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Bosch Dust Extractor GAS20-17AH Review

BOSCH 17 GALLON WET/DRY HEPA VAC GAS20-17AH

5/5

Manufacturer: Bosch
Model number: GAS20-17AH
Power source: Corded
Motor size: 17.5 AMP
Weight: 63 lbs.

Front view, notice the lever at the bottom of the tool. Flipping this allows the canister to be tipped.

Bosch Dust Extractor

Why a dust extractor?  OSHA compliance, the recently implemented rules on silica dust exposure and mitigation have really changed how dust is managed on the job site. Water spray or dust extraction is required by these OSHA regs and this extractor meets those specs. Which require better seals, filtration, and more power than you’ll find on any big box store wet/dry vac.

Some shops may just want a big dust extractor for ease of cleanup, less frequent emptying, and superior at-the-tool dust extraction. The at-the-tool dust extraction will also help with cleanup and finally, but most importantly, health and safety. The fewer particulates you breathe and get into your lungs the better.

The Bosch Dust Extractor GAS20-17AH In Use

Now I’ve been using my smaller 9-gallon extractor for years and love the integration with L-Boxx, the small footprint, powerful suction, and tool actuation feature. So when I found out Bosch was releasing a big brother to these dust extractors I wanted to get my hands on it! The Bosch 17 Gallon GAS20-17AH is massive compared to it’s smaller siblings. See what they look like together in the back of my truck:

So far I’ve used the Bosch 17 gallon dust extractor GAS20-17AH for workshop cleanup, concrete grinding dust extraction, track sawdust extraction and work truck clean-out.

The GAS20-17AH does not have tool actuation but that makes sense given that it draws 17.5 amps so all but the smallest corded tools would be very likely to trip a breaker if used on the same circuit. So when using this dust extractor with a power tool a second circuit or cordless is the way to go.

The supplied anti-static hose is 16′ long and the cord is 27′ long. This gives you plenty of reach to work without needing to find another outlet in most situations.

The seals, filter, automatic filter cleaning, and superior suction means very little dust escapes this tool. There’s always a bit that gets away while you’re working but that is inevitable.

The paper filter bag can jam up with dust during use (I’ve found this to be typical of dust extractors when used with paper filter bags and especially doing concrete grinding or cutting) but removing the vac head and tapping and shaking the bag a little periodically really improves suction.

Quick and thorough cleanup.

Cleanup with the Bosch Dust Extractor GAS20-17AH

During cleanup, the 16 ft hose means you barely have to move the tool itself to clean a smaller sized shop. But when you do need to move the Bosch 17 gallon dust extractor GAS20-17AH has big casters and wheels on this vac make it much easier to move around the shop or job site than smaller vacs with smaller front casters. Cords, and uneven floors, are much less of an issue than they are with the smaller vacs. The provided floor sweep is really wide and makes workshop cleanup go very quickly.

Another unique feature of this tool is the dumping mechanism. Which allows the vac to be tipped while keeping the mobile base on all four wheels.  This feature is useful for dumping liquids down a floor drain or dumping into a container that is close to the floor level. The bucket can be completely removed from the base assembly making it easier to empty and clean.

Wet Pickup

This vac features an auto-shutoff water sensor and a drain hose. Making wet pickup easy to manage. When the vac shuts off, find a floor drain and pop the hose off the back of the vac and let gravity do the rest.

Demonstrating the tip feature.

Power

The CFM change from the 150 CFM of the 9 amp VAC090S Bosch dust extractor and this 300 CFM monster is striking. Fewer dust escapes during tool use and cleanup. I’ve had good results with smaller dust extractors while cup grinding concrete but with this vac almost no dust escapes.

OSHA requires 25 CFM per inch diameter of the grinder attachment being used while cutting or grinding concrete. Most dust extractors top out at around 150 CFM limiting them to a 6″ grinding wheel. While the Bosch 17 gallon dust extractor GAS20-17AH 300 CFM capacity means you could use a 12-inch grinding wheel that isn’t readily available in the consumer tool market but it means you can use a 7″ or 9″ grinder to speed up your work. This also means that with an optional Y adapter this vac can be used with two small tools simultaneously and still be within OSHA compliance. Very impressive.

I have been using the Bosch VAC090S for a few years and it is a great vac. The Bosch 17 gallon dust extractor GAS20-17AH is an up-sized version and if it is anything like it’s smaller brother then it will be a great, long-lasting tool. The dust extraction capability of this tool is not matched by anything else readily available on the market at this time. The features are well-thought-out and make it easier for the user to handle the larger loads, and weight that it’s capacity delivers. If you are serious about OSHA silica compliance, keeping your workspace clean, and are running multiple smaller, or bigger cutting or grinding tools then the Bosch 17 gallon dust extractor GAS20-17AH is a no-brainer.

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