Who has a little electric Jetter?

[Cuda]

I am considering buying a small electric jetter for doing 1 1/2" to 2" lines residential, mostly for steel lines that are rusting and or just so filled with grease that the snake just doesn't do a good job now that I am actually using a camera to see my results. My gas unit is just to big to setup for these little kitchen drains. Amps are a concern to me in the 100 year old houses I do so I would like a recomendation on a unit that actually draws the amps it says it does. Bryce

[Drain Medic]

I am considering buying a small electric jetter for doing 1 1/2" to 2" lines residential, mostly for steel lines that are rusting and or just so filled with grease that the snake just doesn't do a good job now that I am actually using a camera to see my results. My gas unit is just to big to setup for these little kitchen drains. Amps are a concern to me in the 100 year old houses I do so I would like a recomendation on a unit that actually draws the amps it says it does. Bryce


If amps is a concern for you, trying looking up a micro hose kit for your gas jetter. They are usually 7f5ft long. What type of gas jetter do you have?

[Cuda]

My gas is a 4000lb pw at 5 gallons a minute, but it is big to carry around in my van and then set up outside as maybe I will be in an apartment building. I have 10 gauge extension chords that I use with my jackhammer to keep amp draw down. I want the electric because of size and sometimes I don't know if I will even be doing a jetting job or not.

[Drain Medic]

Gotcha. Actually Ridgids KJ-1350 might be good for you if your going to be going inside and doing those units. Its 14amps and a 1.4GPM, not to big, has the wheels so you can bring up stairs and into apts if need be. I only used at demos, but i liked it.

[PLUMBER RICK]

since amps are a concern, i would stick with 1.5 h.p.

my 2h.p is 1500 psi @2.1 gpm. does a great job on kitchens and laundry lines. but it will trip a 20 amp breaker with continuous use.

a small jetter is very limited. i would think about a 6.5 hp gas that is 2500psi and 3 gpm. this is still light weight and can easily be loaded on and off without any help.

remember gpm is better than psi for the most part.

rick.

[Ace Sewer]

I use one daily. I do more lines with this machine than with any other tool I have. It's my tool of choice for 1 1/2" and 2" in pvc, abs, cast iron NH, or copper. I find it difficult to get past more than one or two bends in galvanized because of the threaded connections, and use a snake there. Also I snake tubs as the cable is better for hair. I also use it in frozen lines up to 4" in situations where I cannot spill water to pop an initial hole so I can then use the bigger machine without flooding; I can cut a small hole through the ice with this quicker using less water. I've posted here before about this setup, but to my knowledge no-one has believed me enough to try it out. I do lots of work in condos and the idea of what I'd have to do to jet with a gas machine on the 6th floor makes me shudder. Happy to give you details if you want...

[lonestardrain]

i use a small jetter daily also...it pulls 1.5 amps and is 2000p.s.i. but it is not a Ridgid...contact me privately for the brand...it does a great job on lines up to 2 inches AFTER cabeling the line with my Spartan 100 which actually UNSTOPS the line. every now and then it may trip a breaker which makes me mad, but i gusee thats all you can do.

[Ace Sewer]

Hey lonestar..wassup?
Give it a try, especially on sinks, w/o the cable first. There is no need for the cable, it's just extra time, extra mess, and another thing to lug in and back out. Get a bucket and put it under the roughin to catch the water spilling back. I carry chunks of 1 1/2 and 1 1/4 trap arms with the 90 cut off for when the roughin is too close to the wall to get the bucket under nicely. I use a 3 gal bucket that is the dia of a 5 gal but shorter; usually just right to fit in the cabinet door and under the roughin. I have a smaller shorter one for tight spots. When the bucket starts to get full, just shut off your jetter, leave your hose in the line, go dump the bucket in a toilet, then pick up where you left off. It rarley takes me more than one bucket to pop a clog, after which I can make a few passes with the nozzle to clean the line well without filling my bucket up any more.

It took $103 to fill up the van today... and the pickup's empty too. Spent over $1000 on gas in Jan, first month I've broke $1000 for gas. I'm gonna have to raise prices or something.

[Cuda]

I have a $10 - $20 fuel charge right now. But if gas goes below $1. then I will discontinue it.:)

[Cuda]

Well I bought the Ridgids KJ-1750 unit for my little apartment jobs kinda strange it comes with 1/2 hose as the main hose and a 1/8 50' sink line also. I think I am going to think it is slow compared to my gas unit because of the gpm but I needed a little mini unit for these apartments.
Bryce

[Cuda]

So Far I don't like it. Very weak even though I can crank the psi to 2000. I have ordered some other tips and will see if it gets any better. I just think I expected slow not worthless.:confused:

[Service Guy]

So Far I don't like it. Very weak even though I can crank the psi to 2000. I have ordered some other tips and will see if it gets any better. I just think I expected slow not worthless.:confused:

That was my experience also. Not enough power. Completely different than a diesal-powered 4000 PSI unit!:mcrider:

[Ace Sewer]

Mine does 2gpm, usually around 1300 psi. I typically use it for sinks and floor drains, wash machine lines; 2" and smaller, runs generally under 30'. I get through the typical sink clog in under 3 gal, which is under 2 min of run time. A 3 bucket (~8 gal, 10 min) job is a toughy. If your results are significantly different, you need different hose and or nozzles, or some time to develop your technique with a new machine. I use the 1/8" hose Harben sells as 'micro mini' and think it the best. If you are using this in 3 or 4 inch lines, I'm not surprized you are underwhelmed.

