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Sludge Pump

I've seen someone use something like it. You have to agitate the mud into a slurry so the pump can move it. I've used the venturi-type pump Cat makes - it's only around $150 and has no moving parts to get damaged or worn.
 
MEP001 said:
I've seen someone use something like it. You have to agitate the mud into a slurry so the pump can move it. I've used the venturi-type pump Cat makes - it's only around $150 and has no moving parts to get damaged or worn.
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Tell me more about this Cat Pump. What powers it? Did you put this together yourself or did come as a unit?
 
It's not really a pump, it's just a tube with a zero-degree nozzle in the center pointing up the tube. It creates a strong suction and pulls the mud at 10:1 with the water it uses. I looked through a couple of catalogs and didn't see it, but I'll look some more later.
 
OK, what Cat venturi pump are we talking about??? Or non-pump? what are you guys saying you use? I can always use something different. I figure if I pump the sludge off the top periodically, I will have less shoveling.
 
I tried the Cat inductor type sludge pump once. It would move liquefied sludge OK but the hose would plug up if it went any distance, like 15 feet. I gave up and went back to a shovel. I can do it faster with a shovel or catch basin spoon.
 
I still have no idea what we are talking about. What kind of pump? Sounds like it would work for me. I would only need to pump my slurry up about 8 feet.
 
I still haven't found the one made by Cat which I had maybe 15 years ago, but it looks similar to the Suttner model. I used it to clean out the grease and silt trap that for some reason was about 12 feet deep and 6 feet round. With normal bay pressure it had no trouble lifting the sludge and moving it down 50 feet of old vac hose pieces I coupled together.
 
I like this idea but what happens after you pump it 15-20 ft away from the pit? Then what? Does the water/dirt/slush vaporize?:D
 
dogwasher said:
I like this idea but what happens after you pump it 15-20 ft away from the pit? Then what? Does the water/dirt/slush vaporize?:D
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Uh, you pump it into a trailer and haul it to a dump site legal in your locale?

What do you usually do with the sludge from your pits? Does it normally vaporize?
 
Indiana Wash said:
Uh, you pump it into a trailer and haul it to a dump site legal in your locale?

What do you usually do with the sludge from your pits? Does it normally vaporize?
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So you haul away 4 Cubic feet of dirt that is now 100 cubic feet because you just added ten times the water to it...sounds like a dumb idea.

Guess you cant take a joke vapor boy
 
I used it to pump the stuff that sank to the bottom of the trap back into a bay. Most of it would settle out on the bay floor and in the pit if I cleaned it out first. The venturi pump moves the mud at 10:1, which means it only adds about 10% to the volume as water.
 
dogwasher said:
So you haul away 4 Cubic feet of dirt that is now 100 cubic feet because you just added ten times the water to it...sounds like a dumb idea.

Guess you cant take a joke vapor boy
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Yeah, they were saying that it is moved at 10:1. I think you need help with your math. 4 Cubic feet of dirt moved at a 10:1 ratio is 4.4 cubic feet you after you add water, not 100 cubic feet.
 
Randy said:
Here’s a few I found. The one I had was metal.

http://www.ultimatewasher.com/sludge-pumps.htm

http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/SLUDGE_PUMP.html

http://www.pressure-washer-parts.co...cat=Sludge+Pump&L2=Accessories&L3=Sludge+Pump

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200327889_200327889

http://www.pressurewasherstuff.com/index.php/cPath,291_295
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We still have our metal one that used to be heavily advertised about 20 years ago. Over 10 years ago we did get some use out of it during the winter time to force the mud from our shallowest pit to a pit that had room left between pumpings--- that would tend to be during the winter time where the imbalance of bay usage might be greater. Now it tends to be a part just on standby or possibly clutter depending on the latest emergency --- it was surprising how good it worked --- if you go to another pit the excess water will tend to flow out through the exit pipes.

MJ
 
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