How To Make a Shop-Vac Blow Air (5 Easy Steps)
Some Shop-Vacs can simply be converted into a blower. The sheer power of the Shop-Vac, which can easily suck up liquid or large debris, can just as effectively blow things away with a simple adjustment of the hose.
To use your Shop-Vac as an air blower, remove the hose from the inlet port and attach it to the exhaust port (blower port). That’s it, you’re ready to use your Shop-Vac to blow air. Not all Shop-Vac models have a blower port. Only a Shop-Vac with a blower port can be used to blow air.
Using your Shop-Vac as a blower is helpful if you need to do some minor cleanup in your backyard and a leaf blower is not available. You don’t even need to buy anything else to use the blower feature.
How to Use a Shop-Vac to Blow Air
1. Make sure your Shop-Vac has a blower port
Some Shop-Vac models have two ports: one inlet port and one exit port (also known as the blower port). If you want to use your Shop-Vac to blow air, you’ll need to make sure it has a blower port.
If your Shop-Vac does not have an exhaust port or a blower port, you cannot use the machine as a blower. Either buy a Shop-Vac that has a blower port or use a traditional leaf blower instead.
2. Remove the hose from the inlet port
Once you have confirmed that your Shop-Vac has a blower port, you will first need to remove the hose from the inlet port. This step is pretty straightforward. Give the hose a little twist and pull it out of the Shop-Vac.
3. Attach the hose to the blower port
Once the hose has been removed from the inlet port, you are ready to connect it to the blower port. But before you do that, make sure the hose is clear of any debris, otherwise it can expel the debris violently.
Locate the blower port (usually at the top rear of the Shop-Vac’s motor unit) and securely attach the hose into the blower port. Give the hose a little twist just as you would fit it into the suction port.
4. Empty the container and remove the bag and filter
Before you go crazy with the blower feature on your Shop-Vac, it’s wise to empty the dirt container. You don’t want your Shop-Vac to shoot out dirty debris all over the place like confetti now would you?
In addition to emptying the dirt container, remove the bag (if you use a filter bag) as well as the filter. Because you’re going to blow air out, you won’t need the bag or the filter that are designed to capture fine particles.
Close the lid and snap the latches back in place.
5. Turn the Shop-Vac on and you’re ready to blow
Once the hose has been attached to the blower port and the contents of the dirt container is completely empty, your Shop-Vac is ready to blow air. Simply turn the machine on. Now, your Shop-Vac will produce a powerful force of air from the hose rather than sucking debris in.
When using the blower feature on your Shop-Vac, be very careful when using certain attachments. The powerful force of air coming out of the Shop-Vac can potentially injure you or someone else.
It can also potentially kick up large debris that can hurt you or others around you. The best place to use your Shop-Vac as a blower is outdoors, not indoors. As long as you keep these things in mind, you’re good to go.
Final Words
And there you have it, the simple guide on how to make a Shop-Vac blow air. Using the blower feature on your Shop-Vac is a quick and easy way to do a quick backyard cleanup if you don’t have a leaf blower.
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