Ordered my new Sapphire Pro1200 this week

[knoxclean]

John Olson hooked me up with a great deal. It came down to a new Butler or the Sapphire and I chose SS because I like the vans to have more room for other equipment. Butlers layout design is about their only downside to the trucks.

John found me a great deal on a 2014 chevy 2500 extended van which he will spray coat the floor before the install. I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of the install.

Anyone have some time under their belt with one of these and want to comment on it?

 

[Mikey P]

Thanks for your loyalty to John and this board.


Maybe John could do a photo essay on the install like my AT thread.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

My son Justin has a 2000 with the two 45's and two waste tanks. Really solid machine, though we've repositioned some of the plumbing to make servicing better. Truely a dual wand machine.

 

[Out of Character - 0]

Congratulations David, please let us know what you think when you get it. I'd have ordered one by now if they would make a front end kit for a Ford. The only thing I dislike about our older wm version is the layout which SS has really improved.

Lee, is it a 6, 7 groove or dual v belt clutch on your sons p2000? Does he have dual waste tanks or the big single unit dual tank?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

2 separate waste tanks.
Will check on belts.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jimmy L]

Just how does a WM with two 45's and waste tanks operate with one clutch and have it hold?

Is the clutch bigger?

My cleanco with a 56 will hold with the clutch but the serpentine belts will need to be replaced when it stretches a half an inch.

 

[Out of Character - 0]

I cant speak for Lee's machine but we have 2 former pro-2000's. I say former because I replaced the 2 45s with single 56's.

One is a 7 groove serpentine system that worked really well with 2 blowers and now with the single 56. I changed to a single 56 when one of the 45's failed.

The other is a dual V belt system that would eat the clutch every 50-100hrs unless the vac was set below 12hg which I wont do. I changed that one to a single 56 in an effort to try and solve the clutch failures. It made a big difference but I only get 1000hrs out of a clutch vs 3-5k with our other multi groove systems.

 

[tngvegas]

I think the pro 1200 is great for those that want a direct drive and lots of room. the tanks under the machine look well thought out. it seems to me that a diesel van woould be great to have with the 1200. that way the van engine would last longer and it would be like a mini aerotech.

 

[Joe Appleby]

Picking one up Monday. I'm sure the crews will let me know what they think

 

[Mikey P]

Cruise that whip down to Scruz doggy dog.

 

[Zee]

So we got 3 regular members here that got a pro1200 in the past couple of weeks? The 3 year warranty made this unit that much more appealing?

 

[bensurdi]

Here is our 1200. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MFbYFlspk0&feature=c4-overview&list=UUWNqKaiQmhqiRkzzqxj_kSw

 

[Mikey P]

Supportive Members get 5 years and free tires for life.

 

[dealtimeman]

So we got 3 regular members here that got a pro1200 in the past couple of weeks? The 3 year warranty made this unit that much more appealing?

I would say it would if I was in the market.

If a manufacturer has the confidence to back a cleaning plant for three years, that in turn gives me confidence to buy the machine.

 

[ruff]

Sure is nice and I am buying one.

Be nice though if SS also moved the water fittings not to be right above the electrical connection.

 

[Able 1]

Here is our 1200. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MFbYFlspk0&feature=c4-overview&list=UUWNqKaiQmhqiRkzzqxj_kSw

I have been really considering a 1200.. Let us know what you think of the heat. AND keep it nice I might buy yours, next year, when your on to the next TM!

 

[Able 1]

If you would run it in a diesel van would you lose heat?

 

[ruff]

I don't think they run these PTOs in Diesel (I may be wrong).

Supposedly Diesel engines do run cooler, though you wouldn't be able to tell from my diesel Apex that runs at about 240 consistently.

 

[Able 1]

I don't think they run these PTOs in Diesel (I may be wrong).

Supposedly Diesel engines do run cooler, though you wouldn't be able to tell from my diesel Apex that runs at about 240 consistently.

Not sure why they wouldn't install it in a diesel? Though I wouldn't go for the "ONLY Chevy or GM" vans thing either. If I was going to put the 1200 in a van it would be a Ford Diesel, if they wouldn't do that, I would get another Apex. Any vibration issues with the diesel motor on your Apex?

 

[Goomer]

Most diesel engines run on a lot lower rpm band compared to a gas engine.
Not sure it would support spinning a blower at it's correct speed, anywhere near idle/high idle.

