General Pipe Cleaners Power-Vee Installation Manual

®

Power-Vee

Operating Instructions

For 1-1/4” through 3” lines

(30mm—100mm)

Your Power-Vee is designed to give

you years of trouble-free, profitable
service. However, no machine is better
than its operator.
Read, understand and follow all safety
warnings and instructions provided with
the product. Failure to follow the warnings
and instructions may result in electric
shock and/or serious injury. Save all warn­ings and instructions for future reference.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

 Pour français voir la page 9

 Para ver el español vea la paginá 17

Power-Vee®

To reduce the risk of injury,
user must read instruction
manual. Failure to follow oper­ating instructions could result
in death or serious injury.

WARNING Read all safety warnings and all
instructions. Failure to follow the warnings

and instructions may result in electric shock,
fire and/or serious injury. Save all warnings
and instructions for future reference.
Replacement manuals are available upon re­quest at no charge, or may be downloaded
from our website, www.drainbrain.com. In-
structional videos are available for download
on our website, and may be ordered. If you
have any questions or problems, please call

General’s customer service department at

412-771-6300.

Save all warnings and instructions

Electric shock resulting in
death can occur if you plug
this machine into an improp­erly wired outlet. If the ground
wire is electrified, you can be
electrocuted by just touching
the machine, even when the
power switch is off. A ground

fault circuit interrupter will not pro­tect you in this situation. Use a
UL listed tester to determine if the
outlet is safe.

Do not operate power tools in
explosive atmospheres, such
as in the presence of flamma­ble liquids, gases, or dust.

Power tools create sparks which
may ignite the dust or fumes.

for future reference.

These instructions are intended to

familiarize all personnel with the safe

operation and maintenance

procedures for the Power-Vee.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

This is the safety alert symbol. It is
used to alert you to potential personal

DANGER indicates a hazard with a high level of risk
which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.

WARNING indicates a hazard with a medium level of risk
which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

injury hazards. Obey all safety mes­sages that follow this symbol to avoid
possible injury or death.

Only wear leather gloves.
Never use any other type of
glove, such as cloth, rubber, or
coated gloves. Never grasp a
rotating cable with a rag.

These items could become
wrapped around the cable and
cause serious injury.

Always wear safety glasses
and rubber soled, non-slip
shoes. Use of this safety equip­ment may prevent serious injury.

Do not overstress cables.

Overstressing cables may cause
twisting, kinking, or breaking of
the cable and may result in seri­ous injury.

CAUTION indicates a hazard with a low level of risk which,
if not avoided, will result in minor or moderate injury.

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Power-Vee®

GENERAL POWER TOOL SAFETY WARNINGS

WARNING

Read all safety warnings and all instructions. Failure to follow all
instructions listed below may result in electric shock, fire, and/or seri­ous injury.

SAVE ALL WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS

FOR FUTURE USE!

The term “power tool” in the warnings refers to your mains­operated (corded) power tool or battery-operated (cordless)

power tool.

Work Area Safety

1. Keep work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or dark areas in­vite accidents.

2. Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, such
as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases, or dust.
Power tools create sparks which may ignite the dust or fumes.

3. Keep children and bystanders away while operating a power

tool. Distractions can cause you to lose control.

Electrical Safety

1. Power tool plugs must match the outlet. Never modify the
plug in any way. Do not use any adapter plugs with earthed
(grounded) power tools. Unmodified plugs and matching out-

lets will reduce risk of electric shock.

2. Avoid body contact with earthed or grounded surfaces such
as pipes, radiators, ranges and refrigerators. There is an
increased risk of electric shock if your body is earthed or
grounded.

3. Do not expose power tools to rain or wet conditions. Water
entering a power tool will increase the risk of electric shock.

4. Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord carrying, pulling

or unplugging the power tool. Keep cord away from heat, oil,
sharp edges or moving parts. Damaged cords increase the risk

of electric shock.

5. When operating a power tool outdoors, use an extension
cord suitable for outdoor use. Use of a cord suitable for out­door use reduces the risk of electric shock.

6. If operating a power tool in a damp location is unavoidable,

use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected sup­ply. Use of an GFCI reduces the risk of electric shock.

7. Double insulated tools are equipped with a polarized plug
(one blade is wider than the other). This plug will fit a polar­ized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully in the
outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a quali­fied electrician to install a polarized outlet. Do not change
the plug in any way. Double insulation eliminates the need for

the three wire grounded power cord and grounded power supply
system.

Personal Safety

1. Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use common sense
when operating a power tool. Do not use a power tool while
you are tired or under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or
medication. A moment of inattention while operating power tools

may result in serious personal injury.

