At 850 pounds and 152 inches long, the 72-120 in. Test-Ball® Plug features best-in-class design to ensure optimal performance and safety Cherne Industries, part of the Oatey Co. family of companies, today introduced its 72-120 inch Test-Ball® Plug. The world’s largest test ball, it blocks flow in the biggest pipes in sanitary and storm sewer Read more
Plumbing
At 850 pounds and 152 inches long, the 72-120 in. Test-Ball® Plug features best-in-class design to ensure optimal performance and safety
Cherne Industries, part of the Oatey Co. family of companies, today introduced its 72-120 inch Test-Ball® Plug. The world’s largest test ball, it blocks flow in the biggest pipes in sanitary and storm sewer systems, up to 120 in. The plug is the latest addition to Cherne’s comprehensive, market-leading catalog of pipe plug, blocking and testing products.
Cherne’s 72-120 in. Test-Ball Plug was carefully developed with an optimized design that offers improved performance and safety. Accommodating a back pressure of up to 6 psi, the plug weighs 850 pounds and is 152 inches long. It is made from tough, tear-resistant natural rubber and features ¾ inch eyebolts that provide superior holding strength. A field-replaceable pressure relief valve prevents over-inflation, and an aluminum end plate minimizes rust and corrosion.
For more information, visit cherneind.com.
Milwaukee Tool is driving innovation by offering the ability to clear clogs in more drain lines at larger capacity with the new M18™ FUEL™ High Speed Chain Snake for 1-½” – 4” Pipes. Featuring a user driven design to provide a portable solution with the power to complete multiple jobs on one charge, the chain Read more
M18 FUEL™ High Speed Chain Snake for 1-1/2” – 4” Pipes
Milwaukee Tool is driving innovation by offering the ability to clear clogs in more drain lines at larger capacity with the new M18™ FUEL™ High Speed Chain Snake for 1-½” – 4” Pipes. Featuring a user driven design to provide a portable solution with the power to complete multiple jobs on one charge, the chain snake leverages high speed and chain knocker heads, which are optimized to efficiently clear grease and descale pipes. This tool is the ideal solution for tackling blockages in kitchen sinks, floor drains, toilets and main lines.
Delivering full power at max distance, the M18™ FUEL™ High Speed Chain Snake can descale up to 75-feet out for the easiest, most controlled wall-to-wall clean. The chain snake’s user driven design features a variable speed dial and durable electronic foot pedal for more control in the line, along with a mechanical clutch to protect the cable in the application. The partially enclosed drum allows for mess containment and easy access for cable cleaning and field repair. The telescoping handle paired with the durable wheel base gives users the portability needed for easy transportation on and off the jobsite. With the power to complete multiple jobs on one charge, the high speed chain snake can clear up to 150-feet of scale build-up when paired with the included M18™ REDLITHIUM™ HIGH OUTPUT™ HD 12.0 battery packs.
In addition to the high speed chain snake, Milwaukee is launching 1-½”, 2”, 3”, and 4” Standard Chain Knockers, as well as 1-½”, 2”, 3”, and 4” Carbide Chain Knockers, both for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable. The standard chain knockers are optimized to clear grease and soft blockages and are best used in PVC, clay, or fragile pipes. The carbide chain knockers can tackle scale build-up, hard deposits, grease, and tough blockages and are best used in cast iron and other hard-walled pipes. All the new chain knockers have a rust-guard coating and feature stainless steel set screws for corrosion resistance.
Milwaukee Tool is committed to providing drain cleaning professionals with the most portable and versatile sewer and drain maintenance solutions. The company is dedicated to continuing investment in technology to build solutions from the ground-up that provide drain cleaning professionals an easier way to get on and off the job with less hassle, so they can service more calls. Milwaukee offers the only complete lineup of cordless drain cleaning tools and pipe inspection solutions for fixtures to sewer lateral lines. This high speed chain snake is part of the M18™ System, now offering more than 250 power tool solutions.
*M18 FUEL™ is engineered for the most demanding tradesmen in the world. Delivering unrivaled performance, all M18 FUEL™ products feature three Milwaukee®-exclusive innovations—The POWERSTATE™ Brushless Motor, REDLITHIUM™ Battery Pack and REDLINK PLUS™ Intelligence Hardware and Software—that deliver unmatched power, run-time, and durability on the jobsite. Simply put, M18 FUEL™ tools are the most powerful 18V cordless tools in their class.
