The Sapphire Pro1200 gets better!

[Mikey P]

Rumor has it that Sapphire will announce that the Pro 1200's warranty is being extended from 2 to 3 years and the extension retro 12 months so anyone who purchased a unit in the last 12 months just gained a year.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

What's the Butler warranty now?

 

[Russ T.]

Looks like a great machine but....Butler has 10 years available and Cleanco has 5. It's hard to do a backflip over SS moving from 2 to 3 years. Going in the right direction though.

Russ

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Mike, why are you posting this if it's only a rumor?

 

[hogjowl]

I got an email about this from Sapphire yesterday. I couldn't help but wonder why they would be pushing this as a positive when it is so clearly below their competitors standards?

 

[FB7777]

Butler is up to 10 years on tanks

Sapphire went from stainless steel to marine grade aluminum tanks

Kinda makes me wonder what other component cost reduction strategies they are using , yet trying to sell it as superior to its competitors

 

[ruff]

It is nice that the warranty is extended and Butler is not much of a consideration to people that are not close to their area, as there are no shops that will service them, or if they do, it takes a lot longer.

It will also be nice if Sapphire changed the location of the water pressure connections (fittings) or found a way to protect the electrical connection that currently sit directly underneath them. As we all know that it is only a matter of when, not if, that these fittings will drip water on the electrical connections.

Yes, I know it is hard to change the original design flaws of White Magic, though with SS engineering prowess, I am sure they can.
It sure looks like a very good machine and if my Apex sells I will buy one.

Come on Sapphire. You can fix it !!!

Bill?

 

[Desk Jockey]

It looks like a good unit with a proven track record. I like that it has a national service network for repairs.

Butler is awesome with their over the phone tech support and getting parts to you fast but it would be nice to take it to your local distributor.

See if your distributor will take your Apex as trade, even if you lost a little it might be worth trading and not waiting. ???

 

[kingjoelking]

This machine would be of more interest to me if the pressure went up to at least 1500 PSI but preferrably 2500. I know, I know heat exchangers cant handle that. ???????????

 

[Desk Jockey]

You're right that would require a bypass system then some dumb-ass....present company excluded would forget and blame Sapphire for damaging the heat exchangers.

 

[John Olson]

A warranty is only as good as what it actually provides. Spraymaster sprayers have a 5 year warrant on their $8 sprayer but you have to send it back with the original receipt and pay return shipping. Guess how much it cost to get a replacement? a 10 Year warranty on a tank means next to nothing as no ones waste tank fails in ten years and how many people actually keep a machine/van 10 years? Warranties are an exercise in risk management and marketing. Now warranties parts that actually break would be a refreshing change

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Over the years Butler has replaced several items for free inside the old 5 year warranty including a drive shaft, a heat exchanger, and various smaller parts. No questions asked.

 

[hogjowl]

Butler's warranty, proven track record, and hundreds of positive testimonials (that I have read over the years) would go a LONG way towards swaying my decision in their direction if I were in the market for a direct drive rig. I suspect that if I ever were to purchase a Butler unit, it would possibly be the last unit I would ever purchase, considering my age, unless my son truly ends up taking over the business from me. So, with that in mind, the stainless tanks and dependable reputation would almost make it a no brainer decision for me.

However, Sapphires larger blower option is a sort of, maybe, positive card they have in their deck ... but probably not enough to cause me to go with a virtually unproven system (for me anyway) from a company that is the new kid on the block. The fact that TCS is a Sapphire distributor is a H-U-G-E factor in their favor, and one that would play heavily on my mind when the time comes to make a decision. However, in this case, TCS is only as good as the system they are given ... so ... it would be a step in faith on my part to decide to purchase a Sapphire system.

If you ask me, Butler is the standard everyone else has to live up to.

 

[Art Kelley]

The Pro 1200 is the best of the direct drive units. My Pro 1200 is 10 years old now with the same drive shaft (which is thicker the what Butler uses) and the same blower after 10K hours. I burner out the Cat pump accidentally by running it without oil for an hour but it has 6K hours with no issues. . The vacuum blower has always been more powerful than what Butler offers (that is why I I initially went with the White Magic over the Butler back in 1987). It is just a heavier duty machine. Butler provides a 10 year warranty but that is like Chrysler having a 10 year warranty on their crap cars so people will buy them. Being available now from Sapphire Scientific with nationwide dealers is a huge plus from the mickey mouse operation White Magic was. How those dildos didn't know their bookkeeper was embezzling $1 million dollars and wiping them out just defies logic.

