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A rock in the pipeline showed me not to skip line checks.

My dredge lost suction during a silt dig. I blamed the pump, but my partner insisted on checking the pipeline, where we found a rock jam. Do you usually suspect pump issues or line blockages first?
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2 Comments
vera668
vera6684d ago
Heard from a buddy in construction that line jams cause most suction problems. Pumps get blamed because they're right there, but the blockage is usually hiding in the pipe. Starting with a line check just makes sense to avoid wasted time.
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taraw77
taraw774d ago
Always check the line first. We made that mistake last year on a river job, assuming the pump was shot after a sudden pressure drop. Wasted half a day tearing it apart before someone finally walked the line. Found a solid clay plug about sixty feet in. The pump is the easy thing to blame because you can see it right there, but the pipeline hides all the surprises. A quick visual check along the length for dips or a pressure gauge reading at the pump can save you a huge headache.
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