ASV PT100 w/pressurized cab

[AX MAN]

I am thinking of trading my 08 pt 100 for one with pressurized cab, I have had a continious problem with ac in this one, would like to hear how you like your new one after running it a few days.

I have a 2006 ASV. The dealer could not fix the air. Allowed me to find what was supposed to be an expert on two occassions. New hoses, pump, freon.
I am in Alabama. It can easily get 110 degrees in the cab. I have given up on the air. I am wondering how anybody can ever make a living running just one of these machines. The work is hit & miss and the cost to operate and maintain is out the roof.

 

[TMTS]

Is there anyone on here (mulching or otherwise) running a non-ASV that has had success with the A/C?

Or is it just the ASVs?

cbturf- has your ftx140 had working A/C?

 

[cbturf]

My AC works great as long as it is not hot out.

 

[vegman]

I have 1500 hours on my Supertrak Tak TL150 and 2500 hours on my Gehl CTL80. These two machines are basically the same but the A/C systems are totally different. I have tried to learn as much as I can about these A/C systems. I am not a professional mechanic, just a shadetree. When the condensor plugs up with mulching debris you have problems. The system then builds up to much pressure. After it builds to much pressure it relieves via the high pressure pop-off. I believe you end up losing freon when this occurs. Low freon keeps the compressor from running. SO... My A/C systems seem to work well when I keep everything clean. I mean, blown out twice a day at least.

 

[AX MAN]

I believe the condensor is under the cab on the ASV and is hard to service. I had someone change a part in this area and it is not easy to access and it is exposed to dirt and heat.

 

[vegman]

The cost to keep up and operate an ASV seems especially high to me. I think you could relocate that condensor to help the A/C. It appears the way to make money is with a more productive machine than the ASV. That closed loop Rayco C100 works great. It all depends on how deep in debt one is with a wore out ASV. I think Rayco has really come up with a good package. There's lots of room in the engine compartment. Track maintenance should be about half the price per hour. You should check one out. Anybody want to buy a Gehl CTL80 high flow???

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Well put VEG, I think ASV's do that very thing. They will also build pressure and there is a valve that will not open with all the pressure on one side.
I personally think all skids running mulchers could use more cooling. About double would be a good start!!!!
The newer model ASV's (05 and up) do have the condensers on the roofs but dirt/debri buildup is still a problem.

 

[Eagleview]

I wonder how a voltage reverser would go on the condensor cooling fans ? You could shift it into neutral untill the fans stopped and then the rest of the way to reverse them (there may even be an automatic switch available) . They would not work as well going in reverse because of the pitch on the back of the blades but i think it would be enough to clear the condensor of debris . At least enough to get you through untill meal time , as customers don't like to be paying the hourly rate while your servicing the machine .

 

[AX MAN]

I was wrong before. The evaperator core is under the cab. This is not proven to be a profitable business to be in by it's self.

 

[cbturf]

AX-DUDE

This can be a very profitable business or it can be a fast track to bankruptcy. As with any business you make your money before you ever leave the house in the morning. The hardest part of being in business is getting the business. You could train a monkey to run the equipment because that is the easy part. The hard part is getting someone to agree to write you a check. If you don't give up and you put together a workable marketing plan and take GOOD care of your customers you can build a profitable business.

 

[C.G.S.]

Trained monkeys don't make anybody but the circus and the parts dealer money. And they sure aren't taking care of your costumer or your equipment.

 

[cbturf]

I know what you mean about taking care of customers and equipment but I think you missed the point that I was making. I am not suggesting that any bum off of the street can run the equipment but like I said earlier, doing the work is not the hard part getting the work is. Why do executives make over a 100 times what laborors do, when you are responsible for 100s of employees (usually ungrateful) feeding thier kids you change your view on managing a business. You can easily find an operator who will do the right thing. I do not want to paint with to broad of a brush here but you can probably find 500 operators for every one good executive.

 

[C.G.S.]

There are alot of CEO's that aren't worth lead and powder that it would take to fire'm right. Your right about excutives, good ones at any rate, not everyone that can operate a machine can run a buisness. Finding the right size for your buisness is a trick. Big enough to do the job, small enough to survive down turns in the market.Right equipment ,right operators,and the right management plus good luck should equal success.

 

[cbturf]

Maybe you did get my point after all. When I said execs and operators I was referring to good ones.

 

[cbturf]

I am going to change direction and talk about air onditioners again. My Fecon has an issue with heat infiltration in the cab that the AC has to overcome. The in-frame hydraulic tank has a large surface area inside the cab and it gets very hot. Most of the steel surfaces in the cab are almost to hot to touch by the end of the day. Next problem is the fact that the back of the cab is the front of the engine compartment and the cooling fan blows the heat forward and the floating cab has a 1 inch gap around the back allowing a lot of hot air to enter the cab. On a typical day I have to run the AC full blast with the cab pressure full blast even when outside temps are only 50 or so.

I know the AC makes a huge difference because when a hose leaked out the refrigerant it was very very hot almost instantly. I tried to run without it and it was unbearable.

Over the last few days I decided to monkey around with the seal of the cab and I bought some of that spray foam insulation in a can and filled up the gaps in the back of the cab and any holes around the outside and the difference is huge. Both yesterday and today it was about 65 degrees and I was able to keep my long sleeve shirt on when I worked. I did not need to keep it on but I was comfortable in the machine with a sweatshirt on where in the past I had to get almost naked when it got above 50.

My suggestion to you guys is to make sure that all external sources of heat are blocked out. Make sure the condensor and evaporator coils are as clean as possible. Make sure that there are no obstructions in the air flow. My machine has a filter behind the seat that cleans the air that is circulated through the evaporator and if it is dirty you can tell a huge difference in the performance of the system. If you are running a non pressurized cab your system is sucking dust and will restrict air flow over time.

Hope this helps it made a big difference in my machine.

 

[palmettobrush]

The pressurized cab on the new machine is a god send. Im in georgia cutting a job thats so dusty you cant even see the machine. if i had the old ones still i dont think i would have been able to finish the job. i have 110 hours on one already and 50 on the other with no problems. The new machines haven't ran over 200 degrees yet so i think the asv guys are finally cooking with hot grease. The ac in the new one is so cold you have to run it on low because it will freeze you

 

[underbrusher]

Glad to hear something positive about the new machines from someone who has one. I am going to pick my new one up on thursday and I am trading in a pt100 without the upgrades on this one, the one I have has been a constant trip to the shop and overheating and A\C issues are nonstop, so I hope they are on the right track now. Thanks for the info, I am in north fl and the dust and heat are a real issue here. I run a gyro head as well have you noticed a difference in the increased flow or pressure on the new machines or have you ever ran a rc100?

 

[cbturf]

If I tow a service trailer in to where I am working I can leave the machine on the mountain but that still leaves the problem of getting back to the truck. I aint walkin!!! At 8500 feet a 45 minute drive in the machine takes well over an hour to walk. Not to mention all of the critters see the mountian lion footprint below. This picture was taken about 25 feet from where we park the truck and machine. I have not seen a cat or bear yet but the elk and mule deer follow us around. They are not scared of the machine at all.

 

[cbturf]

I put the last post in the wrong spot..oh well I never claimed to be smart.

 

[vegman]

How much are you guys paying for the new PT100 / Forestry?