For all those wondering what the fuse is, check out this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gbJ6ldRpqr28qXU.html also what happens when you use a car fuse in 120v system?

That thermal fuse was engineered to fail prematurely.There's a perfect little spot to place a 15 amp automotive fuse behind it. The switch looked good and the wiring looked good, so the fuse hack did the trick and I didn't need to buy a new shop vac. Thanks for making this video.

its a wax filled thermal overload protection circuit, its designed to protect against overheating however over time, heat and cool cycles the wax eventually breaks down enough to cause an open circuit. they add as " a safety mechanism" but in all reality its planned obsolescence.

I worked for Shopvac for 24 years. The reason that 'doohickey' was added was because a customer's vac caught fire and burned their house down. We added that little hunk of solder so that if a motor was pulling too much current, it would open up and prevent the motor from catching fire.

Watching your video brought back memories...my steel tank unit from 1985 is still going strong. The motor housing also detaches to become a leaf blower with the supplied tube. You're right when you say Shop-Vac doesn't want the user taking it apart. When I took my motor housing apart 9 screws were phillips but 2 were square with a nipple in the middle..nothing would work not even torx or robertson so I had to go at it from the side using a small flathead...got the bastards out and replaced them with phillips so 32 years on it still works great!

hey, I fixed my shop vac after watching your video. Thanks for sharing.

Nice fix! ... and I'm glad to see someone saved it from making its way into a land fill when all it needed was a simple thermal fuse replaced. I've fixed a few vacs myself heading that way... and all were silly simple fix reasons they didn't work. I haven't run into this issue with a shop vac yet, but thanks for the tip. I'll look out for it if I do. Cheers... Thanks for the tip.

Thank you for posting this video... I inserted a fuse the same way you did and it fired right up.

Nice. I was like, "You are forgetting the ball float!". Nice catch before you had it all together. Thanks for sharing.

Had the same problem with my shop vac. Opened it up and found a burnt wire in some kind of holder. Put a piece of solder in it and it has worked since. Thanks for sharing, I like the car fuse Idea. Best Wishes n Blessings. Keith

I am an electromecanical technicien, I repair small appliances, and shop vacs I see all the time for that exact problem and another one also, the thermal fuse is there to prevent the overheating of the motor, thus preventing the motor to reach a temperature that can cause a fire, it is important to replace it with the proper value, this problem is mostly do to the fact that people do not change the bag often enought, if clogged, it will affect the cooling of the motor. As for the other problem, it is the top bearing that is not lubricated, after two years of regular use, it is worn out, mechanical moving parts should always be lubricated, it is wear in that bearing that cause the vibrating sound we hear when the vacuum in the video is turned on, no parts available for the motor. So before taking to much time to look for a replacement thermal fuse, check the top bearing of the motor first, for signs of excessive wear.

Actually, the dude who engineered this fix was named Jerry - I won't give his last name...but he was a fantastic engineer and a great guy! 🙂

you remember the movie The Brave Little Toaster? Remember the scene where they end up in a fix it shop? The guy was fixing blenders and toasters and whatnot. Nowadays they all end up at goodwill. nobody wants to turn a wrench anymore! thanks for the vid

16 1/2 minutes of reassembly before we find out if you fixed it. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

This is my style of shopping!...thanks for sharing!

Some units have a Temp fuse its works like a normal fuse but pops at a pre-set temp were a normal fuse pops at a pre -set current - level. Most fans have a temp sensor/fuse that pops as well if the airflow in the motor is cut off or way down from dust, pet hair or any other stuff that blocks the air flow for cooling the motor and letting it over-heat. If there's no cooling the wires get hot and melt the light coating and letting them short- out and could lead to a fire if the Circuit Braker or fuse is- to big. Many years ago motors did not have this and at times it's like the fourth of July when a motor shorts out and starts to burn as flames at times come out along with sparks and the smell of burnt wires I love people who take the time to fix things like this and save money thanks for taking the time to show this and post.

I believe what you did was bypassed the thermal overload. it keeps you from burning up the motor because it got too hot, usually from the vacuum being clogged up

I like this guy. He removes electrical safety features with puts a fuse designed for 12 volts in a 120 v circuit. Somebodies in for a shocking good time.

Great video... I learned something new here. At 04:45 - I'd tighten those screws a bit more, and/or use some Lock-tite. You don't want the motor to come loose from the screws falling out from vibration.

thank you for the video. I'm keeping my eye open for a old vac on the side-road now .;-)

Thanks for the tip and laugh, OMG when it started after you hit the red button and then you said well it is wired backwards, I busted out laughing... WHY?? Because it is something I would have done... BAHAHAHAHAHAH

i stopped watching at 2:53. you need to get to the point.

Good video. If you want to turn your torx driver magnetic, just sit it on a strong magnet for a few days, preferably one out of an old microwave.

