My Ridgid vac is dead.

[Wild Weasel]

Yesterday, while cleaning out the car, the switch on the vac stopped working. I've got the 16 gal. blower/vac.

The on/off switch itself just broke. For some reason, you just can't physically push it into the "on" position.

I'm a bit disappointed since I just got this for xmas, but hopefully I can just bring it back to HD and exchange it.

I'll let y'all know how that goes. :)

[wbrooks]

should be within the 90 day exchange window

[Wild Weasel]

I'm going to go tonight and see if they'll exchange just the blower part. Saves me having to load the whole thing into my Sunfire. :)

[BadgerDave]

You might be better off if you call first and ask them if they'll do that. Just might save you an extra trip back to HD with the cannister.

[amcnerl]

I have the same vac and the switch is hard to turn on/off sometimes. I do use it alot though. I think mine is out of the 90 day window. Thinking of buying a seperate switch and hanging it under my TS.

[The Wood Meister]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but this is exactally what is wrong with America. HD and Ridgid would rather take the return and trash an almost perfectly good vac instead of just fixing a 2 dollar switch. I used to be in retail and it made me sick seeing all the stuff that went into the shreader or compactor. It's all built into the pricing I guess. Personally, I try to keep things going as long as possible before buying a new one. And when I do bite the bullet, I scavange all I can off my poor old crap before it goes in the can.

Oh well, i feel better now! LOL

Mark

[Woussko]

T W M

I'm with you 100% on trying to fix up things needing simple repairs rather than just trashing them. Think of the landfill space people could save. I want the drum from the vac. With casters under it, think of what a handy trash can it would make.

Actually WW can ship the head to me and I'll figure a way to install a nice heavy duty bat handle switch. He will end up with "Better Than New" then.:D

[Newman]

I'm with you guys - I'd replace the switch with a heavy duty toggle.

[Wild Weasel]

If the vac was a year old, I'd replace the switch in a heartbeat. I completely disassembled and rebuilt my old Hoover canister vac.

This is less than 2 months old though! I shouldn't have to be doing repairs on it at this point!

It would definitely be a big waste if Ridgid just tosses it in the trash. I can't imagine they'd do that though. I expect they'll replace the switch and give it to the next person who comes in to service a dead motor or something.

[Woussko]

WW

Being that it's that new, take the WHOLE thing, yes, the WHOLE thing back to HD with your reciept and try to get a new one. I really doubt they will allow just the head to be exchanged. Good luck and please let us know what happens.

[Wild Weasel]

WW

Being that it's that new, take the WHOLE thing, yes, the WHOLE thing back to HD with your reciept and try to get a new one. I really doubt they will allow just the head to be exchanged. Good luck and please let us know what happens.

I just figured I'd be doing them a favour by just bringing the head. I don't need all brand new cleaned up stuff. They can just give me the new one... I'll swap the heads... and they can send the new stuff and broken head back to Ridgid. That way we both win. With all the above comments about just fixing it, I would think everyone would agree that this is the next best solution. What are they gonna do with all the other dirty bits and pieces?

Didn't get around to it last night. Maybe tonight.

[mcarr184]

I have to say I am ( Generation X ) but grewup with my GrandPaw and as much as I know things are made disposable I cant help but want to fix them and make them like new.////// People have for gotten that you can fix things it's just that they dont have the time to do it. so they would rather throw them away or send the whole thing back than take the time to fix it them selfs and thus the whole generation of ( I dont know how it works just that it dose ) and it annoyes me to know end....

[Wild Weasel]

I have to say I am ( Generation X ) but grewup with my GrandPaw and as much as I know things are made disposable I cant help but want to fix them and make them like new.////// People have for gotten that you can fix things it's just that they dont have the time to do it. so they would rather throw them away or send the whole thing back than take the time to fix it them selfs and thus the whole generation of ( I dont know how it works just that it dose ) and it annoyes me to know end....


That's not me at all. But again... I shouldn't have to fix a brand new product. I'll fix old products that have had a good run and deserve a bit of TLC to keep going.

[Woussko]

WW

Good luck and please let us know how things turn out. I have a strong feeling they will demand the whole machine with all accessories and even the box for it. Anymore big box stores want the whole thing including the box. I figure either thay ship it back to the factory service center or they sell it (hopefully labeled as a return or as defective) to someone else if it looks new. I've bought a few things (not many) that sure looked like factory sealed boxes only to get home, open them and find used and messed up items inside. Try taking that back for another. Oh no Mr. Customer. We will nto allow that to be returned after you used and abused it. But that's the way you sold the *&^% thing you *&^%$ business. For the most part that doesn't happen, but it can and has.

[amcnerl]

I think in this case where the vac is fairly new, it'll be replaced with a new one the old shipped back to Ridgid. Repaired by Ridgid, then end up at a Cummins tool sale as reconditioned with a 1 year warranty. In my case where the switch is sticking, sometimes, and it's not in the 90 day window, I'll have to wait for it to stop working and have it repaired under the regular warranty. If it stops out of warranty, I will probably replace the switch.

[Wild Weasel]

This afternoon I brought the head back to exchange it.

They told me they wouldn't take it back and all they'd do was send it out for repair for me. It would take a couple weeks to get it back. I argued a bit with the guy, asking if I could just return it then. I mean... if that's the service I'm going to get for an obviously defective piece, I'd just rather not have it. He said they wouldn't take the return because it was used. I said of course it's used, that's how I know it's broken!

He just kept saying no. I couldn't return it. I couldn't exchange it.

As he was filling out the paperwork for the repair, I told him to forget it and give me back my receipt. I'd fix it myself rather than wait a couple weeks for a new one.

I then took it to another HD. They exchanged it on the spot, no hassle at all.

Go figure.

So now I've got the new head and I'm a happy camper.

I think I'll be going to Rona from now on for any major purchases though. No point in supporting the local HD if that's the treatment I'm going to get there after spending thousands. I wish the one that treated me well was much closer than it was. :(

[Newman]

Well, I'm glad you got it sorted out.
I've noticed the same thing - it depends on the store and person you deal with...
go figure...:rolleyes:

[aikiwood]

Just to let you know i have two of these 16 gal vacs.Theyve worked great for me.Used everyday as my main dust control,on and off MANY times EVERY day BUT about once a year my swithes go out like clockwork.So i KEEP spares now, $2.00 each from ridgid parts and takes seconds to replace.Just to let you know, i understand what your saying though, id be peeved too.

[Wild Weasel]

Ah. So I can pretty much expect this to keep happening then eh?

Have you looked around for a better switch that will fit rather than continuing to use the Ridgid one?

[ARE1]

The ridgid vac's have the lifetime warrenty for defect/workmanship, take it back and ask to have it serviced or replaced.