# Power Hand Truck



## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Well well, where was this years ago.

A motorized hand truck which can climb stairs also.

http://http://www.powermate.info/


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

I own the Staircat Escelara.... its the best employee I have working for me right now.........

great tool , cant live without it


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

GAN said:


> Well well, where was this years ago.
> 
> A motorized hand truck which can climb stairs also.
> 
> http://http://www.powermate.info/



your link no worky, but if I was still doing alot of boilers I would buy me on of those....whats the carrying capacity on either of those stair climbers?


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Master Mark said:


> I own the Staircat Escelara.... its the best employee I have working for me right now.........
> 
> great tool , cant live without it



I would buy one if I had water heater calls. I haven't been called for a heater in what 3 months?


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

The one my co. bought in the early 90's could carry a 1500 lb water heater

it was a powermate


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Tango said:


> I would buy one if I had water heater calls. I haven't been called for a heater in what 3 months?



3 months??
I am not saying what you ought to be doing for a living but focusing your advertising $$ and SEO more towards water heaters would be beneficial to your bottom line..

Having no hot water is something that most people will not haggle and fight with you about for too long.......

In my opinion, the stair cat will pay for itself with only one or two BIG nasty ones to deal with as time passes, and you do 30 or 40 of them, its more like a gift that keeps on giving... 

but you got to want to go after them in the first place

...


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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

I do 15 or so water heaters a month and usually I just man then in but I am young and strong(fat)

If it is a 75 gallon or larger then it’s a two guy job, I would love one of these carts and make it a one man job


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Fatpat said:


> I do 15 or so water heaters a month and usually I just man then in but I am young and strong(fat)
> 
> If it is a 75 gallon or larger then it’s a two guy job, I would love one of these carts and make it a one man job



they run about $2200 for the more heavier duty one and the carrying capacity on it will lift 1200lbs...... the motor runs up the stairs like a small sherman tank....

we will probably do somewhere between 15 to 30 in august and this thing certainly paid for itself before the first month was over.....

I have done some mean ones by myself once you learn how to handle the thing it is a breeze.....

also we got 3 water softeners to do this week so far and taking out an old brine tank loaded full to the top with a solid salt block in it is another big benefit.....:biggrin:


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Master Mark said:


> they run about $2200 for the more heavier duty one and the carrying capacity on it will lift 1200lbs...... the motor runs up the stairs like a small sherman tank....
> 
> we will probably do somewhere between 15 to 30 in august and this thing certainly paid for itself before the first month was over.....
> 
> ...


did you buy it online? $2200.00 seems cheap from some of the prices listed online..how long ago did you buy it? have you had any problems with its operation? thanxs..


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> did you buy it online? $2200.00 seems cheap from some of the prices listed online..how long ago did you buy it? have you had any problems with its operation? thanxs..





-get the heavy duty 1200 max one... 
you will feel empowered and can move just about anything..... 

You want to get an extra battery to keep on hand charged up
I have bought an extra battery for back up... 125.00. I also bought alligator clips and wired them to hook up to the batteries... I have burnt out 2 batteries in 3 years..... no big deal...

I did buy the barrell drum adaptor that snaps on the unit for the heaters and I use it often it works fine with or without it....

the bottom plate that the heater sits on is almost too wide for me as I was nicking wood trim up on corners and up stairs, so I trimmed both the left and right down with a sawzall to make closer turns.... it fits in about any doorway now....

it needs to be oiled once in a while but that is about it.....

here is the link it looks like its 2300 now--


https://handtrucks2go.com/Escalera-Electric-Stair-Climber.html


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Master Mark said:


> they run about $2200 for the more heavier duty one and the carrying capacity on it will lift 1200lbs...... the motor runs up the stairs like a small sherman tank....
> 
> we will probably do somewhere between 15 to 30 in august and this thing certainly paid for itself before the first month was over.....
> 
> ...



thanxu, I like the looks of this one much better than the powermate, its less than half the weight of the powermate and looks like it can maneuver in tighter spots..how long have you had it? other than the batteries going have you had any other issues with it?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> thanxu, I like the looks of this one much better than the powermate, its less than half the weight of the powermate and looks like it can maneuver in tighter spots..how long have you had it? other than the batteries going have you had any other issues with it?



nothing at all..... We have had it 3 years or better... It seems it does not have the zipp that it had originally when brand new....but it still keeps me from blowing a back out or busting a nut ..... 