2. Use personal protective equipment. Always wear eye protec-
tion. Protective equipment such as dust mask, non-skid safety
shoes, hard hat, or hearing protection used for appropriate condi­tions will reduce personal injuries.

3. Prevent unintentional starting. Ensure the switch is in the off

-position before connecting to power source and/or battery
pack, picking up or carrying the tool. Carrying power tools

with your finger on the switch or energizing power tools that have
the switch on invites accidents.

4. Remove any adjusting key or wrench before turning the
power tool on. A wrench or key that is left attached to a rotating
part of the power tool may result in personal injury.

5. Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all
times. This enables better control of the power tool in unex­pected situations.

6. Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry. Keep

your hair, clothing, and gloves away from moving parts.

Loose clothes, jewelry, or long hair can be caught in moving
parts.

7. If devices are provided for the connection of dust extraction

and collection facilities, ensure these are connected and
properly used. Use of dust collection can reduce dust-related

hazards.

Power Tool Use and Care

1. Do not force the power tool. Use the correct power tool for
your application. The correct tool will do the job better and safer

at the rate for which it is designed.

2. Do not use the power tool if the switch does not turn it on
and off. Any power tool that cannot be controlled with the switch
is dangerous and must be repaired.

3. Disconnect the plug from the power source and/or battery

pack from the power tool before making any adjustments,
changing accessories, or storing power tools. Such preven-

tive safety measures reduce the risk of starting the power tool
accidentally.

4. Store idle power tools out of reach of children and do not

allow persons unfamiliar with the power tool or these in­structions to operate the power tool. Power tools are danger-

ous in the hands of untrained users.

5. Maintain power tools. Check for misalignment or binding of

moving parts, breakage of parts and any other condition that

may affect the power tool’s operation. If damaged, have the

power tool repaired before use. Many accidents are caused by
poorly maintained power tools.

6. Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly maintained cut­ting tools with sharp cutting edges are less likely to bind and are
easier to control.

7. Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits, etc. in accor-

dance with these instructions, taking into account the work­ing conditions and the work to be performed. Use of the

power tool for operations different from those intended could
result in a hazardous situation.

3

3

Power-Vee®

Service

1. Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair person
using only identical replacement parts. This will ensure that

the safety of the power tool is maintained.

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert

1. Only wear leather gloves. Never use any other type of glove,
such as cloth, rubber, or coated gloves. Never grasp a rotating
cable with a rag. These items could become wrapped around the
cable and cause serious injury.

2. Do not overstress cables. Overstressing cables because of an
obstruction may cause twisting, kinking, or breaking of the cable
and may result in serious injury.

3. Place the machine at a distance not greater than six inches
(15cm) from drain opening. Greater distances can result in
cable twisting or kinking.

4. Machine is designed for ONE-PERSON operation. Operator
must control trigger switch and cable.

5. Never take hold of a rotating cable. Pull the cable out, or

push it back into the container by hand only when the motor
is stopped. When the motor is turning, always have one
hand controlling the trigger switch and the other hand
around the grip shield. Operator’s hand may be caught in the

moving parts resulting in serious injury.

6. Be careful when cleaning drains where cleaning chemicals
have been used. Avoid direct contact with corrosive drain clean­ers. Drain cleaning chemicals can cause serious burns, as well
as damage the cable.

7. Do not operate machine if operator or machine is standing
in water. Will increase risk of electrical shock.

8. Wear safety glasses and rubber soled, non-slip shoes. Use
of this safety equipment may prevent serious injury.

you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all
safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid
possible injury or death.

Electric shock resulting in death can occur if you
plug this machine into an improperly wired outlet. If
the ground wire is electrified, you can be electrocuted
by just touching the machine, even when the power
switch is off. A ground fault circuit interrupter will not

protect you in this situation. Use a UL listed tester to
determine if the outlet is safe.

Do not overstress cables. Overstressing cables may
cause twisting, kinking, or breaking of the cable and may
result in serious injury.

9. Before starting each job, check that the cable in the drum is

not broken or kinked, by pulling the cable out and checking
for wear or breakage. Always replace worn out (kinked or bro-

ken) cables with genuine GENERAL replacement cables.

10. Only use this tool in the application for which it was de-

signed. Follow the instructions on the proper use of the ma­chine. Other uses or modifying the drain cleaner for other appli-

cations may increase risk of injury.

FEATURES

Power Cable Feed Lever

Female Connector

Cutter

Cable

Grip Shield

Forward/Off/
Reverse Switch

Variable Speed
Trigger Switch

NOTE: Do not operate machine if warning labels on the grip shield
and power cord are missing or illegible.

