Is it smarter to run a dredge 24/7 or shut down overnight on river jobs?

I've been going back and forth on this since a job on the Mississippi last month. Running nonstop seemed to clear material faster but burned through 3 cutter teeth in a week, while shutting down gave the gearbox a break but added 2 hours of startup each morning to re-prime everything. What's your experience been with wear and tear vs. production time?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettyhunt9d ago

You mentioned burning through 3 cutter teeth in a week and that's honestly better than my luck. Last time I tried running a dredge nonstop on a river job I was basically just grinding rocks into gravel and hoping nobody noticed. The startup time re-priming is a killer though, feels like you waste half the morning just watching water move through hoses. I figure it's a lose-lose but at least with the shutdown your gearbox isn't screaming at you by Friday.

terrymitchell8d ago

Three teeth in a week is still cheaper than a rebuild.