RIDGID WD1250 User Manual

WD1250

12 U.S. GALLONS/45 LITERS WET/DRY VAC

FOR QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION CONTACT US AT

CALL 1-800-4-RIDGID (1-800-474-3443) OR

www.ridgidvacs.com

Part No. SP6663 Printed in Mexico

OPERATOR’S MANUAL

SAVE THIS MANUAL FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

WARNING:

To reduce the risk of injury, the user must read and understand the operator’s manual before using this product.

Thank you for buying a RIDGID product.

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Table of Contents

Important Safety Instructions. . . . . . . . . 2

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Unpacking and Checking

Carton Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Caster/Caster Foot Assembly . . . . . . . . 4

Replacement Filter Assembly . . . . . . . . 5

Wet/Dry Vac Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Cord Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

To Store Your Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . 7

Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Vacuuming Dry Materials . . . . . . . . . . 8

Vacuuming Liquids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Emptying the Drum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Cord Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Moving the Wet/Dry Vac. . . . . . . . . . . 9

Blowing Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Cleaning and Disinfecting

the Wet/Dry Vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Casters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Repair Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

Safety is a combination of common sense, staying alert, and knowing how your Wet/Dry Vac works.

Safety Signal Words

DANGER: Indicates an imminently

hazardous situation which, if not avoided,

will result in death or serious injury.

WARNING: Indicates a potentially

hazardous situation which, if not avoided,

could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION: Indicates a potentially

hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury.

When using your Wet/Dry Vac (“Vac”), always follow basic safety precautions including the following:

WARNING - To

reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury:

• Read and understand this operator’s manual and all labels on the Wet/Dry Vac before operating.

• Use only as described in this manual.

• Do not leave Vac running while unattended.

• Sparks inside the motor can ignite flammable vapors or dust. To reduce the risk of fire or explosion, Do not vacuum or use near flammable or combustible liquids, gases, or explosive dusts, such as gasoline or other fuels, lighter fluid, cleaners, oilbased paints, natural gas, hydrogen, coal dust, magnesium dust, aluminum dust, grain dust, or gun powder.

• Do not vacuum anything that is burning or smoking, such as cigarettes, matches, or hot ashes.

• Do not vacuum drywall dust or cold fireplace soot or ash with standard filter. This is a very fine dust which may be exhausted back into the air. Use a fine dust filter instead.

• To reduce the risk of health hazards from vapors or dust, do not vacuum toxic materials.

• Do not use or store near hazardous materials.

• To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not expose to rain or allow liquid to enter motor compartment. Store indoors.

• Do not allow to be used as a toy. Close attention is necessary when used by or near children.

• Do not use with a torn filter or without the filter installed except when vacuuming liquids as described in the Operation section of this manual. Dry debris ingested by the impeller may damage the motor or be exhausted back into the air.

• Do not leave Vac plugged in. Unplug from outlet when not in use and before servicing.

• Turn off Vac before unplugging.

• To reduce the risk of injury from accidental starting, unplug power cord before changing or cleaning filter.

• Do not unplug by pulling on cord. To unplug, grasp the plug, not the cord.

• Do not use with damaged cord, plug or other parts. If your Vac is not working

Section Page

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• Use only extension cords that are rated for outdoor use. Extension cords in poor condition or that are too small in wire size can pose fire and shock hazards. To reduce the risk of these hazards when using an extension cord, be sure it is in good condition and that the connection does not come into contact with liquid. To keep power loss to a minimum, use the following table to choose the minimum wire size extension cord.

as it should, has missing parts, has been dropped, damaged, left outdoors, or dropped into water, return it to an Authorized Service Center.

• Do not pull or carry by cord, use cord as handle, close a door on cord, or pull cord around sharp edges or corners. Do not run Vac over cord. Keep cord away from heated surfaces.

• Do not handle plug, switch, or the Vac with wet hands.

• Do not put any object into ventilation openings. Do not vacuum with any ventilation openings blocked; keep free of dust, lint, hair or anything that may reduce air flow.

• Keep hair, loose clothing, fingers, and all parts of body away from openings and moving parts.

• To reduce the risk of falls, use extra care when cleaning on stairs.

• To reduce the risk of back injury or falls, do not lift a Vac that is heavy with liquid or debris. Partially empty the Vac by scooping or draining liquid to make it comfortable to lift.

• To reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to Vac, use only Ridgid recommended accessories.

• When using as a blower:

- Direct air discharge only at work

area.

- Do not direct air at bystanders.

- Keep children away when blowing.

- Do not use blower for any job except

blowing dirt and debris.

- Do not use as a sprayer.

- Wear safety eyewear.

• To reduce the risk of eye injury, wear safety eyewear. The operation of any utility Vac or blower can result in foreign objects being blown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage.

• This Wet/Dry Vac is double-insulated, eliminating the need for a separate grounding system. Use only identical replacement parts. Read the instructions for Servicing DoubleInsulated Wet/Dry Vacs before servicing.

Extension Cord Length Gauge A.W.G.

