About General Wire Jet Set Drain Cleaners

Jet Set Drain Cleaners

JM-2900

JM-3000

JM-3055

JM-1450

Jet-Set Drain Cleaners use high water pressure pushed through a hose and ultimately a nozzle to blast against soft stoppages and disperse them away. A soft stoppage refers to substances that are normally soft like grease, sludge, sand, excessive toilet paper, rice or other food particles, oil, soap, and the list goes on.

But get this; Jet-Sets are also capable of clearing ice blockages. A 3000 psi gas jet can clear a 4" frozen mainline at an approximate rate of one foot per minute. The smaller electrical Jet-Sets will take twice that long since they are only capable of producing 1500 psi.

These Jet-Set Drain Cleaners work exceptionally well for grease stoppages. If high-speed cable machines are used for grease stoppages they may push through the stoppage and allow water to flow, but may not entirely clean the wall of the pipe. If this happens then it may not be long before the grease builds up again or other particles get caught on the grease causing yet another stoppage. Most Jet-Set nozzles actually pressure wash the inside pipe walls while pushing through the stoppage. Once past the stoppage, you could let the hose nozzle continue to work to the end of the drain line allowing the nozzle to clean the entire inside wall of the pipe.

There is now available a chain saw nozzle for Jet-Sets that is designed for cutting roots in 4", 6", or 8" drain lines. It attaches like any other Jet-Set nozzle and water pressure drives the chain to spin up to 10,000 RPM. (revolutions per minute). Unfortunately, this chain saw nozzle will not work with the smaller electric powered Jet-Sets because they need the higher 3000 psi pressure to make them spin correctly. However, according to General Wire, a 4" chain saw nozzle can be used in 3" drain lines by reducing the length of the chain.

For hard stoppages other than roots, and for roots in 3" or smaller drain lines, you may need to use a different machine that uses heavy-duty cables at high speeds.

Hard stoppage is a term referring to actual hard type items causing drain blockages. For instance, roots in the drain line, or rags, kids toys, or maybe even a chicken bone that somehow ended up in the drain. You would really be surprised at what children and occasionally even grown-ups are capable of flushing down a toilet. In larger sewer main lines you could run into blockage situations that were caused by multiple objects. General Wire Spring Company offers four gas Jet-Set models and three electric Jet-Set models.

Every Jet-Set comes with the following standard safety features: a back-flow check valve, an inlet filter, and a thermal relief valve for pump overload protection. The thermal relief valve will protect the pump if water temperature in the pump increases to 140°F (60°C) by opening and releasing the hot water out of the pump and allowing the cooler water from the fresh water supply to enter into the pump. The inlet filter will prevent sediment or dirt or rust particles from entering the pump from the fresh water supply. The pump creates the pressure needed to allow the jet nozzles to work correctly. The back-flow check valve is designed to keep water in the pump from being pushed back into the cold water supply thus preventing possible drinking water contamination.

All of the Jet-Set models not only clear drain stoppages but can also be used as a pressure washer. The Jet-Set Gas models #JM-3080, #JM-3055 and the #JM-3000 come standard with a spray wand and chemical injector. The Jet-Set gas model #JM-2900 and all of the electric models are available with optional spray wands and chemical injectors sold separately. One tool, two uses.

The Jet-Set nozzles are the key to proper drain cleaning. Each nozzle has a different spray pattern for specific drain cleaning purposes. The nozzles all have holes in the back where the water is dispensed at a particular angle. The pressurized water blasts from the nozzle and shoots against the inside of the pipe as the hose is driven down the line.

Downhead Nozzle

Penetrating Nozzle

Spring Leader Nozzle

Wide-Spray Nozzle

Rotary Nozzle

The angle in which the water is dispersed from the nozzle determines the driving power or how fast the hose will be pushed down the drain line. A 15° angle creates a tight spray pattern that is used for long runs because it has more driving power than wider-angle sprays. A wide-angle 40° spray pattern moves the hose more slowly down the pipe but does a better job of cutting and cleaning gunk off the walls of the pipe. Some nozzles also have a hole in the front to help cut through stoppages while being propelled from the back of the nozzle.

