What do contractors want in a vacuum system to remove dirt and mud from a horizontal directional drilling site?

"The biggest thing contractors look for is the size of the unit," says Tony Bokhoven, vacuum product specialist at Vermeer Manufacturing. "And they also look at the simplicity of the machine and its safety features."

Vermeer has all three angles covered with its new E550 Evacuator vacuum excavation system.

The machine features a 550-gallon vacuum system with a suction capability of 500 cubic feet per minute. It weighs 6,800 pounds and has a multinozzle wand system that can pothole using a 4.5-gallonsss-per-minute, 3,500-pounds-per-square-inch on-board high-pressure pump. The wand system has three nozzles that shoot water into the ground, cutting soil and exposing utilities or other underground obstacles. A full-swing door gives the operator full access to the 550-gallon spoil tank.

Once the utilities or underground obstacles have been exposed, the unit will suck up mud, sand, small rocks and any other debris that will fit into the nozzle, making it perfect for contractors and do-it-yourselfers, Bokhoven says.

The E550's safety system shuts down the machine's water pump when the unit's fresh water drops to a certain level, preventing pump burnout. When the spoil tank is full, the vacuum also shuts down.

The E-550 is available with a gas or diesel option and can be mounted on a skid or trailer for transportation to the job site.