Picking the Right Jetter

Online discussion forum members deliver advice on selecting residential waterjet equipment and setting up vehicle-based systems

Question:

I am thinking about buying a water-jetter for residential use, and I am looking for recommendations. What psi? What gpm? What size hose? I am thinking an electric sewer jetter, not gasoline. What about tree roots?

Answer:

Your first-time jetter should be determined by the majority of the calls on which you plan to use it. An electric jetter will help you on small lines such as sinks and shower drains, whereas a gasoline jetter will work on any drain. It is simple math: It takes horsepower to produce a given flow at a given pressure.

Electric jetters sold to plumbers are limited to about 2 gpm at 1,700 psi. This is not enough power to break through hard buildup clogs or roots. I have been jetting since 1989 and have used jetters starting at 10 gpm/150 psi, 1.8 gpm/2,000 psi, 25 gpm/2,000 psi, 28 gpm/2,500 psi, 4 gpm/4,000 psi, 5.6 gpm/4,000 psi, 8.6 gpm/4,000 psi, 16 gpm/ 4,000 psi, 5 gpm/5000 psi, and 5.5 gpm/10,000 psi.

The reason for all of this is that it takes flow to move mass and it takes psi to cut mass. Simple sludge can be cleared with low gpm and psi. Hard clogs can be removed with low gpm and high psi. Heavy debris requires high gpm and lower psi, and roots require medium gpm with 3,500 to 4,000 psi and the correct jetter head.

The answer to roots is that you need at least 4 gpm/4,000 psi or 5.5 gpm/3,500 psi with the proper head to clean 4-inch sewers. The math is simple to make sure you have the correct equipment:

• Gasoline: psi x gpm divided by 1,100.

• Diesel: psi x gpm divided by 1,250.

• Electric: psi x gpm divided by 1,460.

• These calculations will give you the horsepower required to run a pump at the gpm and psi you require.

Question:

If you were to build a single vehicle for service calls for drain cleaning, what type of tools would you have onboard for root removal, jetting, camera and other purposes? What tools would you have onboard for residential and light commercial – no municipalities? Would you have a generator onboard? Flashlight? Reciprocating saw? Other equipment?

Would you buy two jetters – a small electric one for indoors and gas-powered one for outdoors? We do some commercial work and would have to jet out the lines between the building and the grease trap tank. Some of these can extend 500 feet. Do I need a jetter that is capable of 500 feet? Or should I get a jetter that is capable of 250 feet and jet it from both ends?

Answer:

We built a jetter delivering 8.6 gpm at 3,600 psi full-time or 4,000 psi part-time.The dump valve will allow as little as 3.5 gpm or as much as 15 gpm. It has a 65-gallon tank with an automatic water control. It can clean from 1.5- to 8-inch drains with ease.

Our jetters carry 500 feet of 3/8-inch hose and can handle most commercial and all residential drains. We use a wand gun hooked up to 1/8- and 3/16-inch by 100-foot hose for small drains.

We cut roots using Warthog jetter heads and have had great success. Be careful when purchasing a small jetter. At the Pumper & Cleaner Expo, a lot of the small jetters were undersized on horsepower.

Question:

Any chemical suggestions for removing mineral deposits or softening minerals for cable removal?

Answer:

There are two common chemicals that work on urinals. One is muriatic acid. This is dangerous and should only be used by someone who is trained in the proper dilution procedures. The fumes given off when mixed with urine minerals are very strong. It should only be used on plastic drains – it will eat at copper and other metal pipes.

The other chemical is vinegar. It works great on urinals and shower drains. It softens up the mineral deposits and makes small cable machines and even the little hand-crank ones fly through the blockage. It is safe and environmentally friendly.

A fellow plumber called me for help on a shower drain packed with mineral deposits that he had tried for over two hours to snake out. He told me he tried every small machine, including an electric jetter, and could not get through it. I removed the standing water, poured one gallon of vinegar into the drain, took a break, and returned to an empty shower. We ran the small cable machine and were done in less than 15 minutes.



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