SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DRIVE VACUUM EXCAVATOR

1 . A system to drive vacuum equipment on a truck having an engine and a transmission, the system comprising:

a power take-off (PTO) unit configured to be coupled to a PTO port located on a side of the transmission;

a PTO shaft coupled to the PTO unit; and

vacuum equipment mounted to the truck, the vacuum equipment coupled to the PTO shaft and configured to be driven by the PTO shaft.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein substantially all available horsepower of the engine is transferred to the vacuum equipment via the PTO shaft.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum equipment comprises a blower.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the blower is a positive displacement pump.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first gear box coupled to the PTO shaft and the first gear box configured to transfer power to the vacuum equipment.

6 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising at least one belt coupled to the gear box, wherein the at least one belt drives additional auxiliary equipment.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the additional auxiliary equipment comprises at least one of a water pump and a hydraulic pump.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the hydraulic pump is configured to stop and reverse a flow of hydraulic fluid to stop and reverse a rotational direction of air through the blower.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the water pump comprises user operated controls configured to adjust an amount of water used during hydro excavation.

10 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a second gear box coupled to the first gear box, the second gear box configured to transfer power to an air compressor.

11 . A system to drive vacuum equipment on a truck having an engine and a transmission, the system comprising:

a power take-off (PTO) unit configured to be coupled to a PTO port located on a side of the transmission;

a PTO shaft coupled to the PTO unit;

vacuum equipment mounted to the truck;

a first gear box coupled to the PTO shaft and the first gear box configured to transfer power to the vacuum equipment; and

at least one belt coupled to the gear box, wherein the at least one belt drives additional auxiliary equipment.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein substantially all available horsepower of the engine is transferred to the vacuum equipment via the PTO shaft.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the vacuum equipment comprises a blower.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the blower is a positive displacement pump.

15 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a hydraulic pump configured to control a direction of flow of hydraulic fluid in order to control a direction of air through the blower.

16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second gear box coupled to the first gear box; and

an air compressor, wherein the second gear box is configured to transfer power to the air compressor.

17 . A method to drive vacuum equipment on a truck having an engine and a transmission, the method comprising:

coupling a power take-off (PTO) unit to a PTO port located on a side of the transmission;

coupling a PTO shaft to the PTO unit;

transferring power to the vacuum equipment mounted to the truck via a first gear box coupled to the PTO shaft; and

driving a hydraulic pump via at least one belt coupled to the gear box.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the vacuum equipment comprises a blower.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the vacuum pump is a positive displacement pump.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising controlling a direction of flow of hydraulic fluid of the hydraulic pump in order to control a direction of air flow through the blower.