Container Back

VARIABLE SPEED SWITCH

A variable speed control is built into the trigger mechanism. You can
control and increase the machine's speed by applying more trigger
pressure until you get the speed that you want.

You can also control the machine's direction of rotation by switching
the forward and reverse lever, which is located just above the trigger
switch. Move the lever toward the Forward arrow for forward rotation
and toward the Back arrow for reverse rotation. Switch to OFF posi­tion when the tool is not in use.

Cable Application Chart (Table 1)

Cable Size Pipe Size Typical Applications

1/4” 1-1/4" to 2" Small lines, tubs, and shower drains.

5/16" 1-1/2" to 2" Sinks, basins, and small drains.

3/8" 2" to 3" Stacks, toilets, small drains (No Roots).

Container Front

Cable Cartridge - inside container

The 1/4" and 5/16" diameter cables with EL Basin plug heads can be spun
through most strainer crossbars and work well in lines blocked by soft stop­pages such as hair, soap, fats, etc.

Maximum Capacity: 50 ft. of 1/4” or 5/16” cable, or 35 ft. of 3/8” cable.

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Power-Vee®

Cutter Application Chart (Table 2)

Cutter Catalog # Typical Applications

Arrow
Head

Flexible Arrow
Head

AH

FAH

Boring
Gimlet

Down Head
Boring
Gimlet

1-1/4"
Side
Cutter

Other Available Accessories:

Down Head
Fitting

Toilet
Attachment

BG

DHBG

1-1/4SCB

DHF

CAA

OPERATION

SET-UP

DISCONNECT MACHING FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE ATTACHING CUTTER!

Ideal for heavy cutting and
scraping.

More flexibility than Arrow
Head; can take sharp turns in
small lines.

To remove or retrieve loose
objects.

Leads cable down drain line
rather than up vent or across
tee.

Works well in grease stop­pages, scrapes walls of pipe.

Converts various cutters to
the down-head style

For cleaning stoppages in
toilet bowl

DO NOT USE TOO MUCH FORCE –

LET THE CUTTER DO THE WORK.

5. Use the variable speed trigger to adjust the feed rate to the resis­tance met. Do not force the cable or feed faster than the cable
can go into the drain.

6. Do not leave too much slack in the cable since this will cause
whipping. If the cable starts to bend or build up too much twist,
release the trigger. Push any excess cable back into the drum
and then continue.

DO NOT ALLOW TOO MUCH SLACK IN THE CABLE

BETWEEN MACHINE AND DRAIN OPENING SINCE

THIS CAN CAUSE CABLE WHIPPING.

7. When the cable reaches the stoppage, put feed in neutral by
releasing feed lever. Move the machine back and forth as the
cable is rotating until the stoppage has been cleared. Slight feed
lever pressure may be applied as required to maintain contact
with the stoppage.

Hint: It's often helpful to have a small stream of water running in the
line to wash the cuttings away while the machine is in operation and
after.

8. To retract the cable, put Forward/Off/Reverse switch in the Re-
verse position and press the feed lever and motor trigger.

9. When you hear the end of the cable near the drain opening, take
your finger off of the trigger switch to stop cable rotation. Never
retract the cutter from the drain opening while the cable is rotat­ing. The cable could whip and cause serious injury.

1. The cable may have a drop-head spring on the end to help the
cable around tight bends, or it may have a connector for attach­ing cutters to the end.

2. To attach a cutter, first unplug the machine. Then, remove the
screw and lock washer from the connector at the end of the ca­ble. Slide the cutter into the slot, then replace the lock washer
and connecting screw. Tighten the screw firmly.

3. The Boring Gimlet and Arrow Head are good cutters to start with.
Then change to the larger cutters after
you've gotten the water flowing.

4. Place machine at a distance not greater
than six inches (15cm) from the drain

opening. If you can’t place the machine

this close to the drain opening, run the
cable through a hose or pipe to prevent
cable whipping.

OPERATION

1. Plug machine into a properly grounded outlet.

2. Insert the cable into the drain opening as far as it will go.

3. Be sure the Forward/Off/Reverse switch is in the FORWARD
position.

4. Gently squeeze the motor trigger. Then, squeeze the power ca­ble feed lever to feed cable into the line. DO NOT FORCE THE

CABLE. The job won’t go any faster and you could kink the ca-

ble.

Note: An optional Handy Stand™

(shown at right) holds the Power­Vee for greater control of the ma­chine and cable.

