hate the noise of a vacuum

farley · Post by **farley** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:27 pm

I have only every had a Sears vac.

can't stand the noise.

I am not a big got to have the dust removed type guy, so am not particularly interested in how much better it is about removing dust, but how about the sound level?

Is the SS dust collection thing quieter than a shop vac?

TIA

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:32 pm

farley wrote:I have only every had a Sears vac.

can't stand the noise.

I am not a big got to have the dust removed type guy, so am not particularly interested in how much better it is about removing dust, but how about the sound level?

Is the SS dust collection thing quieter than a shop vac?

TIA

I don't know for sure but it sure isn't quiet. The next time you are here we'll have to let you do a noise comparison (dust collector to shopvac). I even have a noise level meter you can use.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:40 pm

I don't know if it is quieter or not but I would rather hear the DC3000 than the run of the mill shop vacs. Most shop vacs make a shrill noise that makes me crazy, my SS Dust Collector does not.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:43 pm

The SS dust collector is MUCH QUIETER than my shop vac.

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:12 pm

beeg wrote:The SS dust collector is MUCH QUIETER than my shop vac.

Ditto on that, I have both Sears and Ridgid shop vacs and they scream. The DC3300's I have are quieter and the sound is at a lower frequency.

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:35 pm

Shop vacs are powered by universal motors that operate at very high speeds with brush/commutator noise as well. Decibel levels are often at 90 or higher. These noise levels cause permanent hearing loss, which is cumulative over time, the rate determined by the amount of exposure.

The DC3300 has an AC induction motor which is much quieter. There are other variables of course, air and fan velocity included, but the DC3300 most likely has a noise level at 3 feet not higher than 85dBA.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:52 pm

Using my handy Sound Pressure Meter from RadioShack, I declare this debate will be a draw. The final decision to be made based on personal opinions, preference and bias.

The dust collector measured between 82-84 dBa while the ShopVac measured 83 dBa. I saw virtually no change in readings between weighted average and non-weighted.

If I had to listen to one or the other for extended periods of time - the DC3300 would collector of choice. The ShopVac has an annoying high frequency whine that I could not tolerate for the long haul. The DC3300 is annoying too. That is why it doesn't stay on all the time I am in the shop but only when making dust.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:55 pm

I bought the 2 HP collector new from HF and I have a 1.5 HP collector I got barely used from a friend of my son for $50 when he moved and didn't have a home for it. They are both about the same in noise level and pitch. One of my BIL's bought the 1 HP from HF and it is remarkably quieter but moves nearly as much free air.
I use a few vacs for a couple of tools that have limited dust output. A couple are household vacs which tend to be quieter just because of the way they are mounted and muffled.
My wife and I were in the vac business for even longer than we were in the boot and shoe business. Contrary to what many people think a huge number of the canister cleaners and shop vacs used the same few motors made by a few companies. Many common vac motor units were made by the Lamb Electric Co., and Singer along with a few others. Hoover and some others made their own.
The common 1 fan motor with one ball bearing (fan end) and one sleeve bearing was used in a whole herd of lower priced cleaners (including most low end Eurekas) and a lot of shop vacs. The better units were generally 2 fan units with ball bearings at both ends. They were usually the unit of choice for most of the better Eureka's and such expensive door to door cleaner names as Filter Queen, Compact, Tri-star and the higher suction shop vacs.
Filter Queens are exceptionally quiet due to muffling. They also do an excellent job of protecting their motor from dust normally greatly extending their life. They also were selling for about $1200 to $1500 15 years ago... Yes they used the same motor as the $199 Eureka 15 years ago. Not similar or close, the exact same Lamb Electric part number. Yes the Filter Queen salesman used to say that is not right but he was lying...

That said one of them makes a great small shop vac if you can find a cheap used one. Good suction, very quiet and a simple filter cone instead of bags. I bought one at a yard sale for $3. The power head attachment was bad but what did I care about that. They thought it was junk but I saw it as treasure.

I have "somewhere" a couple of small squirrel cage blowers with a wheel size of about 4" dia. and 2" wide that work very well at extracting fumes or fine dust from a work station and blowing it outside. Very very quiet...

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:18 pm

The more important distinction is that the DC (any DC) will remove the fine dust from your air so that it can support life. The shop vac will only clean up the messy shavings.

Paul M

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:50 pm

Wood working has been difficult for me due to severe asthma. When the DC3300 was turned on for the first time my wife and I both noted the lack of airborne dust particles. Quiet not really. Live giving, count upon it. I cast my vote for life and clean air to breathe. Yes sir I cast my vote for the Dc3300. Fjimp