 

[John Olson]

I am really excited to have the Pro 1200 in our line up. We now have a machine available that not only holds its own against the Hydrmaster CDS but beats it.

 

[ruff]

It will also be nice if Sapphire

changed the location of the water pressure connections (fittings) or found a way to protect the electrical connection that currently sit directly underneath them. As we all know that it is only a matter of when, not if, that these fittings will drip water on the electrical connections.

Yes, I know it is hard to change the original design flaws of White Magic, though with SS engineering prowess, I am sure they can.
It sure looks like a very good machine and if my Apex sells I will buy one.

Come on Sapphire

. You can fix it !!!

Bill?

 

[Russ T.]

I'd like to see real "cost of ownership" numbers. If I'm not mistaken, most of the direct drives will have very similar performance. I started this trade in an old Butler and would seriously consider them when it's time for new. But I'm in an area, and I'm the type, that would plan on doing repairs and maintenance myself. Who has the best warranty with all things considered? It's Butler. Then Cleanco. These guys have been in the game for almost as long as I've been alive and I respect their proven products.


The Clean Machine

 

[Jimmy L]

Yeah the only problem I've had with my cleanco was some stupid owner set the lift too high and burned up some clutches and had serpentine belt issues.

I never filled out my weekly reports on the machine to qualify for the warranty.

Pretty stupid requests if you asked me.

Kind of like a tire warrantee..................

 

[Dale]

Not to forget-what happens when an aluminum tank rots........And yet they built the machine frame out of stainless.

Dale

 

[hogjowl]

I assume Dale is talking about Sapphire.

 

[Mikey P]

keep them tidy and they wont rot.

 

[hogjowl]

I don't really view aluminum vs stainless as an issue for me. I've had aluminum tanks on every rig I have ever owned with the exception of the Vortex. I have never had a problem with them. All stainless indicates to me is that the company appears to place more emphasis on quality than a company that uses aluminum. It is just another factor in the buying decision ... like a 10 year warranty in relation to a 3 year warranty.

All the little things just add up.

 

[Dale]

Hi guys:

For years (years ago) I had a constant add running: Buying junk truckmounts-most bring 10% of new price-but have to be current models. And I found all the used TM's that I could handle to repair-resell. The #1 problem was rotted aluminum tanks. Have they done something different to aluminum lately? Here's a fact Hydramaster USED to anodize the old Hydracats. Which is a great way to neutralize aluminums reactivity to alkaline. Does anybody still-or do they just paint or powder-coat them ? And what I can't figure out-is why? When S.S. only cost (at the time) about 10% more?

Sincerely,
Dale

 

[Desk Jockey]

I'd much rather have the SS even thought we've had very few issues with aluminum tanks. Only had to repair 1 aluminum tank in decades of TM use.

Even if it cost more on the front end, I'd rather pay it now than pay for a repair later.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

My Ballweber aluminum waste tanks rotted out and believe me it is a major pain and expense. Oh yeah, had a Prochem 150 waste tank fail, too.

Sometimes you'll even use these rotted out tanks not knowing there is a failure and you're operating with less than maximum suction until you figure it out.

 

[hogjowl]

Ballweber?

Dang ... just how old ARE you?

 

[ruff]

It will also be nice if Sapphire changed the location of the water pressure connections (fittings) or found a way to protect the electrical connection that currently sit directly underneath them. As we all know that it is only a matter of when, not if, that these fittings will drip water on the electrical connections.

Come on Sapphire. You can fix it !!!

Bill B.?

Sapphire Savant?

RPM?

What the hack they used to work for you- Prochem?

Anybody????

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I met Arnie Ballweber when I was a kid. Those early inventors, like he and Gene Bates, were a "different bunch"

They would have loved this place.

Yeah Marty, I'm older than dirt

 

[Able 1]

If I would get one, which I am seriously considering I would go with a diesel van..

 

[Jay_wat]

My waste tank is aluminum,,been in use for 26 years,, had a small patch to do recently,fixed and working fine now,,, it is flushed daily at the end of the day.