DeWalt Battery to Ridgid Shop Vac Adapter

grabcad

SummaryThis is an adapter to connect a DeWalt 20V Max battery to a Ridgid 3 Gallon Shop-Vac. Ridgid and DeWalt battery packs have the same voltage even though they are branded differently. Installation is a bit involved as seen in the assembly instructions. Please leave a comment and let me know if you have any questions.PrintingI printed this out of PETG. I chose this because I didn’t want the adapter to deform due to heat. Supports are required for this model.In addition to the printed parts, you will need the following hardware:* Qty 2: Blue Male Spade Connectors* Qty 1: #6 x 3/8" Flat-Head Thread-Forming Screw (Wood Screw)* Qty 1: #8 x 3/4" Flat-Head Machine Screw* Qty 1: #8 Tee-NutYou will need the following tools:* Phillips Screwdriver* Wire Cutters* Wire Strippers* Spade Connector Crimper* Drill (for #8 Tee Nut)* Knife/RazorAssembly1. Ensure that the Spade Connectors fit in the holes and slits in the Connector Block. The sleeve should fit snugly in the hole, and the blade should fit snugly in the slit. I don’t know how standardized these spade connectors are, so the hole and slit sizes may need to be adjusted depending on your particular connectors.2. Print the two parts and remove the support material. Ensure that the Connector Block slides into the Bracket. It should be a close fit, but you shouldn’t have to use much force.3. Adjust the length of the Spade Connectors. a. Insert the Spade Connectors into the Connector Block so the sleeves reach the bottoms of the holes. b. Use a knife to trim the ends off of the Connectors so that they are flush with the backside of the Block. c. Remove the Connectors from the Block.4. Disassemble the Ridgid battery adapter. a. Remove the Screw from the Ridgid battery adapter. Keep the screw for later use. b. Rotate and lift out the adapter. c. Mark which wire goes to the top (-) and the bottom (+) terminals. d. Cut off the original terminals, and leave as much wire as possible. It is a close fit, so really try to leave as much wire length. You could even unsolder the wire instead of cutting it if you have a soldering iron. e. Strip the ends of the wires just enough to crimp the Spade Connectors.5. Attach the T-Nut a. A T-Nut is used because there is not much plastic for a screw to thread into, and the screw can’t protrude out the other side because it will hit the dust bin. b. Place the DeWalt Bracket in the location where the Ridgid bracket was. The flat-bottomed hole in the bracket should line up with the original mounting hole in the vacuum. Slide a nail (or other long, sharp object) through the other countersunk #8 hole to mark the location in the vacuum. c. Drill out the location so that the #8 Tee Nut can slide into place from the backside. I flattened the nut’s teeth and bent it a bit to better fit the plastic’s curve.6. Attach the Connectors a. Crimp the Spade Connectors onto the wires. b. Locate the wire that goes on top (-) and insert it completely into the block’s top position. Do the same for the bottom (+). Note that these will line up with the B- and B+ terminals in the battery. You may need to trim down the sleeve a bit if crimping the connector made it wider than the hole in the block. See the photos if you are unsure which location is the top and which is the bottom. c. Slide the Block into the Bracket and secure them together with the #6 x 3/8" Flat-Head Thread-Forming Screw (Wood Screw).7. Attach the Bracket to the Shop-Vac using the original screw and the #8 Flat-Head