# Snow Ex Junk - VSS-3000



## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

I purchased a VSS-3000 sprayer after visiting Snow Ex's website and researching a little. I found very few reviews but it looked like a decent unit and quick turn key solution to what I wanted to do. Here is what I have found out.

- Upon taking delivery the large top tank cap was missing.  That only took 2 weeks to get so we made a wood cap in the mean time.

- My first 100 gallons went ok. So I was anti-icing a ramp with an expensive non-chloride deicer and I can see 1 of the five tips not spraying in the light amount of snow that was accumulating. This is where my problems started.

- The pressure to the tips progressively started dropping as the level of fluid in the tank was going down. This lead me to that the sprayer could not handle thick fluids. That made me feel less than impressed.

- Then I went to spray the parking ramp again and I only had 200 gallons in the tank. I started spraying and within 30 gallons I was starting to lose the spraying tips one by one as the pressure seemed to have dropped. So I tried priming the pump a couple of times because there seemed to be air in the system. Well I figured out after messing around with things that because the liquid distribution manifold is set at the height of the middle of the tank it has troubles when the level of fluid in the tank drops below the distribution manifold. There are air leaks all over this setup and they expose themselves when the fluid is not higher than the parts. This was all figured out at my expense and time.

- At this point I was very unhappy. I wanted nothing to do with a NEW piece of equipment that I have to troubleshoot and fix. Do you think Snow Ex wanted their machine back? Nope, it took a week to reach the conclusion that they will have my distributor try and fix the unit. I lost the profits from 3 missed applications of product and my time in trouble shooting this machine. Has anyone else ever bought new piece of equipment that you have had to wrench on? This is not my first time having this happen with new equipment but it is the first time I have complained and to not have them take back their product drives me nuts. I felt like I was the tester of their equipment. Now my truck gets to spend a day at the distributors shop to fix Snow Ex's problems. As far as I know they might get reimbursed and I am left time and money down for buying a Snow Ex product. Not impressed Snow Ex! What happened to making a good product and standing behind it? So in summation, if your looking for a sprayer look else where.


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## concreteguy (Nov 10, 2006)

Sorry to hear the trouble you're having with a new piece of equipment. I've been thinking on buying one of those and now with you're experience, have to wait and see if yours gets resolved. Keep up on the details if you would. Seemed to be a good concept is why I would have bought it, probably you too.


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## Mike S (Feb 11, 2007)

The experience you have had is the only one i have ever had with snow ex.


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Pretty pathetic, some speedy customer service would have made me happy but they messed that up! Concrete guy, after talking to the distributors about my problem I have found out that Monroe and Vari-tech have some nice skid options for the back of you truck. They just don't seem to have the marketing that SnowEx has and its a lesson that sometime flash is not always the best. Try them out before you jump in the ring with a SnowEx product...

http://www.monroetruck.com/snowice_anticing.asp
http://www.varitech-industries.com/products/index.asp?SecID=5&ProdID=5


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## concreteguy (Nov 10, 2006)

Thanks for the info


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## todddude (Oct 6, 2009)

I sell alot of salt & liquid to many contractors, some with expensive units and some with homemade units. Not very impressed with most of the snowex products from the feedback I hear (*****ing) when people pick up product. 

As always I recommend to do full research online first to see what is working for people. This is also a great forum I refer people to. I also try to inform people of the proper use of the equipment since, as you know, everyone usually tries to do more with what they have or push the limits of the designed uses or try to put products in that the unit just isn't designed for. Proper nozzel & tube design is important because some of the chlorides have organic additives that may clog internal filters &/or nozzels. Some contractors have tried to use fetillizer sprayers for deicing and have had poor results. So just be sure to research all the equipment available & also the type of products you intend to put through it.

I would assume that Snow Ex had already completed testing for the system with multiple products and also tested the unit prior to sending it out.....then again maybe not. Good luck hope it works out well for you once all the kinks are out.


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

I would have gladly built you a custom unit for 2/3rds the cost of the SnowEx!!


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Update: The expensive hand sprayer and we are having much better luck keeping air out of the system.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

GTMN;1435360 said:


> Update: The expensive hand sprayer and we are having much better luck keeping air out of the system.


So they gave you a hand sprayer and resolved your issues?


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Oh no, I mean the hose real and hand spray was causing a lot of the air to get in the system. At this point we just deleted that out of the system until we can find the air leaks in that setup. No remorse from SnowEx! Thank God the distributor is willing to help me!


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## SnowMatt13 (Jan 8, 2003)

I got my anti-ice sprayer from Dultmeier Sales. I run thousands and thousands of gallons through it every year and have not had one issue.


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## RepoMan1968 (Jan 9, 2012)

sno-ex aint cheap either . their replacement parts are astronomical and shipping is nothing short of a joke . seems like they're pricing themselves out of the market . 

good luck with yours , try fabbing one up , relatively simple .


