General Wire PH-DR-A User Manual

™

Drain-Rooter PH

Operating Instructions

For 1-1/4” through 3” lines

(30mm—75mm)

Your Drain-Rooter PH 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!

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Drain-Rooter PH™

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 Drain-Rooter PH.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

This is the safety alert symbol. It is
used to alert you to potential personal
injury hazards. Obey all safety mes­sages that follow this symbol to avoid
possible injury or death.

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.

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 equip-

ment 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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Drain-Rooter PH™

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 in-
vite 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 cut-
ting 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.

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Drain-Rooter PH™

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
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.

FEATURES - Closed Drum Drain-Rooter PH

Handle Feed Pressure

Knob

Cutter

Motor

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

Drum Container

Back

Drum Container

Feed Control

Lever

Guide Hose

(Cable Inside)

Front Post

Knob

Front

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.

FEATURES - Open Drum Drain-Rooter PH

Handle

Cutter

Motor

NOTE: Do not operate machine if warning labels are missing or illegi­ble.

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.

Feed Pressure

Open Drum

Knob

Feed Control

Lever

Guide Hose

(Cable Inside)

Front Post

Knob

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Drain-Rooter PH™

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).

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.

Cutter Application Chart (Table 2)

Cutter Catalog # Typical Applications

Arrow
Head

Flexible Arrow
Head

Boring
Gimlet

Down Head
Boring
Gimlet

1-1/4"
Side
Cutter

AH

FAH

BG

DHBG

1-1/4SCB

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.

OPERATION

SET-UP

DISCONNECT MACHING FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE ATTACHING CUTTER!

OPERATION

1. Plug machine into a properly grounded outlet.

2. Make sure the Forward/Off/Reverse switch is in the FORWARD
position.

3. Tighten the knob on top of the variable speed power cable feed
so that the feed roller presses against the cable. Be sure not to
over tighten since this could cause excessive cable wear.

4. The feed lever controls the feeding rate and direction of the ca­ble. Move the feed lever down to feed the cable out of the drum.
The farther the lever is moved downward, the faster the cable will
feed out. Move the lever up to retract the cable into the drum.
When the lever is in the middle (neutral) position, the cable will
spin in place.

Feed
Pressure
Knob

Reverse

Feed Control

Lever

Forward

5. Place the cable end and cutter into the drain opening.

6. With a hand on the guide hose, start the machine by stepping
slowly but firmly on the foot pedal. The harder you press on the
pedal, the faster the motor will rotate and the faster the cable will
feed.

7. Feed the cable slowly. Use both the foot pedal and power cable

feed to adjust feeding speed as resistance is met. Don’t feed

faster than the cable can go into the drain. Too much cable be­tween the guide hose and drain will cause whipping and kinking.

Neutral

1. Slide the connector over the spout until the spring pops into
place.

2. The cable may have an EL-Basin plug head on the end to help
the cable around tight bends, or it may have a connector for at­taching cutters to the end.

3. 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.

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

5. Position the machine so that the guide hose can be placed within
6 in. (15 cm) of the drain opening without excessive bending of
the guide hose.

Note: Avoid sharp bends or kinking of the guide hose by repositioning
the machine. The Drain-Rooter PH is designed to be positioned ei­ther horizontally or vertically to facilitate this.

DO NOT ALLOW TOO MUCH SLACK IN THE CA­BLE BETWEEN MACHINE AND DRAIN OPENING

SINCE THIS CAN CAUSE CABLE WHIPPING.

8. If the cable starts to bend or build up too much twist, take your
foot off the pedal and rotate the drum in the opposite direction to
relieve the twist on the cable. Push any excess cable back into
the drum and then continue.

9. When the cable reaches the stoppage, put the feed in neutral.
Then allow the cable to progress slowly, chewing into the stop­page as it goes. This slow forward movement will reduce stress
on the cable while doing a more thorough cleaning job. A back
and forth action usually works best.

DO NOT USE TOO MUCH FORCE –

LET THE CUTTER DO THE WORK.

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Drain-Rooter PH™

10. When the obstruction is cleared, retract the cable by moving the
feed lever into the reverse position. Keep the motor in the for-

ward position.

DO NOT USE REVERSE TO PULL THE CABLE OUT OF

THE DRAIN. RUNNING MACHINE IN REVERSE CAN

CAUSE THE CABLE TO TANGLE IN THE DRUM.

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.

SPECIAL OPERATION

IF CABLE GETS CAUGHT IN LINE

The motor can be reversed to free the cable if it gets caught in the
line. Use the following procedure:

1. Move the motor switch to the Reverse position.

2. Tighten the chuck against the cable.

3. Pull on the cable while the drum is turning in reverse.

4. When the cable has been freed, move the motor switch to the

FORWARD position.

