"That kid that don't know nothin'"

Following! I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on load/unloading pneumatics. After 2 sessions with a trainer, they sent me out with a load plastic pellets, all by myself. Max 5 psi to unload, otherwise they melt and turn into little strings... my first unload solo: 8 hours! I hated that gig.
Good luck and don't be shy to ask for help. We all had our rough times.

 

You have to have that gauge.

If you don't you are not going to be able to unload it right. It will either overload the tanker or plug up the product.

Get that gauge replaced or fixed before heading out. Or grab another trailer that has a working gauge.

There is no possible workaround for a no gauge tanker to unload. Don't do it.

 

I'm with @Just passing by , don't be afraid to ask.

I've only been doing dry bulk about 3 months total (1 with a trainer and 2 out on my own) so don't really know #### myself but if I can help in any way I will. There are a few guys around here that seem happy to help us rookies learn the ropes.

Good luck out there. The best thing I can say at the moment is write everything down. Take notes like there's no tomorrow, what valve settings worked good, what ones sucked, pressures, anything at all you might notice. I still get my notebook from training out on a regular basis.

 

Run your PTO slower, keep your assist valve open for flow and modulate your product valve. Blowoff to keep pressure down if you have to. But any plant that requires low pressure is likely antiquated and unsafe anyway. He's using you. Wear a respirator in those places, the bag plant is likely crap if there even is one. Fly ash is toxic, wear a respirator if you have to buy one.

Make him replace that gauge if it's tank pressure. If it's line pressure it doesn't matter so much. Or switch them so you know your tank pressure. Having both is best, but the tank will blow first.

If you get a plug, close the product valve to stop plugging and open the blowoff to relieve the tank right away, then figure it out.

 

Following!!! Gen. Lee would be proud of you. Hang in there, you will do fine.

 

I usually unload at 12 pounds in about under a hour for cement 10 minutes longer for fly ash.

As long the electric pump off the plant is humming and the product hose to silo hook up is snaking you are doing well. You can actually stand on that house and feel the product. It will bubble under your feet and move from under one foot to the next.

If you are running off the truck's exhaust blower PTO, the first metallic cough you hear, shut product off immediate at that pot, open the air unload pipe all the way and be prepared to drop tank pressure a little bit. The coughing should ease.

If the hose stops snaking one of two things you feet will tell you standing on it. Hiss of nothing but air and you can bounce on it (That's good) if you don't have any bounce or air movement, get a rubber mallet and start beating on that silo pipe a few times. Go back to the trailer make sure all your pots (One at a time usually) are closed. and the air feed to the unload pipe under the pot is open to the max. You will drop tank pressure a little bit but the all important coughing should stop.

If it does not you have a problem. Take the PTO off line and hold what you have in that tank.

It's really hard to convert to english what you must do fast on that first cough of your blower turbo.

Respirator is really really important. I have actual lime lining parts of my lung and it's associated piping. It is something I will always deal with life long. (The crematory will burn that off)

You must have good mask protection to a very quality fine protection of your air if you dont you are going to get really sick fast. Im not up on the science but some of the dust from certain products are capable of invading your air sacs inside the lungs where you must be able to exchange oxygen for waste gas to exhale. If you cannot exchange as the sacs get contaminated you will get sicker over time. Lead powder will be one substance I will refuse to haul, I think that's also hazmat. (Kind of conflicting when I clean certain guns after shooting that stuff...)

 

DOT dream right there