LAUNCH DATE
May 2023
MSRP
$2,499.99
Specifications
M18™ FUEL™ High Speed Chain Snake for 1-1/2” – 4” Pipes (2819-22)
- Pipe Capacity: 1-½” – 4”
- Length: 24.5”
- Height: 28”
- Weight w/o Battery: 63 lbs
- Tool Warranty: 5 year
Kit Includes: (1) M18™ FUEL™ High Speed Chain Snake for 1-1/2” – 4” Pipes (2819-22), (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ HIGH OUTPUT™ 12.0 Battery Packs (48-11-1812), (1) M18™ & M12™ Rapid Charger (48-59-1808), (1) 5/16” x 75’ Cable (48-53-2819), (1) 1-½” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable (48-53-3020), (1) 2” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable (48-53-2021), (1) 3” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable (48-53-3022), (1) 4” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable (48-53-3023), (1) 250ml Oil Bottle, (20) Stainless Set Screws (2) Cable Replacement Pins (1) Hex Key (1) Extra Sheath Segment
Accessories and Cables
5/16” x 75’ Chain Snake Cable 48-53-2819
1-½” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3020
2” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-2021
3” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3022
4” Standard Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3023
1-½” Carbide Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3024
2” Carbide Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3025
3” Carbide Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3026
4” Carbide Chain Knocker for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3027
Grease Penetrating Head for 5/16” Chain Snake Cable 48-53-3028
Mechanical Hub recently spoke with Danielle DeBoe Harper, senior creative style manager, Moen, regarding the latest trends in kitchen & bath. As Harper explains, as two of the highest traffic areas of the home, maintaining and upkeeping a refreshed, clean, stylish kitchen and bathroom are top priorities for consumers. It goes a step further taking Read more
Mechanical Hub recently spoke with Danielle DeBoe Harper, senior creative style manager, Moen, regarding the latest trends in kitchen & bath. As Harper explains, as two of the highest traffic areas of the home, maintaining and upkeeping a refreshed, clean, stylish kitchen and bathroom are top priorities for consumers. It goes a step further taking into consideration the desire for more personal expression and customization right now. The following is an exclusive Q&A with Moen’s Harper.
MH: I just saw a report by the NKBA that remodeling will sustain the K&B industry for 2023. Does Moen agree with this assessment? What other factors are influencing the market for 2023 K&B?
HARPER: People continue to look for unique ways to meet their own needs inside the home from design to plumbing. The expansion of Moen products over the last year and throughout 2023 emphasizes the growing demand for more options in the kitchen and bathroom. Consumers are looking for spaces and products that meet their design preferences but also offer enhanced functionality. An example of this is the Smart Faucet with Motion Control that allows consumers to elevate how they move about their kitchen with smart technology, while increasing style.
MH: Are any colors or finishes dominating the K&B landscape this year?
HARPER: Moen is seeing Matte Black finishes on fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen become increasingly more popular. With a bold, dramatic finish like Matte Black, fixtures can take a room to new depths, heightening both classic and contemporary designs. Additionally, the finish is a simple way to elevate more minimalist collections to the very on-trend industrial chic style, making it a very versatile design.
Along with Matte Black, the trend of personalizing fixtures is hitting new heights. By mixing metals and providing more options to customize your sink, adding a brushed gold escutcheon to a matte black bathroom faucet easily adds extra flair and personality to the room’s design.
In terms of color, we’re going to continue seeing both the layering of neutral and natural tones as well as the inclusion of bold pops of color like cobalt and citrus tones.
MH: Piggybacking off of that, what is trending as far as consumers looking at fixture styles? (Contemporary, modern, traditional, farmhouse, retro, etc.)
HARPER: Moen is finding a greater desire for fixture styles that can fit any room aesthetic. To encompass this idea, homeowners are looking toward fixtures that lean more transitional to meld together both traditional and modern pieces for a clean, comfortable, contemporary look.
As we go further into 2023, the kitchen and bathroom spaces are focusing on combining styles to create one unique design that helps homeowners encapsulate their own personal tastes and lifestyles. An example of this is the new TenonTM collection. This collection brings a touch of warmth to the contemporary kitchen, while offering the modern functionality consumers need and enjoy. The tall stature and the teak wood handle make these faucets an eye-catching addition to the sink, while offering the consumer a sense of customization.
