K-rend e-grade blockages

[jdplast]

Is anyone spraying e-grade regularly ? I don't use it much I prefer weber or parex for spraying but I've got a few jobs on where the customer is adamant they want k-rend. I've used it twice last week and I have had a blockage in the pipe both times after stopping spraying for five to ten minutes maximum, when I've turned the gun on again I've had a blockage with the second one costing me a 10m length of material hose as it couldn't be cleared.

I'm using a 3 phase utiform Quattro and I had the water set at about 250 compared with 200 that weber sprays at through the machine, if anyone on here is using this gear what water settings are you on?

The gear sprayed nicely and didn't seem stiff coming out of the gun, it was picking up quick once on the wall and felt slightly stiffer than the pral m does when ruling but not so much as to be of any concern.

the only other point to make is that I had two 10m lengths of material hose connected, one a couple of weeks old and the other an old length that came with the machine when I bought it that seemed quite worn, both times the blockage was in the old pipe and the new pipe cleaned out with no problems at all and no signs of any blockage. Could the problem of been the old worn pipe?

just plucking at straws to try to figure out if I need to go wetter or it was just the pipe really....

 

[PFTwales]

1, wat rotor and stator are you using. I recommend a PFT D6_3 SLIMLINE. Or a PFT D4_2 CLAMPABLE. This type of stator is softer and allows material to pump easily. Silicone render can be a bit more difficult to mix.
2, check that none of your fittings leek at the joints, they may need new levers and seals.
3, once you set the material prime ur pipes and completely empty the water. Connect 1 pipe and send material through. Connect second pipe and send material through. Connect gun. Never try connecting it all together and sending it through. Your asking for trouble
4, use your motar pressure guage to be sure you have the correct consistency going through. 1 bar of pressure for every mtr of hose on. I.e if ur running 20 mts of hose the guage will read 20 bar.
The pressure guage is masively important in understanding your machine is running correctly.

 

[jdplast]

i'm using the utiform D6_3 (Not a twister) but the gear didn't block the R/S it was just in that one pipe.

as for the setting up (point number 3) that is exactly how I set it up.

I don't have a pressure gage on it at the minute, which I realise is flying blind i'll have to get one.

I've been reading some older threads on here and some people have reported similar issues with water set at 350 so maybe I need to go wetter with the gear?

i'm not a fan of spraying with my gear too wet but I might need to get used to it with this stuff.

 

[Rigsby]

When I started spraying I was at the time spraying too stiff but never realised it. So used to the hand applied consistency. But over time I made it wetter and didn't rule until it had picked a bit.

Look at youtube vids and see how wet some people spray, it stiffens up in minutes.

We had trouble with a 15m pipe of ours blocking so what we do is fill it with soapy water and keep both ends suspended so keeping the water in. Then after priming the machine and adjusting the consistency we connect the pipe to the machine and let the material push the water out. No blockages with the 15m pipe since. Another tip is you get the material just right, then up the water slightly, pump it out for a few seconds so obviously too wet, connect the pipe and run for a few seconds then slowly turn the water down to your desired setting.

 

[keithuk]

Wetter is Better ! as Rigsby said ,we spray in two coats sod pushing around 18mm of render

 

[user__removed]

Yep wetter the better nothing worse than trying to push it in dry.

 

[MikeAtthis]

and the r/s last longer

 

[jdplast]

yea, I don't go mad with the gear I've seen people spraying with the gear a lot stiffer than i do but I could go wetter so i'm going to try that on the next spray with k rend, I've no issues with webber I've put the gun down for 40 minutes and picked it up half expecting a blockage but no problems at all and its always nice and creamy when ruling.

I think its just adjusting to different gear i'll get it right next time I reckon, I was kind of thinking "wetter the better" would solve the problem and that seems to be the advice I'm getting so i'll give it a go.

Cheers lads.