135 hr review on sapphire 570ss

[davegillfishing]

we are very very happy with our decision to go with the 570ss!! we run the crap out of this machine and have no issues at all..its very easy to use and very user friendly

that was my biggest conerrn, going from all butlers to a totally different beast but my guys picked up on it very fast..

heat is steady and very high, vac is very powerful and the unit runs super smooth..

so i will do a pro and con list

pro's

easy to use and figure out
very constant and actual in how it acts and sounds
impressive looking and clean machine
perfect size for a extended van..lots of room
sapphire support is great
warranty is great
heat control is easy and direct

cons
gets super hot..lol when set on high it will cook your hand from vacing the hot water (that was a joke that its in this column)
looks like the belts are going to suck to change so hopefully that will be a long while
its a bit loud when standing next to it making hot pre spray

i had to dig deep to find these con's guys..there's really nothing we dont like about this machine to be honest..
we will surly be adding another one by the end of summer, we will need it to handle next years holiday flow..we barley handled it this year and we have another month of it..

i am very impressed with the sapphire and am very happy i made the choice to switch my trucks over..

not taking anything away from butler they are great trucks as well but the sapphire just fits us better..

if anyone has any questions feel free to ask..i will not be biased or candid..
dave

 

[Larry Cobb]

i am very impressed with the sapphire and am very happy i made the choice to switch my trucks over..

not taking anything away from butler they are great trucks as well but the sapphire just fits us better..

dave

Dave;

Glad the slide-in is working well in your operation.

Interesting observations from a long-time Butler user.

Larry

 

[tngvegas]

Dave, what did the machine and van cost? was it a new van?

and being a butler guy before are you going to look at the SS pro 1200 when you need a new truckmount?

 

[davegillfishing]

the van is a 2012 and had 4k miles on it..i paid 20k for ir and had it shipped from texas..its a 3500 extended with a 6.0

the machine ran me 30k installed but that included 2 100 gallon custom tanks a elect hose reel a solution reel and several other things all installed

no i will not explore another direct drive unit personally..after running them for 8 years and having 4 of them there are pro's and con's to both but

running this sapphire unit makes the decision fairly easy for me..unless it falls apart with i highly doubt im pretty sure we found a good fit for us long term.

the dd units may be ok for some but we log lots of running hrs on our rigs and the extra maint involved and fuel wasted running the truck while its sitting

just doesnt make sense..if we were getting more heat or vac that would be one thing but we are not...the sapphire far out performs our butlers..and im a butler lover.

 

[davegillfishing]

one thing i want to make clear..i am not bashing butler at all..they have been really good to us and we still love the trucks and system..it is a awesome rig and we made a crazy amount
of money with them, they just dont fit our direction and end goals..they re such a awesome rig it took us 8 years to make the final decision after looking at many many many rigs and options

we gladly chose sapphire

we dabbled with judson for a bit but as great as dick and les are to deal with it just isnt a great fit for us ether..

 

[tngvegas]

thanks for being so up front dave. I think that one of the best points about a slide in is that you are not running the van engine while cleaning and you can always sell the TM and put another one in the same van if you take good care of the van. The SS looks like a great unit.

 

[davegillfishing]

for many years i wanted to hear nothing about a slide in..it was all dd for me till the vans started wearing out and i found out that there was no transferring the healthy unit into a new van..i was pretty bummed that i didnt
catch that one while i was setting up the business..we take great care of our rigs but with over 5k hrs on the butler in 6.5 years and 120k on the odo i was not happy..i dont want to have to spend 60k every 3-4 years
and stay in debt..i want to be able to buy a 20k dollar truck and take a day and toss our well maintained great running unit into it and keep on rocking..

we are on track now though..

all our butlers are paid for but the vans are all worn out engine wise..they look great but with close to 300k on the engines eeeekkkk

drop 5k on a new engine installed and still have lots of old worn stuff in there..we would have done 3 oil changes by now on the dd and i am still not ready for one in this van..that adds up fast after 6 years
running synthetic oil
dave

 

[tmdry]

What's your plan w/ the TNT? Keep it?

Have you considered calling Don @ John's customs in Tampa and asking him what it'll take for him to convert your TNT to run on their custom HX's?

I spoke to him last year and for me it would be around 2k-3k give or take, but that also included pick up/drop off of my TM sent to him. You're 3 hours from them, might be something to look into. They used to sell the Simplicity which is basically a TNT w/ HX on it...it's on their site.

I have 2 TNT's, and have reconsidered having them do the mods to at least one of the units.

 

[davegillfishing]

i was thinking about selling it but was not aware of the option you just described..i will give them a call to see for sure..i just put a 20 hp honda on it...

i would love to convert it to hx and keep it as a over flow back up truck..
thanks

 

[Kevin B]

Im really considering the 870 as my next unit. They look like good machines. The best part about a slide in is the ability to put it in another van, or put a 4k hour machine in a new van. We all know that 150k on your money maker is going to cost you down time as small parts start to go here and there.

Cant wait to hear the long term report in a few years. We cant wait, we will be purchasing another unit this year.

 

[Lance Golden]

NOT to step on Dave's thread at all.
Kevin B I have the 870 and am @ 400 +hrs on mine and doing well... Great machine, no regrets.

