Can My Blower Do Both Pressure and Vacuum? Yes — Here's How
Many dry bulk haulers and pneumatic system operators are told they need separate equipment for pressure and vacuum unloading. That’s not true for most applications. In fact, the positive displacement (PD) blower you’re already using — like the Drum D807, Gardner Denver T5CDL, Tuthill T1050, or Eurus ZDL509 — can usually do both.
At BigTruckPartsUSA, we’ve helped a lot of customers avoid unnecessary upgrades by simply explaining how to reconfigure their existing setup. Here’s what you need to know to run your PD blower in both pressure and vacuum modes.
What Your Blower Can Actually Do
Positive displacement blowers are designed to move air by trapping a fixed volume and pushing it through the system. That makes them ideal for:
- Pressure applications: Blowing materials like plastic pellets, cement, or grain up to ~15 PSI
- Vacuum applications: Light vacuum down to ~15" Hg for short runs or shallow suction
These blowers are not deep-vacuum pumps, but with the right setup, they’re fully capable of light-duty vacuum operations.
Common Dual-Mode Blower Models:
- Drum
– D807, D907
- Gardner Denver – T5CDL9L, T5CDL12L CycloBlowers
- Tuthill
– T855, T1055
- Eurus
– ZDL509, ZDL512L92
- Howden/Roots
– URAI series
- Robuschi
– RB-DV series
The Conversion: From Pressure Only to Dual-Mode
If your current setup includes a Centri precleaner or similar air intake system built only for pressure, here's what you’ll need to run vacuum safely:
1. Swap the Inlet Precleaner for a Vacuum-Rated Filter
- Precleaners are not meant for vacuum — they can restrict airflow and fail to trap fine dust.
- Replace with a proper vacuum-rated inlet filter (Donaldson F-series or Stoddard F100).
- Choose a filter that matches the CFM and micron level needed for your material.
2. Manually Switch Hose Connections
- Simply move your hose from the outlet/silencer side (pressure mode) to the inlet/filter side (vacuum mode).
- Make sure the vacuum inlet is filtered, and your silencer or exhaust is clear.
3. Use Dual-Rated Hose and Fittings
- Hose must handle both pressure and suction.
- Camlock or threaded connections are preferred for tight seals.
Pro Tip: Offer a Vacuum Conversion Kit
If you're reselling, operating, or outfitting fleets, consider bundling:
- A matched inlet filter
- Proper Camlocks or fittings
- Mounting brackets or hardware
- A brief install sheet
This prevents unnecessary system replacements and positions you as the solution provider.
Final Thoughts
We recently had a customer replace their entire D807 blower package out of caution—only because they didn't trust that a last-minute and simple filter swap and valve addition could solve their new vacuum loading job requirements. Don’t let that happen to your team or customers.
Most PD blowers can do both jobs. You just need to configure them correctly.
Need help picking the right parts? Want us to build you a vacuum conversion kit to match your system? Contact us — we’ve got your back.
BigTruckPartsUSA.com
The pros in truck-mounted, fixed in-place et al pneumatic equipment. Let’s keep your rig working smarter, not harder.