Tag: vacuum excavation

Making sense of Vacuum Excavator Specs

When it’s time for you to add a new vacuum excavator to your fleet, you’ll likely spend time reviewing equipment specifications to determine the right machine for your needs. With all of the different specs outlined in product brochures, you may have a few questions about what it all means. More importantly, how do you know which key specs to pay attention to?

According to Brian Showley, director of sales for Vermeer MV Solutions, you can learn a lot about a vacuum excavator’s performance capabilities by its hose size. “Vacuum excavator hoses can tell a contractor a lot about the volume of air being moved by the vacuum pump — typically referred to as vacuum CFM (cubic feet per minute),” he said. “Hose diameter sizes can also help a contractor determine a unit’s mercury level and onboard horsepower.”

Performance specs

When comparing one vacuum excavator with another, start by choosing units with the same hose size. From here, you can dive deeper into the specs by comparing vacuum CFM numbers. Showley said that many manufacturers offer different vacuum pumps in each hose size, especially on smaller models. “Not every contractor is using vacuum excavators to do the same thing or in similar soil conditions. It would be overkill for a contractor who only needs to suction drill slurry to invest in a high CFM model if they don’t intend to pothole. On the other hand, many contractors who are potholing utilities want the most compact machine available to maneuver in confined areas, which is why they would seek out a small-hosed, high CFM model.” he explained.

To achieve higher CFM capacities, larger, more powerful engines must be used. Higher horsepower engines will deliver more torque to the vacuum and water pumps to give you higher mercury levels (suction) and pounds per square inch.

Showley said that contractors should also note a vacuum excavator’s mercury level to ensure its high enough to accommodate their needs. “Mercury levels should be thought of like drinking water from a glass. The length and diameter of a straw makes a big difference. A normal straw doesn’t require a lot of effort, but if someone were to swap it out with a garden hose, it would be almost impossible to suck the water up. The same holds true with vacuum excavators: much less effort (horsepower) is required to suction material at short distances and depths. While longer depths, distances or diameters require more effort.”

All of the specs outlined to this point should be viewed as performance-related specs. Hose size, vacuum CFM, mercury levels, water pump capacities and engine horsepower are all connected and will ultimately tell you to what a vacuum excavator is capable of. Now, you need to move on to capacities.

Tank capacities

Spoil and water tank capacities do not have any impact on how a machine will perform, but they will have an impact on how long you can stay on a job and the costs to transport it.

Most manufacturers will offer spoil tank capacities starting at around 300 gallons up to 2,000 gallons. Showley explained that tank sizes should be matched with the application. “Crews mainly doing pothole work don’t need large tank capacities because they will likely use up their water tank reserves around the same time the spoil tank is filled,” he said. Higher capacity tanks are usually found supporting horizontal directional drill (HDD) crews so they can go longer between dump cycles. However, contractors need to make sure they don’t go too high and exceed Department of Transportation (DOT) weight restrictions.”

Water tank capacity needs are also tied to how a vacuum excavator is being used. Crews need more water when potholing and very little, if any at all, when supporting a drilling crew. “While there are many vacuum excavator models on the market that do not have a high-pressure hose, I always encourage contractors to consider purchasing one with water capabilities,” explained Showley. “A high-pressure washer is handy for cleaning equipment and the spoil tank. It also helps maintain a high residual value for anyone looking to upgrade their system in the future.”

Other specs

A few other specs you may want to browse through include a unit’s weight and measurements, as well as the optional accessories a manufacturer offers for a particular machine. All of these fine details can help you when it’s time to add or upgrade.

When it is time for a new vacuum excavator, you don’t have to go at it alone. Your local Vermeer MV Solutions dealer can help make sense of all the specs and help you determine which model best matches your needs. You can also visit mclaughlinunderground.com and vactron.com to see all of the current Vermeer MV Solutions Vacuum excavator models available.

Meet The Experts Behind Safe Excavation With Mike Rowe

Using a vacuum to suck dirt from a hole may seem strange, but it is one of the innovative ways excavation is now occurring. The process often referred to as vacuum excavation, uses a combination of suction and high-pressure water and air to move dirt and other material away from underground facilities in order to expose their exact locations.

