Compact video inspection

The SEEKER system from Aries Industries is a compact, lightweight video inspection technology. The push camera system is a user-friendly, contractor-grade examination tool for pipes from 3 to 24 inches and for distances up to 300 feet. It can be operated as a stand-alone system or in conjunction with an Aries CCTV truck to record all video to a PC or laptop.

When used as a stand-alone unit, it is a self-contained system with no external wiring. Weighing 40 pounds, it is easily transported to any job site and comes standard with a built-in 512 Hz transmitting beacon and ultra-bright 6.4-inch LCD screen. Two camera options are available: the self-leveling ST920 is available with a ball skid or roller skid, and the self-leveling pan-and-tilt PE3600 with wireless control. Both cameras are interchangeable with other Aries products including its LETS lateral launching system. Other options include digital video recording, on-screen footage, wireless video transmission up to 300 feet away, rechargeable battery, PAL video and live-line tracing. 800/234-7205; www.ariesindustries.com.

Push camera system

The Mini-Push 20/20 from CUES is a portable, color-video push inspection system with a built-in battery power supply, battery charger and self-leveling camera with a built-in sonde. The unit inspects and records digital video in pipelines from 2 inches in diameter and larger.

The 6.4-inch color LCD monitor is adjustable with a fold-down position for protection during transport and includes a sun shield for optimal viewing in sunlight. The lightweight system includes wheels for easy portability and a balanced footprint for stability. The versatile tool is designed to handle rigorous field use. 800/327-7791; www.cuesinc.com.

R/T locating system

The 830 R/T (receiver/transmitter) locating system from Ditch Witch is designed to provide best performance at a high active frequency. The high-frequency locator can trace poor conductors, such as underground tracer wire, and locate short lengths of utility infrastructure.

The unit has a variety of automatic features, including gain control, auto depth, and visual and audio feedback. The ruggedly built, construction-grade system has an IP65 environment rating and a battery life of 150 hours on the transmitter and 75 hours on the receiver. Adaptive filtering ensures that the unit is highly responsive in all modes of operation, providing left-to-right guidance quickly regardless of mode or operator style. In PV (peak verify) mode, the system gives operators an additional way to verify the location. 800/654-6481; www.ditchwitch.com.

Modular inspection unit

The EasyCAM III is designed using modular components for fast and easy repair by the owner. Features includes choice of 150 or 200 feet of heavy-duty pushrod, color camera, cordless operation, 512 Hz transmitter, built-in 8-inch daylight readable monitor, digital footage counter, SD recording, voice over, and 180-degree image inversion. It is also equipped with a second RCA video jack, which allows for additional video equipment such as a laptop or TV video goggles to be used with the unit. 239/260-2056; www.easycamllc.com.

Mainline inspection system

The eCAM Pro 2 mainline pipeline inspection camera system from Electric Eel Mfg. features a rugged stainless steel-housed 1.68-inch self-leveling color camera with sapphire lens, a 20 LED light ring (with an impact-resistant polycarbonate light ring cover) and a high-resolution CCD element. The auto iris adjusts light automatically. A flexible camera spring navigates 3-inch P-traps. The unit comes standard with 200 feet of Kevlar-braided 1/2-inch-diameter pushrod and an industry-standard 512 Hz sonde.

The system features a 10.4-inch daylight readable monitor with click-touch controls, and allows for one-touch recording directly to a USB flash drive. Users can rename files on the flash drive after they're recorded. Additional standard equipment includes on-screen footage counter, a two-hour battery with built-in charge, adjustable light controls, 16 pages of text writing with memory saves, voice over recording, 8X zoom function, audio/video out jacks, 8-inch wheels for easy maneuverability, a secure-locking reel brake and rugged powder-coated steel tube and bar construction. 800/833-1212; www.electriceel.com.

Self-leveling push camera

The VeriSight Pro push camera from Envirosight includes a multilanguage controller that allows direct entry of WinCan-compatible observations, displays footage on an 8-inch TFT LCD, and captures up to 90 hours of MPEG 4 video on an SD/SDHC card (up to 32 GB) or USB stick (up to 128 GB). Users can zoom 3x and capture images in JPEG format from live and recorded video. A 16-page text writer with full QWERTY keyboard can be configured for a variety of colors and formats, and the keyboard can also be used to log observations (with available PACP, LACP and WRc compliance) for direct upload to WinCan.

