Keene 2.5" Highbanker performance

[pothole]

Hey all, first post here although I've been lurking around for a month or so. I'm looking to pickup a highbanker dredge combo unit and trying to determine whether the Keene 2.5" is going to keep up with 2 guys working it. I have been using a 3" Proline highbanker with a Honda 120 (5hp?) engine and it seems to do really well in the 1-3' deep water we are working. I'm in fine gold country here in the Boise, Idaho area, and the Proline seems to be recovering that pretty well. So, there is a like-new Keene 2.5" unit with a 2.5 HP Honda engine that I'm looking at but it just seems so small and less durable than the 3" Proline and I'm concerned it won't be able to really do the job. Does anyone have any experience with that Keene unit and possibly provide some insight on how it would compare power-wise with that 3" Proline. The Proline I used isn't setup with a powerjet, it's just a regular two hose configuration. Thanks much.

 

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[okbasspro]

A huge difference in a 2.5 and 3 the 3 will pull 2x the material.I have a 2 inch combo and a 2.5 dredge the difference is amazing.

 

[Goodyguy]

I agree with Okbasspro
Although the 2.5" keene is a decent unit for it's size it will only suction about 1/2 as much material as the 3"

GG~

 

[pothole]

Would the 2.5" Keene be any better for fine or flour gold recovery than the 3" Proline?

 

[Goodyguy]

Good question,

More material run = more chance of more gold being recovered in most cases by the 3".
The suction power alone on the 3" could make a difference in cleaning out a deeper crevice.

As far as retaining the fine and flour gold in the sluice depends on the sluice setup.

GG~

 

[pothole]

Roger that...thanks for the responses. I think the research is leading towards the 3" Proline for the added power and durability.

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

... ergo so fourth a 4" should be all that much better,....

 

[pothole]

^Oh yeah, I'll have myself talked into a 6" floating dredge by the end of the day today...ha!

 

[okbasspro]

^Oh yeah, I'll have myself talked into a 6" floating dredge by the end of the day today...ha!

Roger that I am looking for one.Now find the biggest you can afford and then chose a bigger one.

 

[Hoser John]

The Proline has a REAL dredge setup and NO insipid grizzly bars to return your hard won gold back into the river/creek. Built better,better recovery and really 2 pieces of working equipment in one. John

 

[omnicron]

Hey I'm in the Boise area also, it's good to see another local boy here! Let me add my 2cents here. I basiclly run the 2.5 keene and from what I have seen is the narrow sluice (10") can easly get overloaded if you are not carefull with the nozzle. Not sure of the proline's sluice that your running but no way would I take a step backwards from a 3" to a 2.5" Better for you to spend the money and buy what you need to conver yours to a suction dredge. There is a place here local that you can buy the hoses much cheeper then online, can't think of the name this second but I will remember tomorrow as I drive past it every day going to work.

 

[pothole]

Hey omnicron, other Boise peeps in here..very cool! Well, against all your advice, I went with the 2.5" Keene..ha! I just wanted to get into something for the remainder of the fall season and this Keene was literally like brand new and had everything with it so it, all for a great price so I had to do it. It will be easy to sell it for what I paid next spring and upgrade into the Proline. That little 2.5hp Honda engine and Keene pump setup has a bit more power than I realized though...it may be hard to sell the Keene since it's so light and portable...just to keep as a little unit to take into more remote areas on my dirt bike or something.