My wet-dry vacuum didn't tolerate getting wet !

[JDgreen227]

A few days ago, I spilled a large quantity of clean water (pail handle broke) down the top of a ten year old, Craftsman shop vacuum. It wasn't running at the time, I immediately took it outside and inverted the vacuum, and within the next half hour, took it all apart (except for the motor assembly) blew as much water as possible out of the innards, and let it sit in the sun the entire day to dry out. Well, I reassembled the vac, turned it on, and it ran fine for a few minutes, then began smoking out the top vent where the motor exhausts hot air. I shut it off immediately,

I took it apart again, and found the motor was so hot it was binding for some reason. There was nothing interfering with the rotation (like a loose screw), the brushes, bearings, and bushings are not damaged or corroded. It was rotating in the proper direction before it began heating up, and the cord supply for power is ample sized (16 gage) and undamaged. The copper wire windings on the armature look scorched, but the only part of the motor that the water could have affected is the paper wrappings of the field windings of the motor, and since they were dry when I reassembled the vacuum, why does it run hot and bind up? Thanks for any input you can provide me.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Water and electronics never mix, as I'm sure you well know.

It's a little late now, but in the future let something like that sit for a few days or more to completely dry out before attempting to operate it. Water can get into little areas (like between windings) that you'll never see and won't be able to blow out.

 

[JDgreen227]

Water and electronics never mix, as I'm sure you well know.

It's a little late now, but in the future let something like that sit for a few days or more to completely dry out before attempting to operate it. Water can get into little areas (like between windings) that you'll never see and won't be able to blow out.

Was beginning to wonder if I would ever get a reply, thanks. I wouldn't call an electric motor "electronics" but I get your point. The vac is about 20 years old now, still worked great though. I can use the parts (filter, tank, hose, brushes, etc) on the other vacs I have.

Live and learn !!!

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Was beginning to wonder if I would ever get a reply, thanks. I wouldn't call an electric motor "electronics" but I get your point. The vac is about 20 years old now, still worked great though. I can use the parts (filter, tank, hose, brushes, etc) on the other vacs I have.

Live and learn !!!

I suppose the vacuum doesn't owe you a dime if you've had it for for 20 years.

I've had complex electronics completely submerged in water (by accident, of course). I'll pull the battery and let it sit for a week before I try powering up again. So far I've had good luck with this practice. I have an old Palm TX that has been dropped in the canal. It's still going strong after about 5 years. It's totally obsolete now, but it still works.

Whether complex electronics or a simple circuit, the principle is the same. Electricity and water don't mix. Without electricity running through, it's just a hunk of metal and plastic. It's when you add electricity to the device that the damage happens if it's not all dried out.