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Information and advice in Overheard Online is offered in good faith by industry professionals. However, readers should consult in depth with appropriate industry sources before applying such advice to a specific business situation.

 

Question:

I am setting up a vacuum truck in New Zealand and wonder what you put on the end of your hose and into the tank? I have seen one idea that uses a length of aluminum tube, but wasn’t sure how it’s attached to the camlock fitting. I am also keen on a Crust Buster, but the cost of freight and the exchange rate will make it an expensive purchase.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Answers:

Are you talking about a normal pump truck or a vacuum loader? For the vacuum truck, we put the hose directly into the tank. I don’t know anyone around here using an aluminum hose attachment. Usually that’s only for vacuum loaders, although it wouldn’t hurt anything to use it on a vacuum truck. The only attachment I really know about is the Power Booster, although you need to have an air attachment off the truck.

 

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I use a piece of ABS pipe about 4 or 5 feet long. I use camlock fittings to attach it. This keeps the end of the hose clean and I can more easily direct it where I want it. We’ve been using this method for 30 years.

We also use a 3-inch PVC pipe, about 4 feet long, attached with a camlock. It works great. The Crust Buster is one of the best things I have bought for pumping septic tanks.

You have to get a 3-inch camlock with female threads on one end and a PVC coupling with male threads on one end.

Do I need a stronger pump?

I have a 1,500-gallon tank with a pump that produces 230 cfm free air and 200 cfm at 15 inches Hg. I want to upgrade to something faster. On a difficult pull, the pump gets hot and slow. I understand that more cfm just gets you to maximum vacuum quicker. So would it be better to go to a pump with 300 cfm at 15 inches Hg and give it more air to keep it cooler, or go to a water-cooled pump at 230 cfm at 24 inches Hg? My 15-inch Hg pump does it now, but you have to fight it. I know that 300-350 cfm at 24 inches Hg would do it, but that’s like driving a nail with an 8-pound sledgehammer. I would like to hear from working pumpers.

 

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I’m not sure if this will answer your questions, but we have a 2,500-gallon tank with an air-cooled 350 cfm pump. It works OK. On long pulls or steep pulls, it slows and you have to blend some air with the septage or you will be on the job all day. If we did it again, we would go with a larger cfm pump and most likely water-cooled.

 

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We just purchased a truck about a year ago with 3,600-gallon tank and a 425 cfm pump. It’s a great liquid-cooled pump.