MH: Can you address Moen’s sustainability initiatives?
HARPER: Moen takes pride in innovating and designing products with sustainability top of mind. This is why we have created Mission Moen. Mission Moen is our promise to protect and preserve the world’s most precious resource — water. Our goal with Mission Moen is to save one trillion gallons of water and repurposing 2,000 tons of ocean plastic by 2030, all while helping consumers enjoy water even more.
At Moen, we are driven to deliver outstanding water experiences inside and outside the home to celebrate water’s power and beauty, but also to protect the water of tomorrow. By creating products that save water effortlessly while improving how you experience it, we’re making your interactions with water even more meaningful without ever having to compromise style.
MH: Let’s talk functionality. I know Moen has some very unique offerings such as eBidets, eToilets and Workstation sinks. Can you talk about those and any other products/services coming soon?
HARPER: Moen is focused on creating the ultimate experience for consumers. This goes beyond faucets. We know how important each touch point with the water that flows through your pipes is and how that impacts daily routines. We’ve dedicated our focus streamlining tasks at the sink with Workstation Sinks, bringing comfort and cleanliness to a new level with eBidets and eToilets. With features such as water pressure, temperature control and endless instantaneous warm water, eBidets and eToilets deliver the ability for each user to customize their own experience in the bathroom.
In 2023, we’re excited to share our newest expansion to our Smart Water Network with enhanced interoperability in our products. This provides more integrated and advanced experiences when you have more than one Moen Smart Water product, such as the Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff, Smart Faucet and Smart Shower. As a result, Moen is giving consumers more power over their water than ever before. The Smart Water Network is also an integral part of Mission Moen by proactively protecting the home from leaks and reducing water waste with built-in water conservation every time you turn on the faucet or shower. We’ll also be launching a new Smart Sprinkler Controller that helps automate lawn irrigation and provides even more control over your home’s water.
Along with the expansion of the Smart Water Network, Moen is excited to launch new styles and innovations, such as new laundry faucets- and water filtration faucets to improve how our customers enjoy their home, while achieving even more customized experiences.
MH: Finally, let’s talk vision of space. The kitchen has always been the heart of the home and the bathroom (master) has long been considered a place of respite and relaxation. When designing these spaces, is it still a matter of personal preference, wellness, functionality, etc.? Explain.
HARPER: As two of the most used spaces in the home, the kitchen is the hub of entertaining during family gatherings, while the bathroom is used as the ultimate escape to reset at the end of a busy day. When designing for these spaces, it’s important to carefully customize each room to meet your individual preferences and needs. This ties into the overarching trend of home holistic wellness which we see continuing through 2023 and is heavily influenced by the home embodying the lifestyles and habits of the consumer in each room. Designing a kitchen and bathroom with functionality, wellness and versatility top of mind allows homeowners to choose what their environment says about them to anyone who walks through their front door.
Targeted for specific U.S. regional distribution partners, Uponor is launching TotalFit™ — the professional-grade, engineered polymer (EP), push-to-connect fitting solution that provides greater value for residential projects with the same versatility and speed as brass push-to-connect fittings. Designed for use with PEX, PE-RT, CPVC, and copper piping systems, TotalFit is ideal for service repair, maintenance Read more
Targeted for specific U.S. regional distribution partners, Uponor is launching TotalFit™ — the professional-grade, engineered polymer (EP), push-to-connect fitting solution that provides greater value for residential projects with the same versatility and speed as brass push-to-connect fittings.
Designed for use with PEX, PE-RT, CPVC, and copper piping systems, TotalFit is ideal for service repair, maintenance, remodels, and retrofits for potable hot-water and cold-water distribution piping systems in single-family homes, townhomes, apartments, and condominiums.
Featuring patent-pending technology to provide a strong, lasting connection, TotalFit is one of the only full-featured, EP, push-to-connect fittings on the market right now, and it offers about a 30% savings against brass. The new offering includes 33 of the highest-volume push-to-connect fittings in sizes from ½” to 1″ to meet the greatest need in the market.
AHR 2023 is a wrap, and the biggest U.S. HVAC show marks the 20th time—minus the COVID year—that I have attended this great event. A huge shoutout to the Stevens family for organizing such a great experience. Also, huge props to Nicole Bush and her press team for helping the trade press throughout the event Read more
AHR 2023 is a wrap, and the biggest U.S. HVAC show marks the 20th time—minus the COVID year—that I have attended this great event. A huge shoutout to the Stevens family for organizing such a great experience. Also, huge props to Nicole Bush and her press team for helping the trade press throughout the event, and keeping them fed and hydrated.
