Dense Packing Problems with Clogging?
One of the most frequent problems we troubleshoot is trouble during dense packing. It can be a frustration. Dense packing takes time and there is no real good way to make this process go fast. HOWEVER, there are things you can do to maximize efficiency without having to wait 10 minutes for each cavity.
Use the largest diameter wall tubing as possible.
Wall tubing comes in various sizes (2″, 1.5″ and 1.25″). It is a good practice to have all three sizes on hand. When dense packing, the larger the tubing, the faster your job will go. Further, with the larger 2″ wall tubing, you will be able to use the tube to help jam the material into place.
If you are drilling and filling a cavity that is built with a 2×4, most likely, a 2″ hose is fine. However, if the interior walls of the home are plastered, then the plaster will create an issue with that diameter. Therefore, you will have to use the smaller diameter hoses.
The larger diameter the hose, the faster your project will proceed.
“My hose keeps clogging!”
Here are two points that will make dense packing go smoothly.
- Make sure you have the proper hose set-up. This is where you must start to trouble-shoot. No matter what settings you have on your machine, if your hoses are not properly set-up, then you WILL have problems. The key is PROPER REDUCTION. Do not attempt to reduce your 3″ hose to 1.5″ without a series of reductions. Even reducing from 3″ to 2″ requires reduction. Why is this important? As cellulose, fiberglass and rockwool flow through the hoses, no matter how little material you introduce into the hose, IF the material is not given time to spread evenly through the hose, the material is certainly jam. The fix for this is to allow the material to reduce gradually. Notice the recommended set-up diagrams below.
- Experiment with your airlock and blower settings. The adage, “Little Material, Lots of Air” is the standard practice. The airlock controls the amount of material being introduced into the hose. Assuming you have the proper hose set-up, you can start with a 4″ opening on the airlock and turn one blower up to about 3/4″ full speed. If things are smooth, then open the airlock more. Do not expect to be able to open the airlock all the way.
Our Recommended Dense Packing Hose Set-ups
Keep in mind that in 99% of your job situations, you may not need over 150′ of hose. Always use the minimum hose necessary. The shorter the hose, the more efficient your job. With that said, you still want to give the material plenty of distance. A good rule of thumb is to not reduce any faster than 1″ in diameter within 50 feet. This allows the material to adjust to the reductions and spread evenly through the hose.
The following dense pack kits will give you solid recommendations, based on a total of 150′. If you need a longer distance, then increase the length of the hose connected to the machine. In other words, do not make your smaller hoses longer.
2″ Dense Packing Wall Tubing