A water supply will need to be attached to the Jet-Set to provide water to be pressurized by the pump. The Jet-Set operator just puts the jet hose two to three feet into the drain line, turns on the valve and the jet hose is propelled down through the drain line by the nozzle. The use of a foot pedal allows the operator to have both hands free to guide the hose. Water flows when you step on the foot pedal and stops when you step off. No physical pushing of the hose by the operator is needed. In fact, pulling slightly back on the hose while in operation can help to slow the forward propulsion and allow better cleaning of the pipe wall. Depending on the type of stoppage encountered, the operator may find it necessary to use a combination of nozzles to clear and clean the drain line properly.

All of the Jet-Sets are equipped with a Vibra-pulse^® pump. By activating the pulse control valve located on the front of the pump, a pulsating vibration is created in the hose.

The hose vibration can help the nozzle go through tight bends easier and also push the nozzle jet longer distances. Activating the pulse feature will cause a pressure drop. The pulse feature works best and most effectively when using a 1/8" hose. Less vibration occurs with larger hoses. When using the pulse mode for 3/8" hoses you may not notice any vibration, yet the pulse will still be effective because water will still burst out of the nozzle hundreds of times per second. If you find some difficulty getting a hose around a tight bend, turn off the pulse feature, then the machine, and switch to a smaller diameter hose.

All of General Wire's nozzles are made of plated hardened steel for strength and durability. Each nozzle has been designed for use with a specific pump size and will determine how many gallons of water per minute will be used. A 3000 psi pump requires a different nozzle than a 1500 psi pump. If you were to try to use a nozzle for a 1500 psi pump on a 3000 psi pump it could cause too much pressure and possibly damage the pump. If you were to use a nozzle for a 3000 psi pump on a 1500 psi pump then you most likely will not have enough pressure to even clear the drain.

It is very important to check nozzles before each use and after each use. Clogged holes in the nozzle can cause pressure to dangerously increase to higher levels and damage the pump. A special nozzle cleaning tool #NCT will clean a clogged hole and is included with any Jet purchased with a nozzle set.

In order to have as much pressure as possible at the nozzle end of the hose, it is best to select the largest possible hose diameter. Of course the hose you choose will also need to be small enough to work correctly in the size of drain line you need to clear.

Understanding that pressure is lost as water travels through the hose can help you select the correct hose size. When the length of the hose increases, the pressure decreases. The smaller the diameter the hose, the greater the loss of pressure per foot will be.

For example: A 1/4" diameter hose with a flow of 2 gpm will lose 180 lbs of pressure in 100 feet of hose. A 3/8" diameter hose with a flow of 2 gpm will lose 25 lbs of pressure in 100 feet of hose. And, a 3/8" diameter hose with a flow of 4 gpm will lose 90 lbs of pressure in 100 feet of hose.

Gas Powered Jet-Sets are not practical inside buildings or confined spaces due to the fact that exhaust fumes can be very dangerous to your health. So, General Wire offers the Cart-Reel ™ and the Handy-Reel™ to allow the power of the gas Jet to be used inside, while your Jet stays outside.

The Cart-Reel™ comes with a 300 foot capacity hose reel, gauge, shut off valve, and a reel brake. Pneumatic tires make it easy to move the reel to the most advantageous spot to get the hose and nozzle into the drain as quickly as possible.

The Handy-Reel™ can be used with gas and electric Jets and has a 200 foot capacity reel. It is compact and light enough to easily be carried upstairs or even to the roof for clearance of vents and stacks.

Some of the gas powered Jet-Sets come with electric start engines and some have them as an available option. However, batteries are not included with these machines because General Wire is unable to ship batteries due to their hazardous content. Batteries can usually be purchased at your local hardware store.

Electric powered Jet-Sets are not only more convenient because of their size, but they are also quite a bit less expensive than the gas Jet-Sets. Although they only have a 1-1/2 hp motor, the pump still puts out a hefty 1500 psi of water pressure at a flow rate of 1.7 gallons of water per minute, and only uses 13 amps of power. The sealed dual capacitor motor is totally enclosed so water will not harm it or cause a shock hazard. An in-line Ground Fault Interrupter is included with each motor.

The electric Jet-Sets are capable of clearing soft stoppages in up to 8" diameter drain pipes up to 115 feet in length using 3/8" hose. They are also capable of clearing 4" diameter drain piping up to 150 feet in length using 1/4" hose. All of the electric Jet-Sets use the Triplex pump with Vibra-pulse^® to help you work the hose in small drains and around tight turns and bends. All of the electric Jet-Set models can be used as a pressure washer if the optional spray wand and chemical injector are purchased separately. The spray wand assemblies come with a 25° adjustable nozzle, the spray wand with trigger, and 30 feet of high pressure hose.

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