# vacuum excavation



## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

I found a VacTron EV150 at a local dealer. Im looking for something small to use with the soil knife, for potholing and locating utilities. Any one heard of or used this model? is it too small to be of use? it has the 15 hp Kohler engine., 2" hose. 330 cfm vacuum pump.utility contractors will appreciate the
efficient and flexible power of the Vermeer-
Vac-Tron lineup of vacuum equipment. Designed
for a variety of wet and dry applications, Vermeer-
Vac-Tron systems can be used to clean up mud and
slurry behind directional drills, vacuum-locate
underground utilities, exercise valves and hydrants,
clean up after natural disasters, and clean out lift
stations, treatment plants, laterals, manholes, meter
and valve boxes, culverts, and storm drains.​
_FlowMaster 
™150 Series units are desgined to assist in exercising water valves to remove debris,​_
_making the valves more accessible in the event of water main breaks or water pollutants._​​​​​​*FM150*
*Model FM150 EV150 FM350 PMD350*
*General*
Spoil tank capacity 150 gal (568 L) 150 gal (568 L) 350 gal (1324 L) 350 gal (1324 L)
Engine options 25 hp (18.6 kW) gas 15 hp (11.1 kW) gas 25 hp (19 kW) gas 25 hp (19 kW) gas
25 hp (18.6 kW) diesel 25 hp (18.6 kW) diesel 36 hp (27 kW) diesel 36 hp (27 kW) diesel
25 hp (18.6 kW) gas 49 hp (37 kW) diesel 49 hp (37 kW) diesel
Vacuum pump 550 cfm (15" of hg) 300 cfm (15" of hg) 15 hp 550 cfm (15" of hg) 25 hp 550 cfm (15" of hg) 25 hp
550 cfm (15" of hg) 25 hp 550 cfm (15" of hg) 36 hp 550 cfm (15" of hg) 36 hp
1000 cfm (15" of hg) 49 hp 1000 cfm (15" of hg) 49 hp 1000 cfm (15" of hg) 49 hp
Water tank capacity 120 gal (454 L) 120 gal (454 L) 300 gal (1136 L) 300 gal (1136 L)
*Trailer Mount*
Width 70" (178 cm) 82" (208 cm) 70" (178 cm) 82" (208 cm)
Length 170" (432 cm) 222" (563 cm) 170" (432 cm) 222" (563 cm)
Height 103" (262 cm) 106" (269 cm) 103" (262 cm) 106" (269 cm)
*Skid Mount*
Width 48" (122 cm) 34" (88 cm) 48" (122 cm) 34" (86 cm)
Length 75" (191 cm) 148" (376 cm) 75" (191 cm) 148" (376 cm)
Height 84" (213 cm) 75" (191 cm) 84" (213 cm) 75" (191 cm)
*22*
*Model PMD550 MC850 PMD850*
*General*
Spoil tank capacity 500 gal (1893 L) 800 gal (329 L) 800 gal (329 L)
Engine options 25 hp (18.6 kW) gas 36 hp (26.8 kW) diesel 36 hp (26.8 kW) diesel
36 hp (27.0 kW) diesel 49 hp (36.5 kW) diesel 49 hp (36.5 kW) diesel
49 hp (36.5 kW) diesel
Vacuum pump 550 cfm (15" of hg) 25 hp 550 cfm (15" of hg) 36 hp 550 cfm (15" of hg) 36 hp
550 cfm (15" of hg) 36 hp 1000 cfm (15" of hg) 49 hp 1000 cfm (15" of hg) 49 hp
Water tank capacity 325 gal (1230 L) 325 gal (1230 L) 325 gal (1230 L)
*Trailer Mount*
Width 82" (208 cm) 82" (208 cm) 82" (208 cm)
Length 222" (564 cm) 260" (660 cm) 260" (660 cm)
Height 106" (269 cm) 106" (269 cm) 106" (269 cm)
*Skid Mount*
Width 34" (86 cm) 82" (208 cm) 82" (208 cm)
Length 148" (376 cm) 180" (457 cm) 180" (457 cm)
Height 75" (191 cm) 80" (203 cm) 80" (203 cm)​
_Equipped with_
​


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Pic


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Love it, i had a huge vac truck out to do a hole in the middle of the street for a sewer tap. The hole was 5 x 5 x10 feet and it took the vac truck about 3 hours with the pressure wand thing they used to break the dirt up. If you got the work for it those are great.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

The 2" hose and the small gas motor limit the machine. The way they get a high vac rating is by using the 2" hose. 3" hose clogs all the time so a 2" will really clog. Those are a great catch basin cleaning rig though and I would love to have one so I don't have to drag my big monster around for little jobs. If you only had very little potholing jobs you could make it work. The last time I saw a nice one of those sell it was for 5k on ebay from a small city.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Thanks cuda.

