Gutter Vac In The Rain

[KFH19]

Had two gutter jobs booked in for this afternoon, postponed them due to heavy rain here.

Was I being over cautious?

I was concerned as its a new setup, triple motor vac, wireless camera, monitor and extension lead etc.

I don't know if anyone knows if this kit is waterproof....but I didn't fancy my hair standing on end anyway.

 

[mr shine]

ive often used the gutter vac in light rain with no problems but not with the camera set up because my camera is not waterproof , also if using an extension lead i have a plastic bag to cover the socket to keep the rain off it

 

[Smurf]

I've often used 110 & 240 volt guttervac's in the rain without any issues.

However if the wet vac should short out then would be a different story. :Image13:

 

[Smurf]

For 240 volt cables when using customers power you can use something like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30mtr-16amp-240-volt-extention-lead-ideal-for-camping-/270484202249?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Electrical_Fittings_MJ&hash=item3efa1d6309

Just take off the female conector then stick it on your 240 volt wet vac lead and put a standard 3 pin plug back onto the extension end for conecting to inside power or outside waterproof standard plug power socket. Then not forgetting best to use a decent rcd plug too.

I have used a standard 240v extention reel and plastic bag too but it's not ideal to go pluging or unpluging stuff when its raining and you have wet hands.

For 110 v 4200 w gutter vac I use these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EXTENSION-SITE-CABLE-14M-32A-32AMP-110V-VOLT-2-5MM-LEAD-/190383809610?pt=UK_BOI_Materials_Supplies_Electrical_ET&hash=item2c53c2644a with a step down transformer or genny

 

[WWC]

I got water into the head of my gutter vacuum not so long ago. I was a bit concerned to say the least as it was sloshing about around the motors! I didn't realize this until the job was done and I was packing the vacuum up.

I phoned the suppliers the next day and they said not to worry, just dry it out and work away - it will be fine as the motors are safe from water ingress. So, now I don't worry too much about a bit of rain. Like window cleaning I just it like this... if I can look up at the gutters and there not be so much rain that I am blinded by rain in my eyes, then I go ahead.

Note: I also have an RCD on my extension cable and the plug and socket are water sealed.

Note: That is my Gutter Vacuum, I hope other Wet & Dry vacs are like this, but who knows?

 

[Smurf]

Wet vacs are so say designed to stop water being sucked up into motors in normal use but it's down to the operator if they want to use one in the rain as could still short out if water get into the electrics via the head/switches etc.

 

[Smurf]

Just slightly off topic but could you tell me please

what make & model that vac is

what make motors they are

can you change the motor brushes or not as looks like they are sealed motor in the pic.

many thanks

 

[WWC]

Just slightly off topic but could you tell me please

what make & model that vac is

Hi Smurf, I assume you mean mine.

The vacuum is one of the 3000w models from Gutter Cleaning Systems.

As you are probably aware, the make is actually Viper

what make motors they are

can you change the motor brushes or not as looks like they are sealed motor in the pic.

many thanks

To be honest, I haven't a clue to either of those questions, and it takes a lot of unscrewing and removing parts to get to the state that that picture of the motors was at, so I don't really want to dismantle it again unless I really have to.

I can say that the motors do lift out individually as a unit, they are in fact just sitting in recesses in the photo in my previous post, so would be easy enough to swap out motors if one broke down. I have no idea if the motors themselves come apart, I never attempted it, or even thought of attempting it as it is beyond my electrical skills. I assume they are sealed judging by what the supplier told me about them being ok with water around them.

BTW, it appears that water got in as some dirt jammed open the seal that normally keeps them closed to water ingress. A quick clean and dry and all was good again.

Sorry I can't tell you any more about the motors.

 

[Smurf]

No problem...

I've just done a quick search and was interesting to find out viper was bought by Nilfisk-Advance A/S in 2007 https://www.vipercleaning.com/en/company/Pages/History.aspx