Suggestions regarding how to loosen impacted sand and gravel in 4" PVC

[RalphVa]

We've the tractor crossing in reasonably good shape after the tropical storm made a mess of it in late May.

Two out of the 5 pipes underneath it are flowing quite well. However, the other 3 are in various states of plugging from impacted sand/gravel in the 4" PVC pipes. Yeah, I should have bought a couple small culverts and put those in, but that's past. This crossing has worked fine for 14 years. Just have to shovel muck out upstream and downstream every so often and sometimes air blow some of the lines (which isn't working now).

Anyone have any ideas on how to get the impacted stuff out? We seem to have been able to jam my 3/4" pipe with an air connection on the end through each of the 3 pipes, but they won't loosen beyond that. The pipes are 6' long and seem to be impacted about 2 or 3 feet right in the middle so that reaching in from either side is a long one with ones arm but reachable.

In the past, I'd drive the 3/4" pipe into the muck and blow some air from a portable tank, and that would loosen things up and get flow going. No go on this stuff.

We've about a 6' pry bar with wide chisel on one end and point on the other end. Cannot get that thing through. Same for a long crow bar; won't go. Yet, the 3/4" pipe has gone through.

No power. Have the water flowing underneath through those 2 pipes. Have ordered a Worx hydroshot. It's a little power washer that works off battery from suction dropped into a bucket. Can easily fill the bucket with water flowing by.

Thought about using one of the sewer augers. Have a short one that's probably 6' or so. May try it.

Bought the hydroshot to arrive tomorrow but have to charge the battery up.

Any idea?

Ralph

 

[bunyip]

Had a similar problem and used the flexible drain cleaner with water on the high side, took a while but we got there.

 

[Stimw]

I have put in shallow wells with a garden hose and 2" PVC up to 40' deep.
Water pressure is way more powerful than air.

 

[/pine]

pressure washer with long wands...apply from low end if possible...

Extended wands can be made from 3/8 NTP..

 

[Fossil Farm]

Field tile snake. Most are 50 to 100 feet long that I have bought over the years.

 

[RalphVa]

Sounds as though I'm on the right track with the Worx hydroshot. It can provide some water force.

This crossing is 100' below the house and about 500' or more down slope. No utilities down there.

At the end of the summer, we have this tank that floated in to dispose of. Picture attached.

Ralph

 

[CADplans]

I was worried about putting in a 12 inch PVC pipe for a crossing,,, :confused2:

I guess I will go ahead with the 12 inch x 20 foot pipe,,

I have two pvc pipes under my driveway, they are 8 inch,, installed in 1978.
The inside of each looks like glass, they are so smooth,,

MANY truckloads of gravel have gone through each pipe,

Install a larger pipe, Lowes sells a 15 inch X 20 foot culvert for $200,, hard to beat,,,

 

[Redlands Okie]

A “trash pump” from a rental store. Basically just a small 5 horsepower or so gasoline powered water pump that is made to handle a moderate amount of mud and silt. The suction hoses are usually a bit stiff and same hose could be used for the exit and stuck up into the PVC pipe. Drop the intake in the creek and slide the discharge into the PVC. It will have moderate pressure but high volume.

Gasoline powered pressure washer from a close by rental store if your new tool does not have the power needed. Regardless of what kind of pressure washer used keep in mind that the water needs to be clean, as in filter clean. Small sand grains can clog up a tip and any particles will very quickly (as in a few minutes) ruin the rings or pistons in the water pump side.

 

[oosik]

I was going to recommend - garden hose with nozzle - but unless you have an unusual amount of hose - no joy there.

However - water pressure WILL clear the 4" PVC pipes. I think Redlands Okie has the answer or your Worx thing. I occasionally pump a spring time pond that forms around one of my outbuildings with a 3" trash pump I have. The discharge from the trash pump would DEFINITELY clear impacted muck out of any size pipe.

 

[PILOON]

When my culvert clogged I used a length of 1/2" electrical conduit that I brazed a garden hose fitting to.
I then hammered the end somewhat to create a jet of sorts.
Naturally I was within garden hose distance so I had all the water I needed, the rest was simply patience and I eventually washed out enough debris to re open that culvert. As a more permanant fix I created a fairly large sump to gather debris B4 it could again clog that culvert.
I also have inserted a length of tracing wire to get that sump thawed in early spring.
Also I usually dump a fair bit of rock salt at the end of winter to early start the melt process.

I read somewhere that some road departments actually install a small pipe inside of the culverts as it is then easier to simply run hot water to open a small passage.
Once the smallest amount of water starts flowing nature takes over and the opening soon widens.