Thank you for including all the reassembly. There are a lot of parts to reassemble!

21 minutes. Twenty one minutes. Twenty. One... and 19 seconds. Nineteen. Seconds.

Take photos when you take it apart. Makes it easier to put together.

Thermal overload protection. On many devices, it's a self-resetting fuse. It snaps out of place with heat from the motor. When it cools down, it's designed to snap back into place and complete the circuit. I had a fan that got knocked over and the fuse worked as intended but it never snapped back. So I simply removed it from the circuit. I've labeled this fan and I only use it in my garage when I'm present. Similarly, you would only use a shop vac when you are present. This is OK advice for the average DIY minded person. Average consumer? Not so much.

Appreciate it man. Good upload!

I had one that started squealing and found the sleeve bushings of the motor to be worn out. I replaced them with sealed ball bearings and epoxied them in. Has been running great for over 5 years now.

Wow, lots of negative criticism. The correct part should of course be used but what he did is not so bad. Most of us are not going to turn on a vacuum cleaner, leave it and go out for a walk. In normal use, if the unit did overload/overheat you would hear something was wrong long before it caught fire and you would turn it off. He is in no danger at all from his repair as long as he uses it normally.

At 20:04, you can hear the telltale whine of a dry bearing and/or bushing as the motor comes to full rest. NOTE: Use 3-In-One MOTOR Oil (SAE-20) with a BLUE label; it is formulated specifically for bushing/bearing lubrication. CAUTION: Do NOT use 3-In-One ORIGINAL Oil with a BLACK label for bushing/bearing lubrication; it contains unwanted additives for this application. At 5:26, the bushing end of the shaft is shown oriented up; and is generally easier to access and oil than the bearing. Most Shop-Vac bushings have a wick-type material held under a slotted metal retainer; Do not attempt to dissemble. Apply several drops of oil to this wick-type material in addition to the bushing itself. At 3:49, the bearing end of the shaft is shown oriented up with the aluminum impeller removed; this is the best time to oil the bearing. Attempting to oil the bearing without fist removing the aluminum impeller generally results in oil everywhere else but the bearing.

Thanks for the video.

Planned obsolescence. Corporations scientifically study how to make a product fail. They want an acceptable time of use before the failure. How thin can we make the filament of a light bulb. How thin cotton thread of a shirt. How thin on vulcanized rubber tires. ect.

You got the switch installed backward, green is on, red is off.

I'm not gonna watch 20 minutes for you to explain why I clicked on the video..but you still win- you got my view and a comment

good video, all pre 2002 shop vacs had no thermal protection fuses in them. that feature was added mostly to curb overheating during high load testing as done on the assembly lines.

I'm an engineer. It is hard to see in the video, but it looks like a thermal overload protection device, that is thermal cutoff. You need that it to prevent burning out your motor and/or starting a fire. It cuts power when it gets too hot. If the motor won't start after cooling down, the cutoff died. Look up the manual for your vac online, then find the thermal cutoff and replace it with a like item. You can bypass it briefly in the shop for testing only. While testing, be sure to clean bearings. Check for any rough movement of any parts and burn marks. Listen for bad/dirty bearings. If the thermal overload switch failed for a reason, you want to fix the problem. Otherwise, the new switch will have a short life. A fuse or jumper may work, but at the expense of the motor and safety. Do not replace a part unless you know what it is and with a like rated part. For your safety, seek help from a pro. Please consider updating the video. Good luck and be safe.

You shouldn't reassemble the vacuum until you test the motor. Just clamp the motor down and keep your fingers out of the electrical bits. Then you don't need to do all the reassembly work if it's still broken. ;P

that part that holds the fuse is called a fuse able link and if the person running the vac draws up to much water the fuse blows so the person does not get electrocuted while standing on a wet surface, not a good idea to use butt connectors to join the wires and eliminate that safety feature. You put the float upside down. the foam thing goes on the exhaust hole to defuse the air and quiet the vac slightly.

Thanks, for the video!

As others have pointed out, that looks like a thermal fuse. It fails when the motor gets to a dangerous heat. Thus happens when the airflow is interrupted for to long and or often.

Guessing what a doohickey did once might be dangerous sometimes. In case you guess wrong you know, and end up accidentially replacing a doohickey with a thingamabob. One that doesn't do the doohickeyin' and too much thingamabobin' instead. If I were you, I'd make darn sure I replaced a doohickey with a doohickey and a thingamabob with a thingamabob, unless I really knew what doohickeyin' or thingamabobin' they were supposed to do. Just saying.

Great advice

Great little video . internally that machine is just like mine and you did it just like I would have. Going out to put a 20 amp fuse in mine because that's what I have. Thanks

Sounds like motor bearings are worn and/or dry. The top bearing (and sometimes bottom one) have a foam ring around them soaked with oil. I've rescued several "screaming" shop vacs by pulling them apart, cleaning the bearing and shaft, and reoiling the bearing and soaking the sponge.

prime example of people who should be arrested for buying tools.

