General Pipe Cleaners
Serving the rental industry for more than 40 years
General Pipe Cleaners, a division of General Wire Spring
(800) 245-6200
Opening a clogged sewer or drain calls for tough equipment. General Pipe Cleaners has been making pipe cleaners since 1930 and have strived to continually improve their reliability.
Featured Question
Coil for Brasscraft BC400 series power auger
Posted by Barb from Au Gres, MI, US on March 19, 2008
We were trying to clean our clean out pipe and about 20′ of coil (from the open end) unraveld and tristed up. Can this be fixed anywhere or does the whole 75 foot coil need to be replaced and how do we have that done?
You have several options. You could cut off the damaged section and contact BrassCraft about getting a replacement connector and cutter head. We do not recommend attempting to cut out the kinked section and re-assemble the pieces on a short cable. The repair point is too stiff and will not go around tight bends easily. A better option is to replace the coil with General's Flexicore(R) wire rope center cable. Heavy gauge wire is coiled tightly around 49 strand aircraft type wire rope and heat treated. This gives the cable unequalled strength and the right flexibility. It's so tough, it carries a one-year warranty against defect or breakage. General's connectors and cutters are different that Brasscraft, so you'd have to purchase a cutter set. But that's a small cost compared to the life of the cable. You can purchase General cables at most plumbing supply houses in your area. Or call the Drain Brains(R) at General at 800-245-6200 for a supplier in your area.
Drain machine cable end broken
Posted by doran from long beach, CA, US on January 3, 2008
On my Cobra drain machine, the 3/8 cable broke off at the end where you screw the blades onto. Can I buy a part to fix that, or do I have buy a new cable? And if I can fix it, where can I buy this part?
Thank you very much,
Dee
General's cables will work in most brands of drain cleaning machinery. Our 3/8" female connector (Part # 3/8 H-FC) should work on your cable. It can be braised or welded on. But you will have to switch to General cutters if you use our connectors. Or, if you choose to replace your cable with General's Flexicore(R) cables you'll find that your cables will last much longer. Our cables are made of heavy gauge wire coiled tightly around 49 strand wire rope and heat treated. This gives them unequalled strength with the right amount of flexibility. You can call the Drain Brains(R) at General at 800-245-6200 for the name of a distributor in your area.
Carrying Cases
Posted by A from Hermantown, MN, US on June 20, 2007
Does General Pipe Cleaners make carrying cases for the smaller pieces of equipment that they manufacture?
General has carrying cases for the Super-Vee, Power-Vee, Handylectric (all use part number MCC) and the Kinetic Water Ram (part number KR-CC). Please let me know if you are looking for a carrying case for another tool.
Thanks for your inquiry,
What to Look For
Posted by Super from New York, NY, USA on May 15, 2007
What should I look for in selecting drain cleaning equipment?
Remember your “three R’s”:
· Reliability
· Range
· Risk
RELIABILITY. Downtime costs money. Choose a manufacturer with a solid reputation for tough, dependable products. And make sure they’re easy-to-maintain. But remember: cables do most of the work. The best are left hand coiled over a wire rope center for maximum strength and flexibility – and maximum kink resistance.
RANGE. Different problems demand different solutions. Consider a selection of cable drain cleaners for common clogs – and water jets for grease, sediment, ice and other soft blockages. And don’t forget sectional machines for large, long-run lines. Aim for an equipment mix that lets customers solve all sorts of problems – inside and out!
RISK. Safeguard your customers – and your business! Always demand equipment with a complete safety package. Do they sport ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI’s)? How about safety slip clutches? Do they feature air-actuated foot pedals – with no direct electrical motor contact? Protect your livelihood!
Boost My Business?
Posted by Super from New York, NY, USA on May 15, 2007
How can drain cleaning equipment boost my rental business?
One word: DEMAND.
Blocked and slow drains remain among the most common maintenance problems. And many times, your customers are perfectly capable of clearing blockages themselves.
That’s where you can profit. Renting a range of safe, tough, reliable and easy-to-use drain cleaning equipment lets homeowners quickly and economically solve common problems – without excessive expense.
And don’t forget business owners – even plumbing and drain cleaning professionals! Renting makes sense for companies with limited resources: they pay as needed, preserving scarce capital. And renting lets them see if equipment actually warrants purchase.
Savvy rental facilities consider everyone a potential customer!