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

I have had many Snow Ex products, and every single one has been a let down. Its usually right after the warranty goes out on most items. I just couldn't count on them working storm after storm.

IMO, the Snow Ex stuff is WAY over priced for what it is, and Snow Ex support isn't all that great. Almost like they call you a lier for their product not working, like its our fault that we spent TOP DOLLAR, and expect TOP DOLLAR equipment.

I switched over to Buyers, and havn't had any of the same problems, spent far less, and have had WAY better support.

J.


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## RepoMan1968 (Jan 9, 2012)

saltdogg has been putting out some reliable spreaders , i know that for a fact . pricing is very competitive . yes dittos Thumbs Up


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## Wayne Volz (Mar 1, 2002)

*I've had good luck*

I own a new vss-200 gallon sprayer and have had excellent results. Not blaming the material you are spraying, but it could be the additives or simply the product itself having impurities in it and not clearing the spray head.

We've sprayed Apex Meltdown and Magic Ice-proof and both have sprayed with no problem.
We do leave our handgun powered up even if we are not constantly spraying.

Sorry to hear you have had bad luck but mine has worked fine.


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Wayne, this thing is far from a finished product for me. Nothing but problems. Disconnecting the over priced hose reel helped with the air leak issues but not to my surprise more problems this morning. I couldn't get the system to prime and was lucky enough to shoot the goo all over myself in the process. Very Very disappointed still. I'm looking for the Snow Ex to help this customer out of a defective unit.

Problems So Far
- Air Leaks Everywhere
- Funny Electrical Noise in Switch Box, Ever turn a light switch half way and hear the electricity trying to make a connection?
- Thick product causes system issues. I ran it this morning and the pumps were bouncing on and off because of the pressure. I think it was causing an air leak. This was on a full tank so there was at least 150 gallons over the distribution manifold pushing fluid to the backside of the pumps.


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Woops sorry, we disconnected the spray wand. We just have not used it because it was causing air leak problems.


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Wayne, it is not clogging the tips for sure. There are some very expensive pumps on this unit and they should push any deicer liquid on the market.


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## Wayne Volz (Mar 1, 2002)

*Sorry to hear about your unit*

Sorry to hear about your issues with the spray unit. Ours works really well. We do leave the hose wand on if we are going to spray walks from one job to the next so it does not need to be primed at every job.

As far as the boom needing priming all the time, that has not been an issue for us. The only time we have had to prime the boom was when we ran it all the way out. But so does anything that gets sprayed all the way out.

I would think as long as you are spraying a good brine, (not something homemade) your pumps and nozzles should spray fine. I would check with SnowEx if I were you. I have a friend that has a VSS3000 and his works great as well.

Good luck.


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## Bossman 92 (Sep 27, 2006)

That pic says a thousand words. I like the 2 thumbs up! :laughing:

A buddy of mine bought a elecric v box from them about 10 years ago. I was out with him one night salting and was amazed that he had to have a guy (me) ride in the bed with a broom handel and help feed the salt down to the auger while the vibrator was running.

He sold the unit the next year. I have heard they are better now, but still dont think they are worth that kind of money.

Good luck and keep us posted on how this works out for you.


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## gottaloveOT (Jan 6, 2009)

Sorry for bringing up an old thread but we bought a VSS-3000 this fall and are having the same issues. I think I narrowed down the problem to where the pump return lines are feeding back into the system. When the lines are full of air, the pump feeds the air into the top of the manifold and it pressurizes the manifold keeping the water below the intake tubes. Then it keeps sucking air and pumping it back into the manifold not allowing the liquid to reach the inlets.

I am going to call Snowex about this but I think the solution may be to plug the upper two return lines on the manifold and install two bungs on the tank itself and run the return lines directly into the tank to keep the air out of the manifold. This unit is still in warranty so I don't want to make changes until I have to.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

I have some opinions about electric sprayers and spreaders. I know, big surprise. 

After using an electric sprayer and the motor seizing up and going with a gas engine in place of it, then going to a large sprayer that is hydraulicly driven, hydros are the only way to go. 

Now that I have 2 electric spreaders (neither are SnowEx) and 2 (currently, many more in the past) hydro spreaders, hydros are the only way to go. 

IMHO, I will categorically tell anyone who asks, electric motors for pumps or spinners\conveyors flat out suck. For plows they work OK, for continuous usage, no way. 

Sorry to hear about your problems, I feel your pain. I screwed around with a POS Swenson\Meyer MDV spreader last year for the better part of the season before they gave me a chain feed instead of the auger feed. WHich was an improvement, just not the one I was hoping for.


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## GTMN (Aug 15, 2009)

Let me reiterate. It was a big mistake. We saw SnowEx at the SIMA snow show and they were like "oh, its you guys...". They never owned up to the crap product the were pushing or the after care. Do not buy this sprayer and try to stay away from this company.


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