TO CHANGE CABLE CARTRIDGES

DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER SOURCE BE-

FORE INSTALLING CABLES OR CARTRIDGES!

1. Remove the cutter and connecting screw from the cable, if
one is attached.

2. Swing the Feed Lever
Assembly open.

3. Loosen three screws that
hold front and back of con­tainer together. Pull the
container front off of the
machine, revealing the cable
cartridge within.

4. Remove the cable cartridge.

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Power-Vee®

5. Press replacement cartridge firmly into back of container.
Make sure to line up the grooves in the cartridge with the slots
in the container back.

6. Slide the cable through the container front.

7. Position the container front so that the three screws aligned
with the slots in the container back. Press the container front
into the container back.

8. Tighten screws firmly, making sure the screw heads are cen-
tered in the slots and flush with the container surface.

9. Close the Feed Lever Assembly and snap it into place.

MAINTENANCE

DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE !

To keep your machine operating smoothly, it is essential that all bear­ings and bushings be lubricated. Oiling moving parts is particularly
important where machine comes in contact with sand, grit and other
abrasive material.

CABLE MAINTENENCE

To get maximum service from your cables,
be sure that they are clean and well oiled.
This not only provides running lubrication
but greatly extends the life of the cables as
well. Some users periodically pour oil
directly into the drum. Then, as the drum
turns, the cables get complete lubrication.
Our SNAKE OIL is ideally suited for this
purpose, since it not only lubricates the
cables, it deodorizes them as well.

FEED MAINTENANCE

Keep feed free of excessive soil and grit. It is recommended that the
feed be flushed with fresh water followed by a light oiling of the mov­ing parts. No disassembly is normally required. Failure to feed can
usually be traced to dirt accumulation.

Over time, dirt can harden enough to stop roller rotation. Flushing with
water followed by liberal oiling can usually restore function. If disas­sembly is required, proceed as follows,

TO CLEAN OR REPLACE FEED ROLLERS

1. To clean the Feed Rollers, simply swing open the Feed Lever
Assembly and flush the rollers with WD-40. No disassembly is
required.

2. To replace the Feed Rollers, first remove the Feed Assembly by
loosening the three screws using a 5/32 Allen wrench.

3. Swing the Feed Lever and top roller assembly open.

Top Feed Roller

Feed Lever

4. Remove the Latch in front of the top roller using a #2 Phillips
screwdriver.

5. To remove the top roller, unscrew the Feed Roller Retaining
Screw using a #3 Philips screwdriver. Be careful not to lose the
felt washer.

6. Remove the two lower Feed Rollers by unscrewing the Feed
Roller Retaining Screws using a #3 Philips screwdriver as well.
The lower Feed Rollers do not have felt washer.

7. It is recommended that all three Feed Rollers be replaced at the
same time.

8. After all three Feed Rollers and the Latch are installed, place the
Feed Housing over the Container Front Assembly, line up the
holes, and thread the three 5/32 Allen screws back into place.
Tighten evenly.

9. Close the Feed Lever Assembly and snap it into place.

Lower Feed
Rollers

TO REMOVE MOTOR

1. Loosen the three screws that hold the container front and back
together.

2. Pull the container front off of the machine.

3. Loosen the two set screws in the beveled collar and remove both
the collar and the felt washer.

4. Slide a flat head screw driver into the Hub Spindle and unscrew
the Left Hand locking screw from the drive shaft by turning it
clockwise.

5. Unscrew the Hub Spindle from the Right Hand Drive Shaft by
rotating the container back counter-clockwise. Note: The Hub
Spindle, Hub, and Container Back remain as one unit. The thrust
bearing will spin freely.

6. Reverse these instructions to re-assemble.

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Power-Vee®

TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE (TABLE 3)

Problem Probable Cause Solution

Cable kinks or breaks. Operator forcing the cable. Do not force the cable. Let the cutter do the work.

Too much slack between machine and drain. Do not allow more than six inches between machine and drain.

Cable used in wrong size drain line. A cable that is too large or too small in diameter for a line is more

likely to kink. (Consult Table 1—Cable Applications.)

Cable exposed to acid Clean and oil cables regularly.

Cable tangles in container. Operator forcing the cable. Do not force the cable. Let the cutter do the work.

Failure to feed. Feed Rollers frozen. Clean and lubricate feed rollers regularly. Replace worn rollers.

Cable tangled in drum. Use proper cable size. (Consult Cable Application Chart—Table 1).

Motor does not run. Trigger in neutral (off) position. Switch Trigger to either Forward or Reverse.

Motor turns in one direction
but not other.

Reverse switch failure. Replace reverse switch.

7