15/07/2025 - Evening

 15/07/2025 - Alex Randall & Sam Hill - 2hrs

We'd had pre-warning that surface hydraulics weren't working properly, and being told the small genny uses less diesel we decided to give it a go for the first time. Once we'd got enough phone signal to download the instructions from the North Pot diggers it started straight up, and we started hauling in Echo Pot. Usually the hoist makes 3 up-down cycles before cutting out, and then cuts out every cycle, so we swap to the South Pot one until that cuts out, and repeat for the session if there's only two of us. This way two people are very nearly as productive as three, and there's a lot less boring waiting for hoists to cool off.

So we were very surprised this evening when the hoist made 11 cycles before cutting out, and then it went to cutting out every 3 cycles. The only thing different I can think of is the genny being used, the small one being single phase and the bigger one 3 phase? If anyone smarter than me can explain why this would make a difference I'd be quite interested. This huge boost in productivity has meant we have completely cleared Echo of spoil for the first time since we started. But it also meant a third person would have been useful as there was no time to use the South Pot hoist, so only 5 bags were brought up to the 166' to join the 4 left from Sunday, and the remainder is stacked in the tunnel above Echo, as per the photos, for moving next time.

We'll be back to creating more spoil next session.

PS A reminder to anyone coming to help out or visit us, and to the regular team - the track to the dig is a private track, which we use with permission, and is also used by the farmer, residents and pedestrians so we need to keep our speed down.




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