Got roasted by an old timer for running too fast and it changed my whole approach

Tbh I used to crank the cutterhead speed on my Ellicott 370 up to 12 RPM because I thought faster meant more production. This guy named Jerry in Galveston watched me for 5 minutes and said 'you're just stirring up mud, not digging anything.' Slowed down to 7 RPM and my hourly yardage jumped by 20%. Anyone else get told they were running too hot and had to eat crow?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_skyler16d ago

Did Jerry happen to mention how much your vacuum gauge was bouncing? Thats the real tell on a 370. I had the same problem on a project in Charleston, running a 8x10 pump at 13 RPM thinking I was a hero. An old guy named Walt came over, put his hand on the cutterhead shaft, and said 'you're just making a dirty swimming pool.' Dropped to 8 RPM and my pump didn't cavitate every third swing. The key is that your cutter shouldn't outrun your pump's ability to clear the slurry. If your vacuum is jumping all over, you're spinning too fast for the material.

brookepark16d ago

You used to be one of those guys who thought more RPM meant more production... but that story about Walt is a real eye-opener. @the_skyler, that "dirty swimming pool" line is going to stick with me every time I hear a pump start to fight. Guess I've been guilty of outrunning my own slurry more times than I want to admit.