Vac-Tron HTV PTO Vacuum Truck:
A NEW series of PTO truck driven systems available on Ford or Freightliner chassis. The full line of the HTV (Hydro Truck Vac) series has debris tanks ranging from 300 gallon to 1500 gallon in size. These units are standard with a high pressure water system, full hydraulic rear door, reverse pressure, and the patented “Big Red” filter housing that cleans the air down to 00.5 microns (best in the industry) before it passes back through the vacuum pump. Air compressors and Hydraulic booms are also available on most of the HTV series units. Patent Pending.
The Power Take Off of the truck drives positive displacement vacuum blowers that produce 1,000 to 3,000 CFM.
Request a Demo for your area today. 1-888-Vac-Tron or submit your information on the Demo link and a team member will get back with you.
April is National Safe Digging month and every year many companies, including 811, promote the importance of having a plan before you begin digging.
Every six minutes an underground utility line is damaged and the growing trend in preventing these accidents is utilizing vacuum excavation. There are many instances when vacuum excavation is the safest and most productive option for digging compared to traditional excavation.
Saving Utility Lines
Digging around lines using vacuum excavation is less intrusive to the surrounding dig site and provides a cleaner hole. It exposes the piping without abrasive force compared to a front-end loader or shovel. Air or hydro vacuum excavation dramatically reduces the chance of a cut or break into the utility lines which helps with cost, safety, and time.
Directional-bore Projects
Specifically those areas where the bore route will cross other utilities, and especially when the bore route crosses natural gas lines buried within the road or other paved areas is another example of when vacuum excavation is the best option. A gas line strike with traditional excavation is one of the worst disasters a project can incur and happens too often. Vacuum excavation is a much safer alternative when digging around gas lines.
The cost of damaging utilities can range from environmental contamination, project delays, lost time and productivity and even more tragically, death.
Because vacuum excavation is so safe and precise, it is even being used for trench rescues due to the speed and safety of removing the soil from around a victim.
Be sure to use proper protective gear while using a vacuum excavator. This usually includes rubber steel-toe boots, safety glasses, face shield, hard hat, gloves, safety vest and hearing protection.
Vacuum excavation is used worldwide and has quickly grown into the best method for safer digging. Vac-Tron Equipment is the industry leader in vacuum excavation and has worked tirelessly to gather industry research and data in order to make safety a priority. For over 20 years, Vac-Tron equipment has developed innovative, reliable vacuum excavation equipment.
To learn more about adding a vacuum excavator to your fleet, request a demo at vactron.com/request-a-demo or call 1-888-822-8766.
Save the Date for the CGA Excavation Safety Conference & Expo March 8-10, 2016 at The Mirage, Las Vegas
The CGA 811 Excavation Safety Conference & Expo is an annual event that is dedicated to providing educational content about protecting buried assets. Vac-Tron Equipment will be there showcasing its newest vacuum excavation truck with PTO. The HTV 873 PTO is an exciting addition to the vacuum excavation industry. Find us in Vegas on March 8-10, 2016 to learn more.
Don Buckner, Founder of Vac-Tron Equipment, will be co-hosting a workshop where he will be discussing new products, new vacuum excavation technology, and proposing protecting underground utilities with an expanded national tolerance zone and practices within that zone.
Vacuum Excavation Workshop March 8
As operators and contractors continue to work beneath the earth’s surface, especially as fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and other applications take off, thousands of underground utility lines will need to be exposed to avoid possible damages. It is important to be educated and know your options when it comes to safe digging. Case in point: Did you know vacuum excavators can be used to expose hidden underground utilities, helping companies cut costs and avoid damaging existing infrastructure which can lead to accidents?
Join the hands-on Vacuum Excavation for Exposing Utilities workshop at the CGA 811 Excavation Safety Conference & Expo to learn the benefits of vacuum excavation, operating techniques and best practices for site preparation and safety. Workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to operate equipment and experiment on various underground conditions.
