Drain Brain

Quickly & Easily Clears Clogged Drains During The Holidays

For all those post-holiday clogged drain service calls – and for any other day – General Pipe Cleaners’ hand-held Power-Vee^® drain cleaner with automatic feed makes clearing small drain lines fast and easy!

The simplified feeding system gives savvy plumbing, drain cleaning, maintenance, and rehab pros an “extra hand” in tight and awkward places. Just squeeze the lever – and cable feeds at up to 16 feet per minute.

The rugged, reliable Power-Vee easily unclogs sinks, tubs, and laundry drains from 1-1/4” to 3” in diameter, up to 50 feet long. General’s automatic feed quickly adjusts to Flexicore^® cable diameters from 1/4” to 3/8” without special tools or additional parts.

The compact Power-Vee features quick-change cable cartridges for fast cable changing or cleaning. And the Dyna-Thrust™ bearing system helps extend tool life by reducing bearing wear.

Flexicore cable from General offers superior kinking resistance and unequalled strength with the right amount of flexibility. It’s so tough that it carries the best warranty in the business – one-year protection against breakage.

General’s optional Handy-Stand™ also turns Power-Vee into a practical countertop or floor machine. The ergonomically balanced Handy-Stand enhances the drain cleaner’s versatility, safety, and stability.

The optional Uni-Stand™ securely supports the Power-Vee and reduces arm fatigue in tight, awkward work spaces – like those beneath sinks and kitchen cabinets.

For more information, contact the Drain Brains^® at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200 or 412-771-6300 – or visit www.drainbrain.com/pv to watch Power-Vee in action.

General Pipe Cleaners, a division of General Wire Spring Co., is a leading manufacturer of high quality American-made drain cleaning equipment. In business since 1930, the fourth generation, family-owned company is celebrating nearly a century of service to drain cleaning professionals and plumbing contractors, the rental industry, facilities managers, and the hardware/DIY market. The Toughest Tools Down The Line.

• Increase productivity and profitability with this camera system that easily shares inspection footage and and can be operated for up to 12 hours on battery power

• Features Gen-Pack Battery Adapter, Wi-Fi and Distance Counter

The new Gen-Eye X-POD Plus sewer camera system from General Pipe Cleaners now includes the Gen-Pack battery adapter, Wi-Fi transmitter, and an on-screen distance counter as standard equipment to boost productivity and profitability.

Depending on battery type and settings, the built-in Gen-Pack battery adapter lets you operate the camera system for up to 12 hours in remote locations with limited access to power. Fuse-protected to safeguard your equipment investment, the Gen-Pack battery adapter is also available separately. Battery and charger are not included.

X-POD Plus makes sharing inspections easy. The built-in Wi-Fi transmitter lets you view and record work on a cellphone or tablet. And using the system’s USB port, you can also archive activity on handy flash drives.

The new on-screen distance counter also shows how far the camera has travelled down a line in feet or meters. And for optimum accuracy, settings can be adjusted for full size or mini-reel configurations.

General’s powerful X-POD Plus Command Module packs other standard features, too, including:

• A big 7-inch LCD color monitor with a sunscreen for easy viewing in any location
• “One-touch” recording for speed and convenience
• 4X digital zoom for close-up inspections
• Voice-over recording for job site commentary
• Date and time stamp for work documentation

The lightweight, popular X-POD systems combine camera, reel and monitor into one compact package. A durable docking arm supports the Command Module and permits height and angle adjustments for the optimal viewing.

The full size X-POD features a self-leveling color camera and 200 feet of Gel-Rod for inspecting 3- to 10-inch drainlines. The compact Mini-Reel carries 100 feet or 200 feet of Gel-Rod with mini color self-leveling camera for troubleshooting 2- and 3-inch lines. The rugged steel frames and reels include a drag brake and reel lock. The full size reels sport 10-inch wheels.

For additional information, contact the Drain Brains at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200, or visit www.drainbrain.com/geneye.

All closet augers are created equal. Right?

“Wrong” says Alan Trout of Trout Plumbing LLC in Pittsburgh, PA.

“Most off-the-shelf closet augers lack the durability, spring action, and special features professionals need,” he argues. “You can’t just waltz into Wal-Mart for one.”

That’s why Trout counts on a pair of popular, innovative Teletube^® Flexicore^® closet augers from General Pipe Cleaners.

Versatility And Reliability Count

The heavy-duty Teletube Flexicore closet auger remains the industry’s most durable auger – and excels at clearing stoppages just beyond the bowl.

That’s because General’s rugged tool carries three extra feet of Flexicore^® cable telescoped inside the guide tube.

“I just push the button for extra cable length when I need it,” Trout says. “And with a total reach of six feet, there’s usually no need to pull the bowl!”

General’s Flexicore closet augers are the ideal for quickly clearing clogged toilets. The strength and durability of Flexicore cable make the difference.

Flexicore comprises two layers of tempered spring steel coiled tightly over a core of 49-strand wire rope – for remarkable resistance to kinking.

The design is so tough, it’s guaranteed against breakage for a full year – including damage to the cable, as well as to the closet auger’s other components.

Performance – Inside And Out

On one recent job, a homeowner unsuccessfully tried unclogging a three-inch cast-iron stack – after feeding 25 feet of cable into the line.

“The customer must’ve missed the stoppage – or his cable was too small,” Trout recalls, “because I extended Teletube to six feet upon arrival – and quickly cleared the clog!”

Teletube’s extra reach even lets Alan Trout clear outside stoppages.

On another job, the powder room toilet in a two-room home office suite suddenly backed up.

After unsuccessfully snaking the drop head Teletube through the bowl, Trout went in through the outside fresh-air vent – and immediately got things flowing.

