Accurate And Efficient Hydroexcavation

Wireless functionality of the GapVax industrial HV-56 hydroexcavator puts control at your fingertips.
Accurate And Efficient Hydroexcavation
Mike Blair, right, an electrical design technician for GapVax, explains the features of the company’s HV-56 Advanced Series hydroexcavator to an attendee at the 2014 Expo. The new unit features control units in both the cab and on the body for most critical functions.

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GapVax introduced its latest advancement with the tech-savvy hydroexcavation operator in mind. The company rolled out the HV-56 Advanced Series hydroexcavator at the 2014 Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International in Indianapolis, complete with all the technological “bells and whistles” designed to provide both accuracy and efficiency.

“Our MC Advanced Series was such a big hit at the 2013 show, we knew we wanted to add this capability to all of our equipment,” says Mike Blair, GapVax’s lead electrical design technician. “Since our hydroexcavators are our most popular units, it only made sense to add the Advanced system to them.”

The unit’s boom, vacuum break, throttle and water pressure functions are wirelessly controlled with full-color displays that offer the operator visual monitoring of all operating functions. There is a control inside the cab, as well as one inside a weather-tight control box located on the outside of the unit. These display screens are designed around the operator and are unaffected by sunlight. Both wireless control units are 12-button CANbus switches.

“The system allows the operator to monitor all unit controls at all times,” says Blair. “It saves the operator time and efficiency, as they don’t have to walk around the truck to control the various systems any longer.”

The Advanced system has alarms and interlocks that allow for safe and efficient operation. Data logging and system diagnostics also provide access to system faults and hours of operation, giving the operator the ability to troubleshoot system failures.

“This system was made to appeal to companies with newer, younger, tech-savvy operators on their staff,” says Blair. “It eliminates a lot of the busy work functions of a typical hydroexcavator. It was something our customers wanted. Higher-tech equipment is the wave of the future.”

The system comes fitted for the popular HV-56 hydroexcavator, which features 5,000 cfm with vacuum of 28 inches Hg. It can handle a payload of 13.5 cubic yards with its heavy-duty 1/4-inch EXTEN Steel collector body. Single-mode filtration eliminates wet or dry changeover, and its full-opening door with field-adjustable hinge and dual cyclinders adds to the safety and convenience of the unit. Four fail-safe, individually adjustable locks ensure a tight tailgate seal. Its body and components are durably blasted to near white SP-10 specs. It has a positive displacement pump with ductile iron, closed-end impellers and an ultra-efficient air injection cooling system.

Standard features include field-adjustable baghouse doors, a stainless steel “sure seal” sealing surface on tailgate and dump chutes, full bearing body pivot pin, blower hour-meter and temperature gauge, a custom-engineered stainless steel micro safety screen, full-length aluminum fenders, heavy-duty rear splash plate, electric vibrator, two adjustable sealed-beam work lights on the tailgate, a debris-backed collector body inlet, heavy-duty isolator mounts for the transfer case and blower, porthouse rotation flange, adjustable clean-outs, full-width rear debris guard, heavy-duty porthouse, body and tailgate safety prop, and a stainless steel tube sheet that resists corrosion and simplifies bag replacement.

Options include an auger unloading system, sludge pump, body pressurization system, pnuematic vacuum relief system, remote pendant or radio-controlled vacuum relief valve and throttle, liquid load indicator, toolbox, 20-inch manway, hydraulic vibrator, washdown system, stainless steel body, grounding cable, additional work lights, check valve at the blower, high-rail system and manual-rotating telescopic boom.

“The HV-56 is a very popular model, and we’re optimistic that adding the Advanced control system to it will make it even more so,” says Blair. “We still get customers that prefer the ‘old school’ control systems, but more of them are changing over every year.”

Blair says GapVax tries to roll out one of its new products every year at the show. For the 2015 version, newly rebranded the Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show, that won’t change.

“This show is really the perfect crowd for us,” he says. “It’s the chance for everyone in the wastewater industry to gather in one place. Our biggest goal is to just keep improving our products and listening to our customers.” 888/442-7829; www.gapvax.com.



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