trailered jetters

[nysewerguy]

We have decided to purchase a water jet. does anyone have an opnion on tow behind units. I have read some past posts about jetters with 4 and 5 gpm. We need something that can handle 16 inch lines

[Service Guy]

I had good experience with a US Jetting trailer unit at my former employment. Very powerful machine that carries 300 gallons of water. Some cutting heads would drop all 300 gallons in no time!!!

[Drain Medic]

I have 2 Spartan 758 trailers. I love them. I did us US Jetting, but they are much bigger then the Spartan. I love the trailers. At 14 GPM 3000PSI the Warthog kicks butt. I use a 1/2 hose on one unit and a 3/8 hose on the other unit. The 3/8 kicks way more butt then the 1/2. Good luck on what you decide to get. Check out the Purchases from the Pumper show thread, Saltz just picked up a nice OBrien Jetter.

[Pete M]

We have decided to purchase a water jet. does anyone have an opnion on tow behind units. I have read some past posts about jetters with 4 and 5 gpm. We need something that can handle 16 inch lines

A 16" line is well beyond the capacity of standard jetters that drain cleaners would typically use. It would require a flusher unit in the neighborhood of 50-80gpms at about 2500 psi. If you have to extract and haul the debis (like in a catch basin) you would need a vactor-type unit.

It's a costly unit and not a smart purchase unless you can ensure frequent municipal, industrial or large storm line usage.

Small trailer jets (around 20 hp, 3/8" hose) for pipe sizes of roughly 3" to 6".

Mid-sized jets (50 hp, 1/2" hose) good for pipe 3' to 8"

Beyond 8" pipe you're in the municapal/industrial category and you can't pull them around without some real muscle

Manufacturers will tend to overestimate the pipe sizes their machines will work well on.

[Ace Sewer]

I have effectively cleaned 8" lines with 6gpm. It requires care, attention and a lot of extra time to camera and make sure I've not missed anything and go back and get it when I have. It is not a no-brainer. I do it only for a local town with no eqipment and little budget; even with the extra time I am cheaper than the big guys. I have opened up frozen 10", but I wouldn't say I cleaned it. 16"? no way.

[PLUMBER RICK]

depends on what you're attempting to clean.

dirt/ mud needs a large volume of water to keep it moving.

also a reverse c/o is more desirable when jetting.

6gpm is fine for certain stoppages, but not when the large line is dirt and mud. even with a hose running it's not enough to wash it all out.

now with a reverse c/o and lots of time and a camera, i guess it could be done. but with a normal downstream c/o it's a losing battle.

i stop at 8'' and that's with 12gpm. even that is a challenge with dirt and mud. grease is not bad as it floats away.

rick.

[rooter-mania]

Years ago when I was in the market to purchase a jetter I couldn't decide to purchase a trailer jet or truck jet.. :confused: Not much working capital back then so I knew it had to be used.... looked high and low, but could only find used truck mounted jets in my price bracket... then I get a call form a local concrete plant complaining the cost of of some jetting work they had done by a company using a trailer mounted jet he said it took them over a week..... and could my company do better price wise.... after looking at the job in which consisted of clearing 200' of 24" line heavily compacted with sediment going out to a slurry pond. ( at the time my jetter was a gas powered 4000 psi @ 4.5 gal/min) knowing that would never put as much as a dent in it....

So I took the risk of purchasing a 1975 Myers Jet truck rated at 2500 psi @ 65 gals/min and a new nozzle, impressed the owner of the concrete plant by getting the job done in one day, saving him money but on the same token making a good profit for myself and still have that account and picked up many others using Old Nelly and still use her to this day (probably the oldest jet on the forum) and thinking of outfitting her with a worthog to see what see can do with it.http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif