McLaughlin’s new Vermeer ECO truck-mounted vacuum excavators are aimed at a market that wants a more compact and fuel-efficient machine that still delivers on performance.
Options include 49, 85 or 99 hp auxiliary engines with tank capacities of 500 to 1,200 gallons for applications using 4-inch suction hoses. The units can be mounted on either new or used truck chassis.
“If you’re running a 4-inch hose at 1,000 cfm, that vacuum and water pump can run on as low as around 44 or 45 hp,” says Jeff Wage, vice president at McLaughlin. “The goal of the ECO Series is having a powerful package that performs well but also maximizes fuel economy. They’re the same power packs we use on our VX Trailer Series, so they’re definitely proven, but they provide the amount of horsepower necessary to run components.
“Some jobs are going to require larger vacuum excavators with 6-inch and 8-inch suction hoses and, therefore, more horsepower. PTO-driven vacuums make more sense in those higher-horsepower applications. But if you only need 49 hp to run something, there’s no sense in turning on a 270 hp truck engine and running off a PTO and wasting fuel.”
The ECO 50 — or the 49 hp engine option — comes equipped with a 1,025 cfm blower and 5.6 gpm water pump. It can be mounted on a 26,000-pound GVW chassis with the 500-gallon tank, or a 33,000-pound GVW chassis for an 800-gallon tank.
“It’s set up for hydroexcavation and potholing or any other applications vacs are typically used for,” Wage says. “It comes with all the standard features on our VX 50 Series of trailer vacs such as hydraulic booms, arrow boards and hot box options.”
The ECO 80 comes standard with an 85 hp engine and a 5.6 gpm water pump but can be fitted with a 12 gpm water pump to run a sewer jetter system or compact core saw attachment. The ECO 100, powered by a 99 hp engine, has a 1,200 cfm blower and is paired with an onboard 110 psi by 185 cfm air compressor, allowing operators to select between both hydro and air excavation options.
“There’s a lot of demand for air excavation, which gives contractors the ability to dig dry and then reuse those materials instead of having to drive a long time to dump wet spoils,” Wage says.
The ECO Series excavators offer flexibility to mount to many truck chassis.
“We have a lot of customers who will tell us they have a certain kind of truck across their fleet … and they want a vac excavator on it. With this configuration, as long as you have the right bed length and GVW rating, you can mount a unit,” Wage says. 864/277-5870; www.mclaughlinunderground.com.
