| Ganaraska |
05-03-2005 09:23 AM |
Here we go: Instructions for making your own electric vacuum pump. If you want to use it to change oil you will need to put a big jar on there. I would make the original version and have the big jar separate in the interest of versatility.
I made my own vacuum pump. It's ten times better than a mityvac for one tenth the cost. I made it originally for bleeding brakes but it has many other uses, such as siphoning liquids and testing MB vacuum systems.
If you want to make your own electric vacuum pump here's how to do it. Start with a small refrigeration pump from a fridge or air conditioner. Mount it to a wooden board for a base. Add a tin can to hold the mayonnaise jar. The mayonnaise jar is your vacuum reservoir and catch can for liquids. Run a piece of 5/16 clear plastic tubing from the pump intake to the jar lid. Run another tube off the jar lid to whatever you want to vacuum. In order to do this, you will have to solder 2 tubes into the jar lid. So pick a jar with a metal lid, and save some of the tubing when you salvage the pump.
To wire it, take the fridge cord and wire it up. Get one of those lamp switches that goes in the cord, and put it on near the plug. This is your control switch.
Now when you need vacuum you can attach the hose, plug it in and flick the switch.
When bleeding brakes I put the pump on the floor near the master cylinder so I can hold the switch and top up the master cylinder at the same time. Connect the hose to the bleeder valve, and open it 1/4 turn. Then turn on the pump until the fluid comes up the clear plastic line. Once the brakes are bled I switch off the pump and go and close the bleeder. When I pull off the hose the residual vacuum prevents the fluid from spilling.
With this device it is possible to bleed the brakes in 1/2 hour, solo, and not get a drop of fluid on the floor.
Now if you want to use it to test vacuum systems it might be handy to add a T fitting and plug in a vacuum gauge. But this is not strictly necessary if all you want to do is find out if something is working or not.
If you have an old fridge or air conditioner, or can find one, and you have a tin can, a board and an old mayonnaise jar you should be able to build one of these for practically nothing.
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