Need to get wet/dry shop vac mainly for basement leaks. Home Depot, Sears, or Amazon?

[vitus]

Ombligo wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]

It doesn't "flood," it just gets wet with about 1/8" of water covering up to about 40 square feet - usually less. I can't visualize how many gallons of capacity I need with some to spare.

40sf @ 1/8" (.125) deep = 5cf
1cf = 7.48051948 gallons
5cf = 37.4 gallons, so you would need a 40 Gallon wet dry to do it in one trip. They don't make those
(40 ft^2) *(1/8 in)*(1 ft/12 in) = 0.42 ft^3 -> 3.1 gallons

[wolfcry911]

cbelt3 wrote:
FWIW... my big honking Sears model also works as a leaf blower.

So does my Ridgid (Home Depot). I use the blower around the yard more often than I use the vac, and the vac gets plenty of use - both wet and dry.

[space-time]

vitus wrote:
[quote=Ombligo]
[quote=Dennis S]

It doesn't "flood," it just gets wet with about 1/8" of water covering up to about 40 square feet - usually less. I can't visualize how many gallons of capacity I need with some to spare.

40sf @ 1/8" (.125) deep = 5cf
1cf = 7.48051948 gallons
5cf = 37.4 gallons, so you would need a 40 Gallon wet dry to do it in one trip. They don't make those
(40 ft^2) *(1/8 in)*(1 ft/12 in) = 0.42 ft^3 -> 3.1 gallons
well done! another example how easy it is to make errors in the US system.

[Speedy]

Any chance you already have a sump hole that is hidden or something? A sump tank is code where I live although the hole doesn't have to have a pump installed, just 'pump ready'. I have never pulled the cover from ours but it looks like it might be a 30 gallon tank. I don't think ours will accept water unless the cover is removed but I've never had water so I can't say.

[Dennis S]

Speedy wrote:
Any chance you already have a sump hole that is hidden or something?

No.

[davester]

space-time wrote:
[quote=vitus]
[quote=Ombligo]
[quote=Dennis S]

It doesn't "flood," it just gets wet with about 1/8" of water covering up to about 40 square feet - usually less. I can't visualize how many gallons of capacity I need with some to spare.

40sf @ 1/8" (.125) deep = 5cf
1cf = 7.48051948 gallons
5cf = 37.4 gallons, so you would need a 40 Gallon wet dry to do it in one trip. They don't make those
(40 ft^2) *(1/8 in)*(1 ft/12 in) = 0.42 ft^3 -> 3.1 gallons
well done! another example how easy it is to make errors in the US system.
At least it didn't result in a lost mars probe this time!

[Ombligo]

vitus wrote:
[quote=Ombligo]
[quote=Dennis S]

It doesn't "flood," it just gets wet with about 1/8" of water covering up to about 40 square feet - usually less. I can't visualize how many gallons of capacity I need with some to spare.

40sf @ 1/8" (.125) deep = 5cf
1cf = 7.48051948 gallons
5cf = 37.4 gallons, so you would need a 40 Gallon wet dry to do it in one trip. They don't make those
(40 ft^2) *(1/8 in)*(1 ft/12 in) = 0.42 ft^3 -> 3.1 gallons

Thanks for the correction -- 37 gallons sounded high but I couldn't find the error, now it was quite evident.

[DRR]

Dennis S wrote:
[quote=DRR]
For your use, especially with a drain nearby, I would get a smaller portable unit.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-4-Gal-...gv6pmTXTak

The larger ones with higher HP and larger gallon capacity are great, but their large size makes them more "shop" vacs. I have one for example, that I use in the garage and around the yard, but I can't carry it into the attic to service my AC drains. Using it for any purpose inside the house is unwieldy. If you have a drain nearby and it only rains occasionally, I'd get the light duty vac I linked above, and vac up 4 gallons at a time, and then just empty it into the drain and start over.

The ones I've seen like that require you to get on your knees to vacuum the floor unless I looked at the pictures wrong. I need to stand up and do it. Plus, I want to take the opportunity to have a bigger sure-nuff shop vac to handle whatever comes along.
You can stand with that one. The hose and the rigid extensions are plenty long enough. My point was just, if you need a light duty vacuum (for this sole purpose you only need light duty) then consider how much portability is worth to you also. I have a larger unit and now I have to look at a smaller more portable unit for other task specific jobs (AC drain, etc) The larger ones are more powerful, but are also quite unwieldy.

[A-Polly]

I have one very similar to the model DRR linked, and it's handy for all sorts of things. The 4 to 5 gallon size isn't one of those tiny carry-around models (thus the wheels). You certainly wouldn't need be on your knees to vacuum the floor!

Good luck with your basement. I've always thought it would be lovely to have a basement.

[bruceko]

vitus wrote:
[quote=Ombligo]
[quote=Dennis S]

It doesn't "flood," it just gets wet with about 1/8" of water covering up to about 40 square feet - usually less. I can't visualize how many gallons of capacity I need with some to spare.

40sf @ 1/8" (.125) deep = 5cf
1cf = 7.48051948 gallons
5cf = 37.4 gallons, so you would need a 40 Gallon wet dry to do it in one trip. They don't make those
(40 ft^2) *(1/8 in)*(1 ft/12 in) = 0.42 ft^3 -> 3.1 gallons
I still come up with 37.4 gallons
40/8=5 cu ft/.13368=37.4 gallon
it would be 40/8 or 40*.125 both equal 5 cu ft
1 gallon =.13368 cu ft or 1 cuft =7.4 gallons
so
5/.13368=37.4 gal
or 5*7.4=37 gal
Where is the error?
Show us our error