What: Vacuum Excavation for Exposing Utilities workshop
When: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 8, 2016
*Special workshop offer: Register two for this workshop and get one registration free! Contact Liz Mitchell at [email protected] for more information.
Vac-Tron Equipment will be there showcasing its newest vacuum excavation truck with PTO. The HTV 873 PTO is an exciting addition to the vacuum excavation industry. Find us in Vegas on March 8-10, 2016 to learn more.
Low-Profile, Gasoline-Powered, High CFM Hydro vacuum excavator
The low-profile LP 573/873 SGT (super gas trailer) hydro vacuum excavator is powered by a 37 hp Kohler gasoline engine with 1,000 cfm vacuum pump.
Similar to the pre-Tier 4 Final SDT diesel model with 1,000 cfm vacuum pump, the gasoline version features the Series 7 Claw door over center locking mechanism for a simple no fuss positive lock and unlock rear door.
The trailers are built on a heavy I-beam frame with Dexter torsion axles and Goodyear tires. Overbuilt for safety, the trailers are equipped with a 500-or 800-gallon debris tank, up to 400 gallons of water and a high- pressure pump capable of 3,000 psi at 4 GPM. They are available with a GVWR less than 10,000 pounds to 24,000 pounds.
Introducing the patented filtration system for vacuum excavation or what we call the “Big Red”.
Filtration is a key component that protects the heart of the unit, which is the vacuum pump.
The Vac-Tron filtration system incorporates 4 important components into one assembly:
Cyclone
Silencer
Four-Way Valve
0.5 Micron Filter
The upright cylinder is the cyclone and is the first line of defense to prevent large particles of debris from passing through the vacuum excavation pump.
The silencer for the vacuum is inside the cylinder as well and reduces the noise level of the high speed air leaving the unit. This oversized silencer makes the Vac-Tron one of the quietest units on the market today.
Also enclosed in the filtration assembly is the four-way valve. This valve enables the operator to go from Vacuum to Pressure by simply raising or lowering this lever and you do not have to lower the engine RPMs first. The reverse pressure works to offload liquid materials and dislodge material from a clogged vacuum hose.
Finally the polyethylene filter provides the final defense for the vacuum pump. This filter cleans the air down to ½ a micron to ensure a long blower life. The filter can be cleaned and used over and over with proper maintenance and care.
So don’t settle for less than a filter system that provides ½ micron protection and remember “If it’s not Red it’s not real” so be sure to ask for Vac-Tron by name.
Check out this video walk-thru of the patented filtration system for vacuum excavation.
Vac-Tron Equipment will be showcasing the NEW HTV 573 PTO at the UCT Conference in Atlanta, GA on Feb 3-4, 2016. The HTV 573 PTO is a new series of PTO truck driven systems available on Ford or Freightliner chassis.
The full line of the HTV (Hydro Truck Vac) series is available with 300-gallon to 1,500 –gallon size debris tanks. The PTO (power take off) of the truck drives Positive displacement vacuum blowers that produce 1,000 to 2,600 CFM. These units are standard with a high pressure water system, full hydraulic rear doors, reverse pressure, and the patented “Big Red” filter housing that cleans the dirty air down to 00.5 microns (best in the industry) before it passes back through the vacuum pump.
There is no other truck like it in the vacuum excavation industry. We’ll be showcasing this PTO truck at BOOTH 123
An explosion in Fresno County, CA that killed one and injured a dozen people.
There was another story in the news recently highlighting the danger of unsafe excavation and also highlighting the much needed changes with how to locate and dig around gas and utility lines. In Fresno County, CA, county workers were using a front end loader when a gas line was struck by the equipment, killing one man and injuring a dozen workers. It’s no question that if the line was properly located and a vacuum excavator was used to dig around the line then a life could have been spared. States and cities should require a vacuum excavator on all underground projects.
Vacuum excavation is defined as the process of using air or high pressure water to break apart soil and then debris is sucked up into the tanks. This method of excavation is commonly referred to as soft excavation technology and accepted as being much safer than traditional digging around underground facilities.