The stainless steel self-leveling camera with shadowless, variable LED illumination captures crisp video footage, regardless of pipe material. With supplied centering devices, it inspects lines from 2 to 9 inches, and snakes through multiple bends for maximum range. An integral tri-band sonde (33 kHz, 512 Hz, 640 Hz) works with most locators. The rugged welded-steel coiler comes with 130, 200 or 330 feet of pushrod. Both reel and controller are IP54 rated for protection against dust and splashing water. The entire system runs continuously for six hours off internal rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries, or off mains or vehicle power. 866/936-8476; www.envirosight.com.

Wireless transmitter

The Wi-Fi wireless transmitter from Forbest Products allows users to connect wirelessly to all of the company's sewer and drain cameras via iPhone 4/iPhone 4S/iPad/iPad 2, Android tablets and Windows PC. Users can watch live and record the images captured by cameras on phones, tablets and laptops about 300 feet away from the location of the camera. The transmitter makes it easy and quick to send images from the field to the office and customer. 650/757-4786; www.forbestusa.net.

Handheld inspection tool

The Gen-Eye Micro-Scope compact, handheld inspection tool from General Pipe Cleaners offers the versatility to inspect small drain lines, toilet traps and hard-to-reach places like duct work, furnaces and crawl spaces. The monitor attaches to the reel with an adjustable mount for the best viewing angle. The reel carries up to 100 feet of micro pushrod with color camera, allowing inspection of 1 1/2- to 3-inch drain lines and toilet traps.

The 39-inch probe rod allows inspection of hard-to-reach places. Three attachments are included to improve viewing angle or to retrieve objects. The monitor includes a bright 3.5-inch LCD screen and a built-in SD card reader with one-touch record button to record photos and videos. It also includes a digital zoom, rotatable picture, voice over recording capability, LED brightness control and USB port. On-screen status indicators include data and time, SD card capacity and battery strength. The rechargeable battery powers the unit for up to four hours. 800/245-6200; www.drainbrain.com.

Removable monitor camera

The Sonic camera system from Hathorn Corporation comes with a removable monitor case that can be easily stored for transporting. With a 7-inch LCD color monitor, pictures are bright, clear and easy to view. Optional on-screen footage counter and USB recording are also available. Three types of durable camera heads are available, including self-leveling and a 1.23-inch mini camera. Behind the camera head is a 512 Hz transmitter inside a stainless steel flex spring to allow for easy navigation of traps and 90-degree elbows. The reels come with 125- or 200-foot lengths of 1/2- or 3/8-inch Kevlar-braided pushrod. 905/886-2835; www.hathorncorp.com.

Mid-sized inspection system

The MS11 mid-sized push camera from MyTana Mfg. Company is a video inspection system for 3- to 4-inch lines up to 150 feet long. Standard features include a color, self-leveling camera head, daylight-readable monitor and an onboard rechargeable battery for up to three hours of operation when regular household current is unavailable. The unit has a 512 Hz transmitter built into the camera head.

Once located, problems can be addressed as appropriate, whether it is a relining job, digging or showing the customer that past problems are finished. Users can record inspection jobs with the included USB cable by connecting to a laptop or other computer and view, record, copy or attach the inspection information. A DVD burner and mini DVR recorder are also available for capturing the inspection job when a PC is not available. The system is larger than the company's mini camera system and smaller than its mainline system. 800/328-8170; www.mytana.com.

Pushrod inspection

The P340 flexiprobe pushrod video inspection system from Pearpoint offers USB flash drive connectivity and 1- and 2-inch high-resolution cameras. The rugged and weatherproof controller records high-quality digital video or images with a single-key pass and displays them on an ultrabright 8-inch TFT screen. Advanced digital capabilities allow users to zoom, pan and rotate images during recording and playback to focus in on problem areas. Still pictures can be taken at any time.