I am enjoying these DIY videos. Keep up the great work RD!!!

Very nice, honest video, refreshingly rated G, no unnecessary curse words or foul language- or annoying "I'm smarter than you" attitude. *Thank you, subbed*

its a heat switch and/or diode... 45 cents at radio shack

Very annoying. Sorry. I really wanted to see how you fixed but just could not handle the circles you were going in.

Everyone is a critic because it is easy and takes no effort. Critics risk nothing. Thanks for the video. I wasn’t too lazy to tap through the slower parts. Good info. Keep charging!

Thanks for taking the time to show this. Great video. I am guessing I have the same problems with the cheap electrical pressure washer. Guess I need to start taking it apart. lol

based on the comments this chap must greatly regret ever having made this video!

torx not tor-axe A cordless driver set on low torque would be faster too. Thanks for cool video but next time we don't need to see how to put in 12 screws, it's kind of captain obvious.

Thank you, I was able to fix my vacation lol

thermal electrical fuse that takes a load and when it warm-up on load the fuse switches off until it cools. I place a piece of heat sink to keep it running longer. great video and fuse you added.

Editing is your friend!

I thought you were talking about my wife in the beginning

when you take it apart to get the switching right, oil that motor.

"I'm not sure what brand it is.....Anyway..." *Crash* 🤣 Same thing I would've done

Good find but remember that you are using a fuse probably rated 25 or 50v arcover voltage in a 110v motor. It could blow but still arc causing a fire!

is that dan aykroyds son?

Cutty Sark springs to mind!

2 THUMBS UP BRO!!! IM SAVING THIS VIDEO IN MY FAVORITES JUST IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY SHOP VAC!!!

Just to let you know TORX does not have a A in it ....lol

Crazy fool. Hope someone doesn't get hurt following your advise.

I literally just jammed a 15a fuse (same as the one you used) into my motor, in a similar spot on a different unit... and IT WORKED! 🤣🤣🤣Thanks! Saved me from buying another $99 shopvac

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing this excavation. Probably coulda been 8 mins though. Keep up the good work!

You need to learn to do "jump cuts" in video

Why not plug it in and test BEFORE reassembling

great video, just fixed my shop vac exactly as shown in your video, I'm stoked, thanks a bush you saved me money☺

Most enjoyable video I've seen in a long time. I've done this kind of thing many times in my life. I'm retired now, can't hardly do much anymore. Here's a tip: put a small magnet on your screw driver to hold on the screws while putting then in place. Don't listen to all the critics about the fuse, the one you used is fine. I mean how long do you ever have is turned on at a tine anyway. It's not going to overload in two or tree minutes if you're not abusing it ! Again- great video !

Too much Damned talking! Get to the point!

"Torax"? you mean Torx

I've always assumed that to be a reed-style overheat disconnect. I don't know it for sure, since it was never the problem. (usually bearing issues)

Cool video man, the haters crying cause you showed step by step are the same folks tossing perfectly good merchandise on the curb with minor flows.

Torx, spoken like "Torks", rhymes with forks. Specifically, not pacifically, unless it has to do with the pacific ocean.

I agree after watching this video, I drove down my street, and found fifteen of these things just sitting out in front of people's houes waiting to be hauled off by the trash companies. Even found a black guy out in front of one house, but I did not pick him up, cause I knew no one has ever got one of these things to work.

D here, I just put the twenty amp fuse in my shop vac and tested it. , it works like a champ. I bent the existing connection points to the outside and there was plenty of room to allow the fuse in and plenty of resistance to hold the fuse in place. You must have done plenty of box jobs for folks. I know I have . I take some pics if it's really complicated but on things like this I just wing it. Mine was missing one screw at the end also but One of the holes showed no sign of a screw being in there so I just left it out... Thanks for the video

