Points to Consider While Choosing Your Pipe Inspection System
Pipe inspection systems are a significant investment for most of the households and small businesses. In return, these systems can save a tremendous amount of money, owing to their unique diagnostic capabilities. However, it is important to be extremely cautious while choosing these inspection systems because any mistake here can be quite costly. In this article, we will discuss some points you should consider before spending your hard earned money on a pipe inspection system.
Size of Sewer/Drain/Pipe to be inspected: Push rod and tractor pull style are two of the most commonly used systems for pipe inspection. Therefore, your first task is to determine the style that you need.
Tractor pull systems are meant for large, municipal style drain pipes. These systems are generally controlled by operators working from specially made trucks or vans, using a joystick and computer system. These systems are outfitted with additional swivel heads and lighting to view all directions, and are used only by large companies and municipalities.
Push rod style systems, on the other hand, are used specifically for laterals and inside pipes. These systems are pushed down the line manually by the contractors. The maximum range of these units is approximately 200 feet. These systems are used extensively by maintenance technicians, drain cleaners, and plumbers. For the rest of the article, we will focus only on push style camera systems.
In general, push style camera systems are available in three sizes as mentioned below.
Micro-systems: These are designed for 1.5 to 3-inch pipes, and the push rods are extremely thin and weak because of the flexibility required. Built-in recording devices may or may not be present in these systems, and they are seldom equipped with built-in locator beacons. If these systems are used for larger pipes, there is a high chance of damage to the push rod.
Mini-systems: Designed for 2 to 4-inch pipes, these systems are suitable for medium pipes connecting toilets, sinks, and bathrooms in a building. Compared to a micro unit, these systems use push rods that are stronger and less flexible. They generally have built-in recording systems and built-in locator beacons.
Main line systems: These systems are suitable for 3 to 12-inch lines, and are used extensively for outdoor pipes. The features of these systems are generally similar to mini-systems. While purchasing a push system, the rule of thumb is to opt for the strongest and largest push rod that the pipe can fit in. This will address the issue of wear and tear and ensure that the camera head can be pushed down further. If you can’t choose between a standard sized and mini pushrod, buy the standard one.
Need for Built-in Recording Device: If a built-in recording device is necessary, your options are USB-memory stick, SD card, and DVD. Wi-Fi units are also available nowadays, allowing the flexibility of displaying the video output via iPads, Android tablets or smartphones.
Need for Locating the Camera Head: Built-in locator beacons are present in most of the mini and standard sized units so that the location and depth of the camera can be pinpointed while it is in the pipe. The importance of location in the process of pipe inspection is immense, and most of the locators available in the market are fairly accurate.
After Sales Service: A lot can go wrong during a pipeline inspection process. Therefore, it is important that you opt for a system that comes with proper after sales service. Some points to look for include proactive service and support, availability of service centres, training facility for employees, etc.
If you still have doubts about your pipeline inspection, please contact us at Austeck. Since 1992, we have been leading the pipeline inspection and rehabilitation space in Australia.