I finally tried a 4-inch suction hose versus the standard 6-inch on my cutterhead dredge for a tight canal job in Miami.

The smaller hose gave us way better control and less clogging on the debris, so what other situations have you guys found where downsizing the suction line actually helps?

2 comments

2 Comments

jakef6618d ago

Ever work in those super shallow drainage ditches with a ton of old roots? We swapped to a 3-inch line for a job like that last year. The smaller hose let us get right up against the bank without sucking in the whole shoreline. It was slower going for sure, but we spent zero time unclogging the pump from all that stringy junk. Sometimes going slow and steady is the real win.

beth_martinez5218d ago

Honestly used to laugh at the idea of a smaller suction line. Figured bigger hose just meant more dirt moved, end of story. Watching a crew fight constant pump stalls on a mucky, root-filled creek bed changed my mind completely. They dropped down a size and just kept working while everyone else was pulling wads of junk out. Now I get it's not about the raw power, it's about matching the tool to the mess.