Yesturday i try to water wash for the first time. I pumped the hopper down, stopped the agitator to keep rocks from moving, filled the hopper with water, when it was completly full i started pumping as soon as i saw the water coming out of the tip hose i put it in reverse with a full throttle. all the water went back to the hopper but when i hit the pipes to check if it was clean it still had concrete on it, so i had to suck a sponge. this was on a 23-4h/900 schwing. What did i did wrong? 

you tried to water wash, man just suck the sponge,save water bob needs it

Were you A-framed? Always go 2 up & 2 down! You had more than enough water if the hopper was full. I personally run my agitator in reverse! Helps clean the corners.

that water wash sounds a bit risky to me ,just suck one sponge  on slow reverse until you hear it fall down last section, stop pump fill tip bends with water then put in second ball in to reverse job done 

Mudslinger,  

Yes i had the boom A frame,

Pudg and Anypump,

I've always suck a sponge to wash , i think is less risky, but i just wanted to try something new, besides it was near the beach and the customer didnt had a place to dump an almost full hopper.the beach was full didnt want to take the risk of getting stuck in traffic with a full hopper. but it worked out ok anyway, cause when i suck the sponge there was not much concrete left on the pipes.

Just asking cause I have never done it,isn't there just as much of a mess by waterwashing seems like the same amount would come out the end of the boom as it would out of the hopper,I have done it when my pig would hang up and I never had a problem,but I have never done it as a washout method,I know how they are getting about washing out everywhere but it seems as there would actually be more water used for the water wash,in my opinion its like the guys that prime with water,a risk that I dont want to take but in your area that may be the way to go just down here we dont like taking the risk 

did you see bubbles when you threw it in reverse? you reverse it wide open til you see bubbles. i water wash just about everytime. i will use a water truck or fire hose when i water wash because i have a 52 and i do more than one hopper.

suck 2 sponges back man, water washing is crap it can cause more probs then you wanna;  suck a sponge then fill your hoper up and pump a sponge thru. (after u wash out)

I suck concrete from the boom back, then I fill about half of the tip hose with water, then suck a sponge back. It work good. 31m boom.

Pudge

your right about that the same amount of concrete left in the hopper comes out out of the tip hose , but the difference is you can put the tip hose inside the mixer and eventually they will be less concrete left at the job site. i will keep sucking a sponge is less risky and more faster than waterwash and besides some mixer drivers dont like to wait untill you are finished with the water hose.

Well where we are if you water was h u are screwed unless u dump the hopper first. All we have is rock.

As I mentioned in the earlier post; I too tried water washing and ended up spending 4 hours taking apart boom pipes and ramming rebar to get all the stone loose. I have decided the sponge is good enough for me, although my pipes are not as clean as I would like them to be.

i too was scared like you guys but now i am pretty good at the water washing thing. you guys didnt just go out one day and pump concrete right. it was a little risky right. now you guys are pretty good at it right. well all i am saying is practice at it but i would have someone with you to show you how to do and and point out what your doing wrong cuz you can spend like 4 hours on it if you mess it up. i have pluged up one time on a water wash and took me about 45 minutes to get it free. but you should remember that if ou plug up on a water wash dont panic you have all the time in the world cuz its rocks and sand. 

Oh yeah it was rocks and sand all right. Very many little rocks all jammed together in a 5 inch line for about 40 feet.

Once you learn,there is only 1 use for your sponge.And thats to put it in your tip hose to keep the color of money off your boom when yor folding up.I would rather a guy bring in a boom full of rock and sand than a boom full of mud.You can always work a bad wtrwsh without tearing pipe off.

I'm with Art and Oregonfan if you don't have somebody out there with you to show you how to do it your first time you could have problems but once you get water washing down you'll have no problem at all and will never want to suck a sponge again. In the last five years I've only had to suck a sponge back 1 time on my pump but every time on a placing boom and thats the only time that i'll do it! unless the customer doesn't want me to water wash cause he has no water on site but that's rare in So Cal!

It seems as though most of the guys waterwashing are from the westcoast I know theyre tough on washout regulations there so maybe you all are doing what you have to,there maybe a day whem we have to do the same thing here,and I'll be asking for your help,but for now I'm gonna keep sucking back my go devil and not having any problems,IT IS THE CONTACTORS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE TO WASHOUT YOUR EQUIPMENT,we push that hard here if it means getting a washout bin or digging a pit we leave our mess on the jobsite we never bring it back to the yard. 

I have pumped in a lot of different areas of the country and with many different types of material, some good some really bad. I have always sucked a sponge. During that same time and in those same conditions there were always guys that water washed and got away with it every day. I was always amazed.

Lee Horton, 1boomdriver, was the best waterwash guy. He proved to me that the best cure for a blown water wash was a better water wash. He would just work the rock and sand out a little bit at a time.

Never had the guts to do it myself - ever. He did it all day every day.

Who is to say what is the best way?

