# If you were buying a new sewer camera what would you get?



## Pipe Rat (Apr 5, 2009)

Getting back into sewer cleaning after 20 years and want to get a camera this time. I like good durable quality tools. I always subbed out camera work so I have no experience with them. What do you guys think?


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Ridgid and Ridgid only. My Seasnake compact is 10(?) years old, 200' reel with C65 monitor is at least 5 years old. Also have 2 Micro reels. All are used constantly by several plumbers and I. They work great!


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Ridgid is tops right now. My first camera was Customeyes (sp) which is Ridgid workings for the most part. I got one heck of a deal for a used Spartan. Had a battery issue with the Spartan, $225 fix. I actually like the Spartan over the Ridgid clone. Eel cameras are good! I used a General for a time, was sent in more times than you would think.


PM @MACPLUMB777 He can hook you up!


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I would agree with going with Ridgid.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

As a retired Master Plumber, and a Sales Agent for ELECTRIC EEL, That is the that I would recommend,
and you are not in my sales area


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## Pipe Rat (Apr 5, 2009)

In my area we typically have 4” Bldg drains with 4” or 6” laterals. What’s the model number you would recommend of your favorite brand?


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

*ECAM ACE WIFI PIPELINE INSPECTION CAMERA*
All eCAM units have a built-in Battery Cradle* (Battery Not Included)

*Accepts a Milwaukee M







18 battery. Allows easy access to power for remote field work or where electricity is not available. Battery life is 6-7 hours.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

*LF2000 DIGITAL RECEIVER*
*SPRING-LOADED EXPANSION ROLLER SKID*
*SPRING CARRIER & FV TRANSMITTER*


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

The Ridgid See Snake is really great. I really like the mini. 
We don’t do a lot of service, but this thing is useful and seems to be durable. My guys are hard on tools like you wouldn’t believe. 
Also though, check out the what Jerry says. He might have some good reasons to go another way.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

*NEW ELECTRIC EEL ECAM ACE 100-MICRO PIPELINE INSPECTION CAMERA SYSTEM*


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## northplm (Jul 11, 2021)

I've always used Ridgid when I worked for another company, their app for recording and sharing videos work great, the screen is crystal clear, the equipment is very well built and durable. I'll give a brief review of another brand that I bought just in case anyone is interested, for my new business I purchased a Kyrie sewer cam online, you deal directly with the manufacturer and they ship it right to your house. Overall I'm happy with what I got, it's a good camera "FOR THE MONEY".... that part is critical. So far it does the job it needs to do, it locates, it has a decent picture, it doesn't seem terrible. There is a design flaw in the cage where you have to be incredibly cautious when reeling the push rod out and especially back in, there's a weld joint that the pushrod must pass by that wants to scrape the coating off the push rod. I rigged up a little piece of pipe to keep it from scraping, and honestly the Ridgid has a similar issue, just not nearly as bad. The counter on the Kyrie doesn't work at all, and the sonde leaves the screen black and distorted even after you turn the sonde off, I have contacted Kyrie about these issues as I think they might be defects or something, not necessarily something that all the cameras have, but I haven't heard back from them. Overall the build quality is fairly cheap, the picture is clear but not nearly as good as the picture on the Ridgid, it's just overall kind of a low grade camera. That said, it is absolutely dirt cheap compared to the Ridgid, and allegedly much cheaper and easier to fix. For the price it's an excellent option for a starter camera if you're trying to launch a business and keep costs down, or if you don't need a camera that often and don't want to drop a ton of money on something that's mostly going to sit at the shop. I'm using a Ridgid Navitrack locator with it, a buddy at another company warned me I wouldn't like the Kyrie brand locator. He couldn't really elaborate he basically just told me "it sucked", and I got a steal of a deal on a used Ridgid so I can't really comment much more than that on the Kyrie locator. Overall I'm satisfied with what I got, but down the road if I have the money I probably will buy something a little nicer.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

northplm said:


> ..........the sonde leaves the screen black and distorted even after you turn the sonde off, I have contacted Kyrie about these issues as I think they might be defects or something, not necessarily something that all the cameras have, but I haven't heard back from them. Overall the build quality is fairly cheap, the picture is clear but not nearly as good as the picture on the Ridgid, it's just overall kind of a low grade camera. .........


