Vacuum Truck Pays Dividends During Microtrenching Projects

Guzzler MT is a vacuum truck manufactured specifically for microtrenching (MT) jobs. According to its manufacturer, the truck “significantly speeds up fiber-optic installations by swiftly cleaning trenches for the deployment of FTTH, FTTP, CCTV, smart grid, and electric networks.” Guzzler specifically points to the MT’s 18-cubic-yard debris tank, multiple-stage air filtration system, high-CFM (cubic feet per minute) blower, and onboard controls as characteristics that contribute to its value as an asset in a microtrenching contractor’s portfolio.

Recently Day Excavation LLC based in Phoenix, AZ detailed their experience with Guzzler MT and how it has transformed their microtrenching business. “We started out as landscapers. I can’t explain to anybody how hard me and my brothers have worked to get where we’re at,” said Christopher Day, co-owner along with his brothers Bear and Jerry.

“Without Guzzler, we wouldn’t be able to do this work,” Bear added. “The Guzzler MT means everything to our business and what we do. You can [do microtrenching work without the Guzzler MT], but it’s going to be a lot slower, a lot more cleanup and a lot more headaches.”

“And we just want to keep ascending and do it right,” Christopher continued. “We care about people’s yards. We care about cleanup. We care about the roads. We care about the cities.”

So how does Guzzler MT allow a company of landscapers-turned-microtrenchers to accomplish all this?

“By assisting the contractors and utility companies with speeding up the process through various features,” explained Kevin Fulkerson, Guzzler’s director of industrial sales. “Simply put, the Guzzler MT will allow you to cut more feet per day, which equates to better production results for utility companies. They can lay more fiber optic into the ground and reach more customers. This translates to cutting and laying more feet of fiber per day, which translates to the ability to charge more and increase revenue.”

Here are some specifics from the Day brothers.

• With Guzzler MT they can cut up to 3,000 feet in one span over 3 hours—a task that would take approximately 10 hours with a pull-behind vac. “It cleans our trench first try, and we don’t have to come back multiple times for the cut,” Christopher Day said. “It gets every piece out of where you’re sawing.” The company’s one-day record is 5,500 feet and 41 handholes.
• The truck’s tank capacity of 18 cubic yards significantly cuts down on the number of dumps, which saves time and often money. “Before we got the Guzzler MT, you’d have to dump 15 times a day. Now we’re dumping twice, tops,” according to Christopher. “Whether it’s a small vac truck or a big truck, the fee is the same [in Arizona], so only having to dump once a day helps the bottom line.” Plus, dump site can be difficult to navigate and congested. Fewer trips to the dump site equates to more time laying fiber.
• Quiet operation is also a difference-maker. The Day crew prefers to start as early as possible in the day and be done before Arizona reaches its scorching daytime high temperatures. 6:30am starts and 10:00am finish times are desirable. “You can barely hear the thing,” Bear commented. “If people are coming out of their houses because something is loud, then it’s going to take us longer to get it done. Having the Guzzler MT and it being quiet helps us get out of there quicker. It’s nice.”
• The creep-drive capability means the Guzzler MT vacuums as the vehicle moves along, which eliminates the need to start and stop as production moves forward. Rather than having to go back and clean after the trench is dug, Guzzler MT’s filtration and baghouse enable powerful suction for cleaner trenches on the first go. The Day crew explained that during one 16-inch microtrench job on a main artery in a city, the Guzzler MT’s suction enabled them to make the cut while the creep drive made the entire project more efficient.

• The camera system allows Day Excavation to put a 3-person team on a microtrenching job rather than a 4- or 5-person team. The cameras’ multiple angles eliminate the need for a spotter. “The camera system in there is awesome,” according to Christoper. “Our operator can see every cut, every turn, every reverse side view.”