Published December 2007

Pik Rite Screening Unit

By Ken Wysocky (page 128)

Collecting the debris left on a farm field after a septic pumper spreads a load may be a headache.

Collecting the debris left on a farm field after a septic pumper spreads a load may be a headache. But the land application screening unit from Pik Rite Inc. attempts to provide relief.

The steel unit mounts on the back of a vacuum truck via two 2-inch receiver hitches. As sludge is applied, it flows through the unit, where a screen traps debris larger than 3/8 of an inch, explains Ryan Miller, sales manager for Pik Rite.

“The unit eliminates the hassle of going out in the field to pick up debris after the liquid waste is spread,” Miller notes. “It’s particularly relevant in a growing number of states, such as North Carolina and Michigan, where septic waste haulers are required to screen all sludge before land application.”

The screen is easy to clean; just loosen a couple of wing nuts and pull it out of either end.

“You should check the screen every time you empty a full tank, which we figure usually holds 4,000 gallons,” Miller observes. “But if a customer has a 6,000-gallon tank, we’ll custom build a bigger unit.”

The screening unit also can filter waste as it’s transferred from a vacuum truck to a waste spreader, or as waste is discharged at a sewage treatment plant. An optional topside port for lime injection is available, Miller adds.

The standard unit is painted black, though it can be custom painted to match a truck. The unit includes 4-inch inlet and discharge hookups; optional 6-inch couplings are available. The unit also comes with mounting hardware to accommodate most vacuum trucks. Some vehicles may require modifications, Miller points out.

Most customers keep the unit mounted on the truck permanently. But it’s easy to remove — just pull out the hitch pins, unlock the cam lock for the hose and take it off the truck. The unit is fairly heavy, so it takes two people to mount or remove it, Miller explains.

Whether it’s mounted permanently or not, the unit makes an otherwise messy job easier, Miller notes.

“I know a fellow in Florida who has his guys walk around a field and pick up debris,” he says. “This is a much better way.” For information: 800/326-9763; www.pikrite.com. Expo booth 4202-4205, 4207-4208.