“That extra three feet made all the difference,” he smiles.

Special Features Enhance Appeal

He likes General’s down head option, too.

The optional down head follows bowl contours – and springs through sharply angled passages while protecting inner walls from chipping or breaking.

Alan Trout also has an optional Closet Auger Bag. General’s convenient carrying case puts an end to dragging dripping closet augers though homes, hospitals, and offices.

It keeps a closet auger contained and out-of-sight between jobs. Three vent holes let the auger dry between tasks. And thick shoulder strap keeps hands free to carry other tools.

“Until I got the bag, I’d carry a bucket with the Teletube,” Trout chuckles. “General’s Closet Auger Bag enhances ‘professional’ appearance – and keeps customer property clean.”

Building Trust – Job After Job

From installations and repairs to leaks and stoppages, Trout Plumbing handles a wide range of problems for Pittsburgh-area customers – both commercial and residential.

“On every job, we aim to build a level of professional trust that turns new customers into lifetime customers,” Trout says.

Proper equipment operation helps makes the difference, he quickly adds. But he isn’t afraid to push his Teletube closet augers to the limit – inside and out.

Part Of The Drain Cleaning Arsenal

For most inside drain cleaning jobs, Trout favors General’s classic Super-Vee^® hand-held machine.

“I use it at least once a week – if not more – on 1-1/4” to 2” lines,” he notes.

In fact, Super-Vee easily unclogs sink, tub, and laundry drain lines up to 3” in diameter. With a dependable motor, durable aluminum drum, and tough Flexicore cable, Super-Vee withstands the most demanding small line tasks, and keeps working.

Convenient, quick-change cable cartridges also make Flexicore cable switching clean and easy.

“With 3/8” cable, my Super-Vee was actually able to snag – and remove – a broken cable in one customer’s slow-draining line,” Trout recalls. “And that solved the problem!”

The Bottom Line

Like Teletube closet augers, Super-Vee carries an almost legendary reputation for rugged reliability – and longevity.

“I actually bought my Super-Vee from a plumber with excess equipment when I first went into business,” he continues. “So I’d say it’s nearly 15 years old – and still works great!”

His Teletube closet augers work great, too.

“As a plumbing service contractor, I use Teletube toilet augers from General,” Trout concludes. “The Teletube can almost do it all!”

For more information, contact the Drain Brains at 800-245-6200, or visit https://drainbrain.com/en/products/closet-augers-2/

A lot changes in a decade, but for A. Pederson’s Plumbing in Dallas, Oregon, you wouldn’t know it by looking at one of the Maxi-Rooters from General Pipe Cleaners coming off the company’s trailer. Pederson’s two Maxi-Rooters have been the company’s go-to machines for more than 10 years, and with the exception of the feed bearings, they retain all their original components, including the original Flexicore® cable.

“When you look at what else is out there on the market, there’s nothing quite built like the Maxi-Rooter,” says Trenton Hargrove, plumber at A. Pederson’s Plumbing. “While other companies’ machines are predominantly plastic, the Maxi-Rooter is built like a tank. It’s a really beefy machine you can throw around and don’t have to worry about it breaking down.”

Family owned and operated since 1973, Pederson’s provides a wide range of plumbing services to Oregon’s Willamette Valley region. In recent years, the company has taken on more jobs in the commercial and industrial sectors. One such job that comes to mind for Hargrove involves a new construction site, an uncooperative line and a can of glue.

“A site had 3″ lines that were clogging up, which is uncommon for new construction,” Hargrove recalls. “A company that specializes in drain cleaning wasn’t able to figure out the problem, so we pulled the toilet and put a camera down the line. We found out someone dropped an ABS glue can down the line that glued itself to the pipe. We sent our Maxi-Rooter and ripped it right out!”

Built for portability as well as power and capacity, the USA made Maxi-Rooter rolls on 10″ ball bearing semi-pneumatic wheels and has V-belt stair climbers for easier transport up and down stairs. The machine clears roots and heavy stoppages in 3″ to 10″ lines and holds 125 feet of 3/4″ and 150 feet of 5/8″ Flexicore cable.

General’s heavy-duty Flexicore cable has a wire rope core tightly wound inside. It offers superior kinking resistance and unequalled strength with the right amount of flexibility. It’s so tough that it carries the best warranty in the business. Take a look for yourself and see it in action!

For cutting tough tree roots, Hargrove and his team use a 24″ leader at the end of the snake on the Maxi-Rooter. The flexible leader helps get around tight bends and traps and takes most of the abuse on a job, which helps preserve the integrity of the machine’s snake. Hargrove remembers one particularly daunting root job in which a giant oak tree outside a house had caused a significant line break in a 3″ pipe.

“These roots kind of make their way in there and we were probably 35 to 40 feet down the line the line,” Hargrove remembers. “With the Maxi-Rooter, we were able to clear it in 45 minutes with no problem. That’s why it’s our go-to machine!”

Pederson’s loyalty to General products goes back more than 20 years. Along with its trusty Maxi-Rooters, the company carries General’s JM-3080 gas powered water jetter and several Super-Vee small line drain cleaners in its arsenal. However, the Maxi-Rooter is a company favorite. Beyond its low maintenance and heavy-duty construction, Hargrove says the Maxi-Rooter’s sheer performance makes the machine a worthwhile investment.

“In addition to the power and mobility, we are able to clean these lines out faster, which saves our customers money,” Hargrove concludes. “We’re able to fit more jobs in our day, so we’re making more money. And when you don’t have to worry about downtime of fixing machines, it makes the Maxi-Rooter a very desirable piece of equipment to carry around.”