Brian Showley helps explain and demonstrate how vacuum excavation is used, and how it results in greater safety for those involved in the line locating and excavation process. Learn from Brian some key steps that can, and should be taken by all when excavating, including coming up with a plan of when and where excavation will occur, what to do when crossing other underground facilities, and activities that should occur in the “tolerance zone” surrounding a buried facility.

See the video here: safeexcavator.com/meet-the-experts

UCT 2019 Will Feature Vac-Tron’s LP Hydro Vac

Location: Fort Worth, TX
Date: January 29-31, 2019
Booth # 705

Vermeer MV Solutions will be exhibiting the Vac-Tron Low Profile Series at the Underground Construction Technology in Fort Worth, Texas at Booth # 705 on January 29th -31st, 2019

The Vac-Tron Low Profile Series comes standard with 500 to 1200-gallon debris tank, 100 to 400-gallon water tanks capacities with 3500 psi @ 4 gpm, hydraulic rear door, the patented (Big Red) CVS filtration system, a reverse pressure system and a heavy-duty I-beam trailer with Dexter torsion axles.
The Vac-Tron Low Profile Series comes standard with 500 to 1200-gallon debris tank, 100 to 400-gallon water tanks capacities with 3500 psi @ 4 gpm, hydraulic rear door, the patented (Big Red) CVS filtration system, a reverse pressure system and a heavy-duty I-beam trailer with Dexter torsion axles.

Underground Utilities Event 2019 – Underground Construction Technology

Individuals representing water, sewer, gas, telecom and electric rely on UCT to learn about the latest techniques used in trenchless, open cut, new construction and pipe rehabilitation. Major academic and industry sponsors offer seminars before and during UCT. Nearly 200 exhibitors showcase equipment and technologies used to maintain the crumbling utility piping systems. Learn more: OCTonline.com

LP Series 873 SDT will be featured with boom

The Vac-Tron Low Profile Series comes standard with 500 to 1200-gallon debris tank, 100 to 400-gallon water tanks capacities with 3500 psi @ 4 gpm, hydraulic rear door, the patented (Big Red) CVS filtration system, a reverse pressure system and a heavy-duty I-beam trailer with Dexter torsion axles.

Hand built in the USA from the ground up including the durable trailer assembly, the low-profile trailer keeps the components of the unit easily accessible while making the unit safe to tow and a much smoother ride.

This series also offers the NEW 6-way hydraulic boom design or optional strong arm to maximize job performance by supporting the weight of the vacuum hose. The new design features increased boom length, full 6-way hydraulic function, 5” hose, curved end with oversized rollers, new wireless remote control, vacuum valve function operated from remote, wired harness, new remote storage location, forward stored boom in front of engine compartment, 330-degree swing, quick connect 4” tooling, easily connected additional section hose, water jet cleanout in boom, and easily accessible no tools needed cleanout port.

For more information on our Vac-Tron series or for a Free Demo call 1-888-Vac-Tron or visit vactron.com/equipment to learn more.

 

Oil Spill Containment Industry Leader Increases Efficiency with Vac-Tron Vacuum Excavators

VZ Environmental is an innovative leader in secondary drip and spill containment for the oil and gas industry. Carol Van Zandt, owner of VZ Environmental, was challenged by a customer to find a simple method to contain liquid spills in the oil and gas industry. Carol partnered with an equipment supplier to design a drive-over foam bermed containment membrane (VMatz™) to capture and dispose of drips and spills on oil and gas sites. They then utilize a Vac-Tron vacuum excavator to clean up the spill from the containment membrane for proper disposal. 

Today, VZ Environmental provides equipment nationwide, servicing areas in five states and have plans for further domestic and international expansion to continue to help oil and gas operators minimize their impact on the environment. 

Project Descriptions

VMatz are spill containments that VZ provides for oil and gas operators to minimize their impact on the environment. “Our customers use the VMatz to catch drips and spills while on location and then we come in to cleanup,” says Carol. VZ wanted to provide their own vacuum service to their customers as part of the cleanup process, so that the customer didn’t have to waste time and money calling out for a vacuum truck company and VZ environmental didn’t have to sit on location and wait for the vacuum truck to arrive before they could cleanup. 