I really just need it for potholing and smaller excavations at this time. I figure it would be good to get my feet wet with it.

I got a quote from the company. It's a 2003 model, 10 hours on it. 3" hoses, 2000 [email protected] jetter.

Course, the quote was 10,000.00

The ad I saw was $5500.00:laughing: it was from July.

I think I'll go over there with $4500.00 and see what they say


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Yea those are real low hours, if you get it I think the only thing you may want is a flatbed or dump trailer to put the spoils in so you can fill it, dump it, and keep working. They fill up real fast when doing dirt. Using an airknife the spoils are nice and dry to go back when done. If it's clay or rocks the PW water does better but then you have too take the spoils somewhere to sit till it dries out and bring back fresh backfill. I try to use air as much as possible but sometimes water is the only way.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Were set up with a C30 dump, a C65 dump, B26 Kubota, and a 420D Cat. 

All that and it still took us 4 hours to find that damn Verizon cable last week. And the mis marked water service last month.:furious:

I figured it would fill up fast. I plan on dumping it on site, and backfilling with the same soil.

I don't think I would need to use water. We've had the air knife for a year or 2 now, and have had real success with it with our soil conditions. Hardest part is getting the soil out of the hole, without poking a wire. Especially if you get a few feet down. 

Ima run down there tomorrow morning and check it out.


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## incarnatopnh (Feb 1, 2011)

You will want a bigger unit if you are working in hard packed clay. I started out with a trailer unit similar to that. With the stiff clay around here it was a pain in the ads. I now have a full size Vac-Con combination truck. More vac power and more water power was needed around here.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

One more little thing i learned is you may be using air and everything is going along fine then the hose clogs, if you spray even a garden hose up the tube it will unclog..... but then a few minutes later it does it again so you use the garden hose again, pretty soon the spoils are too wet to just put back in like was planned or only 1/2 of them are dry enough so it has it's own little learning curve on how you do it. I changed our 6 gmp 3500 psi pump over to a 4 gpm 5000 psi pump and it rocks!


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Why dig with air knife ?? Or pressure washer ?


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Why dig with air knife ?? Or pressure washer ?


Less disruption 

Road boars, sidewalk boars or high end yards that customers don't want tracked up with mini x's 

Saves on man hours too.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Why dig with air knife ?? Or pressure washer ?


No damage to utilities.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Got a pic of an air knife ??


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Got a pic of an air knife ??


...


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## Chadillac80 (Dec 22, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> ...


Is it sucking as its blowing?? ....:blink:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> ...


Almost the same for cleaning out expansion joints on bridges before cold weather set in.. 
In service plumbing, handy to blowout/cleaning B-Box valve housing.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Chadillac80 said:


> Is it sucking as its blowing?? ....:blink:


Blowing.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Air knifes are used for trench rescue, and utility excavations so you don't strike them. These matter to plumbers but landscape contractors use them to transfer trees and repair tree root systems that are overloaded. So Basically they have 2 main industries. We use one everyday the last 2 feet of pipe excavation is the hardest because the pipe is in the way of a full size shovel and a trench shovel moves little material so the air knife can soften the soil around the pipe and it is easily scooped out. Yes you need an air supply but the labor savings are great. Utilities are discovered with air not a tired employee smashing down on them with a shovel or digging bar lol An air knife and a vacuum are a great combination.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Well I bought it. Got it for 5!:thumbsup: It's a 2003. Never sold, they used it at shows and as a demo, so basically it's new.

Pressure washer isn't working. They're gonna fix it.

Picking it up Thursday.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Good deal! Even if you outgrow it you will find work for it because being small has it advantages. Like I said I am looking for one to use just for catch basins.


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