Harbor Freight Tools 50 FOOT DRAIN CLEANER WITH POWER FEED 68285 - Manual (Page 13)

Page 13 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Item 68284 68285
Work Area Set-Up
1. Verify that work area has adequate lighting for the job.
2. Make sure work area is free of flammable liquids,
vapors or dust that may ignite. Sparks can be
generated during Drain Cleaner operation.
Do not work in area until these sources of
ignition have been identified and corrected.
3. Choose a firm, stable location for the machine
and operator that will remain relatively dry.
Do not use the machine while standing in water.
If needed, remove the water from the work area.
4. Verify the electrical outlet is properly grounded.
A three-prong or GFCI outlet may not be
properly grounded. If in doubt, have outlet
inspected by a licensed electrician.
5. Make sure there is a clear, unobstructed path
from the Drain Cleaner to the electrical outlet.
6. Inspect the drain to be cleaned. If possible, determine
the best access point(s) to the drain, the size(s)
and length(s) of the drain, distance to tanks or
mainlines, the nature of the blockage, presence of
drain cleaning chemicals or other chemicals, etc.
7. If there are chemicals present in the drain, read
and adhere to the specific safety measures
required to work around those chemicals.
Contact the chemical manufacturer for required
safety instructions and information.
8. If necessary, remove fixture (toilet, sink, etc.) to
allow access to the drain. Do not feed the cable
through a fixture. This could damage
the Drain Cleaner and the fixture.
9. Determine the correct drain cleaning
cable size for the drain cleaning job.
See Cable/Pipe Size chart below.
Cable Size
Pipe
Size
Typical Applications
1/2″ (included) 2″ to 4″ Roof stacks and small
floor drains (no roots)
3/8″ 1-1/2″ to 3″ Roof stacks, laundry lines
and small drains (no roots)
10. If needed, place protective covers over
the work area floor. Cleaning the clogged
drain can be a messy operation.
11. Make sure that the Drain Cleaner handle is
locked into the upright position for transport. If the
Drain Cleaner needs to be lifted, use proper lifting
techniques or seek assistance if needed. Use caution
when moving equipment up and down stairs. Wear
appropriate footwear to help prevent slipping on floor.
12. Set the Drain Cleaner so that the drum
opening is within 2 feet of the drain access.
The greater the distance from the drain access,
the higher the risk of the cable twisting or kinking.
13. If the machine cannot be placed with the
drum opening within 2′ of the drain access,
use appropriate-sized pipes and fittings to
extend the drain access back to within 2′ of
the drum opening. Improper cable support
can allow the cable to kink and twist and can
damage the cable or injure the operator.
14. If needed, set up barriers to keep
bystanders away from the Drain Cleaner
and work area during operation.
15. Select proper cutting tool.
(See Cutting Tool Accessories on page 9).
16. Install the tool to the end of the cable. Slide the
base of the Cutter Tool into the slot at the end of
the cable. Fasten together using a screwdriver.
17. Position the Foot Switch for easy accessibility. You
must be able to hold and control the cable, control
the Foot Switch, and reach the Rotation Switch.
18. Confirm that the Rotation Switch
is in the OFF position.
19. Run the cord along the clear path. With dry hands,
plug the Drain Cleaner into a properly grounded
outlet. Keep all connections dry and off the ground.
20. If the power cord is not long enough, use an
extension cord that is in good condition and has
a three prong plug similar to the one supplied on
the Drain Cleaner. Keep the connection off the
ground to prevent it from accidentally getting wet.
21. Also verify that the extension cord is rated
for outdoor use and contains a W or W-A
in the cord designation (i.e. SOW).
22. Verify the extension cord has sufficient wire size
(16 AWG for 50′ or less, 14 AWG for 50′ – 100′ long).
Undersized wires can overheat, melting the
insulation or causing a fire or other damage.
23. When using an extension cord, the GFCI
on the Drain Cleaner does not protect the
extension cord. If the outlet is not GFCI protected,
use a plug-in type GFCI between the outlet and
the extension cord. This will reduce the risk of
shock if there is a fault in the extension cord.
SAFETY
OPERA
TION
MAINTENANCE
SETUP