# Any thoughts on the General Wire P-T3-D?



## PlumbdogTim (Apr 9, 2018)

My plumbing supply stocks these for about $1150. You can't really find any reviews online anywhere for them, so does anyone here have any experience with this machine? What would you recommend in it's place? 

Here is a link to it on Amazon. 
https://www.amazon.com/General-Wire-P-T3-D-Sewerooter-Cable/dp/B009HX94BW


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## Standard Drain (Feb 17, 2016)

What is the main type of blockage you are trying to work on?

If your looking for a 1/2 branch line; and the occasional main I had purchased 

https://www.gorlitz.com//drain-cleaning-machines/GO-50-PE.asp

Its pretty light to carry around.

If your looking for something to clear 4 inch mains I would get something thicker than 1/2 inch cable machine.


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

The T3 is only for 2"-4" and only up to 100' because it's only 1/3HP and on their site it states it's for inside drains so not good for tree roots outside the house. I have use their speedometer 92 for mains and it worked good.

If you are looking for inside the house then I would go with the rigid k3800 with a few desperate drums that holds different sizes of cables so you only need 1 machine for all sizes inside the house. If you are looking for main sewer machines I would go bigger. We currently use Gorlitz for main lines and it's powerfully as can be but a heavy beast and I would not buy it myself because of the weight. 

Sent from my BLN-L24 using Tapatalk


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## PlumbdogTim (Apr 9, 2018)

This machine would be for cleaning out sewer lines inside of a house. Probably mainly body wipes and stuff like that. I have a 1/4" machine for real small blockages. I figure a 1/2" machine is a good investment, the next thing I would need is a 3/4" for 6" mains and tree roots. 5/8" seems like an in-between size. I'm thinking that that would be the last addition unless you guys think that would be a better investment than a 1/2" machine. 

I'll get some prices on the K-3800. The downside of it is that you get 10' less on 1/2" cable. Do you think it's a better machine than the T3? I read the cable isn't interchangeable between the two brands, is Ridgid cable notably better than the one General uses?


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

I can't speak too much about the cables and have only actually tried running the k3800 1 time. You will find on here that a lot of people here can and will recommend the 3800. I will soon enough be buying the k3800 myself as I prepare to one day start my own business. I would get the sink drum with 1/4" cable for tub drains and old 11/4" galvanised drains. The 3/8" 75' drum for 11/2 and 2" drains. The 1/2" 75' drum for 2" floor drains and laundry drains and only 3"drain if I know it's inside the house so no roots. For sewers I would get a bigger machine and just have 5/8" 100' plus an extra 50'-75' drum if it is longer than 100'. 5/8" will do 6" but I have rarely seen a 6" sewer line, that tends to go to the rooter company that has the bigger equipment. Since its mostly 3"-4" we deal with for sewers I don't see the need to log around all that extra weight of a bigger cable when almost all our sewers are in basements. The 10' you loose is nothing to worry about unless you work on mansions, I have never had more that 50'-75'cable on any machine inside a house and rarely use more than 40' max and never have I been short of cable inside a house.

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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

In my opinion there is no need for 1/2” cable on residential systems. 3/8” can handle any branch line and the occasional “pair of underwear ” in a mainline. Duracable is my brand of choice my 3/8” & 1/4” machine is a DM138A2.

I run 5/8” rubber core for my mainline machine 
Which is a Duracable Dm162. Two drums are necessary to give me 160’ of reach.


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## Standard Drain (Feb 17, 2016)

an inner-core 3/8 might be ok for branch lines 2-3 inch. But I think for what he stated his need is; i would go ahead and grab the 1/2 machine.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

https://www.electriceel.com/products/professional-industry/model-z5-auto-feed-2/

Model Z5 Auto Feed
Cleans 1-1/4” – 3” diameter lines up to 100 ft. while running 1/2″ dia. galvanized aircraft wire inner core cable. Built-in drum shaft slip clutch. Upright frame on large 10” wheels with folding handle. Rear bar shields motor and allows for two position operation. Steel guide tube/inner drum. 1/2” x 75 ft. cable standard.

In addition to all the benefits and features of the standard Model Z5, the auto feed version allows the operator to advance and retrieve the cable with the push of a lever. The cable runs through a guide spring which keeps hands off the rotating cable for added safety.

Additional information
Cable Length	
75ft.

Minimum Drain Size	
1 1/4in.

Maximum Drain Size	
3in.

