A Tool To Diversify

Versatile iPad-ready SparVision camera system generates big interest at Expo.
A Tool To Diversify
Spartan Tool Long Island Territory Manager Tony Marini, left, explains the features of the iPad-ready SparVision 200 pipe inspection system to an Expo attendee.

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Spartan Tool had a huge booth at the 2014 Pumper and Cleaner Environmental Expo International, with dozens of technicians and representatives ready to answer questions from the thousands who attended the show. One product in particular, though, the iPad-ready SparVision 200 pipe inspection camera, stole the show for Spartan.

Two demos in the Spartan booth displayed the versatility of the unit. One gave attendees the opportunity to snake the flexible pushrod camera through an S-shaped toilet trap, while the other allowed attendees to see firsthand how the optional Spartan Tool Trap Eze camera extension system effectively fits through narrow sink drains and traps, increasing the versatility of the system.

“Attendees really liked being able to see how this system would operate in real-world scenarios,” says Tony Marini, the company’s Long Island territory manager. “Allowing people to demo it here at the show really gets across how easy to use the SparVision actually is.”  

The system is lightweight for easy maneuvering, and comes complete with 200 feet of slick pushrod, a color self-leveling camera head with scratch-resistant sapphire glass lens, 512 Hz locating beacon, 110 volt or battery operation, up to six hours of battery life on a single charge, a built-in transport cart with extending handle and high-clearance wheels, and a heavy-duty rotationally molded case to protect the unit in harsh conditions.

“It’s a great unit for the septic technician that’s looking to diversify into drain cleaning and pipe inspection,” says Marini. “It can handle almost any sort of pipe inspection, yet is portable and lightweight enough to fit in a toolbox. With so many drain cleaners and septic professionals at the Expo, it’s the perfect fit for the SparVision.”

Perhaps the most innovative feature of the system is its screen, a retina-display iPad 4 that offers technicians flexibility on and off the job site. It allows for freeze-frame snapshot capability at any time, the addition of text at any time to any video or snapshot, changeable font sizes, colors and locations, communication via Wi-Fi router connection, the capability to email a file at any time, a built-in microphone for easy job site narration, an on-screen repositionable footage counter and camera light intensity rheostat.

“Plus, if you already have your own iPad, or an Andriod Nexus tablet, you can save money and just download our app to use your own unit as the screen,” says Marini. “You can even detach the iPad and, using the Wi-Fi router, walk up to 30 feet away and still get your camera signal. That could come in very handy to show the customer a blockage or some other issue.”

The optional Trap Eze ultra-flexible black-and-white 7/8-inch camera expands the system even further, allowing quick peeks into small drainlines without removing the trap. It connects to the SparVision 200 camera system, which automatically senses when the Trap Eze camera has been attached. The 4-pound unit comes with an additional 50-foot ultra-flexible pushrod, a convenient carrying reel and a 10-foot cord for connection to the SparVision 200.

“I think what customers are really excited about is that we’ve incorporated a tool, the iPad, that many of them already use every day, and made it a functional part of our system,” says Marini.

While he’s a 20-year veteran of the drain cleaning industry, the 2014 Expo was Marini’s first as a Spartan employee.

“It’s been a lot of fun seeing things from the sales point of view,” he says. “Everyone here is so excited to see the new products out there. I know Spartan always tries to bring something new and innovative to this show, and I know they’re working on something good for next year.” 800/435-3866; www.spartantool.com.



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