# Jetting "aged" Cast Iron



## WrenchHandsPete (Jul 7, 2021)

Greetings!

I'm "the head dude" at a large hospital. I just purchased a new rigid jetter for addressing ongoing problems we have with heavily-scaled cast iron in some of the original building. I have some concerns about the age of the cast iron in the system. Obviously if a pipe can't tolerate a snake or a jetter without leaking, then it's time to replace, but my question to everyone is this;

On a no-hub cast iron system, would you be concerned with jetting across the couplings at all? It's not like there is a choice, but should I be concerned about aged rubber on the couplings? Anyone ever jet a sewer and "blow out" no-hub bands because the material was old? My intuition thinks as long as I'm not using a 90 degree jetter nozzle, then I'm not likely going to put any destructive pressure directly on the "soft spot" where pipe/fitting's join. 

All opinions welcome, have a great weekend everyone.

Plumbus Unitas


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## DogGod (Jul 7, 2021)

Good morning FNG. Since you are the "head dude" which made me laugh by the way. Without actually seeing what kind of condition the pipe is in no one's going to give you a proper answer. Frankly if you're asking these questions do you think you're the one that should be running this jetter. Maybe get yourself an experienced plumber. Pay him for consult walkthrough maybe put a video camera down the drain. I have plumber's call me and ask me to come to their job and they pay me to do it. There's no shame in that. If anything it's signs of a very smart person.

Or just find yourself a run that's not going to damage anything that would be somewhat easily repaired if you damaged it and run the goddamn jetter at maximum Force and see what happens. One way or another you're going to educate yourself

DG


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## JimmyMac (Nov 4, 2015)

DG, looks like missed WHP's intro...

WHP, for a hospital got to be super careful, I would try to avoid those joints as well and do a dual approach with a camera...ID where joints are and then measure off distance to next joint and then just jet that section based on measurement, very time consuming but way less than busting a sewer fitting in the middle of a hospital!


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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

What’s the Jetter specs?


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## DogGod (Jul 7, 2021)

JimmyMac said:


> DG, looks like missed WHP's intro...
> 
> WHP, for a hospital got to be super careful, I would try to avoid those joints as well and do a dual approach with a camera...ID where joints are and then measure off distance to next joint and then just jet that section based on measurement, very time consuming but way less than busting a sewer fitting in the middle of a hospital!


No I didn't miss it. He has a total of 2 post, the first a long list of credentials and the second looking for answers.. idk he could always try relining the pipes with the hydraulic cement. 

Jetting probably wouldn't be my go-to and that type of scenario. All depends on how bad the pipes are and what is built up inside of them. Whether or not you use a jetter or snake machine and it whatever sign contract you need to make sure that you're not liable for any kind of damage caused. Frankly I'd probably just use a wire brush attachment on the end of my snake


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## WrenchHandsPete (Jul 7, 2021)

Toli said:


> What’s the Jetter specs?


Hey brother - 
1350 psi
1.4 GPM flowrate


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)




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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

WrenchHandsPete said:


> Hey brother -
> 1350 psi
> 1.4 GPM flowrate


I wouldn’t waste your time. There simply isn’t enough juice to be effective at what you want to do. Plus NH cast sucks. I’ve blown it out a few times but never blown out a band. It’s just crummy pipe.

also - a rule of thumb to keep in mind- 2gpm/inch diameter of pipe. Obviously that’s not a set in stone type thing and rules need to be bent or broke from time to time (I send 18 gpm down 4” all the time). But it’s a good starting point.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

WrenchHandsPete said:


> Hey brother -
> 1350 psi
> 1.4 GPM flowrate



HAHAHA You must be joking!

That's not a jetter, it's an electric pressure washer with a nozzle from amazon. Phuck outta here with that BS.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

skoronesa said:


> HAHAHA You must be joking!
> 
> That's not a jetter, it's an electric pressure washer with a nozzle from amazon. Phuck outta here with that BS.



Thank you! 

My water pic toothbrush has more power.


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## After Hour plum (Jun 9, 2020)

skoronesa said:


> HAHAHA You must be joking!
> 
> That's not a jetter, it's an electric pressure washer with a nozzle from amazon. Phuck outta here with that BS.


