Stop running your dredge pump dry to clear clogs, here's what actually works

Spent 3 hours this morning fighting a sand plug in the discharge line because everyone said to just rev the pump dry. Finally dumped a 5 gallon bucket of water down the suction side and it cleared in 30 seconds flat. Anyone else got a quick trick for stubborn clogs?

2 comments

2 Comments

stella_murray1mo agoMost Upvoted

Always figured you had to just rev the hell out of it and hope for the best. That's what the old guys always told me. But last spring I had a real nasty clay plug and did that bucket trick out of pure desperation. Felt like an idiot for not trying it sooner. That dry running advice is basically just tradition at this point, not real problem solving.

hugo_schmidt1mo ago

Hold on though, isn't dry running actually useful for clearing out moisture before you try a more aggressive method? Might be worth keeping around as a first step, not a cure-all.