Huge clay clog last week taught me a new trick

I was dredging a channel near Mobile Bay and hit a massive clay plug that stalled my cutterhead for almost 45 minutes. After some digging I found that running the pump at half speed while reversing the swing let the clay break apart without stalling again. Has anyone else tried this method for sticky clay deposits?

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2 Comments

harpercampbell3mo ago

You know what nobody talks about with clay plugs like that? The water salinity. Running brackish water through a cutterhead with a clay plug actually changes the clay's consistency. I've had better luck flushing with fresh water from a barge tank before even trying to break it apart. That half speed reverse trick is solid but pump cavitation can ruin your day if the clay is too tight. Did you check your suction screen after that 45 minute stall?

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smith.elliot3mo ago

Mobile Bay is exactly the kind of place where this gets bad, I've seen it firsthand. The trick with reversing the swing at half speed does work, but you gotta watch your motor load closely - if the amps spike past 80% of rated you're asking for a blown seal. What nobody mentions is that after a 45 minute stall like that you should run a bucket of clean water through your suction line before restarting full speed. Stagnated clay in that line can harden into a concrete-like plug that takes a whole shift to break out with a bar. Also check your ladder angle too, if you're too shallow the clay just packs tighter against the cutterguard.

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