I've had the Ridgid KJ 1350 for about 18 years its a solid little piece of machinery perfect for 2 to 4" drains, well greasy drain line 
not great on calcium build up 
I think i would be a little embarrassed to bring it out in a commercial environment 
we had a similar issue in a hotel kitchen, After jetting , snaking we gave up 
My team started at 1130 pm after the kitchen closed & ripped that nasty no hub cast iron out 
Repiped in PVC finished 8am thankfully the hangers were in great conditions


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Throw a chain flail on a 18gpm, 4000psi jet hose and rip all that crud out. Love my chain flail.


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## The cable guy (Oct 31, 2020)

Even with a kj3100 (rigids biggest unit) you should be able to jet nohub ci without issue


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## Venomthirst (Jun 20, 2018)

I'd say jetter is safest way to clean cast. Cables bang and slap alot. No hub usually the pipe rota out near the bands... bands are never the issue unless they are underground 

As long as you don't use the nozzle as a hammer trying to get around bends. If you can see visible cracks change it


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

After Hour plum said:


> I've had the Ridgid KJ 1350 for about 18 years its a solid little piece of machinery perfect for 2 to 4" drains, well greasy drain line
> not great on calcium build up
> I think i would be a little embarrassed to bring it out in a commercial environment
> we had a similar issue in a hotel kitchen, After jetting , snaking we gave up
> ...


I have a general mini-jetter, and for small lines or grease it's great, but rust busting? No.

And btw, even the mini-jetter has better specs than he quoted and it's fine on a 15A circuit.


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## WrenchHandsPete (Jul 7, 2021)

Master Mark said:


> View attachment 130000


Take it easy man, there's a beverage here!


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## WrenchHandsPete (Jul 7, 2021)

skoronesa said:


> HAHAHA You must be joking!
> 
> That's not a jetter, it's an electric pressure washer with a nozzle from amazon. Phuck outta here with that BS.


Hahaha, motherphuckers. That's fair, I didn't purchase this thing for our biggest lines though. We have riser's with back to back lavs in the old part of the hospital, it's what you would expect for 70 year old cast iron. Packed with the "black death" from loads of soap scum. I bought this thing to try and get control of that part of the system again. AND, I don't have to phuck with engine exhaust in a building where the windows don't open. I'll be sure and buy the bad mamba-jamba for larger lines. 
If I had enough pull, we'd start demoing and replacing risers one by one but the hospital will never give me that many rooms at once. I'd have a hard time getting two rooms at once. The amount of revenue they lose out on is... criminal really, but that's another discussion. 
Thanks for everyone's input, I was wondering about the bands specifically but it doesn't sound like that's much of a phenomenon.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

WrenchHandsPete said:


> Hahaha, motherphuckers. That's fair, I didn't purchase this thing for our biggest lines though. ...........


Even though you're not a plumber and don't belong here I'll be nice. Get the appropriate gas machine, which won't be very large, and just park it outside somewhere, maybe on the roof with the hose through the window. Run 500 feet of hose if you have to so the fumes aren't in the building. Not ideal, but it will work.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

They do make 230v electric jetters. I think General makes one.


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## WrenchHandsPete (Jul 7, 2021)

skoronesa said:


> Even though you're not a plumber and don't belong here I'll be nice. Get the appropriate gas machine, which won't be very large, and just park it outside somewhere, maybe on the roof with the hose through the window. Run 500 feet of hose if you have to so the fumes aren't in the building. Not ideal, but it will work.





skoronesa said:


> Even though you're not a plumber and don't belong here I'll be nice. Get the appropriate gas machine, which won't be very large, and just park it outside somewhere, maybe on the roof with the hose through the window. Run 500 feet of hose if you have to so the fumes aren't in the building. Not ideal, but it will work.





skoronesa said:


> They do make 230v electric jetters. I think General makes one.


Clearly you've got this all figured out.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

WrenchHandsPete said:


> Clearly you've got this all figured out.


I should hope so, I do this for a living.


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## The cable guy (Oct 31, 2020)

I imagine at a hospital running hose throughout the building would probably be a no-no. And slot of them are so big that running a hose from outside may not be feasible


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