Best Vaccum Truck Pumps?

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Juniorsnapple, Jul 20, 2016.

  1. Juniorsnapple

    Juniorsnapple Bobtail Member

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    Jul 12, 2016
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    I know this is more of an opinion more so then the best brand ever created and I expect some diversity. Just looking at buying a vacuum truck to pump sediment out of my carwash pits and was hoping to hear about some experiences from others. Looking for power because that nastiness can really get caked in there. Thinking about going for the tandem unibody 2800 gallon style/range. I see Jurop brand listed all over most of these tankers. Just not really sure what I should be looking for besides power, reliability, and cost. Thanks for your help. Looking forward to some insight from the pros.
     
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  3. RockinChair

    RockinChair Road Train Member

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    Cowboy Pumps work well, but they're pretty noisy. I've also driven some trucks with National Vacuum Equipment's Challenger pumps, and they worked pretty good, too. You're going to need a pressure washer with an incredible amount of pressure to break that stuff up before you vacuum it into the truck.

    I've known some car wash operators who use small backhoes (Ditch Witch & similar) to dig the solids out of their grit traps, and then they use a vacuum truck to finish the job.
     
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  4. JPenn

    JPenn Road Train Member

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    From an oilfield perspective, and in my order of preference.

    1. NVE Challenger 607 - BEAST pump. If run at 1100rpm per spec, can load 4500 gallons through a 4" hose in 7-10 minutes, depending on viscosity of course. Offloads go just as quickly. Also, cheaper than most of the other brands except Jurop. Uses more oil than others, though this can be fine tuned.

    2. Masport HLX400 - very nearly a match for the Challenger. Slightly quieter.

    3. Fruitland - Much louder than the other two, and not quite as dependable. Ours seemed prone to oil leaks.

    I don't much like the Jurop pumps, they're noisy, have junk seals/o-rings and are generally poor performers compared to the NVE, Masport or Fruitland pumps. Also consume more oil, and wear out the vanes faster. Most of these manufacturers have fan-cooled and liquid cooled variants...liquid cooled performs better on long jobs and seems to be more durable over all.
     
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  5. Juniorsnapple

    Juniorsnapple Bobtail Member

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    Good Info Rockin Chair. Ring-o-matic sells a trailer that scoops it out, but everything about it is small. I've seen the ditch witch surveying trucks with the pressure washers attached those trucks are cool. Luckily I've got one in every bay so I think I might be able to cheat that part out. It seems the companies that clean the pits out now just roll with the Vac trucks. I do know what you're saying when it comes to being compacted. I had paid a guy with a septic truck years ago to clean them out. He sucked up all the water called it a day and sent me a hefty bill. I want to be much more efficient then that.
     
  6. Juniorsnapple

    Juniorsnapple Bobtail Member

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    Jul 12, 2016
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    Thanks Jpenn. I'll do some research on those bad boys. I know they make some fantastic pumps in the market and wanted a good place to start. The viscosity is duly noted. That is going to be the challenge to overcome when cleaning them out. Also I've noticed on a lot of these trucks that are for sale and about 10 years old they are claiming it has a new tank. Is that because of corrosive material and poor maintenance or is the a regulation on changing the tanks that I'm unaware of? Everything I'll be hauling will be non-hazardous not sure if that matters or not beside restrictions and placards. Also any good places to check out used trucks? Thanks for your time fellas.
     
  7. JPenn

    JPenn Road Train Member

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    Corrosive, flammable, any mixture thereof really. If they're coming from oilfield service the tanks see some really nasty crud, heavy brine and such. Also none of them are washed out anywhere near how often they ought to be. More of a run until it develops pinholes, then replace it or sell the truck kind of thing. Stainless tanks are more durable in that line of work, but nobody really wants to pay up front for it.
     
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