Our trucks are not only powerful and high tech, but they also have a specific cool factor. We’re truck geeks here at EcoTech and we’re so impressed with the ability of our high-powered GapVax VH-55 and HV-56 trucks that we wanted to highlight six things that make these machines so unique.
Greater Safety
Vacuum Excavation is quickly becoming the preferred excavating method by utility companies across the nation because of the immense safety benefit. Vacuum excavation is considered “preventive excavation”. Not only is the risk of disaster virtually eliminated, but damage to line casings and pipe coating are not a worry either. Ecotech has been helping its wide variety of clients find safe solutions to the most challenging of excavation problems.
Reliability – Means Minimal Downtime For Our Customers
Our vacuum-excavation trucks are custom built by expert craftsmen at the GapVax production facility in Johnstown, PA and take up to 200 hours to assemble. Each vehicle undergoes over 20 hours of intense testing to ensure they meet GapVax’s high standards. The process begins as raw steel and ends with a fully equipped truck—built to last through a generation.
Our truck can be repaired onsite should an issue arise! Unlike other hydros that require being pulled from a job and taken to a repair shop. We picked GapVax for many reasons but in part because of their excellent service department. We also are proud to support a Pennsylvania based company that has chosen to keep high-quality jobs in their community.
Images from our trip to GapVax
Read about our visit to GapVax to see one of our trucks being made – Click here to read about that experience or watch our video below:
Easily switch between hydro and air
EcoTech’s Operations Manager, Ryan Frank emphasizes the value in being able to switch between hydro and air excavation based on our client’s needs. “Many people try to push one method over the other because they are trying to sell their equipment that only has the capability of one of those options. Ecotech intentionally makes a choice to use the GapVax HV-55 and HV-56 trucks in order to offer the best service to our customers. These trucks allow for both methods, and we can switch between hydro or air quickly if needed. This decision depends on soil conditions and the environment we are working in.”
Some Key Truck Features:
Water = Our Trucks can hold up to 1200 gallons of water
Air = Truck has a bag house filtration system which allows us to dig dry fine particles such as Sand and Lime dust.
High powered industry leading blowers
Especially useful in Remote Excavating, our high powered blowers get the job done fast!
Our vacuum excavation process is ideal when access to the dig site is restricted due to overhead clearances, structural congestion, physical obstruction, narrow access road or unstable soil conditions.
Our hose system allows our team to reach areas in which conventional excavating equipment will not fit. Industrial vacuum hoses and tubes are stretched from the dig site to the truck, which can be parked hundreds of feet away. This flexibility is ideal for instances where digging or material removal is needed inside buildings and elevator shafts, under structures or foundations and even on flat roofs! Yes, roofs! Recently, we were called in to help vacuum roof rock from a large warehouse roof. Thanks to our unique system, our hose was able to be fed up skylights to the rooftop. The job was completed with little impact, on time and on a budget.
Truck-mounted debris tank
When our trucks are in action, soil and debris travels through an 8” flexible hose to a truck-mounted debris tank. These tanks can hold 12 – 15 yards of material and that translates into less time spent on hauling and dumping material.
The material is stored safely in the tank which means piles of dirt are not mounded in public view and there’s no fear of runoff into municipal sewer & stormwater systems or waterways. With less debris needed to be removed through this process, jobs can be completed much faster and with air excavation materials can be used right away for backfill.
Our Trucks are HOT! Or at least our 350,000 BTU boiler is!
Usually, cold weather digging can be a tricky process and typically requires a significant investment in time, resources, and capital. But thanks to our Trucks 350,000 BTU boiler, water is heated to a whopping 120 degrees Fahrenheit which melts the frost allowing the water to cut easily through the frozen ground.
We can assist 24/7 if something goes wrong! Dig smart, call Ecotech.
Serving Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia. Contact us today!
