Let’s say you’re looking to entertain yourself after a long day of construction or home projects. What better way than piloting a remote control vacuum around your house at high speed! You’re probably imagining a gas-powered, super-charged Roomba at this point. Actually, what we’re talking about here is the FastCap Remote Control Vac – basically a remote power switch for your favorite shop vac. Not quite as sexy as a racing Roomba, but wait until you hear (and see) how this simple, inexpensive accessory can change the way you use your shop vac.
Invented by Scott Berry, the FastCap RCV (Remote Control Vac), is a simple design. An elastic and velcro sleeve slips onto the business end of your vac hose. That setup houses a small, battery powered transmitter with a button on it. A separate receiving unit plugs into your wall outlet for power, and your vac then plugs into it. Here’s a quick video where you can not only see the product in action, you’ll also hear a true confession about how clean I like my shop . . . and my tools?! Frankly, it’s a bit embarrassing.
Video Review of the Fastcap Remote Vacuum Control
Naturally if you’re on a job site or in a shop with tons of vacs, pandemonium could ensue if everyone had a Fastcap remote vacuum control of their own. Fear not my fellow vac-happy friend! The FastCap RCV comes in four different channels, which enables you to control multiple vacs in the same shop or work area. If you’re a regular shop vac user, just imagine how much inefficiency you’ll shave off a typical day.
Aside from saving you a ton of walking back and forth to your vac and laboriously bending over to flip a power switch over and over again, the RCV really kicks butt when you’re using your vac in a confined space. If you have experienced the joy of working in an attic or crawl space, you know it’s often not feasible or even possible to bring your bulky vac in with you. With the FastCap RCV, all you need is your hose and you can leave your vac behind. This is not only ridiculously convenient, it also makes for a quieter and less dusty space (without the exhaust port of your vac blasting dirt and dust around). Great stuff!
The RCV isn’t intended to operate heavy duty machinery, however, so don’t get any crazy ideas about cranking’ on and off your six horsepower industrial dust collector with this thing, OK? With efficiency and convenience galore, we think the FastCap RCV Remote Control Vacuum is the best thing to happen to shop vacs since that little plastic crevice tool was invented! With such a low price point, we also think the RCV is a no-brainer shop accessory purchase.
You can pick one up for around $30 via Fastcap’s store, or get the FastCap Remote Vacuum Control Channel-1
You could use a regular remote controlled outlet with a remote velcro’d on whatever you want for $20. I bought one that controls up to 3 outlets and it’s not restricted to any particular product you can use on a light if you want.