Portable vacuum excavators have been a regular view on job areas for years. These extraordinary units were originally used to clean septic tanks and car wash pits and to remove slurry from horizontal directional drilling projects. Now contractors are learning that these devices have a wide range of uses on the job site, from potholing utilities to cleaning valve boxes. Vacuum excavators are self-contained machinery that employ pressurised air or water to displace soil and form a dry or wet spoil. The displaced dry or wet spoil is collected from the area through a hose using quickness suction and stored in a tank on the vacuum. Vacuum excavators have a tank capacity ranging from 100 to 1,200 gallons and can be mounted on a trailer or the back of a truck. Since vacuum excavators employ low-pressure air or water to remove spoil, they are perfect for potholing or discovering existing utilities during underground construction projects. The amount of air or water pressure right for the utility can be set by operators. Gas and fiber lines should be operated at a lower pressure of 1,500 psi to prevent damage to the line coating. A higher pressure can be applied for water pipes. Line ExposureWhile locators are becoming increasingly accurate, it’s still necessary to know exactly where the line or pipe is placed. The safe zone, which can be anywhere from 18 inches to three feet on either side of the marked line, is off limits to contractors. The required distance varies by state. Contractors are only authorized to dig by hand or use a non-destructive approach like vacuum excavators in the safe zone. Using a vacuum excavator rather of a shovel gives advantages. For fiber optic lines, a shovel can be as destructive as a backhoe, even when used against a water pipe. This is especially true in hard terrain. Many cables are now laid with horizontal directional drills (HDD) rather than trenchers, so there is no longer a traditional ditch line, says Gasmovic. When trenchers or backhoes are used to construct lines, a lighter material such as sand is placed around the line. The ground softens as a contractor excavates. This means the line is in close vicinity. Lines put using HDD don’t damage the ground or leave a ditch line, hence the ground is the same hardness and it is impossible to identify whether you are approaching close to the line or cable. A shovel can easily cut a cable wire due to the roughness of the ground. Operating a vacuum with air or water at a non-damaging pressure will safely reveal the line. Selecting The Right UnitDue to the wide range of sizes and configurations available for vacuum excavators, it is critical that you pick the right device for the job at hand. Water-based units often dig quicker through a wide variety of spoil types and lower the volume of the excavated material. When compared to an air system, these machines move more displaced moist material into a holding tank. However, the displaced material is damp and cannot be returned to the site immediately without drying. While air systems’ spoil can be returned to the site, these systems are less effective in cutting hard ground conditions like clay than other methods. “I suggest contractors to hunt for a unit with a good-quality suction blower, the core of the vacuum,” stated Gasmovic. “The decision-makers should also take into account a tank with a capacity to hold half or a day’s worth of spoil. Because of this, the number of times you’ll need to empty the holding tank will decrease.” If you are performing in areas with cobble rock, then a unit with a 4-inch hose and 1,025-cfm blower unit will be very effective. Cobble soils will need a larger blower to adequately remove the spoil. The greater diameter of 4-inch hose will assist minimize the possibility for clogging. A 575-cfm system and a 3-inch hose can do the trick in areas devoid of pebbles. The blower size also determines the amount of engine power required – a larger blower will increase the cost of the unit. Construction workers ought to pay close attention to the filtration system, according to Gasmovic, and choose one that will filter waste and avoid blockage altogether. Make sure to choose a sturdy trailer frame that can handle both your vehicle and the contents of its fuel tank. There are several possibilities available: controls that authorize the contractor to knock the flow of the vacuum to blow the spoil back into the pit; booms that reinforcement the weight of the hose, placing less measure on the operator; combo units that include a jetter to clean sewers and pull the resulting trash; and automatic tank clean-out systems and auxiliary hydraulic systems that permit the contractor to operate a concrete saw or breaker of the unit. As a professional company created in 2001, Util Locate provides a wide range of high-quality services to businesses of all sizes utilizing the most advanced technology. With their extensive knowledge, cutting-edge equipment, and years of experience, Util-Locate is able to demonstrate why they remain industry leaders in damage prevention. For over a decade, we’ve been delivering services including Underground Utility Locating, Mapping, CCTV, and Ground Penetrating Radar. via UTIL LOCATE https://ift.tt/8ewIdKn
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ABOUT USUtil-Locate is a private professional Company founded in 2001 providing business professionals with a wide range of quality services using state of the art equipment. Util-Locate use its vast knowledge, latest equipment and experience to prove why they continue to be industry leaders and top choice for damage prevention. Archives
October 2020
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