 

[davegillfishing]

Lance if you had to pick something you don't like what would it be

I had a tough time picking something out personally

I'm just curious
Dave

 

[Lance Golden]

Wow... Pros: Heat is awesome, Even on med speed holds ATW 210-215
Recovery is amazing, So far, "seems" better than my old BL thermalwave.
I get a lot of comments from my clients, about the "machine".
Cons: I talked them into a prefilter box, I wish it had come with one.
I just got my "adapter" in for it... So as soon as I get it put in, I can post pics..
Other than that... none

 

[davegillfishing]

Yes I agree with the filter box thing. I was not happy when promised one with the purchase of the unit then to find out they discontinued the one I requested.

I wanted the butler style one so it looks like I will be having one built

 

[Jim Martin]

I use the 2.5 devastator filter on my 570 and it works way better then the filter box on my thermalwave. ...

 

[Lance Golden]

I talked to Tom, and tried to buy a dev filter from him, he suggested I stay with the prefilter box.
THAT is a guy I respect, and would ALWAYS do business with.

 

[Jim Martin]

His devastator will do you better......

 

[Out of Character - 0]

Lance, do you dual wand with the 870?

 

[davegillfishing]

Jim what makes it better than a in the truck mounted butler style?

Is it giving more flow than any others?
Thanks

 

[Jim Martin]

Jim what makes it better than a in the truck mounted butler style?

Is it giving more flow than any others?
Thanks

I don't know what the butlers run......but the thermalwave has that catch basket that has all those little holes...and they clog really fast.....the devastator gives the machine way more air flow......and its design allows it to catch everything and still not choke it down.........
I have the smaller devastator and its set up for 2.5 hose.....if I have to pull any 2.5 hose off the reel then I just hook it where the reducer and the 2.5 hose starts.....If I have a shorter run and don't have to pull any 2.5 inch....I have a 4 foot piece of 2.5 hose that I lay between the seats and the machine that I will use..........

you put one on that 570...you will notice the difference........

I wanted a filter box when I got mine....and was going to see if I could order one but I was told they don't make them anymore....I am glad it did not work out.....saved me the room...and I get better performance......

 

[Lance Golden]

Not yet... I hope to start doing some this coming year.

 

[mwall2230]

I've been dual wanding a lot lately with my 870 with great results. In fact last week we dualed for 10 hours straight. Thank goodness for a APO.

 

[davegillfishing]

I don't know what the butlers run......but the thermalwave has that catch basket that has all those little holes...and they clog really fast.....the devastator gives the machine way more air flow......and its design allows it to catch everything and still not choke it down.........
I have the smaller devastator and its set up for 2.5 hose.....if I have to pull any 2.5 hose off the reel then I just hook it where the reducer and the 2.5 hose starts.....If I have a shorter run and don't have to pull any 2.5 inch....I have a 4 foot piece of 2.5 hose that I lay between the seats and the machine that I will use..........

you put one on that 570...you will notice the difference........

I wanted a filter box when I got mine....and was going to see if I could order one but I was told they don't make them anymore....I am glad it did not work out.....saved me the room...and I get better performance......

The butlers box was pretty sick..only the large holes for the hoses..crazy flow and no restriction

I wanted to mount something to the right of the machine with easy access (old habits I guess)

I just can't get used to laying filter out and messing with it..does the dev drip water after you pack up at all?

Do you have to wash it down between jobs?

The filter box sapphire makes with the clear lid looks pretty cool..how's it work I wonder..seeing the dirty water and hair may be a plus

 

[Jim Martin]

The butlers box was pretty sick..only the large holes for the hoses..crazy flow and no restriction

I wanted to mount something to the right of the machine with easy access (old habits I guess)

I just can't get used to laying filter out and messing with it..does the dev drip water after you pack up at all?

Do you have to wash it down between jobs?

The filter box sapphire makes with the clear lid looks pretty cool..how's it work I wonder..seeing the dirty water and hair may be a plus

no drips on mine....it is a great filter....

I probably have to change out the filter on mine more then most because I rotary clean...I get the paint filters from Home Depot.....pending the size and/or how many jobs...I normally go threw 2 a day....I just switch them out when needed...I can wash them out at the end of the day and get a lot more uses out of them....

as much as I like a lot of things that comes out of the sapphire barn....never really cared for the filter box....I got one but returned it......

 

[davegillfishing]

Did t feel like you were getting the flow or what turned you off to it? Just wondering

 

[Mark Saiger]

no drips on mine....it is a great filter....

I probably have to change out the filter on mine more then most because I rotary clean...I get the paint filters from Home Depot.....pending the size and/or how many jobs...I normally go threw 2 a day....I just switch them out when needed...I can wash them out at the end of the day and get a lot more uses out of them....

as much as I like a lot of things that comes out of the sapphire barn....never really cared for the filter box....I got one but returned it......

Jimare they the 2 gallon filters? Thanks

 

[Jim Martin]

Did t feel like you were getting the flow or what turned you off to it? Just wondering

big bulky...did not like the clips on the front...kind of a pain to work with......

 

[Jim Martin]

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Jimare they the 2 gallon filters? Thanks

5 gallon......

 

[Mark Saiger]

5 gallon......

What size devastator are you using? Must be the largest unit I would guess.

Thanks

 

[Jim Martin]

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What size devastator are you using? Must be the largest unit I would guess.

Thanks

smaller one....