Bartell Global Shotblaster Troubleshooting: A Field Guide for Contractors
When a shotblaster goes down on a job site, every hour of downtime costs money. This guide covers the most common problems reported on Bartell Global shotblasters, including the SPE16ES and SPE20ES, with step-by-step checks you can run before calling a dealer.
Decreased Flow of Abrasive
Possible Causes
- Abrasive level in the hopper is too low
- Screen inside the hopper is blocked, usually by paint flakes or debris
- Butterfly valve in the feed chute is obstructed
What to Check and Do
- Open the access door on top of the separator and confirm there is sufficient abrasive in the hopper
- Dump the shot by opening the abrasive valve while the blast motor is in a slow run or wind-down speed
- Inspect the screen in the hopper for paint flakes or foreign material and clear any blockage
- Check the butterfly valve in the feed chute for obstructions and clear if needed
- Refill with approximately 60 lbs (25 kg) of abrasive for the SPE16ES or 112 lbs (50 kg) for the SPE20ES before restarting
Machine Trailing or Leaving Excessive Abrasive Behind
Possible Causes
- Dust collector not operating correctly
- Side seals stuck, jammed, or worn through
- Fan on the dust collector running in the wrong direction
- Urethane seals under the machine missing, displaced, or worn
- Blast wheel components, including blades, cage, impeller, and liners, are worn
- Blast wheel cage is out of position
What to Check and Do
- Verify the dust collector is running and pulling adequate airflow
- On 3-phase machines, confirm the dust collector fan is rotating in the correct direction
- Check both side seals for jamming or wear, especially manganese side seals
- Tip the machine back and inspect all urethane seals under the cabinet; replace any that are displaced or worn
- Inspect blades, cage, impeller, and liners for excessive wear; replace worn components as a matched set
- Verify the cage is properly positioned and adjust if it has shifted
Machine Dumps All Abrasive or Dumps Intermittently
Possible Causes
- Any of the seal or dust collector issues listed above
- Work surface is wet or contaminated with oil
- Residual abrasive left under the blast area after a previous dump
- Forward speed is too high when blasting heavily or exposing aggregate on concrete
What to Check and Do
- Complete all checks from the trailing abrasive section first
- Confirm the work surface is dry and free of oil or other contamination before blasting
- After a dump event, inspect the floor under the blast area and clear any remaining abrasive before restarting
- Reduce forward speed and lower the abrasive feed rate when working on surfaces that generate heavy debris, such as exposed aggregate concrete
Reduction in Blasting Power
Possible Causes
- All of the issues listed in the sections above
- Loss of RPM under load caused by worn or slipping drive belts
What to Check and Do
- Work through all previous checks first: abrasive flow, seals, cage position, and dust collector
- If those all check out, isolate power completely and inspect the drive belts running from the blast motor to the blast wheel
- Look for cracking, glazing, or visible slack; replace belts that show wear or are no longer holding tension
No Power to the Machine
Possible Causes
- Tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse at the generator or mains supply
- Residual current circuit breaker has tripped at the source
What to Check and Do
- If running on a generator, check the panel fuses and confirm the circuit breaker switch is in the working position
- If running on mains power, check the fuses at the electrical supply panel
- Confirm the 30 mA residual current circuit breaker protecting the machine at source has not tripped; reset if needed
Front Urethane Seals Worn or Failing
Signs of Wear
- Abrasive trailing along both sides of the machine path
- High-velocity abrasive escaping forward of the machine during operation
How to Replace Front Urethane Seals
- Stop the machine and fully isolate electrical power before starting
- Tip the machine backward until the rear of the blast wheel motor rests on the work surface, exposing the front seal locating box
- Unscrew the bolts across the front seal locating box to release the clamp system
- Pull the worn urethane seal elements out of the locating box
- Install the new seal sections, spacing each with a steel strip as designed
- Tighten the clamp and set screws, then start up and verify the seal is seated correctly before resuming work
When to Call a Dealer vs. Fix It Yourself
Most of the checks in this guide can be handled on site with basic tools and a spare parts kit. You should be able to handle these yourself:
- Clearing blocked screens and butterfly valves
- Replacing urethane seals and brush seals
- Inspecting and replacing blast wheel blades as a set when wear reaches 90 percent of blade thickness
- Checking and replacing drive belts
- Resetting tripped breakers and checking fuses
Contact a dealer when you encounter these situations:
- Electrical faults beyond a tripped breaker or blown fuse
- Hydraulic system problems, including low oil level or pump failure on the SPE16ES
- Blast motor not reaching correct RPM or running above rated amperage after consumables are replaced
- Structural damage to the manganese steel blast unit or blastwheel housing
- Any issue involving the bearing assembly or blastwheel alignment that persists after adjustment
Get OEM Bartell Global Parts at CCE Industries
Running worn seals, blades, or belts through another shift increases damage to the machine and puts your blasting results at risk. CCE Industries is an authorized Bartell Global dealer stocking genuine OEM replacement parts for the SPE9ES, SPE12ES, SPE16ES, SPE20ES, MODUL300, MODUL350, and the full Bartell Global shotblaster lineup. Using factory parts keeps your machine within spec and protects your warranty coverage.
Official Manuals
Download the official Bartell Global manuals referenced in this guide:
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