Handling A Stuck Tool; Freeing A Stuck Tool; Retrieving The Cable - RIDGID K-400 Mode D'emploi

K-400 Drain Cleaning Machine
• AUTOFEED operation – Move the AUTO -
FEED handle towards the machine to the
retrieve position to free the cable end from
the blockage.
Do not keep the cable rotating if the cable is
stuck in a blockage. If the cable end stops
turning and the drum keeps rotating, the cable
can twist, kink or break.
Once the cable end is free of the blockage and
turning again, you can slowly feed the cable
end back into the blockage. Do not try to force
the cable end through the blockage. Let the
spinning end "dwell" in the blockage to com-
pletely break it up. Manual operation may give
the best control in these instances. Work the
tool in this manner until you have moved com-
pletely past the blockage (or blockages) and
the drain is flowing.
While working the blockage, the tool and cable
may become clogged with debris and cut-
tings from the blockage. This can prevent fur-
ther progress. The cable and tool need to be
retrieved from the drain and the debris re-
moved. See section on"Retrieving the Cable" .

Handling a Stuck Tool

If the tool stops turning and the cable cannot
be pulled back from the blockage, release
the foot switch while firmly holding the cable.
If installed, release the AUTO FEED lever to
come back to the neutral (straight up) position.
Do not remove hands from cable or cable
may kink, twist and break. The motor will stop
and the cable and drum may turn backwards
until the energy stored in the cable is relieved.
Do not remove hands from cable until the
tension is released. Place FOR/OFF/REV
switch in OFF position.
The torque limiter helps to prevent cable dam-
age from cable flip over in the drum by stop-
ping drum and cable rotation when the torque
exceeds the setting. The motor will continue to
rotate as long as the foot switch is pressed, but
the drum and cable will stop rotating when the
torque limiter setting is exceeded. The torque
limiter cannot prevent all cable damage in the
drum, and cannot prevent cable flip over out-
side the drum. If the drum stops turning, the
cable and tool also are not turning.

Freeing a Stuck Tool

If the tool is stuck in the blockage, with the
FOR/OFF/ REV switch in the OFF position
and the foot switch released, try pulling the
cable loose from the blockage. If the tool will
not come free from the blockage, place the
14
FOR/OFF/REV switch in the REV position.
Grasp the cable with both gloved hands, press
the foot switch for several seconds and pull on
the cable until it is free of the blockage. Do not
operate the machine in the REV position any
longer than required to free the cutting tool
from the blockage or cable damage can occur.
Place the FOR/OFF/REV switch in the FOR
position and continue cleaning the drain.

Retrieving the Cable

1. Once the drain is open, if possible start a
flow of water down the drain to flush the
debris out of the line and help clean the
cable as it is retrieved. This can be done
by running a hose down the drain open-
ing, turning on a faucet in the system or
other methods. Pay attention to the water
level, as the drain could plug again.
2. The FOR/OFF/REV switch should be in
the FOR position – do not retrieve the
cable with the switch in the REV position,
this can damage the cable. As with feed-
ing the cable into the drain, cables can be
caught while being retrieved.
• Manual Operation – With both gloved
hands equally spaced on the exposed
cable for control, pull 6"-12" (0.15 -
0.3m) lengths of cable from the drain at
a time and feed it into the drum. Con -
tinue retrieving cable until the cable
end is just inside the drain opening.
• AUTOFEED Operation – With one hand
near the center of the exposed length of
cable, move the feed lever towards the
machine to retrieve the cable. The rotat-
ing cable will work its way out of the
drain and back into the drum. Continue
retrieving cable until the cable end is
just inside the drain opening. Release
the AUT O FEED lever to come back to
the neutral position.
3. Release the foot switch, allowing the drum
to come to a complete stop. Do not pull
the end of the cable from the drain while
the cable is rotating. The cable can whip
around and cause serious injury. Pay at-
tention to the cable during retrieval as the
cable end can still become stuck.
4. Place the FOR/OFF/REV in the OFF po-
sition. Pull the remaining cable from the
drain with gloved hands and feed into the
drain cleaner. If needed, change the tool
and continue cleaning following the above
process. Several passes through a line
are recommended for complete cleaning.