![]() But the PV500’s tank features a tilt mechanism for easy dumping of waste. On the PV150, soil or other debris has to be shoveled out. “The AirSpades have sort of made us air-excavator pioneers here in Hawaii. “Air excavation is much cleaner and more efficient,” Dickey says. As such, it can easily be used as backfill for the excavated hole, as opposed to having to dispose of the slurry, which takes time and increases labor and fuel costs. “But the Pacific Tek units are small enough that we can even use them in some parking garages on military bases.”Īnd last but not least, the soil sucked up by the Pacific Tek units is dry, not wet. “You just can’t get those big trucks into small spaces,” Dickey says. Secondly, his three employees can use the technologies in tight spaces that a standard hydroexcavator could never access. ![]() For starters, the AirSpades (about $1,700 for the 2000 model and roughly $1,800 for the 4000 model) and the portable vacuum units (about $23,000 to $33,000 for the PV150 and around $60,000 to $98,000 for the PV500, depending on options ordered) cost significantly less than buying a hydroexcavation truck. Bevy of benefitsĭickey invested in the machines mainly for three reasons. “The military is spending billions of dollars to upgrade its facilities in Hawaii. “From the time we get up in the morning to the time the sun sets, we’re working, mostly on military bases,” Dickey says. The company owns two AirSpade models: an AirSpade 2000 construction kit (225 cfm output) and a Utility AirSpade 4000 (105 cfm output).Ībout 80% of the work performed by HPL is done on military bases in Hawaii, while municipal, state and federal contracts chip in the balance. It generates 525 cfm of vacuum power, and the tank can hold 500 gallons of material. The PV500 is a larger unit that’s mounted on a tandem-axle trailer. It delivers 325 cfm of vacuum power, and the debris tank can hold 150 gallons of material. The PV150 is a skid-mounted unit affixed to the flatbed of a Ram 3500 dually pickup truck. “Those machines are the bread and butter of our vacuum excavation operations.” Plenty of power “They’re a match made in heaven,” says Dickey, who also owns two other related companies, Subsurface Utility Engineers and Damage Prevent Hawaii. ![]() And two portable vacuum units manufactured by Pacific Tek - a PV500 and a PV150 - deliver the second blow by sucking the loosened soil from the holes. The first punch comes courtesy of pneumatic excavators from AirSpade (a division of Guardair Corp.), which use compressed air to knife through soil. To maximize efficiency - and profitability - Dave Dickey, owner and CEO of the Honolulu-based company located on the island of O’ahu, depends on a one-two technology punch. In fact, employees do about 500 potholing jobs a year in order to expose and locate underground infrastructure without damaging the very things they’re striving to locate. Workers at Hawaii Private Locators dig a lot of holes every year while locating underground utility lines. Get Municipal/Industrial articles, news and videos right in your inbox! Sign up now. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |