ShopVac + Saltwater?

[MolaMola]

I have used my Buckethead form of ShopVac to suck up RO overflow and know some members have posted they use it to clean their sump. I was planning to do this tomorrow, but now wonder if I will risk death by pulling saltwater through a non-sealed pump. Thinking I will go back to powerhead method.

 

[Sfork2]

GFCI, can't be any worse than vacuuming up wet metal shavings.

 

[xcaret]

You could use a dust separator; Oneida Dust Deputy sells a DIY where you get your own bucket

 

[Wlachnit]

If it's a wet/dry shopvac, it should be fine.

 

[JVU]

The way the Bucket Head and other shop vacs work is to create a vacuum inside the container, which sucks in the water or whatever through the intake into the bucket. Then air goes through the pump and out the outflow.

As long as you turn it off (or auto shutoff) before it starts spraying water out the outflow, water won’t go through the motor.

 

[MolaMola]

Thanks, everyone.

 

[sfsuphysics]

you will absolutely kill the motor sooner because of the aerosolized salt water the vacuum makes. I'm not a big fan of sucking up large (deep) volumes of water with a shop vac, a thin layer sure, but something don't feel right to just submerge the hose under a few inches of water.

 

[Rostato]

I’ve never had an issue.