Many Universal Motors (brushes and commutator energizes the spinning rotor coils) are short-lived because of their brushes wearing down in limited usage hours. They also wear out the shaft bushings pretty quickly, too. Yes, shaft bushings, NOT sealed bearings, like a quality power tool has, along with provisions for replacing the worn carbon brushes... They support the motor shaft on bushings made from powdered brass pressed together (sintered) and soaked with oil. In a dusty environment (a shop vac, are you kidding?) the oil catches dust which eats out the bushings and the motor brushes. The loose bushing allows the shaft to sort of "walk around" inside the bushing chattering. It is a characteristic sound you'd recognize ("yep, this thing is about shot...") That growling sound chatter also puts heavy load on motor amperage draw, which heats up and melts the one time wax fuse open (better than that motor catching on fire!) and your shop vac is ready for the landfill. Defeat that fuse and you may have a catastrophic fire. Stop it right away if it is "growling"! A drop or two of oil on the bushing MAY buy you a short extra usage time, usually not much..... Manufacturers plan it this way to sell you a new one every year or so. Your $100 shop vac has a motor the manufacturer probably paid $5 for. Those cheap motors/fan assemblies are often common to multiple vacuum models and "maybe" it can be found brand new/inexpensively at an industrial liquidators? (Burdens Surplus, Northern Tool, etc. and only buy it for the $10 it is actually worth...) Alternatively, you might scrounge up an older, quality, used but still good, industrial vacuum cleaner (Electrolux, Dyson. Rainbow? etc.) and adapt that motor/fan assembly onto your broken shop vac and get many years out of it? (if you're handy...) Look at any of these type tool motors closely before buying the new tool. Sealed ball bearings supported shafts and replaceable brushes are highly desirable. Does the owner's manual include a parts list (and there is a way to purchase replacements?) That's a good sign... A shop vac with a stainless steel tank probably has one of those quality motors, one with an all plastic housing setup probably does not.... If we all insisted on only buying well made tools, the makers of shabby disposable ones would be forced to improve quality.

you really should be concerned with why it failed early. prime candidate moisture in the bearings causing it to work harder pulling excessive current. I've rebuilt enough box fans to have learned, maybe you will too.

So as far as I can tell. This is a video demonstration on how to insert screws into plastic. 20 minutes of turning screws, 30 seconds of actually showing the main topic. And seriously? You put the whole thing back together without first checking to make sure the motor actually worked? Really? No really?

Thank your u just help me fix my vac problem…!

Look almost 33,000 people subscribed so that they can see when this guy wins the Darwin Award.

at least hes trying, a lot of the younger generation are afraid of getting their hands dirty.

By a Ridgid. Lifetime replacement on the motor. I bought mine in 2005 and still runs like a champ and I use it a lot.

Over here in the UK, we have what was an industrial vac called a Henry and it was designed as totally modular, no part cannot be replaced meaning that they can last many long years and are a doddle to work on.

I used to pick them up at construction jobs. A guy told me he always figures in the price of a new shop vac at every job because when he is done with them,they are junk. I have gotten several from him in the past,tear them down,clean them up and sell them. He is right though, they get pretty messed up,especially working around drywall. He sometimes buys two at a time,one for cleanup after,but he reuses those on the next job till they are trashed out. Drywall dust really kills those things,the filters choke out pretty bad and most guys just keep using them until they quit.

this reminds me of that space guy movie when he calls earth "a great big blueberry" I think it's called rocketman lol

It's incredible what people throw away isn't it? and just like you I cannot resist trying to fix things. Just recently I found a decent full size Makita drill, which I took apart and fixed after I found there were 2 cables that had come loose, no idea why it was dumped. Last year I came across a complete non-working 110 volt cement mixer and fixed that too, so now I'm the proud owner of 2 cement mixers.

That filter you figured out to put in on the top is just that, a filter. It is there to filter the incoming air. Not to offend but may I suggest you do a couple of things. 1) invest in a cordless drill or screw driver to shorten your time in repairs as well as time used for the video ( seems most here are complaining about the time). 2) don't be so rough tossing the components around, you can break more than you repair on things like this. Shop-Vac does not make the fuse accessible because they do not want the consumer replacing them, they want people to run out and buy a new vac! In fairness most manufactures work that way on things like this. Other than what I said above, you made a nice clear video! You made out well with that freebee for sure. I own 2 of them and they have ran perfectly for 10 years now! On one of them I did replace that on/off switch with a toggle since shop-vac wanted $28 for a replacement.

great video man

People can talk shit all they want. I'm glad you put this video out here. I saw that show about consumer product cycles. I own a couple of those vacs, and now I know better than to toss em out!

Great video...can you convert a dewalt cordless vacuum broken to home depot portable vacuum..so I can use the battery parts thank you have a blessed day and be blessed

good job brother

Right on!

Awesome video, RDAllen. I have a 2 year old RIDGID 5 gal. shop vac. Why does it have a small blue spark when plugged into a wall socket. Thanks so much.

Wow man very good!!

Ok, mine had the exact same screw missing just where you said. And I was not sure which way to put the float. Open on top or bottom ? I assembled like you did. But somewhere else I looked said turn the cup up. I can't find any schemic to see for sure. But I think you are right on the way it goes.

what they sead is true about the thermal high limit fuse, but everyone missed the reason it failed. Just from the sound, I can tell the bearings are bad. Fried they are. Sleeve bearing with a saw dust soaked in oil for lubrication. The saw dust now comes with almost no oil. If you want a shop vac to last soak the bearings over night with household oil, or mineral oil if you dont have that use automotive oil, or two stroke. oil.