Microdrain makes back to back drain cleaning possible

[PLUMBER RICK]

not exactly a back to back. worse:eek: a side to side with 2' dirty arms buried in the wall.

owner tried to snake from 1 bathroom sink and ended up in the other sink. no direct roof vent to gain access and the outside 1.5'' cleanout was below the stoppage.

so how do you get a cable to go into the wall, across the dirty arm and down the stack, without going across to the other sink:confused:

with the microdrain assisted by the microexplorer of course:idea2:

time to catch dinner with joey:slap:,, i'll post photos after dinner:crying:

rick.

[PLUMBER RICK]

ok, dinner was good:D had a pregnant burrito;)

so now that i have the photos onto my net-book, here they are.

biggest challenge was directing the cable down the durham double tapped san tee. even though there was a small baffle. tried the k-39 with 5/16'' cable and bulb head. no luck as it was just bypassing the baffle.

so with the microdrain hooked up to my microexplorer, i managed to push the microdrain into 1 waste arm and up to the baffle. then i used a 5/8'' sectional with a drop head and hand pushed it up to the baffle and slowly rotated until i saw it wasn't hitting my camera head. then at that point, i installed the cable end into my k-50 and spun it with the machine.

of course i took photos as the owner was watching:D he even took his camera and took some.

funny part was he had attempted to use a borried ridgid hand spinner to clear it the day before. he managed to navigate the 2 traps in 1 and out the other.

so doing a job that is normally a hit and miss luck of the draw, now becomes a pretty simple task to navigate the older double san tees.

of course having the micros paired up, is the real pleasure as it's all self contained and small footprint. dragging in a seesnake mini and monitor would have been a bummer as the camera head probably would not have navigated the tight 90 in the wall.

rick.

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7667&d=1248579687 (http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7667&d=1248579687)

line stopped up.

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7668&d=1248579726 (http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7668&d=1248579726)

picture says it all.

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7669&d=1248579757 (http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7669&d=1248579757)

you didn't think i'd take photos without turning the camera onto myself.
photo with microdrain and microexplorer.

[HebertDrainCare]

so doing a job that is normally a hit and miss luck of the draw, now becomes a pretty simple task to navigate the older double san tees.



ENVIOUS!

i think of all the times ive had no option at all but to keep trying until i got lucky.

and would have considered myself lucky if the vent was accessible even from an attic.

makes me want to order one online right now.

a tool to look forward to owning for sure.

[Josh]

Nice use of the EXPLORER titling Rick. Thanks for posting pics... always ads to the thread.

[plumberscrack]

Good trick with the microDrain on a double sanitary tee. Nice closeup of the baffle.

So you used the camera head to block the cable from going across and forced it down?

I'm a little creeped out that your reflection isn't in the mirror behind you :grin-devilish:

[JCsPlumbing]

Good trick with the microDrain on a double sanitary tee. Nice closeup of the baffle.

So you used the camera head to block the cable from going across and forced it down?

I'm a little creeped out that your reflection isn't in the mirror behind you :grin-devilish:

Vampire! Vampire! :eek:

J.C.

[westcoastplumber]

I had a double ABS santee, same situation, picking up side by side lavs, 2 other companies were out, I used my seesnake micro to position my drop head right down the barrel, first try.

great stuff ;)

[PLUMBER RICK]

I'm a little creeped out that your reflection isn't in the mirror behind you :grin-devilish:

all smoke and mirrors, just like copperfield:grin-angelic:

rick.

[HebertDrainCare]

Soon after reading this thread (Monday) I did a side by side lav with ABS cross and thought I wish I wouldnt have seen this thread on the forum. I got it from the ptrap.

Today it happened again but cast iron and could not make the turn from 2nd floor 1 1/2 galv arm. Roof was accessible but steep and it was about to rain.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/HebertDrainCare/P7290060.jpg

I didnt waste much time before going to the attic.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/HebertDrainCare/P7290062.jpg

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/HebertDrainCare/P7290063.jpg

Envious!

[PLUMBER RICK]

lenny, the difference between me and you:confused:

you never see my camera in the shot;)

i have people:D

very nice to see i'm not the only one who has issues with these fittings.

get the microdrain and a microexplorer and you'll be set.

keep the pictures rolling, makes for better stories;)

rick.

[Twicepipes]

not exactly a back to back. worse:eek: a side to side with 2' dirty arms buried in the wall.

owner tried to snake from 1 bathroom sink and ended up in the other sink. no direct roof vent to gain access and the outside 1.5'' cleanout was below the stoppage.

so how do you get a cable to go into the wall, across the dirty arm and down the stack, without going across to the other sink:confused:

with the microdrain assisted by the microexplorer of course:idea2:

time to catch dinner with joey:slap:,, i'll post photos after dinner:crying:

rick.

This is where the true skills and experience come in. It's all in the feel baby;). Before this technology came along, back to back and side by side stoppages still had to be cleared. How ever did we Neanderthals do it?:)

[PLUMBER RICK]

This is where the true skills and experience come in. It's all in the feel baby;). Before this technology came along, back to back and side by side stoppages still had to be cleared. How ever did we Neanderthals do it?:)

i'm sure some was luck and some was skill. some never did get cleared without cutting into the wall and putting in a c/o.

so before this technology, we won some and lost some.

now i plan on winning them all:way-to-go:

[HebertDrainCare]

Feel definitely has a lot to do with it, along with left / right rotation, pushing in dead, trying from both ptraps, bending the tip of the cable in different positions (for us hollow core fans), drop head to fall in the right spot, etc

Sometimes though it just doesnt happen for me. Blockage with rust scale piled on top right at the down turn causing the cable to deflect up vent or across. Distance of the 90 before the "cross". No lucky charms for breakfast, etc. etc.

I would guess I get 80 to 90 percent of these from the ptrap. I look forward to the day that I can get 99 percent from the trap in less time than it takes for my skill and luck to combine.

[Cuda]

Well when the micro gets to at least 40 feet (50 would be better) I will get one to fill the void between my mini and my explorer. I realize the push rod may become flimsy past the 30 foot mark but my luck the spot I need to get to will be at 38 feet.