Vac-Tron Equipment has been the industry leader for vacuum excavation for over 20 years, innovating new ways of safer digging for companies globally. It is much less invasive in nature when compared to other traditional methods of excavating, has higher precision, and is leading to decreases in the amount of disposal of materials and accordingly much less surface restoration.
Vac-Tron’s equipment is made in the USA and distributed by over 40 nationwide dealers and 110 dealer outlets with new dealers being added internationally.
Vac-Tron recently announced 12 new innovations for vacuum excavation at the ICUEE show this year in Louisville, KY that will continue to keep the industry pushing ahead for safer digging. Here are a few highlights of new vacuum excavation innovations that were announced.
Vac-Tron HTV 573 PTO Truck: A NEW series of PTO truck driven systems available on Ford or Freightliner chassis. The full line of the HTV (Hydro Truck Vac) series has debris tanks ranging from 300 gallon to 1500 gallon in size. The Power Take Off of the truck drives positive displacement vacuum blowers that produce 1,000 to 3,000 CFM. These units are standard with a high pressure water system, full hydraulic rear door, reverse pressure, and the patented “Big Red” filter housing that cleans the air down to 00.5 microns (best in the industry) before it passes back through the vacuum pump. Air compressors and Hydraulic booms are also available on most of the HTV series units. Patent Pending.
Vac-Tron MT Series (Mud Trucks): New Series with 6 debris tanks sizes of 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500 and 4000 gallons. Over 45 degree hydraulic tilt, full open hydraulic locking door, PTO powered rotary vane vacuum pump, 25 inches of mercury, and reverse pressure, your chassis or ours. Great for cleaning up drill mud slurry.
A Wobble Head PROTOTYPE which is an innovative digging tool. Use a 6″ hose head to dig a 24″ hold by swiveling the end of the hose. Patent Pending.
For more information about safer digging with vacuum excavation, contact us at 888-822-8766 or schedule a live demo.
Vac-Tron HTV 573 PTO Truck: A NEW series of PTO truck driven systems available on Ford or Freightliner chassis. The full line of the HTV (Hydro Truck Vac) series has debris tanks ranging from 300 gallon to 1500 gallon in size. The Power Take Off of the truck drives positive displacement vacuum blowers that produce 1,000 to 2,600 CFM. These units are standard with a high pressure water system, full hydraulic rear door, reverse pressure, and the patented “Big Red” filter housing that cleans the air down to 00.5 microns (best in the industry) before it passes back through the vacuum pump. Air compressors and Hydraulic booms are also available on most of the HTV series units. Patent Pending.
For more information about safer digging with vacuum excavation, contact Vac-Tron Equipment at 888-822-8766 or fill out a demo request form.
The middle of fall is usually one of the busiest times for city and county workers cleaning out catch basins and stormwater drains from leaves and other debris. Last year catch basin cleaning accounted for more than half of the City of Atlanta’s wastewater work orders. Many cities have similar issues from the backed up stormwater drains that can create flooding within neighborhoods and downtown streets.
A Vac-Tron Vacuum Excavator is the solution that is a fast and efficient way to remove large amounts of buildup that can cause many issues for cities and counties. Air or hydro excavation will break up the sediment and then the industrial vacuum powerfully removes and stores the debris into a tank.
This Public Works crew in the image below in the City of Temecula, California uses a Vac-Tron PMD 500 GT vacuum truck with a 500-gallon debris tank, 225-gallon freshwater tank, and a jetter putting out 15 GPM/2,200 psi. They capture cleaning water at the outlet of the basin box to keep it from reaching the creeks.
The City of Temecula, Calif. use Vacuum Excavation to clean out catch basins (Image Source: mswmag.com)
A new, responsive layout that is designed to be user-friendly on mobile and tablets – allowing for an easier way to read about our units or engage with Vac-Tron while on the move.
We have expanded and improved Application pages that easily show the best Equipment to use for a particular project.
We have several NEW innovations that we are excited to share with you. Please see our checklist below along with the map layout of our booth. Stop by our booth and we will give you a personalized tour. We are located at booth K-233, go to our other post to see expo layout.