For what it's worth, when I use the built in 512hz emitter on my ridgid has no issues. If I hook my ridgid transmitter pack to the lug on the camera intended for it, the camera gets really phucked up and sometimes re-sets. I use it just like the manual says and it happens. I almost never try to use the transmitter pack with the camera, but when I do I shut the camera off and remove the battery before turning the transmitter on.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

I would buy the easycam model camera,says it's built by a plumber and all parts are field replaceable,I think it would be a good camera


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## Pipe Rat (Apr 5, 2009)

From what I’m seeing the easy cam costs as much as a Ridgid mini with a 6” monitor. I think I have settled on the Ridgid for the durability and quality.


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## gilbertjeffrey (Mar 6, 2011)

My vote for RIDGID. But I’m in the business of drain cleaning to repair broken drains. The camera sells the work. I bought my first cam 8 years ago and replaced a year ago. Happy with the ROI. Gives me the satisfaction knowing I either cleared the drain or there is a reason why I didn’t and the customer can opt to pay me to repair.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Pipe Rat said:


> From what I’m seeing the easy cam costs as much as a Ridgid mini with a 6” monitor. I think I have settled on the Ridgid for the durability and quality.


You have to send the ridged off for Maintence and repairs and easycam sends you all the parts for field replacement


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

EZ cams are terrible units and are always broken when you need them so they cost you money not make you money avoid them.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

My Ridgid knock off (Ridgid authorized dealer/repair) uses the Ridgid push rod and camera head, the rest of outfit is there’s. I’m on me second Ridgid camera head and if I use it in a belly for too long it goes blurry for a week or two. Sharing videos is a pain. The Spartan I have has awesome software! Easy to share!

The Eel I used, 13-15 years ago, was my first color camera that I used. VHS, like our B&W Ridgid. They were about the same age, and the Eel was far superior in quality! But that was along time ago, and we all know how quality can change over the years.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Ridgid cameras are made by Seektech (SeeScan) which used to be called Deep Sea because they made deep water camera equipment before they entered in to an agreement with Ridgid. All new Ridgid Seesnakes are tested in big tanks of water before being shipped out to prevent water problems in the camera. The only 2 times I have seen them leak is if someone jetted to close to the camera or if someone accidentally reversed the camera head without the spanner. The camera heads split in half with a strap wrench on each side. Might actually be worth snugging it up I do not know what that guy on ebay that sells his knock offs uses new or rebuilt.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Cuda said:


> EZ cams are terrible units and are always broken when you need them so they cost you money not make you money avoid them.


Have you had one before how do you know this


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Yes I have the price was cheap to try. I like most tried thinking that if it lasts this .....long then I can buy another and it will actually save money, that didn't work they are priced low for a reason and they changed there name once before when they got into trouble. Hundreds of people have asked about them in the past some listen some don't and a lot of them actually came back and said I should have bought the Ridgid like you guys said. Should actually be able to do a search on the zone and see that. The Seesnake can be repaired in the field (if you had the parts) you can replace the camera head, you can replace the count unit (they actually are the weak part on the camera) you can fix the sonde. What you can't do is shorten (reterm) the push cable in the field or the shop. It takes a special little mini wire jig that allows you to cut and strip the wires the exact amount that is needed to fit into the new reterm kit that ridgid sells.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Cuda said:


> Yes I have the price was cheap to try. I like most tried thinking that if it lasts this .....long then I can buy another and it will actually save money, that didn't work they are priced low for a reason and they changed there name once before when they got into trouble. Hundreds of people have asked about them in the past some listen some don't and a lot of them actually came back and said I should have bought the Ridgid like you guys said. Should actually be able to do a search on the zone and see that. The Seesnake can be repaired in the field (if you had the parts) you can replace the camera head, you can replace the count unit (they actually are the weak part on the camera) you can fix the sonde. What you can't do is shorten (reterm) the push cable in the field or the shop. It takes a special little mini wire jig that allows you to cut and strip the wires the exact amount that is needed to fit into the new reterm kit that ridgid sells.


The original poster said easycam was just as high as ridgid so that must mean they are better quality now since they cost same as ridgid


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Cuda said:


> Yes I have the price was cheap to try. I like most tried thinking that if it lasts this .....long then I can buy another and it will actually save money, that didn't work they are priced low for a reason and they changed there name once before when they got into trouble. Hundreds of people have asked about them in the past some listen some don't and a lot of them actually came back and said I should have bought the Ridgid like you guys said. Should actually be able to do a search on the zone and see that. The Seesnake can be repaired in the field (if you had the parts) you can replace the camera head, you can replace the count unit (they actually are the weak part on the camera) you can fix the sonde. What you can't do is shorten (reterm) the push cable in the field or the shop. It takes a special little mini wire jig that allows you to cut and strip the wires the exact amount that is needed to fit into the new reterm kit that ridgid sells.


What issues did you have with easycam???.


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