Rant: I ran my cutterhead at 80% for a week and the pump clogged twice

Thought I was being smart saving fuel on the Lake Erie job, but turns out the slower speed just let more junk build up in the lines. Anyone else find that running a bit faster actually keeps things cleaner long term?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_schmidt601mo ago

Yeah, that slower speed can let sediment settle in the worst spots. Found running around 85% keeps enough flow to push the gunk through without wasting too much extra fuel. It's a balancing act for sure.

wendy_jackson1mo ago

My buddy Mike on the Ohio River job last year had his pump seize solid. He was running at like 75% trying to be cheap on fuel.

pat_schmidt6023d ago

Has anyone checked if the trash pump intake screen is actually sized right for the material you're running? I swapped mine out for a wider mesh last season and it made a huge difference in how fast the sediment passed through. Sometimes the fix is simpler than adjusting speed.