The flexible Plumbers system (available in 100-foot length) is designed to travel through tight corners in commercial and residential plumbing, negotiating most traps from 2 inches and bends from 1 1/4 inches. It is designed for small-diameter plumbing inspections, and a built-in sonde can be used to pinpoint its position with a suitable cable and pipe locator. The system is made from the small Plumbers reel with a 1-inch camera head on a 100-foot rod and 2-inch camera heads on 200-, 400- and 500-foot rods with integrated sonde. EX-zone approved models are available for industrial applications. 800/688-8094; www.radiodetection.com.

Multiple-Frequency Locator

The Prototek LineFinder LF2200 locates any frequency sonde or transmitter box between 16 Hz and 100 kHz using a frequency sniffing feature. Preset support includes 16 Hz (steel, ductile iron, cast iron or nonmetallic), 512 Hz (cast iron or nonmetallic), and 8 kHz (nonmetallic only) sonde. The unit traces underground metallic lines at four built-in industry-standard frequencies using an external transmitter box; other frequencies can be sniffed as well. It passively locates underground power at 50 or 60 Hz.

Power frequency and scaling in English or metric units are user selectable. A series of LCD screens (with automatic backlight compensation) guides users through the steps critical to locating sondes and lines with accurate position and precise depth. Locating is enhanced by handle vibration and LED feedback at key locating points, in addition to clear, uncomplicated on-screen imagery. The unit uses six AA alkaline batteries. 800/541-9123; www.prototek.net.

Single-frequency locator kit

The RD5000WL from Radiodetection is a single-frequency pipe and cable locator kit designed to deliver quick, accurate and user-friendly utility location. The easy-to-use single high-frequency location kit can locate jointed pipes and is designed for use in the modern water industry. ClearTRACK automatically rejects signals from adjacent conductors, leading to more accurate location of a target pipe or cable. Dynamic Overload Protection rejects large unwanted signals, allowing use in electrically noisy areas, such as beneath high-voltage cables.

The locator and transmitter are controlled using a single button, making them easy to use. A Compass feature provides a visual indication of the orientation of the target. This makes it easy to follow the target line and position the unit correctly for maximum depth measurement accuracy. 877/247-3797; www.radiodetection.com/precisionlocate.

Laser camera system

The MiniLite Pan, Tilt and Zoom push camera with laser measurement system from RapidView IBAK North America allows users to inspect, record and measure the internal dimensions of smaller pipelines. Users can accurately capture diameter measurements with one touch using the ORION zoom camera during normal inspections.

The system consists of a cable coiler cartridge, which makes replacement easy, a portable command console and one of several choices of cameras. The unit includes a high-visibility 10.4-inch monitor and full QWERTY keyboard. Users can record inspections on a built-in MPEG digital video recorder on SD and SDHC memory cards. The system is available in 100- and 300-foot lengths. 800/656-4225; www.rapidview.com.

Direct recording interface

Ratech Electronics offers an interface that allows users to record directly to an Apple device, including iPhones, iPads and iPods. Direct recording allows for instant upload of pipe inspection videos from the job site to YouTube. Using the integrated cellphone interface and Ratech camera, users can give customers immediate information on problems with sewers or pipes.

There is no need for copies and the interface allows for more organization. The interface includes quick and easy one-touch recording with no USB drives, SD cards or DVDs. The low-cost interface is adaptable to any new or existing Ratech system. Also included is an on-screen display overlay system providing electronic distance counter, time, date and eight pages of memory for listing problems and displaying company information. Standard 200-foot-long Gel-Rod cable is included. Longer lengths are available. 800/461-9200; www.ratech-electronics.com.

Lateral inspection camera

The KS60CL lateral inspection camera from Rausch Electronics USA is a highly versatile pan-and-tilt camera. Integrated sonde, operating at 512 Hz or 33 kHz, enables users to always locate the camera's current position during CCTV inspection in PVC, clay or cast iron lines. Users can steer the camera through branched laterals with the optional line. As a module of the M-Series, the unit can be attached to the L100cross mini tractor, the lateral push cable and the manual push system, DELTA.