Now that we’re all back home safely—I hope—we can digest the event and gain a better perspective of what transpired over these past three days. The numbers haven’t been shared yet attendance-wise, but it was a hugely successful event, especially coming through what some call the “COVID years,” where traveling came to a stop—with more people now connecting again.
The MH team, and some old guy.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the manufacturers’ investment in after parties that are always a hit! For the Mechanical Hub crew, for example, it was Taco, Burnham/U.S. Boilers, Rheem, RLS, Franklin Electric, RIDGID and Viega.
From what I heard, over and over again, is that Atlanta just isn’t the most optimum place for a trade show, if I can be perfectly honest. Listen, Atlanta is a wonderful city with plenty to do and many fine places to eat and drink, but the traffic, and the infrastructure to support such a trade show, need to improve. But hey, it was 65 degrees and sunny, and relatively quick flight to the show. So, I suppose it does have its advantages. Where does Atlanta rank for you? Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, Las Vegas. Perhaps it should be noted that the sooner you book accommodations for a show, the more strategically you will be for rides, dinners, walking, etc.
Nevertheless, I can’t tell you how many people sniped about the layout of the show floor—getting from one end of Exhibit Hall C, and its meeting rooms, to the other end of Exhibit Hall B, and its meeting rooms was a hike. My feet, and the 55,000 steps according my trusty Fitbit, were a testament to that.
Also, as I mentioned, 20 years of covering the event, it’s nice to see the changing of the guard with some young talent in attendance, more pointedly—and I know some don’t like to be referred to as this—social influencers. They cover the floor tirelessly to promote the show and new products. In fact, I was lucky enough to attend the social media breakout on the last day. Ten of the brightest influencers graced the stage to talk about their experiences and the importance of social media, and what it means to be an influencer.
HVAC & Social Media: Strengthening the Trade with a Community Mindset—from l to r: Ben Poole @hvactactical, Jamie Christensen @northwest_hvac, Aaron Bond @bond_aaron, Michael Flynn @flynnstone1, Jeff DeMassari @jeffjdemhvac, Jessica Bannister @hvacjess, Rachel Sylvain @hvacrara, Chris Stephens @hvacrvideos, Eric Aune @mechanicalhub, and last but not least, Omar Harris @omartheplumber.
We also were fortunate to share the stage with some of the best podcasters on the planet, as our Make Trades Great Again, hosted by Eric Aune and Andy Mickelson, featured three podcasts during show hours to much fanfare. Guests included representatives from RIDGID, NIBCO, Navien and guest Travis Albaire, T.A.P. Plumbing and Heating. Check them out wherever you stream. Also, the Appetite for Construction podcast, hosted by John Mesenbrink and Tim Ward, featured two podcasts, which featured guests from Bradford White, Rheem, Spirotherm, Lochinvar, and Danny G and Louie the Boiler Man. These recording will be launched within a couple of weeks. In the meantime, check out these podcasts wherever you like to stream stuff, or you can always find them right here on our site.
The Appetite for Construction Podcast with guests Louie Medina @louietheboilerman and Danny Gronendyke @howitbewithdannyg
The Make Trades Great Again Podcast with guests Michael Provenzano, director of pressing and Jim Vild, Atlanta territory manager, RIDGID.
As far as the latest and greatest, you couldn’t get far without seeing the future. Electrification, decarbonization, hydrogen technology are making waves as more heat pumps, electric furnaces, electric boilers, hybrid heat pumps and prefabbed distributed pumping methods are front and center; the latest in thermostats, and a plethora of other products that can talk to each other, and you, with a WiFi signal—from circulators, forced air furnaces to tankless water heaters. New or improved pipe joining methods through press technology, push-to-connect fittings, fusion welding, advances in pipe bending and cutting drew eyes. Listen, if it’s in the HVAC industry, it’s at AHR.
Check out Mechanical Hub websites, social media (@mechanicalhub & @plumbing_perspective on Instagram and TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn.) and check out our ever-growing YouTube for products from the show.
Next year’s AHR Expo will take place in Chicago, my back yard, January 21-24 (2024). Again, check back for updates on the show or any other breaking announcements surrounding the event.