If you are operating an s-tube machine and get a 2\" job, like a pool deck for example... do you put any type of screen ovet the grate to keep out the 3/4\" from the ready-mix truck\'s last load and whatever else may fall in there... or do you just go for it and hope for the best?

Are you surprised when your line gets plugged up?

I know what I think, I am very interested in your \'take\' on this problem.

Thanks

Bob ;~)

We don\'t put 3/8\" mixes through 2\" line, unless it\'s what we call an \"up-hill\" mix (very low stone content). One concrete companies mix might go through the 2\", another\'s won\'t, so we avoid it.  Rather we use 2 1/2\" line.  On a job I found a roll of black coated chain link fence.  We cut up a few pieces and clip them over the hopper to screen out the big stone.  It hasn\'t failed me yet.  It helps to have a hopper vibrator too for this or it won\'t always go through at tighter slumps.

My Olin 5-45 ball valve pump came with a 3/4\"screen. All I can pump is pea gravel and less. I use all 2.5\" hose and have a vibrator under the screen and one down low for gunite. I can take 1 or 2 big rock at a time but anymore and my balls can become jammed. But the screen will roll off anything bigger than 3/4\" when I hit the vibro. There is a lot of them for whatever reason and fin fish. When you can see gray colored rock only it is going to be a long day. We also have plants that put too many rocks in the mix and not enough grease to carry them. Today I pumped a 4000 psi mix on a 3\" slump like it was butter, but the other day I pumped a 3000 psi and my cheeks were clinched.

How about the 2\"

Bob, yes a screen is the way to go.Reed sells on from factory, or go to steel supply hose and get woven screen(1\'\'1/2 to 1\'\'3/4 opening) and u bolt it to hopper if you want to take on and off.Of coarse you must use a hopper vibrator. Will cut your line plugs to almost none. on a 2\'\' hose. I have a customer who shots 27 yards a day 5 days a week since he put screen on he has had little to no plugs. hope this helps

Bob,

To be honest I always have just pumped it out. The grate on my machine is 1.5\". As for suprising plugs... they never suprise me, if you pump concrete you plug, and if anyone says they don\'t plug, you just met a liar. I pump my 3/8\" mixes through my 2\", I only have 100\' of 2\" so anything over that is a combo of 2.5\" & 2\". I do plug sometimes, but not often enough to warrant a screen and vibrator. The mixes in my area are real pump friendly (guess I am geographically lucky lol). I suppose it depends on factors such as the rm suppliers washout protocol between loads, the drivers willingness to adhere to said policies, and how much you and your customer are worried about plugs during the job. I do agree that a screen would minimize the chance of something too big from getting into the system. Maybe I will change my ways in the event of an unplesant experience with \" 3/8\" mix through 2\" system\", so far no troubles. BTW I call the 2\" hose \"holiday hose\", it\'s so easy to move and handle, gotta love it.

Gday Bob,today I pumped 18 cubic through 70m of 2\"line at 80mm slump and we had a lump of sandstone block up at the 3-2 reducer.It was just the right size to go through the hopper grate!Lucky I always have my finger on that reverse button and read the guages cause the pump was pumping the mud at 3200psi rod side.You cant pump with a screen over here cause the mud wont go through it.Dryer slumps and harder to push over here.

I pick answer A,Yes.Actually even on big booms we sometimes got 2\" jobs ie riprap in streambeds.I made one using a piece of 4\' chain link fence and it did the trick.

Here at our company we have big truck mounted line pumps, most of our jobs are 4 inch line sometimes 3 inch line. No screens on grate.

orange barracade fence with 3/4\"holes work great but a vibrator helps for sticky mixes

If you run into a convenient store or a grocery store and ask for a bread rack it works perfect on the top of most hopper grates for doing small aggregate

novel idea

I picked up a 1 inch screen that was worn out from the concrete company and put on hopper. works great as long as the mix is pretty wet pump 2 inch hose.  3 inch slump or less it is just easy to deal with plugs in reducer.  Had a friend get a metal washer in his hose from mixer truck.  He would clean hose, washer would turn no problem put in concrete and washer would turn and block mud. 4 hours later found washer and pushed it to end of hose used a sawsall to cut it in half.  what a day!