Power	
Electric

Power Details	
1/3 HP

$ 1,300.00 FOB SPRINGFIELD,OH
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

http://www.trojanworldwide.com/colt.html


Trojan Colt Sewer/Drain Cleaning Machine with 1/2" x 75' cable, $237.00


http://www.trojanworldwide.com/Trojan-Colt-New.pdf $1,295.00
POWER FEED $495.00

RECOMMENDED 13/32" X 100' $244.00 
This is the best can go anywhere a 3/8" cable will But also will do anything 
that you would want to run a 1/2" cable I have over 25 years running this, 
ALL THIS FOB HOUSTON, TEXAS
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

PlumbdogTim said:


> My plumbing supply stocks these for about $1150. You can't really find any reviews online anywhere for them, so does anyone here have any experience with this machine? What would you recommend in it's place?
> 
> Here is a link to it on Amazon.
> https://www.amazon.com/General-Wire-P-T3-D-Sewerooter-Cable/dp/B009HX94BW





I have that 1/2" and NEVER use it. When the other guys cover my calls they will bring the 1/2", not get the clog, and then tell the customer I will come monday with the "big snake". I use the 5/8" version. I think they call the 5/8" the speedrooter 92. I have two 5/8"x100 cables in drums and a 3/4"x75 in a drum. I also have a spare drive head. I use my 5/8" several times a week for 4" main line blockages. Having the spares is a must so you don't miss a call. The drive heads last about 6 months before being torn down, cleaned, and new bearings put in. 



It has a lot of torque even though it's only 1/3hp. Occasionally(once or twice a year) I will run the 5/8" all the way out and then swap drums, connect cables, and run the 3/4" so I can get out even farther. I don't like doing this but for a good customer in a pinch I will. Usually I just tell them sorry call joe blow with the 600' jetter and the excavator.



It is alright going upstairs, easier than our ridgid/kollmann k-750 drum snake but mostly because the general is shorter. Both have stair rollers. For getting the snake back in my van I have a ramp and a pulley system. For years I used to just get in and pull it up myself but after a manhole cover broke my toe and it had to heal for a couple weeks I finally broke down and took the time to do something I have been wanting to do for years.



The guys on here mostly seem to like sectional and the ridgid drum units but personally I love my general snake, never lets me down. The general cables are great too and I recommend them regardless of what brand drum unit you get. General is first and foremost a wire and spring company. I wouldn't be surprised if they make other brands cables. Of course they keep the best alloy recipes to themselves.


https://drainbrain.com/en/products/speedrooter-92/


Get that guy^^ It won't let you down.



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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

I have a plumbing friend who runs the General 92,
but he runs the Electric Eel 5/8" Tri max cable in it for the last year and thinks it is great


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> I have a plumbing friend who runs the General 92,
> but he runs the Electric Eel 5/8" Tri max cable in it for the last year and thinks it is great


I have heard good things about electric eel cable but it's also kind of a moot point for me. My bosses use certain suppliers and I don't get much leeway. If I wanted I could get my manager to buy ridgid cables next time but then it wouldn't have a mount that matched all of the heads we have. It would have that stupid joint that uses the awl where you stab your hand. The old ridgid/kollmann k-750 we have has a nice cable but it is old. From how the cables sucked on my k-40af I assume they have schitty ones now. I am not risking that.

Honestly the weakest point on all good cables seems to be the end. I have had ends break where the outside weld fails but not the inside weld to the inner core. That to me is a nice buffer. Even the repair heads tend to just twist sideways without coming off and they are easy to replace with a 14 and an 18.

Unless you do something stupid the general cables are much stronger than the motor can muster which is also more than enough to break a pipe. The fool proof way to never break a cable is just run a crescent head first. This way if you are too over zealous and pick up too many hygiene products or roots at one time the crescent will break roughly half way down and you can get your cable back. Then you can go again. After you clear the waste the small broken piece can easily be flushed out if it hasn't already.




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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

I like the back saver idea


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

ELECTRIC EEL 
Can put General ends on their cables, or Ridgid,or what ever you may need, no matter who makes the cable


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> ELECTRIC EEL
> Can put General ends on their cables, or Ridgid,or what ever you may need, no matter who makes the cable


Trust me man, I know, but when I tried to order right hand eel cables in 5/16" and 3/8" for my k-40af I was given a left hand 1/4" general cable. So now I am stuck running it in reverse and holding the back paddle to go foward. It's a pos anyway so I gave up.

Luckily the situation is good with my 5/8" and I now have the mini-jet for small lines so I never use the k-40af anymore. I am probably going to take it off the van and add two more parts buckets.