Solution

Vac-Tron vacuum trailers for vacuum service and cleanup. “The Vac-Tron trailer helps us clean up our VMAtz by removing the fluid from our containments more efficiently and a lot faster. We are not sitting on location waiting on vacuum trucks to arrive. Prior to having Vac-Tron vacuum trailers in our fleet of equipment, we did not offer any type of vacuum service. Our customers had to order a vacuum truck to come help us remove the fluid when we were cleaning our Vmatz. Our Vac-Tron units come with 500-gallon debris tanks and 1,000 cfm which helps us pick up the rocks and sludge that our customers leave in our containments. This is a perfect size because its small and they can park it off to the side, then call upon it as needed,” says Carol. 

Results

  • Saves customers time and money
  • Eliminates down time
  • Keeps environment safer

“With a Vac-Tron trailer, we can save our customers money through minimizing the number of trips that they have to call out a vacuum truck. When shopping for vacuum trailers, Vac-Tron is by far the best! Our machines, every time you turn them on, they are rip roaring to go. Our employees don’t have time to go through and try to figure out things, they want to flip it on and use it immediately and they want it to work. Vac-Tron does that for us every time,” says Carol.

PTO Vac Truck with Jetter System (Video)

Vac-Tron Equipment is on a roll. Only one year after releasing their very first HTV (Hydro Truck Vac) PTO, they are now introducing their NEW JTV (Jetter Truck Vac) PTO series. The JTV 873 PTO is a new series of PTO truck driven systems that combine vacuum excavation with high pressure jetter capabilities putting this truck in a league of its own.


The Power Take Off of the truck drives a positive displacement vacuum blower that produces 1,000 cfm @ 16 hg vacuum pump.

Additional standard equipment:

  • Reverse pressure
  • 800-gallon debris tank
  • 300-gallon water supply
  • 15 GPM @ 3000 psi water pump
  • Hydraulic rear claw door
  • Big red filter housing
  • 500′ x 1/2″ jetter hose reel.

A major benefit of the PTO Driven unit is that all components are controlled from the truck eliminating the extra weight, space, and cost of the pony motor. The available towing package is another benefit allowing you to tow other equipment to the job site to help with efficiency.

This is an exceptional vacuum excavator for many projects including sewer jetting, potholing, storm drain cleaning, lateral cleanout and many more.

Municipalities empowered by Vacuum Excavators

Cities are digging safer and more efficiently by arming departments with vacuum excavators.  In the rarest of cases, fire departments are using vacuum excavators for trench collapse rescues.  The more common use though is the need for potholing, sewer jetting, storm drain cleaning, and many other applications.

Some regulatory agencies require potholing when a path of a bore trench closely parallels or crosses existing underground utilities.
  Cities are taking the necessary step in getting access to vacuum excavation equipment.  In a small city meeting recently in Kansas, permission was granted to the Water Department to purchase a VAC-TRON LP573SGT.

“Basically, Wally’s been after me to get one of these since I’ve been here, but with all the underground utilities going in and all the fiber optics, it’s become a necessity for us to pothole and find the phone lines, gas lines, before we even start digging our own main lines,” Water Department Director Calvin Burke said. “So what we’re looking at is a combination pothole VAC-TRON machine. It’s a high pressure washer where you take the wand, and you work it and then work the back part, stick the hose on the nozzle, and just suck the dirt right out of the hole.”  – leaderandtimes.com

Tri-County Electric Cooperative, a cooperative utility based in Hooker, Okla., recently put in service a truck-mounted, large vacuum excavator model.

“Being on a truck provides good mobility,” said Rick Wayman, manager of construction. “We do a lot of potholing with the machine. Many city areas we work in are full of utilities, and vacuum excavation can quickly make potholes without damaging the lines being located.

“We also are using it to dig piers for light poles,” Wayman said. “Locations where poles are being set also are in areas full of utilities, and without the new machine, they would have to be dug by hand—there are too many utilities to use mechanical equipment.” – ecmag.com

The 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
The City of Temecula, Calif. use Vacuum Excavation to clean out catch basins (Image Source: mswmag.com)

To learn more about vacuum excavation and adding a Vac-Tron to your fleet, go here to schedule a demo in your area.

