Any reccomendations as to how much sugar should be used to kill a hopper full of concrete? My current routine is to pump the hopper down half way, then add 1-2 liters of Uni-sol retarder (the blue stuff), and proceed with pumping out. This method as been effective for killing even the hottest of concrete. Problem is that the Uni-sol is quite expensive and I would like to achieve similar results by using brown sugar. I was thinking half of a 5lb bag mixed with a quater bucket of water would be a good starting point, any input/insight on this topic would be very welcome.

I have always used 1 cup of white sugar, throw it in the boom when you suck your sponge. Mixes in nicely when water comes up into hopper. Sometimes if its really hot mud, I pump out then sprinkle some around the edges of my hopper before I suck back.

Buy a pack of soda and play with it its cheap 1 12 ounce can does good for my trailer pump i got a pretty big hopper.

I use cup (hand full) of white or brown sugar, thrown over what ever is left in hopper, pump it out then suck back.                 

pumpnfinish the reason for the use of suger is usually travelling, not all job sites allow you to wash out onsite mainly for either environmental reasons or just no room. so killing the hopper gives you the travel time needed to get to were you can wash out.  

Easier to just water wash then suicide prime. Never have to chip out water

I use sugar every job. works good

a 1kg bag brown sugar would get me 4 kills.  mix in a little bit of water, put it in the pumped out hopper and a little before the spong balls.  the mud in the S-tube might get stiff but i just open the trans door and push it out before opening the hatch.

i know your pain 16cell.  off-site washouts are a pain in the ass coming out of west van with 100% reclaim mixs.  if your worried, use more sugar but dont seg the mud to bad.  sugar is cheaper then jacking the hopper.  hope you're keeping busy.  seen the 58m last trip home, looks like she just came from the factory

Whole bag of white sugar for emergencies only!... Try doin shotcrete pumpnfinish.. Might have to semi washout a few times before the job is done, then hurry to another job... Not every job has a place to washout... A 2 liter of Mountain Dew is another option

flyash with a 1.5 inch line is worse.. end up with a 1.5" hole in the rock

A cup or so of sugar when I'm cleaning up! Half in the hopper, half in the tip elbow! A couple of gallons of water with the sponge, a light rinse of the hopper! It's dead,Fred, tip to tail! I can then do my load-up at my own pace! And it really does make cleaning out easier! For you doubters... it'll cost you a couple a bucks to try it... and a little will go a long way! 5 lbs will kill a 10 yard load!

Take the challenge and try to drive 20 miles on bumpy roads and then suicide prime. I did it the other day successfully. Stopped half way and stroked reverse. Also it was a good 5.5 bag mix. Not highly recommended but i couldn't wash on the site and was late for my next job. A good trick is leave the mud kind of stiff therefore is segregates less.

I usually carry a couple cans or small bottle of Coca Cola or Pepsi when temps get a little higher. Saved my ass a few times when I had hot loads on hot days and couldn't wash out on site.

WATER WASH BACK INTO REDI MIX TRUCK. IF YOU DO IT RIGHT YOUR LEFT WITH HOPPER HALF FULL WITH WATER AND ROCK.

Thanks for all the feedback. We did a couple test runs using one measuring cup of sugar mixed into about a gallon of water and seems to really do the trick. At $3.29 for a 5lb bag of brown sugar (Costco) it's much more cost effective than using pre-mixed retarders, we were paying over $40 for a 5 gallon pail of Uni-Sol and getiing maybe 7-8 kills per bucket.

For us the biggest advantage with retarding the hopper rather than water washing is that when we are already on the road heading back to the yard there is still the option of detouring directly to that last minute call for second job. With our Putz's the S-tube doesn't deal well with shifting over through a hopper full of sand and gravel. With using sugar/retarder you can still keep the hopper at a non-segregating 5" slump and thus have the option of going straight to another pour (providing that there is a suitable area for pumping out the "dead mud"). Would be nice to have the option of washing on-site but with the tight environmental regulations in our area it is a rarity.

I would advise against doing another job without washing out when you've used sugar. When you use sugar, the mud is "dead" not retarded. I know of a situation around here where an operator was running behind to a job where he had a long travel time, so he threw in a bottle of coke and ran to the job. Got there, suicide primed, pump out what should of been more than enough and started the job. One part of the wall never set up.

I only use sugar when concrete is smoking hot , usually water and a pound of white sugar kills it, I do not have to do this often , also a 12 pack of mountain dew , 12 ounces of the Dew can put the hurt on a hopper of concrete.

Good point brought up about being extra certain to pump ALL the dead mud out. The method I like is to pump the "deceased" hopper down a couple strokes to the point at which it's just about to suck air, knock sides of the hopper in, pump down again, and then top up with fresh mud. Try and keep the good mud from mixing with the bad as little as possible... and pump the first half meter out of the boom into a suitable area.

if you have a place to pump the dead mud than you must have the same spot to wash out and then drink your mountian dew.

NO.  alot of times your putting the dead mud into a hole/building trench where there is no way u could get a pump backed up to.  in the lower main-land it the contaminated water that is the huge issue with washing out on site.  you and ur company each get seperate fines for having contaminated go into fresh water -- which is everywhere.  people there love to stick their nose into business where they have no idea whats going on and fish N' wildlife dont care what the op says once a complaint has been made. 

That pump looks thirsty

What happened there?!?!

I was told it was an enviromental problme, weather or something like that.

Why all the talk? Just wash out when you get into trouble. If contractor orders a pump and has no place for wash out why even start pumping ?

Boy, that don't look good. I am glad that was not me taking that picture!

I would never start a job with out knowing if there is a washout

Thank you for all this information.  I have always had a place to wash out but today my other operator didn't have a place.  The temp wasn't to bad and it would only be a 20 min drive to drop the hooper.  We thought this is a good time to try this.  We have a 28 ptz which doesn't have the easy clean hooper, it's always building up on the sides.  So we put MNT drew in the hooper and tip as we sucked a ball.  His 20 min drive with farm equipment and paving turned into hour and half before he could drop his hooper.  He said he has had a better clean out before even when he pours a 7" slap and cleans right then. 

I love this sight thanks for all the ideas on how to become a better operator and provide a better service to people out there.  Keep your booms up and have  great life.

Good to know thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the kind words, i hear them far once in a great great while. I love this site as much as anyone and I thank God for all of you who post and care about the site. Thanks guys.

add contractor must provide wash out area to your paperwork and then you dont have to add anything if mud is getting hot go to area provided if none just dump it anywhere its then contractors worry and you have clean boom and hopper

I buy a couple 1 pound boxes at the gas station for 1.69 a box. I sprinkle the box in as I recirculate before I blow out, it works great at almost any slump. I rarely have to use any water. Put the sugar in first.