When attached to the mini tractor, the camera inspects pipelines as small as 4 inches. When attached to the DELTA push cable system, the camera functions as a pan-and-tilt push camera with up to 250 feet of push cable. When attached to the M150 lateral launch system, the camera can be launched into laterals from the mainline with up to 160 feet of push cable. 717/709-1005; www.rauschtv-usa.com.

Versatile camera system

The SeeSnake Max rM200 camera system from RIDGID is an inspection system for lines up to 200 feet in length and 1.5 to 6 inches in diameter. The unit combines portability and versatility. Features include improved reel mechanics for easy passage through tight turns, an ultra-compact camera capable of providing optimal lighting, and an upgraded 200-foot cable, which provides high-quality abrasion resistance and allows users to push further with less effort.

The inspection system is compatible with the company's full line of SeeSnake monitors, including the CS10 and CS1000 digital recording monitors. The unit comes with an integrated transport system to make it easily portable. Users can carry the reel with the included shoulder strap or use the integrated wheel system. 800/769-7743; www.ridgid.com.

Touch-screen camera

The PROvision Touch inspection system from Spartan Tool is a touch-screen, daylight-visible camera. All the operating controls are directly on the screen in large, colorful icons for easy use. Telestration - the ability to draw directly on the screen - allows users to show customers a problem, and they can do it live while recording, or post-recording during a review.

Other features include a full on-screen keyboard, rheostat controls for camera lights, screen brightness and audio playback, four-hour battery life, snapshot capability to capture what appears on-screen at any time (and telestrate or label it). Everything records to a thumb drive for maximum flexibility in delivering the information to customers. 800/435-3866; www.spartantool.com.

Smoke candles

Superior classic smoke candles from Superior Signal Company provide visible smoke for testing sewer lines to easily detect sources of surface inflow and other faults. The high-visibility smoke allows users to find faults quickly, at a great distance, and to find those hard-to-spot leaks. The Superior 3C classic smoke candles produce 40,000 cubic feet of smoke in three minutes, with the option of joining W3C smoke candles together to create larger volumes of smoke for a longer time. 800/945-8378; www.superiorsignal.com.

Manhole smoke blower

The Turbo-Fog MH-75 from Turbo Fog, a division of Kingscote Chemicals, is a self-contained smoke tester for easily identifying leaks, infiltration and cross connections in municipal collection lines. The smoke testing system uses leak-proof liquid aerosol smoke cartridges to create dense white smoke. No additional smoke bombs or garden sprayers are required. Made of 11-gauge powder-coated steel, the blower is capable of generating over 7,500 cfm to accurately test more pipe in less time. Briggs & Stratton and Honda engine models are available. 800/394-0678; www.turbo-fog.com.

Sonde and camera locator

The vLocCam2 sonde and camera locator from Vivax-Metrotech is a lightweight, durable unit with a fast dual-core processor, color display and USB interface. The compass feature points users in the direction of the sonde or camera belowground and eliminates any guesswork about false peaks or ghost signals. Push-button depth displays depth of cover in feet and inches.

The vLocCam receiver comes standard with sonde/camera frequencies of 8 kHz, 33 kHz, 512 Hz and 640 Hz, which are most commonly used with crawler and push camera systems. This frequency range also provides versatility for locating metallic and nonmetallic pipes, drains and ducts. The range of transmitting sondes comes in different sizes rated to depths starting at 12 feet down to 20 feet. The receiver is equipped with two passive locate modes of power and radio, which will detect the presence of power lines, CATV, telephone and some metallic pipes that radiate 60 Hz from nearby or overhead power lines and VLF signals from nearby broadcast towers. 800/446-3392; www.vivax-metrotech.com.

Relining adapter

The relining adapter kit from Wohler USA for the VIS2xx and VIS3xx visual inspection camera systems makes for efficient pipe repair. It is designed so the entire circumference of the lateral line is visible when reinstalling. The kit comes complete with a centering star to ensure the camera remains on the bottom of the lateral and three protection sleeves that prevent the camera cable from being cut by the saw during the reinstatement. 978/750-9876; www.wohlerusa.com.