Today we unbox and review the WEN DC1300 dust collector. Is this a great dust collector for a small shop? Will is suck up all your dust or will it just suck!
Found your review as I am looking at the same collector. Thanks for taking the time to upload your experience. First thought I had, during your assembly, with your bag installation challenge - Use magnets to temporarily hang the bag, then snug the band, adjust the bag to your liking - And tighten the band the rest of the way. Just stick the magnets to the bag casing for later use. My tip to you in gratitude for posting the review. I did not imagine the footprint of the unit was as large as you allowed me to realize. Not a game changer, but an eye opener. The orange ? Yeah - No...... I'll need to paint that away, I cant do orange. ;)
Thanks @phantomsqual1! Magnets are a great idea. I did find out that the black clips actually do work. For whatever reason, when I first put it together I didn't notice but when I emptied the bag for the first time I found that they moved and could hold the bag! I would still give it a B+ because you have to work around the supports.
Great video! I just hooked mine up yesterday, and it didn't suck anything! I think I figured out why by watching your video. I have a 4 inch hose reduced to a 2 1/2 inch hose, probably no good. The second thing is, I have it plugged into a power strip plugged into a 15 Amp outlet. That's probably the bigger problem. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks for posting the video!!
Greetings! I'm not an electrician but I would be a little concerned on the 15 amps. WEN's documentation states it should be on a 25 amp breaker because of the initial startup. I also typically don't like to use power strips on larger equipment. I would definitely recommending getting an upgraded breaker and then try plugging directly into the outlet. Good luck!
Kurt, I can explain your situation. Reducing to a 2.5 hose will reduce the volume of the overall possible flow (CFM), therefore the suction will seem to be less strength, but actually hasn't changed. The airflow also includes debris taking up that space. So you will obviously get more air flow and debris flow thru a 4 inch opening vs a 2.5 in opening. The higher amp startup draw is temporary. It takes a higher draw to get that puppy spinning. Once it is running, tho, the amps required to keep it at top RPM are less. This is why you should never (as warned with each piece) use a portable heater, ac unit, .......dust collector.......on an extension cord or power strip (to include surge protectors - same thing). General purpose extension cords use smaller 14awg insulated wire and are designed for the use with a 15amp circuit. A 20 amp circuit uses larger 12awg insulated wires, 30 amp - 10awg. Why ? Electricity causes heat. And per the NEC (National Electrical Code) the circuits are rated accordingly. Running something with a high draw on an insufficient circuit can (1) melt wire insulation, exposing the copper wiring to short out and (2) short out the circuit, causing fire and/or circuit breaker tripping upon shorting. All bad news. The right answer - Use what is suggested - a 25-30amp circuit. The "other" answer....... would be anything else.
Found your review as I am looking at the same collector. Thanks for taking the time to upload your experience.
First thought I had, during your assembly, with your bag installation challenge - Use magnets to temporarily hang the bag, then snug the band, adjust the bag to your liking - And tighten the band the rest of the way. Just stick the magnets to the bag casing for later use. My tip to you in gratitude for posting the review.
I did not imagine the footprint of the unit was as large as you allowed me to realize. Not a game changer, but an eye opener. The orange ? Yeah - No...... I'll need to paint that away, I cant do orange. ;)
Thanks @phantomsqual1! Magnets are a great idea. I did find out that the black clips actually do work. For whatever reason, when I first put it together I didn't notice but when I emptied the bag for the first time I found that they moved and could hold the bag! I would still give it a B+ because you have to work around the supports.
Very nice! 😊
Thank you! 😊
Great video! I just hooked mine up yesterday, and it didn't suck anything! I think I figured out why by watching your video. I have a 4 inch hose reduced to a 2 1/2 inch hose, probably no good. The second thing is, I have it plugged into a power strip plugged into a 15 Amp outlet. That's probably the bigger problem. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks for posting the video!!
Greetings! I'm not an electrician but I would be a little concerned on the 15 amps. WEN's documentation states it should be on a 25 amp breaker because of the initial startup. I also typically don't like to use power strips on larger equipment. I would definitely recommending getting an upgraded breaker and then try plugging directly into the outlet. Good luck!
Kurt, I can explain your situation.
Reducing to a 2.5 hose will reduce the volume of the overall possible flow (CFM), therefore the suction will seem to be less strength, but actually hasn't changed. The airflow also includes debris taking up that space. So you will obviously get more air flow and debris flow thru a 4 inch opening vs a 2.5 in opening.
The higher amp startup draw is temporary. It takes a higher draw to get that puppy spinning. Once it is running, tho, the amps required to keep it at top RPM are less. This is why you should never (as warned with each piece) use a portable heater, ac unit, .......dust collector.......on an extension cord or power strip (to include surge protectors - same thing). General purpose extension cords use smaller 14awg insulated wire and are designed for the use with a 15amp circuit. A 20 amp circuit uses larger 12awg insulated wires, 30 amp - 10awg.
Why ? Electricity causes heat. And per the NEC (National Electrical Code) the circuits are rated accordingly. Running something with a high draw on an insufficient circuit can (1) melt wire insulation, exposing the copper wiring to short out and (2) short out the circuit, causing fire and/or circuit breaker tripping upon shorting. All bad news.
The right answer - Use what is suggested - a 25-30amp circuit. The "other" answer....... would be anything else.