I would think, if possible, it would be a match made in heaven.

 

[Able 1]

Come on, they could just change the pulley size.. Diesels are built to idle! It IS a perfect match and would be the only way I would do it. If I would have to run a post heater so be it..

 

[Goomer]

Diesels are built to idle!

No doubt.

I remember in my EMT days we would run the "buses" non stop round the clock, especially in the cold weather. They all had hour meters because the odometer was not a realistic indicator of engine use to use for scheduling maintenance cycles because they spent sooooo much time at idle.
Only time they were off was to refuel or in the ER bay, which was required.

Don't know if it's as simple as a pulley.

 

[Out of Character - 0]

Cleanco offers a front end kit for 08+ Chevy diesel. I believe a Butler will go into a Ford diesel. SS won't do ford at all.

 

[ruff]

Any vibration issues with the diesel motor on your Apex?

I don't work that machine as much as my CDS (as that set up is for sale with my dodge sprinter) due to difficulty of parking it in San Francisco.
However, so far no issues with vibration and the heat and dry times are great. Just an outstanding machine, I love working with it and the results.

When I was looking into transferring the Diesel Apex into a regular size van, the added cost to get a diesel van was about $7000.00 extra!!
You're right though, Diesel engines do much better than any of the gas engines working for hours in idle. And they last so much longer.

 

[John Olson]

Thanks for your loyalty to John and this board.


Maybe John could do a photo essay on the install like my AT thread.

I will do my best to do just that.

 

[Buck1955]

I don't think the extra cost is worth going diesel. My old duct cleaning truck was an Isuzu diesel that ran off the transmission pto, and had a manual knob to run up the rpm's.

 

[Jim Martin]

http://autos.yahoo.com/chevrolet-tr...00-regular-wheelbase-rwd-diesel/features.html

If I ever went back to a PTO unit it would only be with a diesel engine....they are built to run and they are built to idle...if taken care of you can rack some miles and machine hours on them with little to no problems at all.....

Mike has had a few issues with his...but that's just UD transmissions......that's just the way it is...engine wise...with his machine hours he is topping 400k with not a single issue......bet he has put more money into the machine then he has the engine...

put that 1200 in a diesel van...it would probably be the best machine/van combination out there.........

 

[hogjowl]

I hope David has nothing but outstanding performance from his.

Cuz I sorta want one.

 

[ruff]

Jim, I agree with what you say about the diesel engines, they are great and truly made to run. I have a cummins diesel in my Dodge Ram pick up and that engine puts all our other cars to shame.
I don't even know if the Pro 1200 will work with a diesel engine. Sapphire?

Though I wonder how much longer it will last and is it worth the extra cost.

My assumption (based on me ) is that an O/O will get about 10 decent years (relatively trouble free) from his pto set up. How much longer will the diesel set up last? How much extra $ in gas will he spend? And wouldn't other parts of the van start breaking up anyhow, after that long of a time?

 

[Jim Martin]

Jim, I agree with what you say about the diesel engines, they are great and truly made to run. I have a cummins diesel in my Dodge Ram pick up and that engine puts all our other cars to shame.
I don't even know if the Pro 1200 will work with a diesel engine. Sapphire?

Though I wonder how much longer it will last and is it worth the extra cost.

My assumption (based on me ) is that an O/O will get about 10 decent years (relatively trouble free) from his pto set up. How much longer will the diesel set up last? How much extra $ in gas will he spend? And wouldn't other parts of the van start breaking up anyhow, after that long of a time?

It's all in how far ahead you want to look....The longevity of the diesel engines is way more then gas powered...

I was reading a study a while back on the same type of diesel engine that is in the Isuzu trucks and this company had 4 of them running some type of equipment...they would run 2 at a time..these engines just sat and ran for days on end....after a certain amount of time they would fire up the other 2 and take the 2 that were running off line and service them and get them ready for the next round...they have yet to really experience any type of major break downs...

remember the old time 18 wheeler guys....they would pull over in the truck stops and never shut down....wake up after a 8 hour sleep and put it in gear and go....

do you think Mike would be sitting a 400k with a gas powered engine....with out it nickle and dimming him to death...???

you will sacrifice in the cost of the fuel....but in the long run...its worth it...

other parts of the van will probably go threw some changes..but that would be normal for any van no matter what it is powered with....
give me a good strong reliable engine that I can count on for years to come and I will deal with everything else....