Solving the constant pump clog on my first dredge

When I began on dredges, we had these old pumps that would clog often. It was a big problem in muddy spots. I found that tweaking the water flow could stop most buildup. Newer machines don't have this issue much, but I still use that fix now and then.

4 comments

4 Comments

the_piper2mo ago

What's the actual tweak, @kimfisher? Like, on those old pumps, the fix was never about more power. It was about less. You'd choke the flow just a tiny bit right at the intake. Sounds wrong, but it stops the mud from getting pulled in too fast and packing solid in the hose. It's like when a sink drain gets slow and you run the water slower, not faster, to clear it. Same dumb idea. Just a quarter-turn on a valve made all the difference.

kimfisher3mo ago

Hey now, what exactly did you change about the flow to make it work?

smith.nancy3mo ago

Adjusted the intake filter after realizing I had it backwards the whole time. Honestly felt a bit silly once I saw the arrows printed right on the housing. Turns out the 'improved flow' was just me finally following the basic instructions. I basically just flipped it around and suddenly everything ran quiet and smooth. It's one of those fixes that seems so obvious after the fact. I'm just glad it worked before I tried something more drastic.

corar373mo ago

Spot this kind of thing everywhere. People will tinker with router settings for days before checking the power cord. My neighbor bought a new car battery when a cable was just loose. We overlook the easy fixes because they seem too obvious. Your filter flip is exactly that.