[Tony dunmall]

Grippa vac mini grafter

Is there any one here who uses one?

What  ease of moving around properties does it have , do you wish you have a long handle for extra manoeuvres

Do they handle a 3-4 bed average house without emptying unless it's crazy dirty

Thanks for any responses

[Nick Day]

Hi Tony,

We don't use that machine (we make and sell kits ourselves as well as clean gutters). Speaking generally that size of machine normally would do the size house you're talking about unless like you say they are crazy full! We ourselves find that size machine far easier to move around sites rather than lugging a big machine around.

[Don Simon]

Hi Tony,

We don't use that machine (we make and sell kits ourselves as well as clean gutters). Speaking generally that size of machine normally would do the size house you're talking about unless like you say they are crazy full! We ourselves find that size machine far easier to move around sites rather than lugging a big machine around.

Depends how powerful you are !

[Smurf]

Smaller wetvac's come in handy at times but I would not want to use one for everyday use myself. They lack power suction wise is a trade off for the small foot print/weight. Meaning the types of jobs you will get asked to do they are not really up to the job and will take longer to do especially on the taller jobs.

You will also be surprised at how much crap can come out of even the smallest gutter run so you will be forever emptying it. Also being a much smaller tank the filter will probably keep getting blocked too especially sucking up wet sludge. 

[Nick Day]

I know we disagree on this Smurf but we did a large school (1000 metres) at christmas with a 1800 watt machine without any problems at all. We did it in 2 days and we sucked weeds out at 35ft, we adapt our filters for cleaning gutters but it didn't block once. Yes you do empty them more but we find them easier to empty than 80 litre machines, that's our experience.

[Tony dunmall]

Thanks for comments

I have an old 80 litre machine which is used by my subcontractor on any larger jobs that come in

I snapped by top bicep just over a year ago and certain movements with strength are no longer an option,  lifting is one of them,so lifting the large gutter vac is just literally a pain

The other muscles do start to compensate again over time  but obviously without a muscle where there was one once,  creates limits to your strength

I just wanted to here from those that use the smaller machines  in specific the grafter mini as its a1800 so reasonable suction

If any one uses any thing similar I'm happy to take on board comments

It's only for occasional use as I'm mostly window cleaning

[robert mitchell]

Smaller wetvac's come in handy at times but I would not want to use one for everyday use myself. They lack power suction wise is a trade off for the small foot print/weight. Meaning the types of jobs you will get asked to do they are not really up to the job and will take longer to do especially on the taller jobs.

You will also be surprised at how much crap can come out of even the smallest gutter run so you will be forever emptying it. Also being a much smaller tank the filter will probably keep getting blocked too especially sucking up wet sludge.

The suction is no different to the other grippavacs , its the same top piece with a smaller drum and it has the side inlet (cyclonic) fitted to reduce blockages .

[Smurf]

Smaller wetvac's come in handy at times but I would not want to use one for everyday use myself. They lack power suction wise is a trade off for the small foot print/weight. Meaning the types of jobs you will get asked to do they are not really up to the job and will take longer to do especially on the taller jobs.

You will also be surprised at how much crap can come out of even the smallest gutter run so you will be forever emptying it. Also being a much smaller tank the filter will probably keep getting blocked too especially sucking up wet sludge.

The suction is no different to the other grippavacs , its the same top piece with a smaller drum and it has the side inlet (cyclonic) fitted to reduce blockages .

 
Yes I know  but they are still not as good as a triple 4200w vac or even a 3000w vacs fitted with 100mm inlets. Only advantage is they have a smaller footprint and are easier to move about that's all.

[Nick Day]

To be honest we found ourselves with an 1800 watt machine we work quicker. That school job I mentioned above we did 5 years ago with a 3600 watt machine and we found this time we actually completed the job half a day earlier and this time we cleaned more gutters as there had been an extension. That's what we found, other people may have found different.

[Smurf]

Where you just going through the motions  on near on empty gutters by any chance?
Don't know about you but I tend to drag those sort of jobs  out.  lol

[Nick Day]

I wish!! No about 800 meters was Ogie type gutter full of muck and 200 was industrial box type full of muck and water.  The sports hall we had to empty 10 times there was so much muck and water in the back!! We couldn't get away with empty gutters beforehand as they'd got us to do a survey beforehand.

[robert mitchell]

Smaller wetvac's come in handy at times but I would not want to use one for everyday use myself. They lack power suction wise is a trade off for the small foot print/weight. Meaning the types of jobs you will get asked to do they are not really up to the job and will take longer to do especially on the taller jobs.

You will also be surprised at how much crap can come out of even the smallest gutter run so you will be forever emptying it. Also being a much smaller tank the filter will probably keep getting blocked too especially sucking up wet sludge.

The suction is no different to the other grippavacs , its the same top piece with a smaller drum and it has the side inlet (cyclonic) fitted to reduce blockages .

 
Yes I know  but they are still not as good as a triple 4200w vac or even a 3000w vacs fitted with 100mm inlets. Only advantage is they have a smaller footprint and are easier to move about that's all.

The wattage isnt a measure of the vacs suction , just a measure of how much power it draws , you can have 2 different 3000 watt vacs and the suction lift and airflow can be wildly different .

I have lifted 3 foot sods out with an 1800 watt nilfisk .

[Dry Clean]

Smaller wetvac's come in handy at times but I would not want to use one for everyday use myself. They lack power suction wise is a trade off for the small foot print/weight. Meaning the types of jobs you will get asked to do they are not really up to the job and will take longer to do especially on the taller jobs.

You will also be surprised at how much crap can come out of even the smallest gutter run so you will be forever emptying it. Also being a much smaller tank the filter will probably keep getting blocked too especially sucking up wet sludge.

The suction is no different to the other grippavacs , its the same top piece with a smaller drum and it has the side inlet (cyclonic) fitted to reduce blockages .

 
Yes I know  but they are still not as good as a triple 4200w vac or even a 3000w vacs fitted with 100mm inlets. Only advantage is they have a smaller footprint and are easier to move about that's all.

The wattage isnt a measure of the vacs suction , just a measure of how much power it draws , you can have 2 different 3000 watt vacs and the suction lift and airflow can be wildly different .

I have lifted 3 foot sods out with an 1800 watt nilfisk .

It a measure of the size and power of the motor the suction will depend on the quality of the machine, put a quality 4.2kw
vac near a quality 1800w machine and you will see the difference.
Just as lifting a 3 foot dry mostly grass sod will be a lot easier than lifting the same length mostly made up of damp muck.
The problem with the bigger vacs is they need a heavy generator that can be hard for someone working alone to handle.

[robert mitchell]

it was soaking wet and heavy and it lifted fine , if you are doing domestic gutters the grippavac will be fine , big machines are overkill for domestic.

[Nick Day]

We always prefer wetter gutters to dryer gutters, far easier!

[the king]

ive got the grippa vac and its bin very good had it over a year now no issues as yet its lifted some big clumps

[Spruce]

We always prefer wetter gutters to dryer gutters, far easier!

But surely the cleanup is much worse with all that muck in the flexible hose.

[Nick Day]

No just take a tub of water and a bucket then when you feel it building up in the tubes and hose suck a bucket full through and it clears instantly.

[Tony dunmall]

Nick

What machine do you use?

Tony

[Smurf]

The old bucket of water trick works well. You will soon know when it needs doing when the carbon poles, hose etc start to become heavy.