Shop vac guide
Vacmaster VOC812SF 1101 8-Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Home and shop cleanups where a stainless 8-gallon tank, a drain port and both wet and dry filters in the box are wanted
An 8-gallon, 6 peak HP stainless steel wet/dry vac rated at 11.5 amps, 100 CFM and 83 inches of water lift, with a drain port, blower conversion, cartridge filter, foam wet filter and ten accessories. Its hose diameter is stated three different ways.
Listing checked . Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Published specifications
- 8-gallon stainless steel tank (actual tank volume); 6 peak HP
- 11.5 A, 120 V, 60 Hz; 100 CFM; 83 in water lift; 300 air watts
- Hose 7 ft; diameter 1-1/2 in (Cleva), 1-7/8 in (manual), ~2.5 in (listing)
- 10 ft power cord; 17 ft combined reach
- Cartridge filter for dry use, foam wet filter for liquids, dust bag
- 2-year limited warranty; 90 days for commercial or rental use
Fit and limits
Strengths
- Both a dry cartridge filter and a foam wet filter come in the box
- Cleva publishes CFM, water lift and air watts measured at the end of the included hose
- Stainless tank with drain port, blower conversion and on-board storage
Caveats
- Hose diameter is given as 1-1/2, 1-7/8 and about 2.5 inches by different sources
- 10 foot power cord
- Filters, accessories, hoses, nozzles and casters are excluded from warranty coverage
An 8-gallon stainless vac with a ten-piece kit
The VOC812SF 1101 is Vacmaster's 8-gallon wet/dry vac with a premium stainless steel tank and a motor Cleva rates at 6 peak horsepower. Cleva lists 360 degree rotating casters, on-board hose, cord and accessory storage, a large drain port and conversion to a blower.
Cleva's what's-included list is a crevice tool, dust brush, utility nozzle, floor brush and squeegee nozzle, cartridge filter, foam wet filter, dust collection bag, two extension wands and the hose. The listing's bullets and details describe the same stainless tank, blower conversion and on-board storage.
The manual's carton list adds a handle, a filter retainer, a bag of six screws and four caster foot assemblies, and its parts diagram labels a drain port, a blower port, accessory storage and an anti-static chain on the tank.
Three sources, three hose diameters
Cleva's specification list gives the hose diameter as 1-1/2 inches. The manual's carton contents page says the hose and accessories for this vacuum are 1-7/8 inches, or 47.6 mm, in diameter. The Amazon details table gives approximately 2.5 inches.
None of the three documents explains the difference, and the manual pages read give no separate adapter or conversion part. Check the diameter on the hose you receive before buying extra tools for it.
The other hose and cord figures agree. Cleva and the listing both give a 7 foot hose, Cleva gives a 10 foot power cord, and both describe a combined cleaning reach of 17 feet from hose and cord together.
Motor and performance figures
Cleva's specifications give a motor rating of 11.5 amps at 120 volts and 60 hertz, 6 peak horsepower, 100 CFM, 83 inches of water lift and 300 air watts. Its footnote says the CFM, water lift and air watt figures were tested to an ASTM standard at the end of the included hose.
The listing repeats the 83 inch water lift and 11.5 amps, and adds 1,380 watts and an 80 dB noise level. Neither Cleva's page nor the manual pages read give a noise figure. The listing also carries a runtime field of 500 hours, which no maker document we read mentions.
Cleva footnotes that tank size is the actual tank volume and gives a laboratory definition of peak horsepower. The manual's important-information box on its second page covers both tank size and peak horsepower.
Separate filters for wet and dry
The manual is firm that the cartridge filter and the dust collection bag are for dry vacuuming only. For liquids it has you remove the cartridge filter and fit the foam wet filter, and it says the foam filter must come out and the cartridge go back in before dry vacuuming again.
It also says always to use the cartridge filter for dry vacuuming, warning that running without it will burn out the motor and void the warranty, and it recommends keeping spare filters. A wet cartridge clogs quickly on dust, and the manual says not to use a filter with holes or tears.
Cleva describes the cartridge and foam filters as protecting the motor and maintaining suction. Both are on Cleva's what's-included list and in the manual's carton list, alongside one dust collection bag.
The float, the drain and storage
The manual says the machine is fitted with a float valve that stops suction when the collection tank reaches maximum capacity, and that you will notice the motor speed increase. At that point it says to switch off, unplug and empty the tank before continuing.
Liquids are emptied through the drain cap on the tank, and the manual reminds you to refit the cap afterwards. After wet work it asks you to clean and dry the tank. It also warns against fully submerging the nozzle, asking you to leave a gap.
For storage, the cord wraps on hooks at the back of the vac and the hose and accessories are stored on the unit. The manual says to store the vac indoors and to have repairs done only by qualified service personnel using identical replacement parts.
Two-year limited warranty
Cleva's product support section lists a 2 year limited warranty, and the manual gives the same term: two years against defects in workmanship and materials from the date of purchase under normal household use, or from the date of delivery in California.
If the vac is used for commercial, industrial or rental work, the manual says a 90 day limited warranty applies instead. It asks you to keep your receipt as proof of purchase and gives a customer service number, 1-866-384-8432.
Excluded are parts made inoperative by misuse, negligence, abuse, accidents, improper maintenance, repairs or alterations; consumables such as filters and accessories; normal wear of hoses, nozzles and casters; deterioration of the exterior finish; units with a tampered serial label; and products bought from an unauthorized retailer.
Check the current listing
Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Primary sources
- Cleva Vacmaster VOC812SF 1101 8-gallon premium stainless steel wet/dry vacuum product page
- Vacmaster VOC812SF 1101 operator's manual (linked from the Cleva product page)
Primary sources checked .
Compare with
- Vacmaster VJH1211PF1101 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
A larger tank with a 2.5-inch hose and drain
- Vacmaster Beast VFB511H 0201 5-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
A compact rolling body with filter and bag supplied
- Armor All AA255W 2.5-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
Small cleanups and car-detail tools in a wheeled package
- Vacmaster VOC508S 1101 Stainless 5-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
A smaller stainless tank with three extension wands
- CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17595 16-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
A larger rolling drum with a wide hose and drain
- DEWALT DXV06P 6-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
Routine corded cleanup with a mesh accessory bag