It has a learning curve to get used to it....at first I was a little intimidated to take out a 75 gallon power vent unit by myself up stairs with a few turns in it 
but I have done it often now... 

Its still wise to have back up...I would not get too cockey with it or if you dont pay attention to your position on stairs with heavy carpet it could drag you right down the stairs to the bottom... did that once.. 

If it were to go out I would probably either have it repaired and just buy another one..... I have wanted to get one in our other truck anyway.. 


Its paid for itself enough to consider a second one...


I think I rented a power mate before I bought this one and could not believe how awkward it was..... It took some muscle to work the damn thing and I got that one off my list real fast..... It was not anything close to a refrigerator type cart that I am used to 

I dont think you are gonna run into much that is going to be more than 1200lbs..



.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

last week I had to hump a boiler up a set of outdoor stairs to a lifted house from the hurricane and there were 2 turns on smallish platforms between flights of stairs and that would have been perfect for the job, only lost some flesh to a sharp corner on the boiler when it slipped on the final umph into the doorway of the house ...that will leave a scar...


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

*I had a LectroTruck*

Bought it at a NAPHCC show in Philly.

This was the orange one, heavy by itself, but as soon as a load was on it. It balanced out and could move heavy loads. Sold it when I closed shop.
A word of caution when going up wooden stairs if possible get a look at the risers. I always carried some short 2x4's and a couple of hefty C-clamps. Very good for shoring up some wobbly stairs ... You know the weight of the lift, the weight of the load -- don't forget your weight. Consider this as a concern when using any make of *POWER LIFT *


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> Bought it at a NAPHCC show in Philly.
> 
> This was the orange one, heavy by itself, but as soon as a load was on it. It balanced out and could move heavy loads. Sold it when I closed shop.
> A word of caution when going up wooden stairs if possible get a look at the risers. I always carried some short 2x4's and a couple of hefty C-clamps. Very good for shoring up some wobbly stairs ... You know the weight of the lift, the weight of the load -- don't forget your weight. Consider this as a concern when using any make of *POWER LIFT *




I know what you are saying........we just took out a small 40 electric full of lime up some old rickety stairs on Monday...very steep and the steps worried me as I was doing it.....I tread very lightly....and I thought about driving some spikes into the worst steps just for extra measure... but passed on that 

I guess If the stairs break way then its every man for himself....:vs_laugh:


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> I know what you are saying........we just took out a small 40 electric full of lime up some old rickety stairs on Monday...very steep and the steps worried me as I was doing it.....I tread very lightly....and I thought about driving some spikes into the worst steps just for extra measure... but passed on that
> 
> *I guess If the stairs break way then its every man for himself....:vs_laugh:*


*

I would hate to be on the bottom side of that every man for himself thingey, take time and do it -- Protect you and the property your at. Power Hand Trucks do not have brains, their operators must supply the brain. *


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> *
> 
> I would hate to be on the bottom side of that every man for himself thingey, take time and do it -- Protect you and the property your at. Power Hand Trucks do not have brains, their operators must supply the brain. *



BILL Who said I had any brains ?? The stairs were questionable but it being only a 40, I felt it was gonna be ok... If it were a 75 then I would have done some shoring up on them....

Bill, back in the day my father would have scoffed at using this staircat like we use now.. because to use it would have been a sign of weakness..... ...it was the constant battle of muscles vs brains... :vs_laugh::vs_laugh:..


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> your link no worky, but if I was still doing alot of boilers I would buy me on of those....whats the carrying capacity on either of those stair climbers?



Weird.

U-tube video. >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=EJndAdimdm8


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