power, pulled twice the volume as the same style corded without beater bar.

[Maldwin]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

I bought a Dyson for my boat. It is simply the best in this class. In the full stick form it's like a regular vacuum, remove the stick portion and it's a fantastic handheld.

i
I agree with the Dyson choice, I am very happy with mine after 2 years. I also have a shop vac also for messier jobs.

[NPCampbell]

We have a cordless Dyson stick vacuum. I don't care how many watts it uses compared to a corded vac because it works for my needs ... which is, picking up hair off of carpet from 2, black, 80 pound dogs that shed. I've never had to replace the batteries in the 4 years that I have owned it. I do have to take the thing apart about once a year to clean the fine powder that builds up on the internals. I wish the collection bin was larger though.