Hi guys. New on the board... Been pumping for about 2 years.. sure am learning alot.. more and more everyday..Anyhow I just got moved up to a Schwing 39 Meter. Very clean pump. I am very good at keeping the hopper and pump spotless. Except for the hopper grate.The guy who ran the pump before me had a way of keeping his grate SPOTLESS.. Never seen one so clean. I would like to keep it up.. I have tried scrub brushes and all that and cant keep it perfect.Not that its bad because it is still clean but I would really like to know what you guys do to keep your grates clean.Also, is their a difference using brown sugar opposed to normal sugar for emergencies ??Thanks David

PS : DAY. Sugar is sugar ! Chemical composition is the same,mostly,but I think white is cheaper!

Thank you for the input. Any idea where to get the 3m products at ?? I appreciate it greatly. Gonna buy some and give it a whirl

If you know you are in for a long slow messed up pour... spray the grate down with PAM...works pretty darn good. It will help with the cleanup time.And I also have sugar cubes to throw in the hpper just to help keep it workable but still able set up. I found that when I just try to add sugar from the bag I always put too much in

Pam works a little too well if you spray it on other areas....you need some good degreaser and hot water to get it off, but it does keep stuff from sticking

why relay on sugar we just dont let it get to that point swingboom around recec and if you start running out of time doing that wash it out dont take the chance that will keep you from having a bad day and the build up down in hopper

Mud, thats just my point. I put in the sugar when I am done then circuate it to get it all mixed in, then I fold up, wash out and I dont have to rush.I like this board.. lots of good tips!Thanks all, and keep them coming because this new guy does NOT wish to be left behind!!

Hey Bob,Thanks for the advice. Gonna keep circulating that crete over the grate.. Gonna try those 3M sanding pads as well...Good deal.Thanks again guysNow all I gotta do is figure out the water wash technique I was reading on this board!! -- I always suck a ball back and I run a 4 inch hose so it was a challenge at first sucking it back.. NOw I just take the darn hose off and suck it back slow thru the reducer....-DM

just stand you reducer up and add a couple of gallons of water before the sponge and it makes the pipes nice and clean on the inside.Water washes work great if you have plenty of water and a place to put it, but you can go wrong on those in a hurry.

Good idea with the water in the reducer.. Really good idea.I guess I am not going to worry about water washing... Sucking a ball still works great and thats always worked well

Good idea with the water in the reducer.. Really good idea.I guess I am not going to worry about water washing... Sucking a ball still works great and thats always worked well

The best thing we have come across for 24 hr poures and less is cementaid in 20ltr the form builder syrup and wax is the go best by far dont even stop at 12hr and do a dump and restart just hit with high pressure water and the rapping just comes away every nook and cranny strait out the bottem and thats no word of a LYE. A BIT EXPENSIVE FOR SMALL JOBS BUT OUT OF 18 GUYS AND 10 PUMPS OUR GRATES AND HOPPERS ARE ALLWAYS SPOTLESS.