Pump It Up

Pumps and blowers are the heart of your machine. Whether you’re buying a pump or blower for your truck or jetter, getting one that does the job is critical to your business.

“When buying a pump, one should look for efficiency, quality, and after-sales service,” says a representative from Chandler Equipment. “At Chandler Equipment, we pride ourselves on our service and quality of products offered to our customers. We handle every problem like it’s our most important and maintain excellent relationships with Jurop and our customers. We only partner with the best in the marketplace. Our motto is Commitment, Excellence, Integrity.”

Go Big or Go Home
Since the pump or blower creates the vacuum needed to pump septic tank sludge from the tank into the truck, you might think the bigger the better. That isn’t necessarily the case. The folks at Brudon Air Vac say that this is one of the most critical services they offer clients. “We’ve talked guys into a smaller blower and others into a larger one. You have to find out what their needs are before you can recommend a size. If a guy gets the biggest blower there is, but doesn’t need that much, then he is wasting room in his truck that could hold other equipment, burning more fuel to haul around the extra weight, and putting additional strain on the engine.”

“Many variables come into play when selecting a blower and this is where Brudon applications specialists earn their pay,” says Bruce Wispinski, owner of Brudon Air Vac and Blowertech Ltd. “The truck market is a classic example where a proper sized blower system has a huge impact on a contractor’s bottom line. Tank capacity along with airflow piping and efficient filtration comes into play, how fast the customer would like to load product, from what distance and verti-cal height considerations. We also need to determine what the payload product is in terms of weight and density. Is the payload product liquid, solids or semi-solids all of which have a spe-cific range of molecular weights and density? One simple analogy offered is; try blowing through a drink straw, then blow through a garden hose, which offers most resistance without getting blue in the face. It is a simplistic scenario, but in a nutshell blowers operate in the same manner. Every 28″ Hg high vacuum blower has a specific volumetric capacity normally expressed in CFM rating (Cubic Feet per Minute). Also, does the application require pressure off-loading ca-pability, which is a high-heat process due to reversal of airflow and bypass of the air-injection cooling feature?”

Common Problems
“The most common problems with pumps are misapplication and running without oil,” says Chandler Equipment. “Misapplication can mean several things: running the vacuum pump at the wrong speed to having the wrong size pump for the job. Having the right product can make all the difference in how efficient your job gets done. You could have the highest quality Jurop pump on the market, but if it’s installed incorrectly, or the drive shaft is misaligned for example, you could damage the pump. By speaking with our staff and having us understand the job that is being done, we can help eliminate these issues. We take time to work one on one with our customers. Even offering product/pump training at our home office when requested by the cus-tomer.”

Pumps For Jetters
That all-important pump is the key to making your jetter deliver those powerful jets of water needed to clean out pipes. Different pumps put out different pressures and flow.

So, how do you decide what the best is for your needs?

Again, bigger isn’t always better. Tripp Amick, owner of A&H Equipment says, “Larger pipes generally require more flow to be cleaned effectively both because of the greater diameter and the potential of more material. Pressure is responsible for loosening the material, but flow is what moves it down the pipe. Having the right combination will increase your productivity con-siderably. A pump delivering 2,500 psi at 80 GPM to 500′ of 1″ hose will lose about 1psi per foot, resulting in about 2,000 psi at the nozzle.”

Charlie McSwain from Water Cannon says, “it depends on what their ultimate goal is, but a good all around one would be 2,500 psi at three gallons per minute. If you have a limited water supply, then you don’t need four or five gallon per minute one.”

McSwain has 31 years in the industry. “I walk our customers through the process,” says McSwain. “We can take him from what he’s got, to what he needs and customize it just for him. All of our sales people are very knowledgeable, even our newest sales person has 12 years of experience.”
Water Cannon offers hydraulic and gasoline powered pumps. “The hydraulic works off your hy-draulic system,” says McSwain. “It’s smaller and more compact because you don’t have another engine to have to store on your truck. The gasoline is a stand-alone unit with a 6 ½ horsepower Honda engine. We also carry a complete line of parts and accessories.

Whether it’s for your jetter or truck, make sure to talk to your manufacturer about choosing a pump or blower that is right for your needs.

Story by Jennifer Taylor

For more information, visit:
Blowertech Ltd. www.blowertech.ca
Brudon Air Vac Ltd. www.brudonairvac.ca
Chandler Equipment, www.chandlerequiupment.com
Jurop, www.jurop.it/eng
Water Cannon www.watercannon.com

Water Cannon www.watercannon.com

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