Hello guys  sorry im a newbie  super newbie.  me and my partner jumped on a pump this weekend with out to much reasearch  well we did some but after having the guy come and do a job for us to test it out we feel in love with it and made a deal to purchase it. the test was a shotcrete job 85 yards ran great

we have a olin 565 now and been using it to do our shotcrete jobs which is pretty much all we do right now. the olin runs it but notice we are having more problems with it latley and everyone keep telling us we need a big rock pump. so we got one

i am new to pumping already been doing it for 7 months now but only with the pea gravel

im just looking for some tips advise for the reed pump. we are gonna have a guy who used to run a Putz big rock for about 15 years come out with me  for awile as to be safe in what i am doing.

as far as running it just want to get your start setting point,  or how you guys prime out. i noticed its way different than my ball valve olin..

any tips would be apreciated....

Just cause you got a big rock pump doesn't mean you are limited to use bigger rock if you are still using 2 inch hose you can't pump bigger rock hose size is 4X the rock size if you use anything bigger  than 1/2 you will stay plugged, your OLIN 565 is a good shot-crete  pump even with it you need at least 4,000 psi and  if you would get a very small viberator to stick down in the hopper just above the balls it will pump grout on a 3 inch slump, First thing you need to learn how to pump concrete and learn mix designs and who's concrete to stay away from, just like drugs  JUST SAY KNOW.

We just started pumping Sidewinder mix, which is a 50/50 blend of type 57 and type 89 stone.  We have a A40hp, but its the same as the A30HP, just pumps a little more.  We are using 3" system of pipe and hose.  I have been priming with a double slick pack and 3 buckets of portland, but I am going to switch to straight portland.  The slick packs have been making the mud stick to the hopper when its time to clean up, which then takes forever.  I can count on a clog everytime when we start.  Its always in the end hoses, and once we get it out of the first hose, it either is good or will clog up in the next two hoses.  But once we start its fine unless we stop for more than five minutes to break and move or something, like waiting on a truck.  The key I have found is to not use Tarmac, that crap sucks, and to have an 8" slump into the pump.  I pumped what tested at a 4.5" slump, but it was rough.  

Welcome to the Reed Family.  Treat her right and she will work hard for a long time.  

Thanks  i have a small vibrator that i place in the hopper. it seems to work fine untill the mud startes to dry then it startes skippig strokes quite a bit. i then run the hopper down shovels the sides and restarte then runs good again .  

quick question you mention 4000rpm  my olin max's out at that, should that be right? what should it max out at.?

Goose have you been pre-wetting your hoses? That helps, sometimes I even use leftover slick or portland and it has eliminated that plug at the endhose that I used to also get. T

When my Olin starts hitting 4000 psi it is getting ready to stop pumping.  If I catch it in time I will give it a shot of water into the hopper to help wash the balls off.  It truly is a judge of mud though.  One plant here we can pump a 3" slump with no trouble, others we need a 5 or 6 to pump.

my olin stiops pumping at 4000 also. what do you like to keep your rpms at when pumping i try for 2500 and add water to the mud when i start hitting 3200 if they allow me ..

also on priming the big rock  the guy who brough his put primes with just adding a bucket of water in the hose right before the truck was ready and did not use any slurry or any additive..

MANNY I was talking about 4000 psi grout and your pumps not missing strokes when you think that it not falling down to the balls if there is none down there there is no hdy pressure on your gauge thats where the finger vibrator help to push it down, I just don't under stand why all you guys go to so much cost on priming I have been using Bentonite for 6 years , just don't put it in the pour if there is plastic down shoot it under that  a 50 lb bag of bentonite cost about 8.00 bucks and with do about 15 primes at 10.00 each thats 150.00.

instead of useing straight cement. use a bag of pre mixed morter in the hopper. make it wet like a 10 inche slump or wetter. should be able to do 300 feet.on 1 bag. i could prime 600 feet of 2.5 and 2 inch hose . just cement dont work well. but with the added sand it flies right through

I own a reed a30hp and love it.

It pumps great, and really simple to work on. I just did a 475 ft job slightly up hill yesterday to a retaining wall with no problems and plenty of power.

Priming out is simple, fill up the hopper with concrete pour 3-5 gallons of water mixed with EXTRA HIGH YIELD BENTONITE into the reducer back towards the pump. Then put a half gallon of water in the hose connect it and go. I have rarely ever plugged under 300' this way. Dont pump the slurry mix into the job, put it back into the 5 gallon bucket.

The mix is the most important thing to know.  What size hose you are going to use. In northern california we have everyone using a 6sk 50/50 mix that puts out 3,000 psi and we use a 2.5 inch hose. Pumps like butter.

Becareful pumping some pea gravel mixesin you 2" hose, if its a exposed mix it will be really heavy with rock, requiring you to use the 2.5 inch hose.

As far as 3 inch hose and 4 inch, I only use it for special mixes that are required for state jobs. Other then that stick with your customer using a blend mix (50/50 of 3/8 and 3/4)