Reference: The shop vacuum in question: https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-12Gal-5-5-PHP-Quiet-Vac/5013026391
Question 1) Will the distance from the cyclone separator and the dust bin matter and majorly affect air flow and suction?
From my understanding, gravity is what allows the larger particulates to fall into the bin where the finer dust gets collected to the vacuum itself. But will increasing this distance drastically impact performance? and if so, by how much?
Question 2) How long of a connection can I have before losing significant efficiency?
The hose that comes with the shop vac is 7ft and 2 1/2in in diameter. I plan on doing a little bit of PVC extension but only really expect to add about an additional 4ft from the tool to the dust cyclone. Totaling in about 11ft. Will this significantly impact dust collection?
Replies
4 feet of pipe won't hurt you. I use a double-long hose all the time and it's fine. The drop to the collection bucket is fine, but the collection bucket needs to be sealed to the pipe. If the pipe just drops into the bucket as in your second image the pipe will also have suction. You'll need to work out an easy way to get the bucket off to empty it.
I suggest that you add a clear section of pipe low on the drop tube so you can see when it is filling up. You have to be able to clean it out without putting all that dust back into the air.
Thank you so much, and yes the bucket will be sealed I just didn't think to add it. In fact, with all that you have told me, I think I am going to replace the 5gal bucket with a much larger 32gal trashcan with lid and make the pipe connecting to the lid flexible so I can open and close the lid with relative ease. Is that fine do you think?
I’d be concerned with drawing 2. I think the extension from cyclone to dust bin might not allow for a clean air return to your shop vac. The centrifugal force pushes the particles to the outside of the cyclone and forces a downward spiral to the low pressure dust bin. Clean (very little dust) air should rise up in the middle and out the top to your vac. The long pipe after the cone shape might act as though the bin is full and the particles will go up to the vac. You can experiment with it but I’ve only ever seen a short section of flex pipe between the cone and bin to allow the lid to be lifted on a fixed / larger cyclone.
I just forgot to render a lid, it completely went over my head to add it haha. But of course. Thank you for the flex pipe suggestion! I'll definitely add it!