Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Questions:

There is no other single-operator dynamic cone penetrometer that can top the WILDCAT’s multifunctional capabilities. The WILDCAT technology allows you to log soil bearing capacities; RAP technology allows you to log soil grain size.
The WILDCAT DCP can efficiently test in difficult access sites. Slurry minimizes rod friction energy loss. Lost points facilitate rod retrieval. Logs are computer-generated.
Soft ground…water-covered land…low headroom…steep terrain…inside buildings…densely-wooded land.
We’ll sell you a Stork hammer lifter and there will be no “It’s too tough” response to the question “Why didn’t you test deeper?”
RAP Technology allows you to measure the torque of our embedded RAP Bracket to determine grain size information.

Important Questions

How important is the use of “slurry”?

Always use polymer slurry! We caution you that testing without polymer slurry allows you to overestimate soil strength. Some WILDCAT users don’t realize the importance of slurry. Slurry fills the 0.42 cm wide space between the rod’s 2.75 cm diameter and the point’s 3.59 cm diameter with viscous fluid, which prevents rod adherence. By preventing rod adherence you will ensure the correct blows per 10 cm for the lost point. Extraction of the rods is also made easier by using slurry.

We now provide a stronger and better tank which has a brown outlet hose with a steel nipple and a trigger release of the pre-pumped slurry. The steel nipple provides strong coupling from the hammer rod to the slurry-introduction tubing. The trigger release is attached to the metal connector coming from the hammer rod by pushing the coupler end over the metal connector.

One pound of Polymer Slurry (P310/17) sells for $38.00 plus shipping.

**If you previously purchased a WILDCAT with a brass nipple, please contact us and we’ll upgrade you to a steel nipple at no charge.

I understand I am one of the few Triggs Technologies’ customers that had a broken typical rod. How can I prevent breaking rods in the future?

Please follow the following guidelines to minimize the chance of a broken rod:

Slide lost point onto end rod to assure loose fit.
Clean soil out of joint threads using kit’s wire brush.
Use kit’s two 24 mm wrenches to snugly tighten joints.
Always use injected polymer slurry so that it bubbles close to top of test hole.
If refusal is reached, use post-popper, not upward blows, to lift rod.
Use kit’s two 24 mm wrenches to separate each rod.
Replace brass nipple in hammer rod with free steel nipple.
Vertically align the post-popper when pulling rods.

How can I prevent bending rods?

Pulling a string of rods out of the ground that are not aligned correctly can bend your rods. Always fasten your post popper so that the rods are pulled out of the ground without tugging them against the walls of the test hole.

Below is the picture of a bent rod right next to an unused new rod.