# Spartan 300 Machine



## pitch

I am looking for a drain cleaning machine mainly for residential ( under 6 inch pipe) I am leaning towards the Spartan 300. This would be my first Spartan. Feedback on Spartan has been good. I would like to know what others think about Spartan and if the 300 is big enough to handle up to 6 inch as they state. I am open to all opinions including other machines that you feel might serve me better. 

Thank you in advance

Pitch


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## SewerRatz

pitch said:


> I am looking for a drain cleaning machine mainly for residential ( under 6 inch pipe) I am leaning towards the Spartan 300. This would be my first Spartan. Feedback on Spartan has been good. I would like to know what others think about Spartan and if the 300 is big enough to handle up to 6 inch as they state. I am open to all opinions including other machines that you feel might serve me better.
> 
> Thank you in advance
> 
> Pitch


 There are lots of guys around here that run the Spartan 300. The ones that do mostly septic lines and such run the 5/8" cable. The guys that do main lines that are in the 6" size run the .55 cable since it performs well in the 6" root infested lines. Thing about the .55 double wound cable is there is a small learning curve. It builds up torque twice as fast, so you need to learn not to over torque the cable.


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## masterplumberkc

pitch said:


> I am looking for a drain cleaning machine mainly for residential ( under 6 inch pipe) I am leaning towards the Spartan 300. This would be my first Spartan. Feedback on Spartan has been good. I would like to know what others think about Spartan and if the 300 is big enough to handle up to 6 inch as they state. I am open to all opinions including other machines that you feel might serve me better.
> 
> Thank you in advance
> 
> Pitch


A 300 is a good little machine, but if I only had one sewer machine it would be a 1065.


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## rocksteady

I have a Spartan 300 with 2 drums of 5/8" cable on my truck and it's the only big machine I have. I have had it in lines up to 8" and it does O.K. on 6" lines but is too small for 8". I hardly ever have a need to clear a line larger than 4" so it's perfect for that. For 6" lines I'd recomend a 1065 or 2001 machine with a 3/4" cable. 

I really have no complaints about the 300 machine. It's been super reliable in the 8 or so years I've owned it (and I bought it used ). Have you used a direct drive drum machine before? If not, there will be some getting used to it's "feel". All in all, a great machine. :thumbsup:







Paul


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## pitch

SewerRatz said:


> There are lots of guys around here that run the Spartan 300. The ones that do mostly septic lines and such run the 5/8" cable. The guys that do main lines that are in the 6" size run the .55 cable since it performs well in the 6" root infested lines. Thing about the .55 double wound cable is there is a small learning curve. It builds up torque twice as fast, so you need to learn not to over torque the cable.



Thanks for the info about the .55 double wound. I had been thinking that -- that would be my choice of cable. The Spartan rep really talks up the magnum cable. Is it all that and a bag of chips??


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## pitch

SewerRatz said:


> There are lots of guys around here that run the Spartan 300. The ones that do mostly septic lines and such run the 5/8" cable. The guys that do main lines that are in the 6" size run the .55 cable since it performs well in the 6" root infested lines. Thing about the .55 double wound cable is there is a small learning curve. It builds up torque twice as fast, so you need to learn not to over torque the cable.



Are the drums fairly easy to change? One of the reasons I am favoring this over the 2001 is that the 300 is compatible with the 100 machines drum. I am hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Is this reasonable or should I put that idea aside and buy a smaller machine as well verses the smaller drum to put on the 300??


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## pitch

masterplumberkc said:


> A 300 is a good little machine, but if I only had one sewer machine it would be a 1065.



Would you choose the 1065 over the 2001??


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## pitch

Everyone, Thanks for the responses. I know this may sound dumb but this is my first post and I am struggling. ( Technology is way ahead of me ) When I reply there is a box at the top that says "Title" do I need to type something in that??


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## masterplumberkc

pitch said:


> Would you choose the 1065 over the 2001??


I would, my problem with the 2001 is the automatic safety brake, I like drum to spin back, after I let off the foot switch, if I torque it down a bunch, without having to intentionally reverse the motor. I think the safety brake is actually unsafe, if by chance a glove(s) got wound up in the cable and you could stop the machine with the foot switch and couldn't reach the reverse it might be uncomfortable. The 1065, and the 300 will go ahead and spin in reverse to relieve the torque. 

Additionally I never swap drums on the main machine,I just keep an extra couple of 50's in an old tire if I need more than 100'. So the drum swap feature isn't important to me. Not only that but if you do swap drums the 2001 uses some kind of little hook tool that comes with the machine to make the swap with. I'd lose that tool and be jacking around on a job sometime trying swap drums with a coathanger or something. 

