Leaf vac rear tube replacement

[rich_kildow]

Has anybody replaced the rear vac tube that goes from the PTO driven unit to the trailer?  The corrugated rubber one that is on mine, which I assume is stock, is starting to tear and collapse, contributing to clogs.  I'm looking at replacing it with this stuff:

https://www.universalhoseandfittings.com/product_p/dura45.htm

at $65 for 4'.  They market it as the toughest hose they have.  Their municipal hose would be great but doesn't come in shorter lengths.  I'm hoping to figure out someway to rebuild the baffle while I'm in there to keep the hose from taking the brunt of the impact from everything coming up out of the blower.  

Has anybody used anything like this on the upper hose?  I'd love to use a short piece of 6" steel pipe with an elbow, and then flexible tubing for the last 2 feet to the cart, but haven't come across any scraps of that yet.  

[tadams]

Why not try PCV pipe with a elbow, like the heavy wall sewer 6" pipe?

[rich_kildow]

Why. Didn't. I. Ever. Think. Of. That.  

Seriously, ever had those moments where you just want to bounce your head on the wall...I even have some 6" PVC parts around!  Looks like I have another trip to Ace where I stand in the PVC aisle making things fit by trial and error.  I call it hardware store engineering, and it's one of my favorite pass-times.  

[rich_kildow]

Did some more digging and 6" PVC ought to be perfect.  6" inner diameter and the outer is close enough to 7" that I may be able to just use the 7" tubing I have about 25' of that I used on the lower tube.  I'll have to mess with how to get that into the trailer, but it's better than spending money on more tubing.  I'm just hoping I can find a 2' chunk of pipe somewhere instead of having to buy 10'.

Edited May 10, 2019 by rich_kildow

[rich_kildow]

I did some measuring and picked up a 6"x24" PVC landscape riser made for landscape drainage systems.  It will slide right over the rear vac output with a little persuasion as it is just a touch too small, and the output is slightly out of round.  I'll have to play with the height but this will go into a 6" PVC elbow with a good sweep.  Not the long sweep style but not the short drainage drain pipe elbow.  The old hose should go inside of this perfectly and preserve the normal quick disconnect right at the trailer and provide enough flex to turn.  The hose should butt at the inside of the hub diameter on the elbow, so there shouldn't be any transitions that disrupt the flow of material to the cart. 

I'm hoping the durability will be acceptable with the PVC.  The riser won't take much of a beating but that elbow sure will.  I don't have much for issues with rocks but always plenty of little twigs and acorns flying through that system.  If nothing else, that elbow is only $20 and can be swapped out quickly enough that I may just consider it a wear item.  I'll post some pics of the full setup with both vacs once its all done, but won't be able to give it a good run until this fall.  

Edited May 13, 2019 by rich_kildow

[GregB]

We use Elbows at work to vacuum convey plastic resin pellets, and molded plastic closures.

The elbow will eventually wear, you will not know how fast until you try it. 

Write down when you start using it  with a sharpy marker somewhere on the outside.

Then just check every once in a while.

 

[rich_kildow]

I know I'm reviving an old thread but wanted to report back on the life of PVC.  I got about 1.5 seasons of pickup, probably 4 hours of use, out of the 6" PVC.  I had a few minor blowouts from rocks or wood chunks but nothing I couldn't fix with gorilla tape.  I then had something comes straight up through the elbow and out, so I cut some flashing metal, bent it to fit, and wrapped that in tape.  I eventually had a complete blowout near the base where I had a 12" riser before the elbow.  No idea how that happened but a piece of it hit me in the back.  The big shortcoming here is there is no metal deflector inside, which is what I am currently missing, and the PVC just can't take the beating.  

[gravey72]

I have used a much thinner and lighter solid pvc pipe used in the construction industry for underground hvac. I think it comes in 10' lengths and they sell elbows as well. Ive used it coming off of the deck discharge chute as well. Ive also seen guys use the metal hvac or maybe chimney style pipe, usually already comes painted black. 

At the same time it may be worth the investment in the rubber hose when you consider how many years of use it got if it were the original hose...

[bruker1]

I use 6" corrugated drain tile on a homemade leaf vacuum setup and it works great. It probably wouldn't work well for wet leaves or grass but the dry stuff flows through very well.