How to Fix a Sandblast Hose that is Not Pressurizing or Has No Flow
A common issue that I get calls about is a sandblaster who has been working a while and moving along well but all of a sudden there blast nozzle is no longer getting any pressure and/or is just leaking a ton of blast media without any air to pressurize the blast media (the hose is having flow problems). Ultimately this problem results in you being unable to blast effectively and costs production time. Will provide a few simple ways to fix this problem so you can get back to blasting quickly.
Step 1 to Fix a Sandblast Hose that Is Not Pressurizing - Check the Nozzle
If your sandblast hose will not pressurize and is leaking excessive sandblast media it is important to understand what is occurring. At the most basic level, air is being prevented from being pushed through your sandblast line while media is still building up in the blast line causing you to lose all production. To resolve the issue we have to determine why air flow has been reduced. The first thing to check is to remove your sandblast nozzle and check to see if anything is blocking the nozzle. Often times a small rock or blast media can become lodged which will reduce air flow and cause your hose to not pressurize or blast well. Clear the nozzle of any plugs. After you can resume blasting and if the problem continues after removing the plug move to step 2.
Step 2 to Fix a Sandblast Hose that Is Not Pressurizing - Remove and empty the Blast hose
If you checked the sandblast nozzle, removed any plug in the sandblast nozzle, and still are having the problem, then the next step is to check your sandblast hose. Sometimes when a plug develops in the nozzle your sandblast pot will cause the blast hose to fill with blast media. If the blast media gets to be to much in your blast hose, your blast nozzle will no longer be able to properly propel the blast media. So the second step to check after checking the blast nozzle is to remove the blast hose from your blast pot and walk the hose starting with the nozzle back toward the pot lifting each section as you go. This will help remove any excessive blast media in the blast hose, you will know it is working if you see blast media pour out of the blast hose. Do this two or three times from the front of the blast hose going back to ensure you have gotten most of the residual blast media out.
Step 3 to Fix a Sandblast Hose that Is Not Pressurizing - Check the Blast Pot
If you have reviewed and tried the steps mentioned for the sandblast hose and sandblast pot but still cannot get your blast hose to pressurize the next thing to check is your blast pot. If you notice your blast pot will not pressurize then it is most likely due to a worn inlet or outlet valve, a worn blast media valve not controlling blast media flow, or the blast pot pop up valve is not working. If you notice the pop up valve on the blast pot not moving then the problem is either the pop up valve seal is bad or the inlet valve is bad. The other potential source of the problem is that your dead man remote needs replaced or the hose to the deadman remote is leaking. Check these few areas to see if they are causing the problem, you can also review our guide on sandblast pot troubleshooting to better understand the areas being mentioned.