# Which 1/4" Cable Would You Buy?



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I need to buy a 25'-50' of 1/4" flexcore (General wire) to be able to go through 1 1/2" P-traps. Both 5/16" with either bulb or spring lead that I have will not work. I will be putting this cable in my K-45AF.

Here are the options, which one should I get?


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I only buy 1/4 in 25’, basic with the cork screw, which I end up cutting half off it off. Then either a kink or Z kink at the end. Sometimes you need to adjust the kink for that particular drain.

I can’t say which one on the list without looking at the cable… “Down head” meaning a drop head? I would consider that useless. The right kink will drop.

Sorry for such a kinky post….


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

A drop head/down head


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Tango said:


> A drop head/down head
> 
> View attachment 132796


For 1/4” I consider that a waste of money. I’ll take some pics tomorrow, unless someone beats me to it. A kink works just as good if you feel the cable.

Edit: if you haven’t cabled tens of thousands of tub drains, or maybe half that, you might want to consider the drop head. Feed it in by hand till the bottom of the trap. Pulse it till after the waste 90.


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## Blue2 (12 mo ago)

The only time I have wanted a drop head on my 1/4” is for double lavs.
I’m not sure how much general charges for their cables but I use a ridgid power spin plus. I attached my drill to it and haven’t had any issues with it. It is also going on 18 months of being used several times a week. And it was about $50. I spray the cable down with pb blaster or wd40 what ever I have handy and it helps a lot.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

25HE1 Is the part number you want. It is the bulb spring head, the cable itself is opened up a little to make a head. I keep an 8' piece of this on the van and just chuck it in my drill for sink/tub/shower/floor drains.

GENERAL AND RIDGID CABLES ARE WOUND OPPOSITE. 

General cables have a left hand wind and Ridgid cables(for the k45) have a right hand wind. You'll need to load the cable in the drum in the opposite direction, run the motor in reverse, and I think use the reverse paddle.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> 25HE1 Is the part number you want. It is the bulb spring head, the cable itself is opened up a little to make a head. I keep an 8' piece of this on the van and just chuck it in my drill for sink/tub/shower/floor drains.
> 
> GENERAL AND RIDGID CABLES ARE WOUND OPPOSITE.
> 
> General cables have a left hand wind and Ridgid cables(for the k45) have a right hand wind. You'll need to load the cable in the drum in the opposite direction, run the motor in reverse, and I think use the reverse paddle.


I found out about the opposite wound cable of general wire used in my K-3800, I called ridgid and tried to get answers why the cable would pretzel all the time but no one had a clue and after a year that's the conclusion I came up with. 

The drop head would be handy for a double lav, I had a nightmare job just like that, the cable wouldn't go and I finally used another method.

I'll get the 25HE1 or ridgid with a bulb depending on what's available, less chance of it breaking in off plus I need it to clear a tub turned into a shower where the bozo left it 1 1/2" p-trap under the concrete and added a 90 to extend into the pan. I do have general cable in the K-45AF and sometimes the cables comes completely out and when I put it back in it winds in the wrong direction but I haven't noticed any problems though.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

Good info thanks Guys

I was using my spartan 100 to clear a kitchen drain and it was hard to pull the cable out of the drum and it was getting tangled up? But when I ran it in reverse it came out easier. So according to your suggestions I have the wrong wound of cable or the cable is loaded in the drum incorrectly. Anyone know which way spartan cable is wound right hand or left hand?


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

rooterboy said:


> Good info thanks Guys
> 
> I was using my spartan 100 to clear a kitchen drain and it was hard to pull the cable out of the drum and it was getting tangled up? But when I ran it in reverse it came out easier. So according to your suggestions I have the wrong wound of cable or the cable is loaded in the drum incorrectly. Anyone know which way spartan cable is wound right hand or left hand?


It's just like bolt threads, a right hand cable will look like a normal bolt. A right hand cable should have the drum turn left hand so it tightens the outer jacket when the end of the cable is held.

To see what I mean find a spring and try twisting it both ways. You'll find that one direction opens the spring up and makes it weaker. The same will happen to a snake cable when driven the wrong way. Driving a cable the correct direction tightens the outer jacket onto the inner core making it stiffer/stronger when it hits an obstruction.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I didn't know a local tool supplier had so much plumbing tool selection, he had ridgid cable without core, it seemed way too soft and feared of stretching and unspooling if stuck.

They had General wire with the drop head and another with the bulb. I bought the 25HE1 (bulb) that has the aircraft cable inside. I loaded it in a spare drum and tested it, it gets caught a little in a 1 1/2" trap but goes through.

I then unspooled my other cables and lubed them up.

Here's yesteday's "Oh $hit moment" I tried to snake from the floor drain but it wouldn't go in so I drained it. A piece of rebar! If my cable would of gotten stuck that would of been terrible! Finally found a C/O hidden.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

Tango is that a short piece of rebar you can pull out?


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

rooterboy said:


> Tango is that a short piece of rebar you can pull out?


It was stuck, I didn't try too hard.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> It was stuck, I didn't try too hard.


I always get a good chuckle when I see something that easily could have been done better, but it would have taken another trip to the van. But the van is all the way outside!


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## plumbstar (May 4, 2018)

Are you sure it's rebar or a broken cable from previous plumber?


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

WOW 14 POSTS IN 4 YEARS ! 3.5 POSTS PER YEAR


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## Venomthirst (Jun 20, 2018)

Not a huge fan of general wire cables at all much prefer ridgid cables... drain cables direct for the speedy 92 but I dont use that machine much any more.. k1500 for everything.. and k3800 for everything else.

1.5" trap 5/16 non inner core not an issue..


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

I really like the 3/16 cable myself. I have a quality Erickson hand spinner with 1/4" cable though for a pedestal sink with an internal trap.


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## yoyoer (Nov 28, 2012)

Tango said:


> I need to buy a 25'-50' of 1/4" flexcore (General wire) to be able to go through 1 1/2" P-traps. Both 5/16" with either bulb or spring lead that I have will not work. I will be putting this cable in my K-45AF.
> 
> Here are the options, which one should I get?
> 
> ...


Don't buy any of that sh*t for 1/4 cable. Go to Home Depot or Rona buy one of those Ridgid hand spinners that attaches to your drill and get a new one every couple years.


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