Why play russian roullete with an automatic! From experience the best thing you can do is use a go devil, your pipe will look like crome everytime. Besides that how do you keep from making a mess, your hopper has to be flowing all over the back of your pump. I don't understand the purpose of the waterwash, sounds like people trying to reinvent the wheel!

I agree with local 18

It is a great way to clean the boom out when you are pumping really dry mud. Have you ever not been able to get the sponge to come back because the mudd was so dry and it allowed air to flow around it into the cyclinders. Did you wind up having to circulate the mud to get it to suck a sponge. I would be glad to teach anyone in Southeast louisiana how to do it. Call me on the phone or come over to Lafayette. It is not something you can do on every job but it can save you in a pinch.

Russ

I am quite interested in learning how to water wash even if I can't do it every time, I do believe sending a good dose of water through the pipes right after a pour is an effective way to give them a good cleaning. Unfortunately all the guys I have talked with in my area that run pumps also look at me like I'm from the moon whenever I mention using water to clean out. I have been told that when it comes to pumps that water can be both your friend and your enemy. If I ever get down around Lafayette or if you ever get to Eastern Ontario I'll give you a call.

iam not an expert but if you go to the RM truck and blow the rock out before you suck back you can eliminate the rock pack. clean out so you do not waste your time. 

I can tell you what you did wrong. You didn't run it up and down the second time. After  pumping your hopper down,shut off auger,fill with water ,pump it downfull volume and rpm.  in mycase irun a52, it takes two hopper fulls. then you suck it back full volume. THEN AT AN IDLE! run the water back up a second time. Then full rpm's and volume in reverse a second time.If you do it ths way you should never have any problems. ENJOY!

O.K. Here is my version of water washing,I have done it this way for 2 years with NO PROBLEMS what so ever. Just be sure that your not pointed down hill I alway try to set the nose up 2 degrees,any way

1.Put your hopper cover on.

2.Pump the hopper down,all the way down.whether it be on the ground or in the RM truck,stop the pump right after your valve switches.

3.Turn the auger and vibrator OFF,fill your hopper TO THE TOP.

4.Slowly take one stroke,as soon as the valve switches shut the pump off.

5.Fill the hopper back to the top,as much water as it will hold.

6.Turn your volume up all the way.

7.Bring your RPM's all the way up.

8.Turn the pump on,With my 47m schwing i take 13 strokes   this give me two good blasts of water out of the end of the hose

9.WITHOUT hesitation switch the pump into reverse,and leave it in reverse until you get the hose to the back of the pump.Where you can rinse the hose out

10.I cover the end of the hose(while still in reverse)and let it make 6 more strokes this will make alot of suction and then pull your hand from the hose.

11.rinse the hose out shove a ball in the end of the hose and fold her up

OK I am sure some one will say "BAH!!!! that wont work" but this is the way i have done it from the first day i did it with no sweat

I Grow up on a pump, My dad water wash from the 1970 days. I water wash my hole life. I only used a sponge on a gate valve. Im 50 now. And Reading all the things you younger guys talk about LOL. Like Art said Are sponges are used for are hoses LOL. I Know Why you had concrete still in your pipes. But like most new guys! You think you know it all. This will be pumping 101.... Smaller pumps don't have a lot of up pipe to back wash, And once you revers it they don't pump fast Leaving rocks in the deck, A few tricks are ! 1= After you revers the boom! Lent the water set for 20 sec or so, Then slowly pump the water back up the boom, And then revers it as fast as that little pump will go LOL. You can do that a few times and you clean, One other way? I have all so put all 3 stright out putting the hose in the truck. After I pump the hopper down Revers it. And then Repeat what i said earlyer. Run it up 1 more time. Here is 411 for all you spong suckers! You can water wash with your boom layed out flat, I have don it many times. I just like to run a few hoppers out be for i pick up the boom  to revers it. Anymore ????

all this water and sponge talk... learn how to suck a bucket of water back. you wont rock out your pipes, not a huge gross mess on the ground (from the boom or the hopper) you can pump the mud back to the mixer, suck a bucket, and then dump a small pile of stuff out of the hopper. you can also suck a bucket, fold it up go to another job and prime out without dumping the hopper.( my record is a 2 hour travel and prime back out) I have cleaned the boom all three ways and sucking a bucket is fool proof. I dont know why soooooo many people are so hard to try it. Instead of 100 gals to water wash you need a 30 gal bucket wich also makes you LESS dependant on the mixers. Where I pump there is rarely water on the site. And when you suck a sponge back you have a hopper of mud, witch takes a lot more water to rinse out. suck a bucket and you have a little mud with mostly water. The majority of guys I have pumped with are on the same boat as me. There is just no good reason not to suck a bucket.

