Hydra-Flex Switchblade Nozzle Instructions: Setup, Pill Sizing and Rebuild
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The Hydra-Flex Switchblade is simple: a coated stainless steel body and one, two or four tungsten carbide pills that thread into the face. Getting the most from it comes down to three things: the right pills for your pump, installing them with the right tape, and swapping them before they wear soft. This guide covers all three for the Switchblade Ace, Deuce and Quad.
Switchblade specs at a glance
| Spec | Switchblade (Ace, Deuce, Quad) |
|---|---|
| Spray pattern | Static 0° straight stream: 1 (Ace), 2 (Deuce) or 4 (Quad) streams |
| Inlet | 1/2" FNPT |
| Pill thread | 1/8" NPT |
| Inlet pressure | 1,000 to 4,000 PSI on Hydra-Flex's current listings (older literature and many dealers show 3,200 PSI; go by the rating for your body) |
| Max water temperature | 180°F |
| Nozzle sizes | #4.0 to #14.0 total, built from pills #1 to #12 |
| Materials | Stainless steel housing, Hytrel non-conductive coating, tungsten carbide pills |
| Inlet screen | 30 mesh (listed on the Quad) |
Specs from Hydra-Flex product listings.
Ace, Deuce or Quad: which body to run
Hydra-Flex built the three bodies for different shapes of hole. All of them are straight-stream nozzles, so they suit trenching, starting a hole, compact soil and precision digging.
- Ace (1 pill): focused, deep penetration in a small area. The best starter for breaking into hard pack before you switch to a rotating nozzle like the Ripsaw HD.
- Deuce (2 pills): medium areas and narrow trenches.
- Quad (4 pills): large areas with less depth, such as wide trenches and shallow exposure work.
Same total flow, different cut. A #8 Ace sends all of its flow through one stream. A #8 Quad splits it across four #2 pills, so each stream hits lighter but the nozzle clears a wider path per pass.
Switchblade pill sizes and colors
Every pill is color coded, so you can read the size at a glance on the truck. The size number is the pill's flow in GPM at 4,000 PSI, the industry reference point.
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Pill size | Color | Hydra-Flex part # | GPM at 2,000 PSI | GPM at 3,000 PSI | GPM at 4,000 PSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Blue | 1001780-010 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| #2 | Yellow | 1001780-020 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.0 |
| #3 | Green | 1001780-030 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 3.0 |
| #4 | Orange | 1001780-040 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| #5 | Purple | 1001780-050 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.0 |
| #6 | Red | 1001780-060 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 6.0 |
| #8 | Black | 1001780-080 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 8.0 |
| #10 | White | 1001780-100 | 7.1 | 8.7 | 10.0 |
| #12 | Pink | 1001780-120 | 8.5 | 10.4 | 12.0 |
From Hydra-Flex's Switchblade Nozzle Pills installation instructions. Every pill threads in with a 1/8" NPT thread.
Hydra-Flex also makes a stainless steel SST plug (part 3000795) with the same 1/8" NPT thread, which threads into a pill port in place of a pill. It installs with a 3/16" Allen wrench.
Pill layouts for each Switchblade size
A Switchblade's nozzle size is the total of its pills. On the Deuce both pills match. On the Quad, Hydra-Flex's factory layouts use different sizes for the end and center pairs on some kits.
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Nozzle size | Ace (1 pill) | Deuce (2 pills) | Quad (4 pills, in order across the face) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | #4 | #2 + #2 | 1-1-1-1 |
| #6 | #6 | #3 + #3 | 2-1-1-2 |
| #8 | #8 | #4 + #4 | 2-2-2-2 |
| #10 | #10 | #5 + #5 | 2-3-3-2 |
| #12 | #12 | #6 + #6 | 3-3-3-3 |
| #14 | n/a | n/a | 3-4-4-3 |
Quad layouts from dealer listings of Hydra-Flex kits. Ace and Deuce layouts follow from the pill sizes.
You are not locked into the factory layout. Since pills thread in individually, you can build any total from the pills you carry. On a Quad, follow the factory pattern of matching end pills and matching center pills.
How to size Switchblade pills to your pump
Start with two numbers from your truck: pump flow (GPM) and the pressure you want to dig at. Then pick the total nozzle size that flows your pump's GPM at that pressure.
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Nozzle size | 1,500 PSI | 2,000 PSI | 2,500 PSI | 3,000 PSI | 3,200 PSI | 4,000 PSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
| #6 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| #8 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 8.0 |
| #10 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 10.0 |
| #12 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 10.4 | 10.7 | 12.0 |
| #14 | 8.6 | 9.9 | 11.1 | 12.1 | 12.5 | 14.0 |
Flow in GPM, from Hydra-Flex's pill chart. For a Deuce or Quad, this is the total of all pills.
The quick math: nozzle size = 2 × pump GPM ÷ √(PSI ÷ 1,000). To check a setup the other way, PSI = 1,000 × (2 × GPM ÷ nozzle size)².
Example: a pump making 8 GPM, dug at about 3,000 PSI, works out to a #9.2. A #10 setup (Deuce with two #5s, or a Quad at 2-3-3-2) runs that pump at about 2,560 PSI. A #8 asks for 4,000 PSI from the same flow, so the pressure climbs to your unloader setting and the extra water bypasses instead of digging. When you land between sizes, round up and you stay under your pressure target.
Too big a nozzle and the pressure drops and the cut goes soft. Too small and you push the pump against its unloader. If you are unsure of your pump's real output, a pressure gauge at the handle tells you what the nozzle is actually seeing.
