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Heads up on that 'quick fix' for pump cavitation noise

A mechanic in Mobile swore that just backing off the throttle a hair would stop the rattle on our old Ellicott 12-inch cutterhead. Tried it for a week and it just masked the issue until we blew a seal and lost a full day of production. What's your actual first step when you hear that high-pitched whine from the suction line?
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3 Comments
fionam11
fionam111mo ago
That "backing off the throttle" trick is a classic band-aid. My buddy's crew did the same on a dredge pump and it ran quiet for a day before the impeller looked like Swiss cheese. Your actual first step should always be checking the strainer for a clog.
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paul_ramirez
So they checked the strainer... did they pull the whole basket or just eyeball it from the hatch?
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nancy_wood
nancy_wood1mo ago
Swiss cheese impeller" - did they check the suction line joints too?
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