 

Vacuum Excavators made in USA for over 20 years

vacuum-excavators-team

When you think of Made in the USA you think of high-quality manufacturing.  Vac-Tron Equipment has been a leading pioneer with vacuum excavators for 20 years in North America when it was started by Don Buckner, as a division of American Manufacturing.

The main focus has been creating the highest quality U.S. made vacuum excavation equipment.

Headquarters is located in Florida and has a dedicated team building the next generation of units. Vac-Tron continues to innovate within the industry, recently introducing the first Power Take Off Vac Truck.

373 in the bronx

Vac-Tron’s are available with 115 U.S. national dealers and also sold internationally, which helps to bring dollars back into the U.S. to help with future U.S. manufacturing strategy and growth. 20141106_165816

To learn more about the fleet of Vac-Tron units check out the Equipment page.

 

 

373 PTO Vac Excavation Truck

373 in the bronx

Air Excavation is the process of using compressed air to disturb the soil so that it may be lifted with the vacuum. This process is used to safely uncover underground utilities as well as open up trenches allowing the dry soil to be reused in the original hole. Vac-Tron now has a new PTO unit available with an air compressor.

The HTV PTO is now available with 150 CFM @ 175 psi air compressor and our patent pending remote debris tank that allows the operator to easily put the dry soil back into the hole.  

The Power Take Off of the truck drives a positive displacement vacuum blower that produces 1,000 cfm. This unit is standard with a high pressure water system, full hydraulic rear claw door, reverse pressure, and the patented “Big Red” filter housing that cleans the air down to 00.5 microns (best in the industry). Hydraulic booms are also available on the PTO series units.  

A major benefit of the PTO unit is that all components are powered from the truck’s engine eliminating the extra weight, space, and cost of the pony motor.  The available towing package is another benefit allowing you to tow other equipment to the job site to help with efficiency.

This is an exceptional vacuum excavator for many projects as well as directional drill site cleanup, confident utility locates, job site safety, and productive job site management.

HTV 373 PTO w air 1 (1)

For more information about the HTV PTO, contact Vac-Tron Equipment at 888-822-8766 to request a free demo.

Preventing the dangers of excavation (video)



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.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATIVE VIDEO WITH YOUR TEAM.  Here is the direct YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEEV_-ztKcs

Micro Trenching

micro trenching vacuum excavation
“The Vac-Tron LP 533 SGT is the ideal vacuum for micro trenching, the high cfm’s and low noise output made communication and productivity simple.” – David Donohue of Vermeer Mid Atlantic

Micro Trenching is one of the installation methods being utilized by contractors to bring fiber networks to consumers. Micro Trenching is an installation method in which a narrow and relatively shallow trench is cut, usually on an asphalt roadway. Trench dimensions can range from .75 to 2.24 inches wide and 8 to 16 inches deep.

micro trenching vacuum excavation 3
Once the conduit is laid, the trench is backfilled with a grout compound.
While cutting, a vacuum system connected to the cutter wheel cleanly diverts and transports debris away from the worksite. Once the conduit is laid, the trench is backfilled with a grout compound.

Advantages of Micro Trenching include minimal cutting width that boosts installation production and reduces costs of backfill, shallow depth placement which helps avoid encounters with existing utilities and jobsite cleanliness thanks to the vacuum spoil that removes debris.

David Donohue of Vermeer Mid Atlantic says “The Vac-Tron LP 533 SGT is the ideal vacuum for micro trenching, the high cfm’s and low noise output made communication and productivity simple.” David and Pfeiffer Enterprise Inc were demonstrating Vermeer’s micro trenching equipment and Vac-Tron’s LP SGT high cfm unit in Glen Bernie, MD in this photo.

micro trenching vacuum excavation 2

New PTO Vac Truck Walk-Around (Video)

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.

 

Use Vacuum Excavation for Safe Digging

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.

The ‘Big Red’ Patented Filtration System for Vacuum Excavation (w/ video)

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:

  1. Cyclone
  2. Silencer
  3. Four-Way Valve
  4. 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.

cyclone-vacuum-excavation-air-filtration

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. silencer-filter-vacuum-excavation-air-filtration

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.
four-way-valve-vacuum-excavation-air-filtration

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.micro-filter-vacuum-excavation-air-filtration
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.