If any problems are found, do not use the drain clean-
er until the problems have been repaired.
5. Clean any debris from the cable. Inspect cable for
wear and damage. Inspect for:
• Obvious flats worn into the outside of the cable
(cable is made from round wire and the profile
should be round).
• Multiple or excessively large kinks (slight kinks up to
15 degrees can be straightened).
• Space between cable coils indicating that the cable
has been deformed by stretching, kinking, or run-
ning in reverse (REV).
• Excessive corrosion from storing wet or exposure to
drain chemicals.
All of these forms of wear and damage weaken the
cable and make cable twisting, kinking or breaking
more likely during use. Replace worn and damaged
cable before using drain cleaner.
Make sure the cable is fully retracted with no more
than 6" (150mm) of cable outside of the machine. This
will prevent whipping of the cable at start up.
6. Make sure that the FOR/OFF/REV (I/0/II) switch is set
to the OFF position.
7. With dry hands, plug cord into properly grounded
outlet. Test the GFCI (if provided) in the electrical
cord to insure that it is operating correctly. When the
test button is pushed in, the red button marked
"RESET" should pop up slightly and the machine
will not operate. Reactivate by pushing the red
RESET button in. If GFCI is not functioning properly,
unplug the cord and do not use the drain cleaning
machine until the GFCI has been repaired.
8. Move the FOR/OFF/REV switch into the FOR posi-
tion. Press the foot switch and note the direction of
rotation of the drum. If the foot switch does not control
the machine operation, do not use the machine until
the foot switch has been repaired. The drum should
rotate counter-clockwise when viewed from the front
of the drum, and will match the drum direction shown
on the front housing (Figure 10).
Release the foot switch and let the drum come to a
complete stop. Hold the FOR/OFF/REV switch in
the REV position, and repeat above testing to confirm
that the drain cleaner operates properly in reverse. If
the rotation is not correct, do not use the machine until
it has been repaired.
9. With the inspection complete, move the FOR/OFF/ -
REV switch into the OFF position and, with dry hands,
unplug the machine.
PowerClear™ Drain Cleaning Machine
Machine and Work Area Set-up
WARNING
the risk of injury from electric shock, fire, machine
tipping, twisted or broken cables, chemical burns,
infections and other causes, and prevent drain
cleaner damage.
Always wear safety glasses and other appropriate
protective equipment when setting up your drain
cleaner.
1. Check work area for:
• Adequate lighting.
• Flammable liquids, vapors or dust that may ignite.
If present, do not work in area until sources have
been identified and corrected. The drain cleaner IS
not explosion proof and can cause sparks.
• Clear, level, stable, dry location for all equipment
and operator. Do not use machine while standing in
water. If needed, remove water from the work area.
• Properly grounded electrical outlet of the correct
voltage. Check machine serial plate for required
voltage. A three-prong or GFCI outlet may not be
properly grounded. If in doubt, have outlet inspect-
ed by a licensed electrician.
• Clear path to electrical outlet that does not contain
any potential sources of damage for the power
cord.
2. Inspect the drain to be cleaned. If possible, deter-
mine the 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. If chemicals are pre-
sent in the drain, it is important to understand the
specific safety measures required to work around
those chemicals. Contact the chemical manufacturer
for required information.
3. Determine the correct equipment for the application.
See Specifications.
The PowerClear Drain Cleaner is not recommended
for use with toilets.
Drain cleaners for other applications can be found
by consulting the Ridge Tool Catalog, online at
RIDGID.com
4. Make sure all equipment has been properly inspected.
5. If needed, place protective covers in the work area.
The drain cleaning process can be messy.
Set up the drain
cleaning machine
and work area ac-
cording to these pro-
cedures to reduce
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