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Is it possible to buy drain rods that will cope with a manhole of 450 mm (18 inches) internal diameter and having an outlet pipe 930 mm (37 inches) deep? The rods would have to bend through near enough 90°. If you can buy them, of what would they be made ?
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You wont get ordinary rods to bend through 90 degrees, sharp bends like this should have an inspection or access trap over them for this very reason.
The only way to get something round this is to use the expensive ones with powered traction heads.
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Stroll down to your friendly neighbourhood builders merchants and have a look at the polypropelene(sp?) rods in there.
I think they would go round a 90 degree bend at that sort of radius. It depends of course, on what sort of tool is going on the front of the rods.
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>> I think they would go round a 90 degree bend at that sort of radius.
>> It depends of course, on what sort of tool is going on the front of
>> the rods.
>>
It would just be the usual circular rubber (?) disc.
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>> You wont get ordinary rods to bend through 90 degrees, sharp bends like this should
>> have an inspection or access trap over them for this very reason.
I think you might have misunderstood me. What I meant was that because of the depth of the manhole the rods would have to bend through near enough 90° within the manhole when going from ground level to into the outlet pipe. The outlet pipe itself is straight.
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Do you have a pressure washer? Their hoses are more flexible than rods and even the pipe without an attachment will shift stuff.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 19 Jan 12 at 09:58
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Yeah i Figured that out after I posted. As Duncan said it depends on the tool at the head of your rod. For example its probably impossible to get the flat pusher disk into the outlet pipe at the right angle, where as the twisty auger bit might just get in with really flexy poles. the ordinary fibreglass ones wont cut it., and once that's in you can usually bore that in by turning the rods.
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Old-fashioned wooden (bamboo?) rods will bend through 90 degrees. They are much better than the plastic kind, which can snap unexpectedly. Wooden ones rarely fail totally unless old and rotten.
Test each rod very cautiously first, and then ease each one carefully down the manhole and into the pipe, making sure it never gets bent across the sharp edge of the pipe, but assumes an even bow.
If you want to be ultra-cautious then soak the rods in boiling water first to soften them.
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>> Wear gloves........
Wear an old pair of swimming trunks!
I inherited some old rods, they appear to be made of coiled steel, like a spring. They bend.
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>>Wear an old pair of swimming trunks!<<
I spent a whole year down the sceptic tank at a property we owned 5 years ago, if y'all need any advice, lemme know :(
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I've just got the standard polypropylene ones sold in Wickes.
Out of interest and to help out I just went up the loft, found them, and gave them a bend.
The three foot rod could be bent into a semi-circle by holding the ends.
So geometrically will fit your manhole but I feel the friction on the edge of the pipe could make it difficult to insert.
I have never had one snap but next time I use them I'll be thinking of Cliff's comment!
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I'd also suggest you don't need any attachment on the end. If you can reach the blockage with the rods, then they'll probably push it out of the way. If that doesn't work, you may need the 'screw' attachment to pull it back. I always use the rubber disc first, hydraulic pressure often shifts the blockage and means fewer rods need cleaning after.
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And don`t forget to twist/turn them the right way!! - or you`ll unscrew them in the pipe, (as i once found out! ;-( )
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I think he's saying that they need to bend through 90 degrees as they have to go vertically down the manhole and the outlet pipe goes out sideways, not that the pipe to be rodded has a 90 degree bend in it somewhere.
AFAIK that's pretty standard and ordinary rods should cope.
Maybe the OP can clarify?
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The trap is only 18 inches wide so has to be a very sharp 90 degree radius. Almost a right angle I would say.
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>>has to be a very sharp 90
>> degree radius. Almost a right angle I would say.
>>
:)
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AND............if you 'turn' them in their travels do it CLOCKWISE. Wouldn't want them coming undone and remaining now would we?
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>> I think he's saying that they need to bend through 90 degrees as they have
>> to go vertically down the manhole and the outlet pipe goes out sideways, not that
>> the pipe to be rodded has a 90 degree bend in it somewhere.
>>
>> AFAIK that's pretty standard and ordinary rods should cope.
>>
>> Maybe the OP can clarify?
>>
You're right, that's what I meant.
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Drain rods - Duncan
