I was just given a new Alliance 41m roll and fold.  Been running Schwings for 17 years, so no experience with the S-tube.  We prime with water and use a sponge instead of a ball for washout.  Just looking for any pointers or advice from the more experienced.  Thanks in advance.

1.  Do you guys suck back high/med RPM and low volume or low RPM med vol?

2.  When washing out the S-tube, I was taught to leave pump stroking in reverse while spraying water until the water comes out clean but that just goes against everything I've ever learned.   Any other option?

Hey, I use 2 sucking balls at high rpm with low/medium volume. Just as you said, pump in reverse and wash until water comes out clean. I've only run Putmeister in my short career so I'm curious about what is so different between a s-tube like a Putz and whatever is on a Schwing? How is the washout different?

Thanks for the reply.   A Schwing uses a rock valve instead of an S-tube, just a little different design.  But I would dump the hopper, pump a few strokes in forward, then wash the cylinder that was exposed, pump one time and washout the other cylinder.  Then pump in reverse one time, washout the rock valve, one more pump in reverse and washout the other piston.  That's how I wash out a rock valve, still finding my groove with the S-tube.

I pump the hopper empty then I take the whip hose off turn the elbow up and fill it with water, I use a 10 inch round sponge and I suck back at 1300 rpms and half volume.  the boom pipes are clean as a whistle, and leave the s tube stroking in reverse while washing it out. this is on a putz

Thanks, I'm learning a new pump and design.  I'm old and developed some bad habits over 17 years but I appreciate the help.

I schwing much easier to clean out than a putz.  We prime put with a scoop of bentanite mixed with 4_5 gallon s of water. I generally put her in reverse and wash throughly. A flashlight comes in handy to be sure of no build up.

Paythan:

open the back elbow and try to look inside the barel. If you don't understand it by then.I wonder how you survived 17 years in concrete pumping

By the way. a Schwing is the only pump that has a scraper to clean out the barrels. Hint

Barrels?  Do you mean the material cylinders?  I understand the concept;  Perhaps I worded it wrong.  I was asking if the way I was taught was the only way.

Hey Alliance is just like our older putz i suck a sponge lower rpm and slower stroke because u can hear the mud coming back in the pipes. I think the bigger sponges work better than the little balls just my op ion Keep stroking in reverse while washing out until material cylinders are clean. Make sure to look inside that there no build up and keep it pumping and may your reducers never plug!!

By the way how do you like the Alliance pump we were thinking about getting or a everdigm?

Thanks for the reply.   I also like to hear the mud coming back.  That was one of my problems (hearing), but somebody said I needed high RPM's for the S-tube to shift correctly and that interfered with my hearing. Lost some hearing in the Army many years ago.

I like the Alliance pump so far, other than the washout but I had the same Schwing for 5 years and this new one for 2 weeks, haven't got my rhythm just yet.  The Alliance boom and pump seem to be really smooth compared to the Schwing, flat or A-frame.  But in fairness the Schwing was an '04 model.

Thanks again, may your reducers never plug and your sponge always come back.