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## JimmyMac (Nov 4, 2015)

We have t-3's and speedrooters 92's on all of our drain cleaning trucks. We only do commercial work, so everything we run into in the floor is minimum of 3", but mostly 4" and up. We beat the ever living crap out of both of these machines, they are pretty sturdy, just about everything can be repaired/replaced on them. We have a local welder that welds new tips on the cables, if/when they get broken and have spare drums and cables at our shop when the need arises. In agreement on the powerfeeds, rebuild every 6 months is about right, depending on how many grease lines you have to do. We also carry an extra drum for both the 92 and the t-3 on all trucks as well. It would be nice if new construction guys would put cleanouts every 100', apparently that is not something that is checked for too often!

The t-3 works better for going through a 3" trap than the 92, that is the main reason we carry them. Depends on what you are going to use the machine for. We have zero use for a sectional machine with the type of work we do, but I am sure they work great for roots, its just not something we run into. Love the pully system idea, I am going to check into it...


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## PlumbdogTim (Apr 9, 2018)

JimmyMac said:


> We have t-3's and speedrooters 92's on all of our drain cleaning trucks. We only do commercial work, so everything we run into in the floor is minimum of 3", but mostly 4" and up. We beat the ever living crap out of both of these machines, they are pretty sturdy, just about everything can be repaired/replaced on them. We have a local welder that welds new tips on the cables, if/when they get broken and have spare drums and cables at our shop when the need arises. In agreement on the powerfeeds, rebuild every 6 months is about right, depending on how many grease lines you have to do. We also carry an extra drum for both the 92 and the t-3 on all trucks as well. It would be nice if new construction guys would put cleanouts every 100', apparently that is not something that is checked for too often!
> 
> The t-3 works better for going through a 3" trap than the 92, that is the main reason we carry them. Depends on what you are going to use the machine for. We have zero use for a sectional machine with the type of work we do, but I am sure they work great for roots, its just not something we run into. Love the pully system idea, I am going to check into it...



In new construction we usually do pipe in for clean outs. Then after we get our inspection we cut the pipe off under the floor and cap it because the the people we are building for don't want to see clean outs in the middle of their floor. For some reason people seem to hate seeing any kind of plumbing no matter how nice it looks.

Now I am doing a lot of service and I feel bad about not putting in clean outs all over the place, but the guy writing the checks makes the rules.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

PlumbdogTim said:


> In new construction we usually do pipe in for clean outs. Then after we get our inspection we cut the pipe off under the floor and cap it because the the people we are building for don't want to see clean outs in the middle of their floor. For some reason people seem to hate seeing any kind of plumbing no matter how nice it looks.
> 
> Now I am doing a lot of service and I feel bad about not putting in clean outs all over the place, but the guy writing the checks makes the rules.


You should say to yourself, the plumbing code makes the rules. It's not too late 
to make the next ones serviceable. You can always try to design the system where cleanouts are not noticeable but are there to do service work.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

skoronesa said:


> I have that 1/2" and NEVER use it. When the other guys cover my calls they will bring the 1/2", not get the clog, and then tell the customer I will come monday with the "big snake". I use the 5/8" version. I think they call the 5/8" the speedrooter 92. I have two 5/8"x100 cables in drums and a 3/4"x75 in a drum. I also have a spare drive head. I use my 5/8" several times a week for 4" main line blockages. Having the spares is a must so you don't miss a call. The drive heads last about 6 months before being torn down, cleaned, and new bearings put in.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've got 3 speedrooters 92/91's, the oldest is a 1/2 hp 91. Great machines, the 91 is 10+ years old and still running. The 5/8 cable is perfect, no need for bigger. My jetter handles everything above that.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> You should say to yourself, the plumbing code makes the rules. It's not too late
> to make the next ones serviceable. You can always try to design the system where cleanouts are not noticeable but are there to do service work.





Screw the code and the boss. When I see that a clean out is needed because I know it will be an issue I put it in whether code or boss says it's necessary or not. My boss trusts me and my judgement. And if the 40$ in fittings/labor for that c.o. is really too much in his or the customers book I will pay it out of my pocket because it will save me literal pain in the future. My boss and that customer will likely be sleeping in the ground when I have to come back to snake that drain and I know how much my body hurts now forget 20 years from now.



When I run buried waste I always stub up at least one c.o. and then draw a map on the wall in the basement where it goes out or make a map and hang it. This way if I set it below the grass or it gets covered then I or my successors(prolly my kids) can find it.


Up to code doesn't mean up to snuff. It just means the inspector won't care because his liability is covered. If you want to do the minimum and charge as much as you can for your benefit than be my guest. For me, it's hard to look at 120 year old plumbing and not want to install something that will last that long too.





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