PHPI takes a brief look at Ridgid’s K9-12 drain cleaning machine – designed to tackle soft blockages and grease in pipework.
Whilst blocked pipes isn’t one of the more glamorous jobs for a plumber, having a machine on hand which can make light work of the task of clearing pipes could help installers out of tricky situations around baths, showers and sinks.
The Ridgid K9-12 is the most compact version of the company’s range of FlexShaft Drain Cleaning Machines. The company describes the machine as ‘ideal for light residential blockages’ and has been designed to clear grease and soft blockages in pipework. Easy to handle – the unit weighs around 4.5kg – it can be used for 1 1/4″ – 2″ (32 to 50mm) pipes.
Flexible cable
Inside the fully enclosed housing there is 9.1metres of FlexShaft cable, encapsulated in nylon sheath – to make clean-up easier. To spin the FlexShaft cable users attach a cordless drill to the input shaft on the housing. As the cable spins, the chain knocker at the end of the cable expands to provide wall-to-wall pipe cleaning. The system is compatible with plain chains, carbide chains, penetrating heads and brushes to help tackle a variety of blockages.
The whole unit is designed for a fast setup and quick cleaning enabling a plumber to restore pipes to full flow capacity as efficiently as possible. To help save space in a van, when not in use it can be stored vertically.
