Proto type i made because i had to travel 130 miles and pump when it was -14 F. Yes it is carpet. I keep the pump running for the ride and it stays nice and warm. Actually it makes the pump much quieter when pumping.

So glad it doesnt get cold enough to need them here! Our pumps are cooking in 42c today

Good idea Brian !

Do you bring your own washout water ?

Thanks eric, yeah it seems to work quite well for sound and insulation. As far as wash out i have to rely on the warm water from the RM trucks. My water box runs on a billage pump which produces great volume but bad pressure for wash out. I'm considering a steel tank and air pressure system but finding room is a problem because i want to keep from putting a flat bed on my pick up. The time will come however i hate relying on their water.

Continuing on the water air system.. I am considering mounting a gas compressor which i could also use for compressed air clean out, and water tank pressure. Hey here's a crasy idea: filling your compressor tank with water, ha ha. but who knows? put an air chuck on top and water on the bottom. In cold country air and water tanks work well because mechanical water pumps freeze and bust.

Have not run my trailer pump for about a month now. Got to pour about a 32 cy basement floor next Tues. and they are forcasting -15F . I'm getting a case of the worries already. Cold weather/water/frozen hoses pie etc. Plus finishing the floor to get a quality job. Summer time with the belt and no floor deck installed and it would be about 90 minute pour. The things we go though because of the weather. T

Hey Terry, the cold is moving in here tonight and it will probably be to you by tuesday. I think i'll have the week off. They should wait till its warmer. -20 F forcasted tonight with -40 wind chill for the next few days.. Yeehaw

Hey Brian , I haven't been out in the cold temps with our Olin this winter. My current pull truck is a 3500 Dodge dually 4x4. In summer I load 100 gals of water in a plastic tank, a 5 hp gas compressor and a double diaphram air drive 3/4 inch pump. I don't ever use much more than 40 gals, so the extra get dumped if there isn't a second pour. Lots of days I can suck back the line and use next to no water, so I will probably reduce to 50 gals in future. I have used air to assist the suck back a bit, but I'm no expert like those guys in Oz :-) We pretty much switched to using our 28m and 3 inch line for our basement floors as we have had too much shrinkage (read cracking) with the small rock mixes in 2.5 inch line.

3 inch line garage floor early Nov

Nice, Eric i like your idea of a diaphram pump it also revolves around a compressor however, which i think should be next on my list. I've been looking and leaning towards a rollair type. Or maybe a used one then taking off the hardware and mounting it to a 50 gallon tank that would fit side ways in my pick up back. Also your idea of back sucking a ball and maybe water is interesting. As far as boom pumping with hose. i find it much easier with a LP. Lately i've been pumping straight 4000 3/4 minus 3 inch hose. Small rock is unpredictable. At the mercy of the RM plant.

Boy am I glad to not be pumping anymore Terry,Brian,Eric you guys are my heros

Only  place I want to be in the house or Florida Crappie,fishing, as of today its to cold to

drive to Florida I can't put water in my Motor Home it would freeze before I get  Nashville.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAVE FUN

man I am sure you know this but be careful with air pressure on a water tank , it takes very little pressure to give you good water pressure , to much and you've made one hell of a bomb. 

Thanks Beast and finish yes its scary when you do the math.. Also interesting. Actully i was thinking maybe a 50 gallon hot water heater tank but then i did the math and figured it might be bomb potential. So now i am looking for a compressor tank 50 gallon or more. I scored a honda compressor today. Runs great.

Good score Brian. Same as what i use. See if you can get a good used water tank from a Mixer Truck...they are really made for the job , compared to something you have to rig up. And they will have a manufacturers plate on them so you are in compliance.The diaphragm pump is safer option tho. Go for a 1 inch dia on Ebay , mine is a bit slow on volume.

My Best to you Big Ed ! Ray sent me some great 3 inch hose a while back. Say Hi to him for me.

I'm still thinking Big Ed had the right idea for water(which I copied) large water tank and gravity feed to a pressure washer. Even try to gravity feed to the hopper with a 2" line I fill my hopper full in less than 30 seconds. Also Hi Ed stay warm down there Ha Ha

This weather up here STINKS!!!

Terry i have a tank and bilage pump that will fill my hopper quickly but i need pressure with volume. Also a freeze proof system i can use in the winter. A pressure cleaner back sprays too much for me. Eric how does back sucking assist work with air? Does it blow up when the air gets to the pump or do you need to monitor it and shut the air off.

Ahh now I see how your getting the volume.

Sucking back, a little air goes a long way. Cover your hopper with heavy rubber mat. If your pour ends up with line close to your hopper, re-circulate and add water to reduce friction and you wont need any air at all to suck back. The Aussies detach their hose from the pump and blow the line towards the pour washout area, which is the smartest way. Dont need much water then. Kalvin Coates had a video on youtube, dont know if it is still there. Going to see if it is still up.

Can a 2" trash pump be reduced down to 3/4" garden hose with some type of by pass if needed. I like my pressure washer but wouldn't mind trying a garden hose set(for less spray in my face) up as long as i have plenty of water. Or a gas powered hypro with some sort of bypass.

I use a small one inch honda gas powered pump.  I think they are about $300  and a poly tank that I put a 120volt heater into. If I plug it in all night I have very hot water that stays hot all day even in -30 weather.  It takes less than a minute to drain the pump and hoses so they don't freeze.  They pressure is about the same as on a redi mix truck 

I've seen those little honda pumps i think they're 4 stroke and like 1 hp, i was wondering if they would hold up to the every day grind? Do you have any photos of your system? Eric yes Kalvin had it figured out that was a great clip! he had a remote dump valve if i remember corectly., It would be very handy to blow out hoses forward and then push a sponge with water through, washing the hopper would be less messy and much easier.

I hate to hi jack this thread Brian, but to Concrete 7111 I also would like to see a pic of your water pump set-up if you could do us that. Thanks Terry

EricICF make sure to get the guy a proper discharge hose. Using the double end hose is crazy dangerous especially when you hold it like that. 

Tks Pedro :-) Crazy no. We are very careful not to let the hopper get low and suck in a bunch of air.I am always on the hopper with the mixer driver , and i can get pretty animated if they screw up :-) I have used those little pumps and they do work good , except they "deadhead" without a bypass circuit...which is a pain to rig. Pretty happy with the diaphragm pump, breaks down fast with hose couplers, rides in the cab and keeps warm .

So Eric does the diaphram pump have a pressure shut off switch and how much air do they use? I have seen them in use on a RM truck only draw back is they surge. i purchased a tire hot shot inflator this summer and have been thinking of if it may be useful for a storage tank, for air supply either for hose clean out or water air. Its nice to have the volume of air for the initial push. Oh and metal ends on a line pump is no problem.

Yes the the diaphrams can surge, and their output pressure is directly related to their incoming air pressure. I find the 5hp wheelbarrow compressor keeps up well with my 3/4 and it is about 4 or 5 cfm @ 90psi. Try to borrow a pump from a RM co and experiment a bit. They always seem to have a couple in reserve on the shelf.

I went yo the redi mix plant where they had a wrecked truck and they gave me the water tank off of it.  I can now either bring my own air or hook up to the redi mix truck air.  Most of them have a quick disconnect on the air tanks.

Wayne !!!!!!!

Good Ideas thanks. I like yours Wayne about a used tank and a air chuck. There was one in I falls i could of had but declined :( next time i'm up there i'll snag it. 160 mile drive each way otherwise.