# Jetter VS Rodding



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

So the 2" kitchen galvy line I replaced the other day showed it's age and was almost completely filled. The owners said the pipe had never backed up but I replaced it because another section of it was split. Anyway....we have some thought on what works and what doesn't. So here's what I did.....cut the pipe in 2) 18" pieces and use a k50 with a straight and bent cable with a 1-1/2" clogchopper. On the other pipe I used a 2gpm 1500 psi electric pump with a 4r nozzle as it's my most commonly used nozzle. 

Both went through the pipe fairly easily. However the cable did a much better job overall. The jetter just didn't move the scale but honestly neither did the clogchopper. I really thought the clogchopper would've done better. I used the electric jetter for this test because it's what I would pick for jetting a kitchen drain.

What was clearly shown was the trench on the bottom that is easily confused for missing bottom of a pipe. So is the jetter useless? I don't think so but it's definitely the bottom of the list for drain cleaning equipment. I used it yesterday to prep a kitchen line yesterday for a camera inspection. The jetter actually did a bang up job cleaning the soft sludge out and cleaned the line so well that my camera came back super clean. So this is what I learned.

-If the bottom looks like it's gone...I better check twice.
-If it's sludge....go with either one
-If it's scale....cable is probably better.
-A bent cable doesn't guarantee full cleaning by the cutter head scraping around.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

The picture on the previous post is the jetting after pic. This post is the snaking after pic.


----------



## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

I do these tests also every chance I get. I don't have a camera that fits down most of the kitchen lines I come across so I find myself doing this too when I get to cut out a line full of crud and bring it back, just to see what the jetter can and can't do.


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I always used the two machines together. Power rod the line first, make ate least two passes, then jet the line and with my electric jetter (1200psi @ 2gpm) I make at least 3 to 4 passes.


----------



## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

SewerRatz said:


> I always used the two machines together. Power rod the line first, make ate least two passes, then jet the line and with my electric jetter (1200psi @ 2gpm) I make at least 3 to 4 passes.


Do you ever camera the line afterwards? I also snake the line first but always wonder what it really looks like and how long it'll stay open.


----------



## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

When they are as hard of a blockage as that looks I think a cable is better at least to start with


----------

