There is only so much room on your truck to carry equipment. That’s why versatile equipment like GI Industries’ new high-speed pipe cleaning machine is so important.

The high-speed TCM-5000 pipe cleaning machine combines high-flow air/water flushing with brushing at variable speeds to provide the operator more control in various applications, creating a jetter and cable machine in one package. The variable-speed (0 to 1,750 rpm) control allows customers to use cleaning/drill heads or devices from other manufacturers. It provides contractors with greater flexibility in deciding which tools are correct for their applications. These systems can clean 1/2- to 24-inch lines at over 150 feet on a single unit.

“It saves money by not having to buy multiple systems for multiple sizes of pipe,” says GI Industries general manager Brian Good. “This is going to be an ideal unit for plumbers and drain cleaners to have on their trucks.” A single machines can clean sewer lines; cut out and remove roots; prep pipe for relining; reinstate laterals; and remove collapsed liners in cast iron, PVC, clay, copper and galvanized pipe.

It is designed with a soft-start circuit that reduces operator fatigue and machine wear, giving the operator more control while cleaning a variety of pipe sizes. As the brush spins, compressed air and/or water comes out of the head to assist in debris removal. The unit is available in two versions — a portable 44-pound unit and a cart-mounted 60-pound unit.

“This is a unit that offers 1,725 rpm while only pulling 9 amps,” Good says. “It provides constant torque efficiently.”

To provide more control while cleaning, a switch allows the operator to choose forward or reverse rotation, or neutral for flushing with compressed air or water. Good explains the control option helps in breaking debris off pipe walls and then flushing it down the pipe.

“If you have a stubborn deposit on the pipe wall, it allows you to hit it from different angles,” he says. “That just adds to the efficiency.”

Good says the feedback has been positive since releasing the unit on the market in early 2017. “I’ve had plumbers come up to me and say this is the drain cleaner they’ve been waiting 30 years for,” he says. “Once they see what it can do and how easy it is to use, they’re excited. The time-saving and efficiency are a bonus.” 800/724-1944; www.giind.com.