0-50 Ft. 14 50-100 Ft. 12

Observe the following warnings that appear on the motor housing of your Vac:

WARNING: For your own safety, read and understand operator’s manual. Do not run unattended. Do not pick up hot ashes, coals, toxic, flammable or other hazardous materials. Do not use around explosive liquids or vapors.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of electric shock - do not expose to rain - store indoors.

DOUBLE INSULATED GROUNDING NOT REQUIRED. WHEN SERVICING USE ONLY IDENTICAL REPLACEMENT PARTS.

SAVE THIS MANUAL

CAUTION:

• To reduce the risk of hearing damage, wear ear protectors when using for extended hours using it in a noisy area.

• For dusty operations, wear dust mask.

NOTE: Static shocks are common in dry areas or when the relative humidity of the air is low. Vacuuming fine debris with your Vac can deposit static charge on the hose or on the Vac. The best remedy to reduce the frequency of static shocks in your home or when using this Vac is to add moisture to the air with a humidifier.

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Introduction

This Wet/Dry Vac is intended for household use. It may be used for vacuuming wet or dry media and may be used as a blower.

Read this operator’s manual to familiarize yourself with the product features and to understand the specific usage of your new Vac.

Unpacking and Checking Carton Contents

Remove entire contents of carton. Check each item against the Carton Contents List. Contact 1-800-4-RIDGID or E-mail us at info@ridgidvacs.com if any parts are damaged or missing.

Carton Contents List

Key Description Qty

A Wet/Dry Vac ................................1

B Tug-A-Long Hose.........................1

C Caster ..........................................4

D Caster Foot w/Storage.................4

E Extension Wands.........................2

F Utility Nozzle ................................1

G Wet Nozzle...................................1

H Car Nozzle ...................................1

J Operator’s Manual .......................1

Caster/Caster Foot Assembly

1. Turn the dust drum upside down on the floor.

2. Insert the caster feet into the bottom of drum, as shown (4 places).

3. Push on the caster foot until the foot is flush with bottom of the dust drum.

4. Insert the caster stem into the socket of the caster foot, as shown (4 places).

5. Push on the caster until the ball on the caster stem is inserted all the way into the socket. You will hear the ball snap into the socket and the caster will swivel easily when positioning is correct.

6. Turn the drum upright.

Caster Foot

Dust Drum

Caster Caster Stem Caster Ball

Hole

1. Carefully slide the filter over the filter cage, sliding it over the center ring covering the 3 slots until the filter stops against the lid.

2. Place filter nut and filter plate onto threaded stud and tighten it down. Finger tighten only.

NOTE: Lever of filter nut should be away from plate as shown.

IMPORTANT: Do not overtighten as this may deform or crack the filter cage, or filter.

NOTE: If filter cage or float needs to be replaced or removed, use a flat blade screwdriver and insert the blade near one of the tabs between the filter cage and the center ring of the lid. Pry the tab out of the slot. Tilt the cage and lift away from the lid. To replace, follow the assembly instructions below:

3. Place the float over the opening in the center of the lid with the words "This Side Towards Lid" laying face down over the hole.

4. Line up filter cage tabs with slots in the center ring of the lid.

5. Push on the filter cage until the tabs snap into slots for a secure fit.

Replacement Filter Assembly

WARNING: For your own safety, never connect plug to power source outlet until all assembly steps are complete and you have read and understood the safety and operation instructions. Do not operate vac with any parts damaged or missing.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to vac be sure to keep hands, fingers, or any other foreign objects out of the center opening when assembling the float .

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Filter Nut Lever

Filter Cage

Tabs (3)

Solid End

THIS SIDE

TOWARD LID

Float

Filter Cage Tabs (3)

Slots (3)

Filter Nut Filter Plate

Filter

Threaded Stud Filter Cage

Slots (3)

Power Assembly

Slots (3)

1. Line up vacuum port in top assembly with drain cap located on the front of the drum.

2. Place lid on top of drum with the drum latches snug against the drum channel.

3. Be sure lid completely covers the top of the drum so leakage does not occur.

4. Push down on top of the drum latch areas to cause the flexible locking tabs to hook onto the drum lip of the channel.

5. Make sure that the locking tabs are snapped in place to prevent the lid from coming off. (See inset).

Your new Wet/Dry Vac is ready for use.

Wet/Dry Vac Assembly

Cord Storage

Simply, wrap the power cord around the power head and snap the connector on the plug to a wrap of the cord.

Insert Hose

Insert the push button end of the “Tug-aLong” hose into the inlet of the vac. The hose should snap into place. To remove the hose from the vac, press the release button in the hose assembly and pull the hose out of the vac inlet, as shown.

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Out

Flexible

Locking Tab

Push

Down

Cord Wrap Area

Blower Port

Drum

Top Assembly

Power Cord

Drum

Caster Feet w/Accessory Storage

Pull Handle

Caster

Drain Cap

Release Button

Pull Out Flexible Locking

Tab

Drum Channel

Push

Down

Pull Out Flexible Locking

Tab

Operation

WARNING

To reduce the risk of fire or explosion, do not operate this vac in areas with flammable gases, vapors or explosive dust in the air. Flammable gases or vapors include but are not limited to; lighter fluid, solvent type cleaners, oil-base paints, gasoline, alcohol or aerosol sprays. Explosive dusts include but are not limited to; coal, magnesium, aluminum, grain or gun powder. Do not vacuum explosive dust, flammable or combustible liquids or hot ashes. Do not use this vac as a sprayer. To reduce the risk of health hazards from vapors or dusts, do not vacuum toxic materials.