[PLUMBER RICK]

So Far I don't like it. Very weak even though I can crank the psi to 2000. I have ordered some other tips and will see if it gets any better. I just think I expected slow not worthless.:confused:

cuda, sorry to hear that, but don't say i didn't warn you.

gpm is very important. psi is not as critical.

the best specs. i can come up with is 2 h.p 1500 psi/ 2.1gpm. this is my unit and it will draw a good 17+ amps.

i have 2 of these and 1 of them has an auto off feature that will stop the motor when i release the foot pedal.

still not a bad set up for 2'' and smaller pipe.

rick.

[Cuda]

Yea Rick I know it was ringing in my head what you wrote as I was beginning to not like the machine. I took it to a job today, 1 1/2 galv line in an apt. Tried to do what Ace Sewer said use the jetter with a bucket with no snaking, but hit a few big bends with the 1/4" line and it would not feed out anymore. So I tried my k39af with 35 feet but it didn't get it to far out of a clog. Then I hit it with my k3800 and at about 50ft I hit the clog. Now I am going to buy a selection of nozzles that are 5 gallon a minute that fit 1/4 hose and just start using my gas powered machine.

[Ace Sewer]

Hey cuda,

Sorry you don't like your machine. I think I said in this thread, and know I have elsewhere, that I have no luck jetting small galvanized past one or two bends. To get even one bend in 1 1/2 gal I must put a string on my nozzle and pull it back to help it make the bend. The bends are too tight and the lip of the next pipe stops me. Try it in abs, pvc, copper, or cinh. Also 1/4" hose is unneccessary and problematic in lines up to 2". Try the 1/8".

Good luck.

[Ace Sewer]

What kind of drain has 50' of 1 1/2 line? I only carry 35' of hose as that gets me from most any sink or floor drain to a 3" or 4".

[PLUMBER RICK]

What kind of drain has 50' of 1 1/2 line? I only carry 35' of hose as that gets me from most any sink or floor drain to a 3" or 4".

i commonly have to snake out or jet a kitchen that is well beyond 35'. typically the kitchen and laundry tie together and share the same 2'' line to the other side of the house. older homes are gal with durham fittings.

i use either my k-50/ w 5/8'' or my jetter with 1/4'' stainless hose w 1/8'' ips nozzle.

in all honesty, a kitchen sink stoppage without an outside clean out is harder/ messier than any main line stoppage.

rick.

[Ace Sewer]

in all honesty, a kitchen sink stoppage without an outside clean out is harder/ messier than any main line stoppage.

rick.

Rick, if I could chuck the rest and still have enough sinks to pay the bills, I'd be so happy. They are gravy for me, and the electric jetter is why. The main line I did today took two hours and left me in need of a change of clothes and a shower; only access from 18" crawl under trailer and someone had spread lime everywhere probably from the last backup. The kitchen sink stack took 1/2 hr total from the p-trap and I barely even got my hands dirty, let alone anything else.

[Ace Sewer]

Maybe I work in smaller buildings; I carry a 70' hose but rarely use it. 35' gets 47 out of 48 of them. Heck, most are within 20'.

[Cuda]

Ace I was wrong on the hose size from the other day, I have 1/8 for the electric and tried it with my gas machine but the gpm tips where too small. I very rarely get a sink cleanout to go in and it's almost always galvy. I would love to do a sink line that was abs lol:) I am going to keep the electric in the van and force myself to use it. Can't think of the name right now but I ordered new tips from the guy you mentioned did yours. On mains I am like All Clear I sit on my bucket use my piece of abs pipe and let the machine just feeds it's way out (general maxi rooter). then it rolls on back to me, I love the auto feeder now!

[Root Ranger]

My mini electric is about 3 gal/min @ 1800psi, with 1/8" synflex.


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/Bentzook/Water%20Jetting/87866bb61dead1c121a90959dc460c54.jpg

[Ace Sewer]

My mini electric is about 3 gal/min @ 1800psi, with 1/8" synflex.




That is similar to the one I use, same maufacturer but one size up. I've not tried that one as the smaller one serves my purposes and I was worried that one would trip a 15A breaker... I think it's specs say it's 20A.