The Right Jetter

Contracting professionals share ideas on upsizing a water jetter and selecting the right equipment to suit the application

Question:

I’m putting together a new jetting system. The one I currently have does 9 gpm at 3,600 psi. It does a pretty good job, but I thought this time I might as well go big or get off the porch. So since the prices of the pumps and drives rise pretty quickly as you go bigger, I’m wondering what would get me the best bang for my buck. Should I go for more volume, or higher pressure? My current setup is great for 4-inch pipe, but it doesn’t really have the jam for 6-inch or bigger. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Answers:

I think the trick is in matching the tool at the end to your pump. The orifices in the tool need to be sized for the flow of the pump. If you have four orifices that need 6 gpm each, you need more pump (or smaller orifices). You can base your pump on your tool’s needs, or you can make your tool fit your pump, but what is important is that the water leaving the orifices is traveling at least 100 feet per second and that the tool be as close as possible to what you want to clean.

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You have asked a great question. I have used both high flow (e.g., 20 gpm/1,200 psi and higher) and high pressure (3,000 to 4,000 psi). I currently own a Harben 4016 – it will do 4,000 psi and about 14 gpm.

With that being said, you need to decide what lines you will be cleaning the most. The larger the line, the more flow you will need. I like to use the illustration of horsepower versus torque, the high psi being the equivalent of horsepower, the high flow being torque.

 In order for the 4016 to clean a 24-inch storm drain, we need to use a water truck as well to put enough thrust in the dirt to move it. Most of the lines we clean are 10 inches or less, and the 4016 is perfect for those lines. We carry 700+ feet of 1/2-inch hose, and we have six to eight different heads, each for different problems.

We also carry a 3/8-inch hose that we use for inside buildings and for smaller lines. One thing I might add: On the 3/8-inch hose, I changed over to a steel-braided hose 15 years ago and have only replaced that hose three times since. I tried it with the 1/2-inch hose, but it was too heavy.

 About 10 years ago I was having a pump truck built and decided to put the 4016 on the truck between the tank and cab. That makes that truck a lot more usable due to the ability to clean up after as well as during the jetting process. One thing about 4,000 psi: Just because the machine will go that high does not mean you should always run it that high. If the pipe is bad, you will destroy it. Only use the psi necessary to get the job done.

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We use a rotating nozzle. It will not propel itself through a line, but we send it up the line to the next manhole, switch heads, and come back with the rotator. It cuts almost anything. The down side is that it is expensive and wears out from the dirt.



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