# Pro Tips



## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

Hey Guys, what are your Pro Tips for using an inspection camera? 

Not brand specific, but how you deal with things like stuck heads, getting around difficult bends without kinking the rod, maintenance, getting past obstructions, pushing long distances, and any other advice you might have for newbies.

If it's ok with management, I'll run a contest and after a few weeks I'll draw the name of a contributor, and the winner gets a $100 Amazon Gift card and a stylish Hathorn ball cap. ;-)

Does that work?


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Dawn dish soap.


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

I'll cut a slit in a length of pex tubing and slide it over the rod to attempt to free a stuck head. Otherwise it's locate and excavate.

10 mil tape wrapped around the head can help it get past a difficult bend. Other times I'll tape it to a small jetter hose and drag it through a long or twisting run.

Probably my best pro tip is go slow in cast, and if you have the slightest doubt that it'll make past that bend or hole, don't even try.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

This is great stuff guys, many thanks!!


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

Anyone have a work around for the dreaded 4" Cast P Trap?


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

hewhodigsholes said:


> I'll cut a slit in a length of pex tubing and slide it over the rod to attempt to free a stuck head. Otherwise it's locate and excavate.
> 
> 10 mil tape wrapped around the head can help it get past a difficult bend. Other times I'll tape it to a small jetter hose and drag it through a long or twisting run.
> 
> Probably my best pro tip is go slow in cast, and if you have the slightest doubt that it'll make past that bend or hole, don't even try.


For sure, and the slower you go the less likely you are to kink the rod!


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

OpenSights said:


> Dawn dish soap.


Al kinds of situations where this would come in handy.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

hewhodigsholes said:


> I'll cut a slit in a length of pex tubing and slide it over the rod to attempt to free a stuck head. Otherwise it's locate and excavate.
> 
> 10 mil tape wrapped around the head can help it get past a difficult bend. Other times I'll tape it to a small jetter hose and drag it through a long or twisting run.
> 
> Probably my best pro tip is go slow in cast, and if you have the slightest doubt that it'll make past that bend or hole, don't even try.


The tape is great idea. I've heard of guys tying a string to the head so they can turn it in the direction they want to go.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Flush a toilet, when you see the water passing the camera head start pushing.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Make a circle with the push rod, that then allows you to rotate camera head by turning first one way a few turns then back


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

Chris_Luttrell said:


> Anyone have a work around for the dreaded 4" Cast P Trap?
> View attachment 132392


Sawzall and a repipe! 😆 I'd hesitate to send a $12k rig through any trap, but if I had to I'd probably try the jetter trick.



Chris_Luttrell said:


> The tape is great idea. I've heard of guys tying a string to the head so they can turn it in the direction they want to go.


We use the electrician "mule tape" for this purpose.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> Make a circle with the push rod, that then allows you to rotate camera head by turning first one way a few turns then back


Done that…. But I don’t recommend it….


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Chris_Luttrell said:


> Anyone have a work around for the dreaded 4" Cast P Trap?
> View attachment 132392


Hydraulic cement,a libral amount


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Chris_Luttrell said:


> Anyone have a work around for the dreaded 4" Cast P Trap?
> View attachment 132392



Ridgid Microreel............ We've got 3 of them.


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

Don’t try to put your camera through a p-trap. It either will kink the rod going in or it will get stuck on the way out. You need to install a clean out of you want to do that. 

I also find the shotgun shell type signal generator on the end of some kind of rodder or even sewer rods to be helpful for locating. 

Water flow in the pipe helps. I do this a lot especially when I have a client around so that they can see bellies and pooling, also broken joints. 

Go slow. And if you force it, you will break it.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

Some great advice guys, keep it coming!

How do you guys get a camera down long lengths? Like 200' plus?


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Pull it with my jetter.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

dhal22 said:


> Pull it with my jetter.


Nice, do you jet the length and then camera on the pull back?


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Sorry, pull the camera while jet is under power. Just tape the camera to the jet hose and away you go.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

Chris_Luttrell said:


> Some great advice guys, keep it coming!
> 
> How do you guys get a camera down long lengths? Like 200' plus?


Does anyone flush a cord down to the next cleanout and then pull the camera down the line?


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

Chris_Luttrell said:


> Does anyone flush a cord down to the next cleanout and then pull the camera down the line?


I have before. Really only works in PVC lines, and those are usually slick enough the run the camera anyways.

I'm in East Texas, home of Tyler Pipe. So there's cast everywhere.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

hewhodigsholes said:


> I have before. Really only works in PVC lines, and those are usually slick enough the run the camera anyways.
> 
> I'm in East Texas, home of Tyler Pipe. So there's cast everywhere.


Ha! I had to look up Tyler Pipe. Thank you for that.
Yeah cast is not easy on cameras. Can really reduce the distance you are able to push. We have the HDPE jacket on the rod which makes it somewhat more durable and almost "slick." to the touch. Easier to push, but cast is a pig no matter what.


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

Chris_Luttrell said:


> Ha! I had to look up Tyler Pipe. Thank you for that.
> Yeah cast is not easy on cameras. Can really reduce the distance you are able to push. We have the HDPE jacket on the rod which makes it somewhat more durable and almost "slick." to the touch. Easier to push, but cast is a pig no matter what.


I find it's usually the camera head that hangs. We're running Ridgid/Kollman reels now. We retired the Hawthornes due to age and lack of local support.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

hewhodigsholes said:


> I have before. Really only works in PVC lines, and those are usually slick enough the run the camera anyways.
> 
> I'm in East Texas, home of Tyler Pipe. So there's cast everywhere.


Hey, I grew up there! East Texas is beautiful. Nothing, I mean nothing beats miles of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes together.


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

dhal22 said:


> Hey, I grew up there! East Texas is beautiful. Nothing, I mean nothing beats miles of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes together.
> 
> View attachment 132662


What city? I grew up in Noonday, but now live in Tyler. Company I work for is out of Jacksonville.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

hewhodigsholes said:


> What city? I grew up in Noonday, but now live in Tyler. Company I work for is out of Jacksonville.



I grew up in Frankston......


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

hewhodigsholes said:


> I find it's usually the camera head that hangs. We're running Ridgid/Kollman reels now. We retired the Hawthornes due to age and lack of local support.


Where are you located? - D'oh, just read the following threads. Our repair center is in Rockwall, about 1.25 hrs away if you find yourself using the Hathorns again.


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

dhal22 said:


> Hey, I grew up there! East Texas is beautiful. Nothing, I mean nothing beats miles of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes together.
> 
> View attachment 132662


Man that's beautiful!


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## Tim Whistler (11 mo ago)

Taping a flex-shaft with the camera a foot or 2 behind it gives you great extra stiffness for pushing long distances and lets you clear the way for the camera head while you're at it. Got to have a decent flex shaft machine obviously. Never tried the flushing the cord down from an upstream clean out and pulling the camera through, never had occasion to need to do that so far but it sounds like it would work maybe?


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## Chris_Luttrell (10 mo ago)

Tim Whistler said:


> Taping a flex-shaft with the camera a foot or 2 behind it gives you great extra stiffness for pushing long distances and lets you clear the way for the camera head while you're at it. Got to have a decent flex shaft machine obviously. Never tried the flushing the cord down from an upstream clean out and pulling the camera through, never had occasion to need to do that so far but it sounds like it would work maybe?


Thanks awesome, thanks Tim!


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