TO CHANGE CABLE CARTRIDGES

DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE CHANGING CARTRIDGES !

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

2. Loosen the knob at the base of the front post and swing the front
post and power cable feed forward.

3. Loosen the three screws around the outside of the drum that hold
the front and back of the drum together.

4. Pull the drum front off the machine, revealing the cable cartridge
within.

5. Pull the cable out of the feed and guide tube and slide it into the
cable cartridge by hand.

6. Remove the cable cartridge.

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

8. Slide the cable through the drum front, power cable feed, and
guide tube.

9. Position the drum front so that the three screws align with the
slots in the drum back. Press the drum front into the drum back
and tighten the screws firmly, making sure the screws are cen­tered in the slots and the heads are flush with the drum.

10. Swing the front post and feed back into position and tighten
knob.

IF CABLE TANGLES IN DRUM

DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE INSTALLING CABLES !

This is caused by using too much pressure when feeding the cable or
by feeding the cable while running in reverse.

1. To untangle, rotate the drum in the opposite direction to relieve
the twist.

2. If the cable has become badly tangled, disassemble the drum by
loosening the screws around the rim of the drum and pull the
drum front off the drum. (Note: Open drum units cannot be disas­sembled.)

3. Pull the cable completely out of the drum shell. Then, reassem­ble the drum.

4. Straighten the cable out and push it back in the drum. (See “To

Install Cable into Drum” below.)

TO INSTALL CABLE IN DRUM

DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE INSTALLING CABLES !

1. Loosen feed control knob so that the cable can pass through
easily.

2. Push the back of the cable through the spout into the drum.

3. It will be easier to load the cable if you put a slight bend in the
cable about one inch from the end.

Note: The cable should lay in the

drum in a clockwise direction.

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Drain-Rooter PH™

MAINTENANCE

DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER SOURCE

BEFORE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE!

To keep your machine operating smoothly, it is essential that all bear­ings and distributor tube 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.

POWER 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 the following possibilities:

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:

1. Remove the feed pressure knob, springs and spring plunger. Note
the positioning of these parts to ease re-assembly. The top roller
can now be removed.

2. Remove the snap rings and thrust washers from the bottom hous­ing cylinders. The bottom rollers can now be removed.

3. Re-assembly is done in reverse order.

DAMAGED ROLLER

Excessive use may wear a roller to the point of failure. It is recom­mended that all three rollers be replaced at the same time (Cat # PO­MR-703). The replacement roller is an assembly consisting of one
Feed Roller, two Feed Roller Bearings, and two Bearing Spacers.

Note: The Bearing Spacers must be installed between the Carrier
and each Feed Roller Bearing (as illustrated below) in order to
ensure proper operation and to obtain maximum Feed Roller life.

To Replace the Feed Roller Assembly:

1. Remove the Feed Roller Assembly by unscrewing and removing
the Feed Roller Axle.

2. For convenience, the components are assembled and wired to­gether at the factory. Before attempting to install the assembly,
hold the assembly together and remove the wire.

3. While still holding the Feed Roller Assembly together, insert it into
the slot opening of the Carrier.

4. In order to help align the Spacers and Bearings, insert a pencil
point or similar object through the un-threaded end of the Axle
hole in the Carrier. After removing the pencil point, continue to
maintain the alignment of the components.

5. The Feed Roller Axle should then be inserted through the same un

-threaded Axle hole and should continue to be guided through the
Spacers and Bearings to the threaded Axle hole on the other side
of the Carrier.

6. Securely tighten the Axle to the Carrier with a 3/16” allen wrench.

TANGLED CABLE

If a cable loops over itself in the drum/cage, it will not feed properly.
Remove and reload the cable to restore function. If the cable kinks, it
is evidence of abuse and results from the use of too much pressure or
use of the wrong size cable for the line. Do not force the cable — let
the cutter do the work.

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Drain-Rooter PH™

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 guide hose 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 (See Table 1—Cable Application Chart).

Cable exposed to acid. Clean and oil cables regularly.

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

Machine run in reverse. Do not run machine in reverse to retract cable from drain. Use re-

verse only if cable is caught in line.

Hole in pedal or hose. Replace as required. Drum stops while foot pedal

depressed.

Failure to feed. Frozen or worn rollers. Clean debris from around rollers. If rollers do not turn, cable will not

Hole in diaphragm switch. If no hole found in pedal or hose, replace diaphragm switch.

feed. Badly worn rollers must be replaced.

Cable tangled in drum. Make sure to use proper size cable for the job (see Table 1 – Cable

Application Chart).

Feed misadjusted. If feed tension knob is too loose, the cable will slip. If it is too tight,

the feed rollers will wear prematurely.

Worn cable. When cable coils wear flat, cable should be replaced.

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

Motor turns in one direction

Reverse switch failure. Replace reverse switch.

but not other.

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