Hose length for highbanker/dredge?

[Ragnor]

I am wondering what a good hose length is for a 2.5" highbanker dredge with a hf250 hydroforce nozzel would be. I headed into town today and picked up some suction hose. I got 15' of 1.5" and got 20' of 2.5" for the price of 15' because it was the end of the spool. I can already see how standard suction hose will be a PITA compared to the keene hose that came with my dredge. I got a spare sluice and flare jet with my dredge I just bought and I have a 2.5hp briggs and stratton 45 psi rated pacer pump that has about 30 minutes run time on it that Ive had hanging around for ever now, so I thought I would build a dedicated pack-in rig for the hydroforce.
I know the recommended max length of hose on the hf250 is 15', but I'm wondering if maybe 12 feet would be more reasonable for working gravel bar materials on the bank.
What length of hose would you guys recommend for a setup like that for working out along the banks?

 

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[Hoser John]

If it was my rig I'd just run what I brung as once cut the connector to reassemble will always be a pinch point for plugups. BUT with a trash pump you'll have some pretty wimpy dredge suction as back pressure is not their forte. Ok to highbank but dredge a tougher animal to do. Leave alone till you have to do the deed IF you have to as hacksaw in 10 seconds and ez in the field-lotsa luck-That tissue paper hose that came with that thing dies quickly so PITA is what you want to last.John

 

[QNCrazy]

I agree with John, leave the lengths as they are and give it a shot. For higbanking, you have to consider the elevation of your highbanker in relation to where you are drawing your material. You mentioned you will be using a Hydroforce nozzle. If that is the case, I am assuming you are working outside of the waterline, up on a bank. If this is correct, set the highbanker up lower than where you will be drawing the material and you should be fine with what you have. If you set the higbanker up above the material, you might have pressure problems. I am basing this on what I have experienced.

 

[winners58]

I can already see how standard suction hose will be a PITA compared to the keene hose that came with my dredge.

are you talking about high pressure hose like at the farm store, they don't bend very well

maybe get a kiddy pool and test it at home first,

on one of my dredges a few years back I would use layflat then a 4ft piece of the pressure hose to hang onto.
.

 

[motohed]

I was thinking a pool vacume hose might work , but not shure how long it would last .