# Tried the snake thang!



## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

Today! One of my builders I do work for aunts calls me to come look at her drain. (keep backing up) So I go out there thinking no problem. I get there and water is standing in here house (ranch on slab) SO I go out side to check the clean out. Water came gushing out when I removed the cap. . I then go rent a sewer machine (electric eel with 75' cable and root cutting blade) I shove the line down the hole got it to bend (hope to be going the right direction (how can you tell if your going the right way)? Well back to my story: I shoved it out 70' with no blockage. So I thought I was going into the house? So I pulled it back out and try to revert it the other way. got about 25-35ft and ran into something. The lady said it sounded like I was under her house. :whistling2: After trying to  with this for 2-3 hrs I told her to call a drain specialist ( A company I usually refer people to anyways do to not having equipment) 

I told her upfront I usually don't do the drain cleaning part. I was afraid I was hitting her toilet from the bottom or something?????

SO for future referance can you guys share some helpful hint on directing the direction of the tip? or anyother info would be great! :thumbup:


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

3Kings Plumbing said:


> SO for future referance can you guys share some helpful hint on directing the direction of the tip? or anyother info would be great! :thumbup:


Generally you can tell which direction the cable is going by which side of the pipe the cable going in is against, it will usually be against the sidewall of the pipe opposite of the direction the cable is traveling. This is one of those things that is easier to show you than explain.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Call a drain-cleaner right away next time, and stick around while he does his job, maybe you'll learn something.:yes:


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## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

That's a good Idea service guy. But I'm so booked up with work right now I can't figure out which way I'm going:blink: or have gone


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Get V channel and use it to determine which direction your heading, after the cable is around the bottom corner, drop the V channel to the bottom of clean out, on house side of it, if you hit the cable your heading towards house, if you hit the pipe bottom, your heading towards city and or septic.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Get V channel and use it to determine which direction your heading, after the cable is around the bottom corner, drop the V channel to the bottom of clean out, on house side of it, if you hit the cable your heading towards house, if you hit the pipe bottom, your heading towards city and or septic.


If the CO is large enough you can also make a guide tube out of 1½ pipe and a 45 that you can feed the cable through and then lower into the CO facing the direction you want to go. We have done that in the past when rodding through a manhole.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Here is another trick, put a slight crook on the cable end with blades vertical with the crook, now pull out enough cable so when you drop the cable and blades down in clean out, and they hit the bottom that crook will be pointed towards to direction of flow, now without turning on the machine, push it into the line, it should start in the correct direction.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> If the CO is large enough you can also make a guide tube out of 1½ pipe and a 45 that you can feed the cable through and then lower into the CO facing the direction you want to go. We have done that in the past when rodding through a manhole.


*For it's simplicity and ease of finding stock, this is a great idea.*


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## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

it was a 4" C/O full to the brim with  water. I almost took up a toilet and took the machine inside. It was one of those open drum machines. I imagine crap flying everywhere and dripping on the nice tan carpet as I wheeled in and out. :whistling2:


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> If the CO is large enough you can also make a guide tube out of 1½ pipe and a 45 that you can feed the cable through and then lower into the CO facing the direction you want to go. We have done that in the past when rodding through a manhole.


I keep this set up on my truck. Hardly ever need it but it works great when you do. This will also work although it is more difficult if you are trying to access a c.o. in a basement or garage that is above your head.


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## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

Call a professional drain cleaner. We own our machines, but more often than not we call the experts. Our one plumber worked for a drain cleaning company and most of it is by feel which comes from experience.

Drain cleaning is not profitable for us. We break cables all the time. Now our drain cleaning experienced plumber said we have run into unusual stuff & that is doesn't normally happen like we have experienced. Once, we even broke a toilet - cable travelling the wrong way. I think God is telling us to stick to plumbing!

Also, customer doesn't like to spend for 1-2 hours attempting to clean out drain. One time we invested an 1 1/2 hrs., called the drain experts (they knew the property) and opened it in 15 minutes.


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## I'mYourTourGuide (Jun 23, 2008)

I hate augering drains. . . I fought a dang 3" cleanout till i got sick the other day. . . There was a Floor Drain downstream from it that was backed up from condensate waste from a AHU and the trap primer on the hub of the FD wasn't hooked up and it was running out everywhere on the floor under that one. 

Now you talk about some "cobbled to death plumbing", that was it if I have ever seen any. . Inside of a courthouse to beat it all.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Get V channel and use it to determine which direction your heading, after the cable is around the bottom corner, drop the V channel to the bottom of clean out, on house side of it, if you hit the cable your heading towards house, if you hit the pipe bottom, your heading towards city and or septic.


I use my curb key. Also use it to guide a spiral saw blade down a reverse cleanout.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

I'm LOST here ,,, Have been doing this a LOOONNNGG time and have never had a problem with a cleanout !

We have always put them in with long turn ty's with the throat in the direction of flow ,,,, The cable CAN'T go upstream . Were is that different ?

cal


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## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

*Alabama Tee*

Here we use Alabama tees can go both ways on the out side of the house.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

3Kings Plumbing said:


> Here we use Alabama tees can go both ways on the out side of the house.


"Alabama tees"? Never heard of that and I'm from Alabama. I'm assuming you're referring to a dual clean out tee? Do you know why they are called Alabama tees?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

smellslike$tome said:


> "Alabama tees"? Never heard of that and I'm from Alabama. I'm assuming you're referring to a dual clean out tee? Do you know why they are called Alabama tees?


It's a regional thing, here they are called Baltimore tees.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Here is another trick, put a slight crook on the cable end with blades vertical with the crook, now pull out enough cable so when you drop the cable and blades down in clean out, and they hit the bottom that crook will be pointed towards to direction of flow, now without turning on the machine, push it into the line, it should start in the correct direction.


Thats my prefered method.


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

Here they are Oklahoma tee's:whistling2:


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

We just call them "2-way cleanout tees"....since that is what they are.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Here is another trick, put a slight crook on the cable end with blades vertical with the crook, now pull out enough cable so when you drop the cable and blades down in clean out, and they hit the bottom that crook will be pointed towards to direction of flow, now without turning on the machine, push it into the line, it should start in the correct direction.


I do it similar to this method. I use a bent leader ahead of the cutter and go with as big a cutter as I can get down the pipe. I like to clean em in 1 pass if I can. I alwys run it a second time but I want to feel a smooth run and have it come back clean.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Redwood said:


> I do it similar to this method. I use a bent leader ahead of the cutter and go with as big a cutter as I can get down the pipe. I like to clean em in 1 pass if I can. I alwys run it a second time but I want to feel a smooth run and have it come back clean.



That would work also, do you draw your own images Redwood??


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

:laughing:


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Gorlitz makes the above straight leader-blade combo.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> That would work also, do you draw your own images Redwood??


Yea, when I can't find one to steal...

The bent leader I use is just an end off an old cable. I use a screw chuck on my machine.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I had always used Gorlitz, I think there one of the best working machine on the market.


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## jimqbaum (Sep 10, 2008)

Hey, I call them bi sexual cleanouts. They go both ways!


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