Review of Dewalt DCV580 18/20V Max
08/06/2015
I was thinking about what type of vacuum to purchase for the boat. I wanted a wet-dry because I’m going to be living on a boat, so that was a must have. I was also looking at something to help me out with sanding the hull during bottom maintenance. Looking for something that would connect to a sander and vacuum the dust, I wanted a good sized container and enough power to keep up with the dust. This was pushing me towards a plug in wet dry vac. This would be great for bigger clean ups and dust collection but the size makes them a little prohibitive on a boat.
I opted for the cordless Dewalt model for its size and suction capability. In the end I think the daily portability of the cordless will outweigh the few times I should be sanding the hull down. I don’t know if I could have gotten a better fit for the forward settee on the H326. While I haven’t used it yet for dust collection during sanding, after trying it out I think it will be able to keep up well. There are other makers of cordless vacuums but I chose the Dewalt so I can collect other cordless power tools in the future and have a compatible battery pack. When choosing cordless tools you need to think about any other cordless items you want to purchase. All the batteries are proprietary and will not work with another manufacture’s tools. I thought this would be a better option than corded tools given I may need them in an emergency where outlet power is not functioning. Hopefully this won’t be the case but better to have tools you can use instead of more unusable weight dragging a boat to the bottom.
On to the actual review. The Dewalt DCV580 can be operated by either the 18v (old) or 20v MAX (new) model batteries. This is a plus if you currently have Dewalt battery packs and don’t want to upgrade to the 20V yet. It is also easy to clean the collection compartment and filter. Two clips on either side of the container separate the two parts for easy cleaning. The 5’ hose is a little short and I may look at an extension for dust collection but adequate for now. The 2 gallon capacity is also good for now but may require frequent cleaning while sanding a boat hull. It does have a blower output. The batteries also need to be purchased separately raising the operating price for the unit. So far I love it for the boat and I will update when I get around to using it as a dust collector.
PROs- Cordless-great for a boat
Easy to clean
Wet/Dry
Storage for all hoses and accessories
Blower option
CONS- ~25 min battery life with 20v battery
Battery life indicator is not visible when installed in vacuum
5’ Hose is a little small
I opted for the cordless Dewalt model for its size and suction capability. In the end I think the daily portability of the cordless will outweigh the few times I should be sanding the hull down. I don’t know if I could have gotten a better fit for the forward settee on the H326. While I haven’t used it yet for dust collection during sanding, after trying it out I think it will be able to keep up well. There are other makers of cordless vacuums but I chose the Dewalt so I can collect other cordless power tools in the future and have a compatible battery pack. When choosing cordless tools you need to think about any other cordless items you want to purchase. All the batteries are proprietary and will not work with another manufacture’s tools. I thought this would be a better option than corded tools given I may need them in an emergency where outlet power is not functioning. Hopefully this won’t be the case but better to have tools you can use instead of more unusable weight dragging a boat to the bottom.
On to the actual review. The Dewalt DCV580 can be operated by either the 18v (old) or 20v MAX (new) model batteries. This is a plus if you currently have Dewalt battery packs and don’t want to upgrade to the 20V yet. It is also easy to clean the collection compartment and filter. Two clips on either side of the container separate the two parts for easy cleaning. The 5’ hose is a little short and I may look at an extension for dust collection but adequate for now. The 2 gallon capacity is also good for now but may require frequent cleaning while sanding a boat hull. It does have a blower output. The batteries also need to be purchased separately raising the operating price for the unit. So far I love it for the boat and I will update when I get around to using it as a dust collector.
PROs- Cordless-great for a boat
Easy to clean
Wet/Dry
Storage for all hoses and accessories
Blower option
CONS- ~25 min battery life with 20v battery
Battery life indicator is not visible when installed in vacuum
5’ Hose is a little small