Hi this might be a stupid question but im new to pumping and have noticed a few posts about injures from cleaning out. I am working on a line pump doing Shotcrete and we always use compressed air to clean the line i am told its unsafe but we do it anyway. So i wanted to ask if theres another way to clean the line? I have asked the boss but he says this is the best way to do it.

Thanks

Water,Take off your hose from back end.Leave the mud in it,and all the hoses connected.Clean your hopper and valve out.Have a couple balls that fit in your size hose say 2'' hose 2 1/2 in ball.Put a ball in end of hose at pump.Connect back up,fill hopper with water.Then start pumping slow and watch the end of the hose ,you will see the mud running out.You have to keep water level up above the valve so you don't suck air,that's a bad thing.

I looked to see where you are from cleaning out with air is a common  way of cleaning out as long as you stay in control and learn to right way since water is scarse TWT concrete pumping is good at it, most of us in the USA  use water because it doesn't compress, if you use air keep everyone clear of the end.

I agree with rusty. We call it water wash and with the mixer 90% of the time youll have enough and if not find a plastic barrell and fill it up with a little water from each load that way when you get done you can drain it in your hopper. Make sure the barrell is high then your hopper aka on your truck or pump. Good luck

Only problem with water is it makes everything wet along the way when you go and take away the line. I can imagine the water won't be completely clean. Maybe you can suck it back into the hopper when the line is up hil (???)

And not every mixer wants to give you his whole water tank. If you have a lot of line you might need quite a lot of water.

4'' line takes about 8 liters per meter . With a trailer pump you luckaly have no boom so then its quite doable actualy..

But like me I have a 38m now. Thats about 50 meters of 5'' line. (5'' line is about 17 liters per meter) Thats about 880 liter ( aprox 1 yard) only in the boom pipes. + you need some 200 in the hopper not to suck air + then the actual line.. Thats a lot of water..

But with a line pump and at a place where you can loose the water it looks like a great solution.

The thing with blowing a ball with air is that you just have to do it extreemly carefull. Have control over the situation all the time. The right size ball. (NOT TO BIG!!) Tap on the line to hear where the ball is. From time to time stop the air and let the concrete runn till it (almost) stops. than start building up pressure again and so on. If you do it right the ball just comes roling out at the end. This 'shooting' with the ball is realy not nessesary if you do it right.

Good luck!

When I used to operate a line pump. I always blew hoses out with air. The key is to go very slow, always have one hand on the relief valve and make sure you can see the end of the hose. Once the concrete starts flowing faster, relieve all the pressure. If the sponge has not come out, then slowly put more air into the system until the ball falls out the end. Just be very careful and make sure everyone is away from the discharge area.

I would go with the water wash if possible... But if your gonna use air why not make yourself a ball catcher just to be a little safer! Just need a weld on end for whatever size hose ur using and some steel round bar and an hour or so and ur all set and it will be a bit safer than just blowing it out the end.

Cheers Guys

Very Helpfull

A ball catcher is cool. But the disadvantage is that if it does go wrong and you hoses are flying everywhere (which can happen if you do it wrong) you have a good sharp peice of metal at the end...

Normally I am a blow out guy. But some times the job ask for another approach. 50 meter of 3" hose of the backend through a building, no control of the whole line. Disconnected the hose of the reducer and sucked the ball back for of side clean out. And then putted a ball in the hose and the blew out cap to my waterpump, I have a

Switch for my waterpump on my remote so I can walk the line to see the concrete come out.

use a wet soft sponge and put some truck wash or detergent on it and have someone follow the line if possible and make sure the end hose is a single ended but water wash ifs best if u can