CAUTION: To reduce risk of hearing damage, wear ear protectors when using the vac for extended hours or when using in a noisy area.

WARNING: The operation of any utility vac can result in foreign objects being blown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. Always wear safety eyewear complying with ANSI Z87.1 (or in Canada, CSA Z94.3) before starting operation. Safety eyewear are available at many local retail stores.

To reduce the risk of electric shock, this appliance has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). This plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician to install the proper outlet. Do not change the plug in any way.

OFF

After you plug the power cord into the outlet, turn the unit on by pushing the switch from position "O" to position "l". The symbols used on the switch actuator are international "On & Off" symbols. "O" is the symbol for "OFF" and "l" is the symbol for "ON".

1. Slide extension wands and accessories over the rings on the caster feet.

2. To remove wands and accessories, lightly rotate and pull upward.

3. Accessories may also be stored in the rings provided on lid.

To Store Your Accessories

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Car Nozzle

Utility Nozzle

Operation (continued)

Utility Nozzle - General purpose nozzle for

most vacuuming applications.

Car Nozzle - Dry pickup nozzle for car interiors and most upholstery cleaning.

Wet Nozzle - Used for wet pickup on smooth surfaces to pick up liquid and dry the surface in one stroke.

Extension Wands - These wands can be connected together and provides additional length for more reach.

Hose - Provides transfer of vacuum or blowing capability to work site. Provides the means of attaching extension wands and nozzles.

Familiarize yourself with the accessories included with the vac. Each accessory may be used in various ways for vacuuming and blowing debris. Here is a list of the accessories and their uses.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not run vac unattended.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury from accidental starting, unplug power cord before emptying the drum.

Emptying the Drum

Vacuuming Liquids

1. When picking up small amounts of liquid the filter may be left in place.

2. When picking up large amounts of liquid we recommend that the filter be removed. If the filter is not removed, it will become saturated and misting may appear in the exhaust.

3. When the liquid in the drum reaches a predetermined level, the float mechanism will rise automatically to cut off air-flow. You will know that the float has risen because vac airflow ceases and the motor noise will become higher in pitch, due to increased motor speed. When this happens, turn off the vac, unplug the power cord, and empty the drum.

4. After using the vac to pick up liquids, the filter must be dried to avoid possible mildew and damage to the filter.

IMPORTANT: To reduce the risk of damage to the vac, do not run motor with float in raised position.

1. The vac comes equipped with a drain for easy emptying of liquids. Simply unscrew the drain cap and lift the opposite side slightly to empty the drum.

2. Another option is to remove the lid. Pull the flexible latches outward on each side of the lid to release from the drum.

3. While holding the latches out, lift the top assembly up and away from the drum.

4. Lay top assembly upside down on a clean area while emptying drum or changing filter.

Vacuuming Dry Materials

1. The filter must always be in correct position at all times to avoid leaks and possible damage to vac.

2. Your using your vac to pick up very fine dust, it will be necessary for you to empty the drum and clean the filter at more frequent intervals to maintain peak vac performance.

NOTE: A dry filter is necessary to pick up dry material. If you use your vac to pick up material when the filter is wet, the filter will clog quickly and be very difficult to clean.

3. If your filter is wet but you need to use the vac to pick up dry material, you can quickly dry the filter by running the vac without hose attached for about 10 minutes. The clean air rushing through the vac will help dry the filter.

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1. Locate blowing port of your Wet/Dry Vac.

2. Insert Tug-A-Long end of hose into the blowing port of the vac.

3. (Optional) Attach extension wand to swivel end of hose, then place a car nozzle on the wand.

4. Turn vac on and you are ready to use your vac as a blower.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of back injury or falls, do not lift a vac heavy with liquid or debris. Scoop or drain enough contents out to make the vac light enough to lift comfortably.

Cord Maintenance

When vacuuming is complete, unplug the cord and wrap it around the motor cover.

Moving the Wet/Dry Vac

Should it become necessary to pick the vac up to move it, the handles on the sides of the dust drum are used to lift. To maneuver the vac, the pull handle above the inlet should be used.

Blowing Feature

Your Wet/Dry Vac features “Full Blowing”. It can blow sawdust and other debris. Follow the steps below to use your vac as a blower.

WARNING: Always wear safety eyewear complying with ANSI Z87.1 (or in Canada, CSA Z94.3) before using as a blower.

CAUTION: Wear a dust mask if blowing creates dust which might be inhaled.

CAUTION: To reduce the risk of hearing damage wear ear protectors when using the vac/blower for extended hours or when using in a noisy area.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury to bystanders, keep them clear of blowing debris.

5. Dump the drum contents into the proper waste disposal container.

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Tug-A-Long Hose

Extension Wand

(optional)

Car Nozzle

(optional)

Blowing Port

Swivel End of Hose

+ 19 hidden pages