Wow.  I have heard of ones water washing on west coast.  lets begin with the aggregate. . . lighter and less dense.  Why mess with a system that works. . . Too many people are doing that with every aspect of pumping.  I personally suck 2 balls, one with the mud untill it is all the way back.  Then I pull a water ball back with about 5 gallons of water.  pipes come out clean as if they were new...   Also before i even suck a ball I pump air thru the system and push out as much as I can( without anyone around the discharge hose!!!!!)  Then I pull my balls and only have concrete up to the agigitator.   But always always always check your hopper before you pump down to make sure there is no water that could possibly separate the material.  This is probably the number one reason people have problems getting a ball back

Lee82

Sponge - water - sponge is a guarantee.

Perfect every time. ;~)

would love to learn

Somebody can make the video with water wash?lol

this topic has derailed...

I think sucking 2 sponges is the best way to do it. the pipes will look like new all the time. This is what i do. Empty the hopper, disconnect hose + reducer, fill up with water the tip of  the boom, add the 1st sponge, give it one stroke back, add more water, add the 2sd sponge and then suck it all the way back. Your pipes will look great. i'll try to get a pic of what the pipes look like after i do that.

hope this was helpfull

i personally love the water wash. at the end of a long day and you have hot mud in the hopper, push it out with water and you have a panic free washout. unfortunately i work in texas now and my employers don't allow it (the rocks are generally inch and a half out here in houston). so back to the sponge. which is cool because if you do it right you have soup in the hopper when you move. just pump until the air comes out of the tip, turn off the agitators, wash the hopper down real good. put your sponge(s) in hit reverse then after the second stroke turn your agitators in reverse so it mixes it all up. when you get to the wash out it should just fall right out. it sounds to me like the op did everything right but watch for the hopper to bubble indicating clean pipes. another way to tell when your pipes are cleaned out is by shouting into the transition 90. if you hear an echo you're good to go.

I would like to know what would be the turnout after someone did water wash here in new york city lol????

But to be honest i've been watting to try to do it for a long time...

Maybe one of theses days when i go to the farms...

Out of Control....lol

try to master all wash out methods. I believe they all have a purpose. water wash, bucket , garbage can ,air, devil, sponge...I too pretty much only use a sponge to keep crete drippings off the stick :-)

3

water-washing wears out your gaskets faster than you can imagine.Most of you who water wash have not mentioned this!Or maybe your not aware of it cause your not buying them.Although gaskets are inexpensive it adds up quickly. Most manufactures recommend sucking a sponge back SLOWLY with boom straight up.(I'll agree 100%)your pipes will be cleaner and you won't risk the extra costs (XTRA LABOR) associated with water washing. Again for those of you who care about cost in general.

N2Mud: Can you explain the logic behind your thinking that waterwashing wears out gaskets? I'll agree it will SHOW you a worn gasket ,but only use or misalignment will wear them out! Waterwashing DOESN"T cause anywhere near the pressures to blow out a gasket!

Maybe water degrease them.(If I have correctly understood)

I agree with Rich C

I have been pumping for about 13 years and have always water washed. Started out on a 845 and moved on to the four sections putz/reeds. I have sucked sponges, sucked a 50 gallon bucket of water, and sucked water out of a stream or pond. I like water washing the best.

If anyone is new to water washing and going to try. Remeber if you pack up the boom full of gravel, dont panic. Open up your transition and let your reducer drain clean and scrap all the gravel out of your transition. Refill your hopperwith water and try it agian. Forward reverse, forward reverse until the gravel starts to move. If that doesnt work try it agian. That might not work for everyone but, its work for me. I never had a boom party over a water wash or did any of my employees. Good luck everyone!

If I had access to the water I would do it, but getting water here is like asking people to do push ups, so Ill keep sucking 2 sponges. I personally like water washing, because when you go to drop your hopper, you have water and rocks, not a hopper full of mud, it makes washing out 10 times faster with a much less mess.

I've never had a problem....I always suck two sponges.  Never a bad prime the next day......

N2 mud

How does water washing wear out your gaskets faster? You put all new gaskets on a boom you go out do your first job and the gaskets seal off, if they start leaking it has to mean your pipes our out of line, or you bought a bad brand name of gaskets off a company and they just wear out to quick or aren't designed right. After your first pour the concrete get's sealed off into the gasket it's not like you break all your pipe off and gaskets everyday and clean them and put them back on. So please explain your theory on how water washing wears out your gaskets faster? PLEASE DO! We use Con Forms gaskets for all our pumps and change the oils and check all the 90's and pipe every two to three months, and that's all we do is water wash out here and all our swivel gaskets we change out every service but the gaskets between the pipe we only change if we have to put a new pipe on and even then there usually still good. We did a test about two years ago on the Conforms pipe and gaskets the pipe lasted us 75,000 yards and the gaskets lasted 145,000 with out leaking until we checked all of them we saw they were starting to go bad and changed them and this was on a 42 meter which does a lot of high volume pours. So again please explain your theory to me!

I was wrong.

since i posted the thread i didnt had the oportunity to water wash because were ever i pumped their was no water available except for my own. But today i tried it again and it worked out perfect. After i did the water wash i put a sponge to check if ther was something left in the pipes, and there was absolutly nothing. thanks everybody for the advice and help.thanks.