I haven't ran a 2001 since they first came out, so maybe Spartan rectified the problem, but I doubt it.


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## waldrop

*general drain machine*

i use a maxi-rooter with 150 ft of 5/8 it got good power and will get most anything . three inch traps a hard to get thru with it. so got a ridgid k-400 three inch and under . but the maxi-rooter is the best machine we got.


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## rocksteady

pitch said:


> Are the drums fairly easy to change? One of the reasons I am favoring this over the 2001 is that the 300 is compatible with the 100 machines drum. I am hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Is this reasonable or should I put that idea aside and buy a smaller machine as well verses the smaller drum to put on the 300??


That is exactly what I do. I really only have 2 drain machines on my truck, the 300 and my General drill snake. I've been set up like this for probably 7-8 years and have been fine. I guess there have been times when I wish I had a smaller and lighter machine for 1 1/2" and 2" lines (getting on a roof for example) but the 300 with the 100 drum works fine. It's definitely the torque-iest and toughest kitchen machine I've ever used.






Paul


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## pitch

masterplumberkc said:


> I would, my problem with the 2001 is the automatic safety brake, I like drum to spin back, after I let off the foot switch, if I torque it down a bunch, without having to intentionally reverse the motor. I think the safety brake is actually unsafe, if by chance a glove(s) got wound up in the cable and you could stop the machine with the foot switch and couldn't reach the reverse it might be uncomfortable. The 1065, and the 300 will go ahead and spin in reverse to relieve the torque.
> 
> Additionally I never swap drums on the main machine,I just keep an extra couple of 50's in an old tire if I need more than 100'. So the drum swap feature isn't important to me. Not only that but if you do swap drums the 2001 uses some kind of little hook tool that comes with the machine to make the swap with. I'd lose that tool and be jacking around on a job sometime trying swap drums with a coathanger or something.
> 
> I haven't ran a 2001 since they first came out, so maybe Spartan rectified the problem, but I doubt it.


Thanks for the info, I never even thought about the fact that the safety clutch / brake on the 2001 could really work against you by doing just what it was intended to do.


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## pitch

rocksteady said:


> That is exactly what I do. I really only have 2 drain machines on my truck, the 300 and my General drill snake. I've been set up like this for probably 7-8 years and have been fine. I guess there have been times when I wish I had a smaller and lighter machine for 1 1/2" and 2" lines (getting on a roof for example) but the 300 with the 100 drum works fine. It's definitely the torque-iest and toughest kitchen machine I've ever used.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Paul


Glad to hear that it works well, I am really leaning towards this set up and it is nice to hear that it is working for someone else. I am curious as to which cable you like better between the 5/8 and .55 magnum. I was told that the 13/32 is the way to go with the 100 drum any opinion on that?


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## rocksteady

I have the 5/8" cable in the mainline drum and have never used the .55 magnum so I can't compare the two. I do know that the price difference is pretty big with the .55 being over twice as much last time I priced them. I believe I have 75' of 3/8" in the 100 drum but it's been so long since I've changed it I can't remember. 





Paul


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## kochese

*sparton is the #1 in sewer & drain*

HEY I LEARNED ON SPARTON MECHINES AND WE PUT THEM THROUGH THE TEST:thumbup:. HERE IN NEW YORK THEY PLANTED THESE OAK AND MAPLE TREES 15 TO 20 FT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE'S . SO OVER TIME THEY GREW THESE HEAVEY ROOTS IN THE 6" PIPE . WITH A 4' BLADE WE RIPED THOSE ROOTS OUT LIKE NO ONES BIZ, OF COURSE THERE IS WAYS TO DO THAT, YOU CANT SND A ROOKIE IN TO DO IT:no: .LIKE ANY TOOL YOU GOTTA GET USED TO IT P.S.I HAVE THE SAME 100 AND 300 MECHINE FOR 25YRS NOW AND I ALSO USED THE 300 ON 2' PIPES UP TO 6' . HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL:yes:


pitch said:


> I am looking for a drain cleaning machine mainly for residential ( under 6 inch pipe) I am leaning towards the Spartan 300. This would be my first Spartan. Feedback on Spartan has been good. I would like to know what others think about Spartan and if the 300 is big enough to handle up to 6 inch as they state. I am open to all opinions including other machines that you feel might serve me better.
> 
> Thank you in advance
> 
> Pitch


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## AndersenPlumbing

Kochese, Welcome to PZ! FYI all caps is considerd yelling. :no:


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