Here is stories about air clean outs. Please do not do it.

Please post your stories here.

Fred from www.usedconcretepumps.com just told me that they blew a sponge all the way threw a block wall, never used air again. I told him in 300 years of him pumping concrete that was his only story and he said, "yep I am a quick learner"

How to keep other people from getting killed  I have been pumping concrete a long time30 + I have bin on the big and the small jobs .As a last resort you can clean out with air. It is by far the most dangeous way to clean out and yet i alway sill  read about somone getting killed by it every year. Here are some war stories. I was just learning on how to pump Hi rises and concrete in denver in the70,s.They were getting ready to blow the stand pipe at the end of the pour.Witch at that time was the way to clean out. The operator put a couple pallets in front of the pipe we disconected from.and were ready to blow the pig That is that hard bullit looking thing for thous of you that have never seen one the air hit the pig came out wOOO.Well it didn't even think about stoping at the pallets. It went anouther 100 ft a went through the grill of a new ford pu cracking the block on the engine  glad noboby was walking in front of the pallets. here is anouther I have bin pumping a long time nowI'm down at the beach pumping through 500ft of 4 in pea gravel mix 15o ft of hose hanging from a crane we were doing footers for the out fall pipes .I told the guys to be carefull of the air it dosen't take that mutch pressure. Gueess it went in one eara out the other they put the air to the ball and did it come out .it came out so vilant that the hose wraped its self around the cranes boom and that hose moved like a string in the wind. I cant stess how dangeous air is yes its an easy way to clean the system up but you better make sure you know what you are doing The people that are just starting out Don't even think about it Find someone like me ask an experanced operator not an owner most of them haven't pumped concrete. AIR  IS A LAST RESORT .I don't youse air to clean hi rises any more ,you can suck the ball back like a boom,no biggie the dead system after a pour yes the pipe on the groundand you have your little 40 yd trailor pump suck the ball back .5in youse a 5in ball 4in youse a 5in soft ball hell paper and a rag works no need for air their are alot of other ways to clean out but stay away from air if you can And the guy with the 2.5 in hose get a water blow out cap and a small ball. or learn how to clean the hopper out hook up again and pump the ball out RUSTY

My first and only tunnel job was at New Melones Dam in the Calif foothills, and it was 1500' of 5" pipe. They decided that instead of using water to blow it out,and risk separation,they would use a PIG (RABBIT like creature)and compressed air.Well someone had the BRIGHT IDEA of blowing it into the bucket of a 988 loader.Well brother it came out like a howitzer, hit the bucket, and went right back down the tunnel about 6' higher than it started,wiping out the power station for the lights and fans! Chaos ensued,and that company NEVER allowed air to be used to clean out a system! I heard that they once hand(back) cleaned 1000 feet of pipe because they couldn't get enough water pressure

The first year I started pumping our owner had an old E-con boom pump. He rolled in the yard one day with a boom full of mud due to pump kit failure(pretty common back then). He put a go-devil in the end and hooked up and air cap. The go-devil came out of the end of the pipe which ran up and over the cab like nothing I have ever heard before. We fond it embedded in  a large oak tree about 50 yards away. I learned right then and there air is not the answer except as a last resort. Scared me that much.

Russ

I get in on a lot of little jobs where i use about a 125' of 2.5" hose. i hook an air blow-out cap to the far end, reverse the pump, and use the air to push it back in the hopper. I turn the air off when the sponge is about half-way through. i used to have a lot of trouble with water, thats why i started using air,but i will say, you have to very careful. I rarely open the air valve all the way, usually only have about 30 PSI on the hose. once the ball is back at the pump, i take the air hose off of the blow-out cap, and bleed the rest of the air off before i open any clamps.

Just to add to this. When sucking a ball back useing air to assist. While the line is attached to the pump. I have done this on some real long lines.                                          I found its a good idea to To get up on the pump. With your remote box (you need it with you)to stop the ball there. Also you can see more of whats happening. You need a second man to control the air(use some signals or walkie talkie), and maybe a third man. Air on as necessary. I say this because you may need it to be full on to start. Then down to a hiss. The air man can bang the pipe his end to see if concrete`s started to move.(He needs to be aware that all pipes sound different Thin,Thick,Dirty,&Clean) Run the pump in reverse slower the better. You can normally hear the concrete dropping inside the boom pipes. Do not assume that it is back then. You can get a suction bleed on the boom pipe seals. Witch will give you air pockets. This tends not to happen if enough air is used. If any doubt stop the pump. You can then check the position of the concrete, by taping the pipe any where. Your second man can turn the air off/on as needed. Walk towards you tapping the line to locate the balls position. With long lines you need two men on the line. Unless you have a pump that is different from any i`v used. This is as safe as cleaning with air gets. Now your happy that the ball/plug is 20ft from the pump unit. You also have large pile of concrete behind the machine. The pump should have no problem holding the ball there. The air needs to be vented by your second man. A good sign is that loads of air comes out of the escape valve. It is a good practise To push a 6" nail or similar through the valve to feel for the ball. I`v had guys on site say its clear(even with a pressure guage on it). The air has gone 20ft down the pipe. They have vented the line .The ball has come back to block the air valve . If the clamp is opend now boom! Now your happy the ball is still near wear you stopped it with the pump. The line has no air in it. The blow out cap can be removed (no Boom!) You then suck the ball back as normal.  Two balls with 10gallons of water after to finish. Slowly They will come through quick enough with no concrete to stop them. Dont blow that into a hopper of concrete. Because you will have done all this for nothing(BOOM!).                                                               The point raised earlier. That there is enogh air in the line when the ball is half way down a 150ft Is probably not far off. If the line is clean & not to many bends. You can here the concrete moving in the line. As long as its still moving. I would prefer it takes an extra 10 minutes, and be safe. Lastly if the ball is 2 pipes from the end. Vent the air then pull the line out of the pile.Tip the 2 pipes Then if you have left the clamp inplace you can put the one with the ball in back on followed by the other a quick queeze of air. No distroyed ball job done. Lastly if you get the opportunity on an open field site show the new guys .What 100psi Does to a line full of concrete uncontrolled. NO RUBBER PIPES of course