Jet wash drain cleaning attachment - any good?

[Rory]

Has anyone used one of the above - attaches to a jet washer and apparently will find its own way along drains by firing jets backwards?

Recently needed to get into the base of a siggle trap siphonic toilet that is on the ground floor. No chance from the pan but from the gulley it was 1M stright then 90 degrees to vertical for 1M then 90 degrees into the toilet connector. Wondered if this would work?

Pan looks like this: Plumbing Illustrated Dictionary - Google Books (scroll down a touch and it's the one on the left).

 

[Rory]

Bumped for the day crew!

 

[Ted]

Have you tried a sink plunger into the bowl?
It won't fit perfectly, but I've cleared a blockage this way previously.

 

[oldcro]

Has anyone used one of the above - attaches to a jet washer and apparently will find its own way along drains by firing jets backwards?

Recently needed to get into the base of a siggle trap siphonic toilet that is on the ground floor. No chance from the pan but from the gulley it was 1M stright then 90 degrees to vertical for 1M then 90 degrees into the toilet connector. Wondered if this would work?

Pan looks like this: Plumbing Illustrated Dictionary - Google Books (scroll down a touch and it's the one on the left).

I have one of those jet wash drain cleaners and yes they do work up to a point. Getting it round a 90 degree bend was difficult involving much pulling back and letting it drive forward until it rounded the bend. I do not think I could have managed to get the hose round a second 90 degree bend.

If your water pressure is high try pushing a garden hose up the pipe from the gulley as far as it will go and give it a good flush. If you can get the hose round the first bend and up the vertical section that could be enough to flush out any blockage. Worth a try before investing in a power washer attachment.

 

[mattc]

do you know anyone with a set of rods? especially the thinner diameter ones that might work from the toilet end? failing that close water supply to cistern, take as much water out of system via another outflow. then take toilet off the connector and push through from there with hose pipe? just make sure you put a peg on your nose when you open the toilet connector!!

 

[Rory]

I have one of those jet wash drain cleaners and yes they do work up to a point. Getting it round a 90 degree bend was difficult involving much pulling back and letting it drive forward until it rounded the bend. I do not think I could have managed to get the hose round a second 90 degree bend.

Thanks, that the info I was looking for.

I should point out that this job is done (for) now - turned out that the elderly lady occupant had dropped a smallish wedge shaped glass into the toilet some time prior. Most of the body had smashed but the chunky base had got wedged in the narrowing "pipe" that is a feature of single trap siphonic pans. There was slow flow, but it wouldn't set up the siphonic action with obvious results!!

Two plumbers removed the toilet, amazingly, intact, but it was a mammoth job (was concreted to the floor) and, I can't help wondering if there would have been a easier way.

Of course, we didn't know what was stuck and where it was - hindsight is a wonderful thing!