Compact, Low-Profile Hydroexcavator Works Well in Tight Spaces

V500 vacuum excavator from McLaughlin Group Inc.

The V500 vacuum excavator from McLaughlin Group Inc. has a low profile, compact design and short turning radius to help users maneuver through congested urban areas and structures with low clearance.

“At 84 inches tall, this unit is more than a foot lower than our original 500-gallon unit,” says Mike Moore, vice president. “We responded to contractors’ requests for a unit they can more easily get into low-roof structures, such as parking garages, and maneuver better in tight spaces.”

Specifically designed for potholing and vacuum applications, the unit has a three-stage filtration system that reduces maintenance and provides operating flexibility. “This unit requires less maintenance because there’s no baghouse to clean,” Moore says. It can vacuum wet or dry material.

Material enters the main tank, where cyclones spin it and use centrifugal force to throw fine particles to the side. The material then drops into a canister, where it passes through a two-micron filter. From there, a blower exhausts any remaining fine particles. “To clean it out, all you do is open the door on the cyclone canister,” Moore says. “Everything in there drops out, and you close the door and go back to work.”

The unit also has a sound-deadening package that reduces noise to 85 decibels or less. “A lot of machines run at more than 100 decibels,” Moore says. “Residents tend to dislike it when you go into a neighborhood and crank up a 110-decibel system. In fact, some areas impose decibel-level restrictions, so we made noise-reduction a priority.”

The unit includes a 575-cfm blower that generates a velocity of 134 mph through a 3-inch hose. That’s important because insufficient blower power can result in clogged hoses. “A 575-cfm blower keeps things pretty well suspended and moving,” Moore says. For information: 800/435-9340; www.mightymole.com.



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