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A Buying Guide to Jetvac Combination Tankers

Buying-Guide-Blog-Header

A jetvac combination unit combines high-pressure jetting and vacuum recovery in one vehicle, letting drainage teams complete multiple cleaning, desilting, and wastewater removal tasks in a single visit.

Choosing the right unit starts with understanding your work. Access, material type, operating time, and disposal arrangements all factor into specifying a new jetvac tanker. This buying guide explains what to consider before comparing the Rioned range.

Buying Guide-_0003_Define-workload

Define your workload

  1. Begin with a duty profile covering the jobs your unit will complete most often. Domestic blockages, gully emptying, grease traps and sewer maintenance place different demands on the equipment.
  2. Record your typical pipe and chamber sizes, blockage types, recovered materials and operating frequency. Include waste density, as heavy silt and grit affect payload differently than water.
  3. Think about the whole working day. How far will operators travel between jobs? Where can they refill with clean water and discharge waste? These details help establish the capacity and working time you need.
  4. Separate routine duties from occasional heavier jobs. This gives you a clear basis for discussing which tasks the unit must handle every day and where additional capacity would make a practical difference to your business.
Buying Guide-_0002_Combi-performance

Match jetting performance to the pipework

Pressure and water flow have different roles. Pressure helps the nozzle remove deposits and break through blockages, while flow carries loosened material through the pipe.

Specify both around your pipe diameters, cleaning duties and nozzle requirements. A useful comparison is the expected performance at the nozzle after hose pressure losses, rather than the pump’s headline output alone.

Consider the following together:

  • Required pressure and flow at the nozzle
  • Jetting hose diameter and working length
  • Nozzle range and typical pipe sizes
  • Water consumption and required jetting time

A higher-flow setup may suit larger pipework, but it also increases water demand. Check how the proposed pump output works with the available clean water capacity and your refilling arrangements.

Assess vacuum depth and airflow separately

Specify the vacuum depth and airflow your work requires, and assess them separately. Match both to the complete suction arrangement, including the hose run and material being recovered.

Define the maximum vertical lift, horizontal suction distance, hose diameter and required loading speed. Describe the material being recovered, including whether it is mainly liquid, sludge or heavier debris.

For example, recovering silt from a deep chamber has different requirements from removing surface floodwater. Ask how the proposed system will perform with your expected material and hose run. An airflow figure alone does not tell you how quickly a particular job will be completed.

Buying Guide-_0001_Combi-Tank

Choose the tank and chassis together

The tank needs enough clean water for jetting and enough waste capacity for recovery. The right split depends on the balance of these tasks and the time available between refilling and emptying.

An adjustable partition can help where workloads vary. However, you must consider tank volume alongside usable payload. Water, recovered waste, installed equipment, hoses, tools and crew all contribute to the vehicle’s operating weight.

Check gross vehicle weight and axle loading for the proposed configuration. A tank’s stated capacity doesn't automatically mean you can fill every compartment at once within the vehicle’s weight limits.

Access matters too. Check vehicle height, width and length against site entrances, turning space, ground clearance and overhead restrictions. Choose a chassis that can reach the work while carrying the equipment and material your operation requires.

Buying Guide-_0000_combi-hose-control

Plan hose handling, drive systems and controls

The vehicle’s layout affects how easily operators can set up and work. Consider jetting and suction hose lengths, reel positions and the space needed to deploy them. Include accessible storage for additional hose, nozzles, PPE and inspection equipment.

Confirm transmission compatibility, PTO power and torque, and hydraulic requirements for the proposed setup. If your team needs to jet and recover material simultaneously, check that the drive system supports both functions under normal working conditions.

Decide which functions operators need at the vehicle and which they can control remotely. Review level, pressure and flow monitoring, emergency stops and diagnostics. These choices should reflect how your team will use the unit on site.

Consider the operator’s working position when choosing reel and control locations. The arrangement should suit the parking space available and the route hoses will take to the drainage access point.

Review emptying, maintenance and support

Include tank discharge in your buying decision. The emptying arrangement needs to suit the materials collected and the disposal facilities your team uses.

Review operator training, routine inspections and service intervals before purchase. Ask how easily technicians can reach pumps, blowers and valves, and include chassis and PTO maintenance in the plan.

Parts availability, diagnostics and technical support also matter throughout the unit’s working life. A practical plan should match your workload to keep the vehicle in service.

Compare the Rioned jetvac range

Once your requirements are clear, use them to shortlist a suitable unit:

  • UniCom is available in Basic and Standard configurations. Basic offers flexible mounting options, including trailers and enclosed vans, while Standard suits dedicated vehicle installations.
  • CityCom uses a compact 6-tonne platform for restricted sites, with a reduced-height option for locations such as underground car parks. Check the selected configuration against your access requirements.
  • RioCom balances capacity and manoeuvrability on a 7.5-tonne chassis for everyday urban drainage work, including planned maintenance and reactive call-outs.
  • FlexCom offers 7.5-, 10- and 12-tonne chassis options and a configurable tank for contractors with varied jetting and recovery requirements.
  • MaxCom combines an 18-tonne chassis with an 8,000-litre split tank for demanding sewer cleaning and higher-volume waste recovery.
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