Designed to handle wet materials exclusively, the Slurry Series takes on the toughest jobs and is the ideal, affordable vacuum system for drilling mud and recovery and transfers through reverse pressure.
Vac-Tron’s Slurry-Vac is the ideal industrial vacuum and cleanup system for drilling mud, oil, and wastewater recovery.
The Slurry-Vac has a large 500-gallon capacity and is engineered to handle liquid material only, such as mud, drilling slurry, sewage and retention water.
Because the Slurry-Vac is designed for liquid material cleanup only it is even more affordably priced. It is an ideal vacuum system for oil rig cleanups. It is designed for water barge and inland water and debris remediation.
A footprint of 5 feet by 8 feet and moveable with forklift or crane, the Slurry-Vac gives you the power and versatility of suction where you need it most.
Some companies still want to use old methods of digging along U.S. roads and highways, but in doing so, these utility companies and construction crews continue to put their team and other pedestrians at risk. That very scenario just played out in Flint, MI when an explosion occurred due to a construction crew digging and causing debris to hit vehicles along the road where two motorists were injured.
The explosion happened after crews ruptured an 8-inch gas transmission main while working on the bridge-replacement project at Dort Highway and I-69. Initial information on the incident revealed that crews working on the project were digging with an excavator when they struck the pipeline, according to Consumers Energy spokesman Brian Wheeler.
Cause of Flint gas explosion that injured two still unknown, officials say
Safer Digging demand within Municipalities
There are several situations where ruptures can be avoided by vacuum excavation by providing a safer way to dig around pipelines. The photo above of a waterline getting hit after digging for a new pole install is a perfect example of when a vacuum excavator should have been used instead. Using a Vac-Tron unit is a more efficient way to dig, but safety is the core of vacuum excavation.
An industry innovation leader in industrial vacuums, hydro and air excavation – Vac-Tron units are designed to dig safely and more efficiently to keep injuries and unexpected costs low. There are a number of municipalities that are requiring contractors to utilize a vacuum excavator as oppose to other digging options.
Vac-Tron Industrial Vacuum Equipment makes manhole cleanout easy and efficient for municipal public works departments. The Mini Combo Series can clean out a manhole in seconds, allowing a reduction in man-hours for this type of job, helping reduce overhead and accomplishing more for the taxpayer’s money.
Every year there are numerous injuries and explosions that occur due to unsafe and poorly planned excavation that strike facilities, and many of these incidents can be avoided or minimized by utilizing vacuum excavation.The right excavation unit for the right job; the motto that stays true with Vac-Tron equipment. There are dozens of different wet/dry uses that make Vac-Tron the choice of water-boring contractors, utility companies, water, wastewater, and stormwater departments, military installation, municipalities, roofing companies, emergency and environmental cleanup teams just to name a few.There are thirteen different applications that Vac-tron uses in order to fulfill the needs of several industries. Some of the most popular are: lateral clean out, clean out, utility location, animal waste and maintenance, and oil spill cleanup.
Vac-Tron in Action
Different applications apply to different jobs. Below are five applications and their modes of equipment use.
Lateral clean out – Using a Vac-Tron Mini Combo series, this will allow manholes to be cleaned out in seconds by high power vacuums
Clean Out – The Vac-Tron Equipment LP and Mini Combo allow for public workers to
Oil Cleanup from BP spill with Vac-Tron Slurry Vac (SV) Unit
remove wet/dry material from catastrophes, such as floods and road spills
Utility Location – The Wet/Dry Industrial Vacuum Excavation System uses jets of water to loosen soil instead of heavy machinery to lessen the damage to underground facilities
Animal Waste and Maintenance – Vac-tron Equipment can be used in various cleanups involving animals by using high pressure water to clean ponds, stalls, cages, etc. This allows for a safe removal of waste to ensure the health of the animals.
Oil Spill Cleanup – “The Beach Vac” has been used to help the recent oil spills by removing contaminants from the ocean floor without harming wildlife
These applications are the safer way to cleanup and remove unwanted waste while saving industries time and money.
