Question about an old timer's advice on suction line pressure

I was working a sand and gravel job on the Ohio River last spring, running a 10 inch cutterhead dredge. The pump was acting up, losing prime and the production numbers were way down. This old guy named Frank, who's been at it since the 70s, came by and told me to check the suction line pressure gauge. He said, 'If it's reading over 25 psi with the cutter on the bottom, you're starving the pump, son.' I thought he was full of it because I was focused on the discharge side. Well, after two days of fighting it, I finally looked. The gauge was pegged at 35. Turns out a big piece of river debris was jammed in the intake screen. Cleared it out and we were back to moving 300 cubic yards an hour. He was right, and I felt like a fool for not listening sooner. How many of you guys make a habit of watching that suction pressure reading as a first check?

3 comments

3 Comments

elizabeths514d ago

Wow, I always watched the discharge side too.

ericj454d ago

Honestly though, the intake side is way more interesting to watch. You can actually see the water building up before it lets go. Tbh the discharge side is just the same thing every time.

sarah8183d ago

Wait, but @elizabeths51, isn't the discharge side way louder?