Two engines for hi-tech jetter
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• One engine was not good enough for Carlisle-based Andidrain: its Scania drain jetter has two. As well as the standard 8.5-litre unit pushing out 220hp to drive the vehicle, it carries a non-charge-cooled industrial version of the same engine to power the hydraulics and to pump 230-4601itimin (90110gal/min) of water pressurised to 177bar for jetting.
The Scania was bodied by Vactor to comply with the Water Research Council's new guidelines on flow rates for sewer jetting. A 4,5001it (1,000gal) saddle tank for water supports a 5,4551it (1,200gal) cylindrical debris tank.
Drive from the dis-engageable propshaft is used to power a vacuum pump which can shift 70m/min of air at 450mbar (6.6psi).
At the front the hose reel is hydraulically pivoted through 900. The rearward-facing jets allow the hose to power itself along the drain.
The jet nozzle pierces the blockage and then pushes the debris back toward the manhole as the hose is wound in. From there debris is sucked into the tank for disposal: as one tank empties the other fills up.
Andidrain, run by Andrew and Caron Little, has stumped up more than £100,000 for this hi-tech sink plunger which is used to sort out drainage problems all round the North-West of England and in Scotland.