Preserving the Ocean One Suck at a Time
Catastrophes can happen without warning or without the proper tools to assist. One of the most recent events happened only five years ago, the BP Oil spill, harming thousands of animals and endangering other wildlife hundreds of miles from the incident.Vacuum excavation was used in the cleanup process to clear oil from the surface of the ocean water and also remove tar balls that washed ashore. This process helps protect surrounding vegetation and doesn’t bring further harm to the animals.Vac-Tron specifically developed a series of models to help with the cleanup and to help with large barges and contaminated beaches.
Benefits to Vacuum Excavation in Industrial Plants
Industrial plants are looking at more ways to clean out their systems more quickly and safely. Manual labor can be very intensive and time consuming for the laborers. Heavy machinery poses safety risks to laborers and also causes damage to the surroundings. Hydro excavation eliminates these issues. It is a non-mechanical, eco-friendly and safe method. This means that costs are cut down and the service provided is better and more efficient.Hydro excavation allows for a more accurate and precise job done, so damages to utilities and other equipment are lessened considerably. Hydro and Vacuum excavation also remove blockages and restore industrial plants to their full capabilities and remove the need for costly downtime.
The Question is: Why Not?
Why not try something different? Why not switch to a safer mode of cleaning? More companies are turning to excavation, including but not limited to: utility companies, pipelines, large pit exposure, power plants, manufacturing plants, railroad facilities, etc. More companies are looking for an alternative because the old way is just that… the old way. It is becoming less and less effective to do work manually because of the intensive labor on workers, the cost to the company, and the damage to the infrastructure. Try a new way, a better way… the Vac-Tron way.
According to Issue Spotlight, Damage prevention training helps to build a culture of prevention within every organization that touches the excavation lifecycle. Education and communication are two tools needed when properly using vacuum excavation to clean a utility site.No one wakes up in the morning saying they are going to cut a utility line today, but it could happen without the proper teachings or equipment. This is a common problem companies face when dealing with underground construction and making sure to jot down worker activity each day excavation is performed.City of Chico, CA Firefighter Wes Metroka stood by with a firehose protecting a near by home until PG&E could shut off the gas. (Ty Barbour/Chico Enterprise-Record)
How Policy Can Prevent Errors
Implementing a prevention policy for excavation can reduce future errors and also educate workers currently on board and future hirers.Below I have listed worker’s tasks that should be completed on an excavation job for future safety
Expanding the safety zone and verifying markings of utilities through physical contact and crossings underground
Standardize nationwide policies and written specs from engineers on specific dig sites
Locate all stakeout reports for the site and walk the area thoroughly while communicating with new workers each day to increase validity
According to a Purdue University report, savings and safety are achieved through reducing unforeseen utility conflicts and relocations, as well as reducing project delays. Performing the tasks above can make a work site run smoothly with the communication of its workers.
Building Confidence in Your Team and Vac-Tron
Following protocol and the necessary steps to get the job done effectively and safely builds confidence in your team members and also the clients you are serving. Vac-Tron prides itself on the high-level of service it offers its clients through careful consideration of each dig site.Below are additional benefits to having their sites serviced using vacuum excavation by the professionals at Vac-tron.
Reduce the risk of project delays due to utility cuts
Vacuum excavation reduces the utility companies’ costs to repair damaged facilities
Drastically minimize damage to existing pavements or other surrounding areas
Reduce the risk of environmental damage
Participation on-site from all co-workers will increase productivity as well as increase the skill level of workers. Professionals take precaution in every job to make sure proper damage prevention is performed for their consumers and giving them peace of mind. Keep your infrastructure in good and take advantage of vacuum excavation. Rely on Vac-Tron Equipment and get the job done safely and efficiently the first time.
The United States of America has become one of the greatest powers in the world since the Declaration of Independence was voted on July 2nd, 1776 – then completed and signed on July 4th.
Celebrate our prosperity from hard work by considering American Made products this holiday weekend.