How to install or change Switchblade pills
Hydra-Flex's pill instructions are short: a 5/16" socket and stainless steel thread tape for pills, or a 3/16" Allen wrench for the SST plug. Tape the threads on the pill or plug, insert it into the body and tighten. Stainless parts threaded into a stainless body can gall and seize, and the tape seals the 1/8" NPT taper, so skipping it is how pills end up leaking or stuck.
- Shut down and bleed the pressure. Turn off the pump or close the valve, then squeeze the trigger to relieve pressure in the line before you touch the nozzle.
- Take the nozzle off the lance and set it face up on a clean surface.
- Back out the old pills with a 5/16" socket. A socket grips all the flats, so it won't round them the way an open-end wrench can.
- Clean the ports. Brush out old tape and grit from the threads in the body, and check that no debris is sitting in the bore behind the pill.
- Check the new pills. Confirm the color and size match your layout before they go in. On a Quad, lay them out in order first.
- Wrap each pill with stainless steel thread tape, clockwise as you look at the threaded end, so threading it in doesn't peel the tape back. Keep tape off the first thread and away from the orifice.
- Thread each pill in by hand, then tighten with the 5/16" socket. Hydra-Flex gives no torque value. The taper and tape do the sealing, so snug is enough on a small 1/8" thread.
- Seal the 1/2" inlet and thread the nozzle back onto the lance using fittings rated for your working pressure.
- Flush and test. Run at low pressure first and look for weeping around each pill, then bring it up to dig pressure and note the gauge reading. That reading is your baseline for spotting wear later.
When to replace Switchblade pills
A Switchblade has no rotor, seat or bearings, so rebuilding it mostly means replacing pills. Tungsten carbide lasts far longer than ceramic, but the orifice still opens up with hours in abrasive soil. As it does, flow rises and pressure falls, and the stream loses its punch.
- Pressure is lower than your baseline at the same throttle setting.
- The stream frays or fans instead of holding a tight rod of water.
- One stream looks weaker than the others on a Deuce or Quad.
- The pill face is chipped or cracked, or the flats are rounded.
- Water weeps around the pill threads even after re-taping.
Replace pills as a set on a Deuce or Quad. A worn pill next to new ones flows more than its share and throws the pattern off. Keep a spare set in your size on the truck, plus a roll of stainless steel thread tape.
Check the body too. The Hytrel coating is what makes the nozzle non-conductive. If it is cracked or worn through to bare stainless, the nozzle no longer has the protection it was built with, so retire the body.
Switchblade troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure lower than normal | Worn pills, wrong size installed, or a leak at a pill thread | Check colors against your layout, re-tape any leaking pill, replace worn pills |
| Pressure high, unloader cycling | Pills too small for the pump, or a partly blocked pill or inlet screen | Clean the screen and pills; size up to the next layout |
| Stream fans or breaks up | Worn or chipped orifice, or debris in the pill | Clear the pill; replace it if the orifice is damaged |
| One stream weaker than the rest | Mixed sizes, debris in one pill, or uneven wear | Confirm colors match; clean or replace that pill (or the set) |
| Water weeping at a pill | Missing or wrong thread tape, damaged threads | Re-wrap with stainless steel thread tape; replace the pill if threads are damaged |
Running a Switchblade safely
- Keep the stream moving. A static 0° stream concentrates all its energy on one spot, which is what makes it cut fast and what makes it dangerous to park.
- Know your limits near utilities. Follow your company's and the facility owner's rules for standoff distance and reduced pressure near located lines.
- Stay inside the ratings: the pressure on your body's listing and 180°F water.
- Never point the lance at anyone, and use a trigger handle that shuts off when released.
- Clean the inlet screen whenever pressure changes for no clear reason. Grit that gets past it lodges in the pills.
Switchblade parts checklist
- Spare pills in your sizes (and the colors to match your layout)
- Stainless steel thread tape
- 5/16" socket for pills and a 3/16" Allen wrench for SST plugs
- Clean inlet screen
- Pressure gauge reading at the handle, so you know your baseline
Switchblade pills, plugs and repair kits are in Nozzle Rebuild Kits. Complete nozzles are in Hydro Excavation Nozzles. Not sure a Switchblade is the right tool for your work? See how it stacks up against the Ripsaw, Silencer and Aqua-Rocket in our hydrovac nozzle comparison.
Switchblade nozzle FAQ
What size pills come in a Switchblade?
Pills come in #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #8, #10 and #12. The nozzle's size is the total of its pills, so a #8 Quad runs four #2 pills and a #8 Deuce runs two #4 pills.
What do the Switchblade pill colors mean?
Each color is one size: #1 blue, #2 yellow, #3 green, #4 orange, #5 purple, #6 red, #8 black, #10 white and #12 pink.
Do I need thread tape on Switchblade pills?
Yes. Hydra-Flex states that stainless steel thread tape is required for pill assembly. It seals the 1/8" NPT threads and keeps stainless parts from galling.
What tools do I need to change Switchblade pills?
A 5/16" socket and stainless steel thread tape. If you run an SST plug in a port, you also need a 3/16" Allen wrench.
What pressure is the Switchblade rated for?
Hydra-Flex's current listings rate the Switchblade from 1,000 to 4,000 PSI with water up to 180°F. Older literature and many dealers show 3,200 PSI, so go by the rating for your body.
Can I change Switchblade pills in the field?
Yes. That is the point of the design. Bleed the pressure, swap the pills for the size or layout the soil calls for, tape them, and get back to digging.
What pill size do I need for my pump?
Use nozzle size = 2 × pump GPM ÷ √(PSI ÷ 1,000), then round up to the nearest layout. An 8 GPM pump at 3,000 PSI works out to about #9.2, so run a #10.
Need the right pills?
Call 402-237-1914 or email info@hydrovac-supply.com, Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 4 PM, with your pump's GPM and PSI and which Switchblade body you run. We'll match the pills and ship them anywhere in the US.