I used to run my dredge at full throttle all the time until a veteran told me to slow way down

For 2 years I thought faster pump speed meant more material moved. Last summer on the Mississippi a old timer showed me his setup running at 60% throttle. I tried it on a tight channel near Baton Rouge and my slurry density went up by 30%. Slower lets the solids settle in the suction instead of just pushing water. Anyone else find that backing off the throttle actually boosts your daily yardage?

2 comments

2 Comments

west.claire23d ago

Baton Rouge area myself. Ran my dredge wide open for five years straight. 2008 on the Atchafalaya I was pulling 400 yards a day flat out. Dropped to 60% throttle one week and my production fell off a cliff. Sand bars every afternoon. Slow speed just couldnt lift the heavy stuff up the pipe. I watched the vacuum gauge bounce all over the place at 60%. Couldnt keep a steady flow. Full throttle gives me a reliable 350 yards every shift. No guesswork.

the_lee24d ago

Ran my dredge wide open for three seasons before I learned this lesson on the Arkansas River. Dropped to 60% and watched my production go up 25% in the first week. The trick is finding that sweet spot where the vacuum gauge sits steady in the green zone. You want the solids tumbling through the suction line not just blasting past it. Check your vacuum reading while you throttle down and stop when it peaks. That's your money spot.