Working The Blockage; Handling A Stuck Tool; Freeing A Stuck Tool; Retrieving The Cable - RIDGID K-750 Manual

K-750 Drain Cleaning Machine
cable slow down or build up outside the drain. Always
keep your hands on the cable. You may feel the cable
start to wind or load up (this may feel like the cable is start-
ing to twist or squirm). This may be a transition in the drain
(trap, elbow, etc.), build up in the drain (grease, etc.) or the
actual blockage. Feed the cable slowly and carefully. Do
not let cable build up outside the drain. This can cause the
cable to twist, kink or break.
Pay attention to the amount of cable that has been fed into
the drain. Feeding cable into a larger drain, septic tank or
similar transition may cause the cable to kink or knot
and prevent removal from the drain. Minimize the amount
of cable fed into the transition to prevent problems. Each
wrap of the cable in the drum is approximately four feet
long. If using 5 / " cable with a
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connection through the AUTOFEED. This could damage
the AUTOFEED.
If an additional length of cable is needed, see the section
"Adding Additional Cable".

Working The Blockage

If the end of the cable stops turning, it is no longer clean-
ing the drain. If the end of the cable becomes lodged in the
blockage and power is maintained to the drain cleaner, the
cable will start to wind up (this may feel like the cable is
starting to twist or squirm). Having a hand on the cable al-
lows you to feel this wind up and control the cable. If the
cable end stops turning or if the cable starts to wind up, im-
mediately pull the cable back from the obstruction:
• Manual Operation – pull back on the cable to free
the cable end from the blockage.
• AUTOFEED Operation – move the feed lever in the
direction opposite the cable rotation to free the cable
end from the blockage.
Don't keep the cable rotating if the cable is stuck in a
blockage. If the cable end stops turning and the drum
keeps rotating, the cable can twist kink or break.
Once the cable end is free of the blockage and turning
again, you can slowly feed the cable end back into the
blockage. Do not try to force the cable end through the
blockage. Let the spinning end "dwell" in the blockage to
completely break it up. Work the tool in this manner until
you have moved completely past the blockage (or block-
ages) and the drain is flowing. Manual operation is usually
the best choice if the cable repeatedly gets stuck when
using the AUTOFEED. If using an AUTOFEED machine
manually, the feed knob may need to be loosened, and
the feed lever placed in the neutral position.
While working the blockage, the cable and tool may be-
come clogged with debris and cuttings from the blockage.
This can prevent further progress. The cable and tool
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3 / " pigtail, do not feed the
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need to be retrieved from the drain and the debris re-
moved. See section on "Retrieving the Cable".

Handling A Stuck Tool

If the tool stops turning and the cable cannot be pulled
back from the blockage, immediately release the foot
switch while firmly holding the cable. Do not remove
hands from cable or cable may kink, twist and break.
The motor will stop and the cable and drum may turn
backwards until the energy stored in the cable is re-
lieved. Do not remove hands from cable until the tension
is released. Place FOR/OFF/REV switch in OFF position.

Freeing A Stuck Tool

If the tool is stuck in the blockage, with the FOR/OFF/REV
switch in the OFF position and the foot switch released, try
pulling the cable loose from the blockage. If the tool will
not come free from the blockage, place the
FOR/OFF/REV switch in the REV position. Grasp the
cable with both gloved hands, press the foot switch for
several seconds and pull on the cable until it is free of the
blockage. Do not operate the machine in the REV position
any longer than required to free the cutting tool from the
blockage or cable damage can occur. Place the
FOR/OFF/REV switch in the FOR position and continue
cleaning the drain.

Retrieving The Cable

Once the drain is open, start a flow of water down the
drain to flush the debris out of the line. This can be done
by running a hose down the drain opening, turning on a
faucet in the system or other methods. Pay attention to the
water level, as the drain could plug again.
With water flowing through the drain, retrieve the cable
from the line. The flow of water will help to clean the
cable as it is retrieved. The FOR/OFF/REV switch should
be in the FOR position – do not retrieve the cable with the
switch in the REV position, this can damage the cable. As
with feeding the cable into the drain, cables can be
caught while being retrieved.
• Manual Operation – With both gloved hands equally
spaced on the exposed cable for control, pull 6"-12"
lengths of cable from the drain at a time and feed it
into the drum .
• AUTOFEED Operation – With one hand near the
center of the exposed length of cable, move the feed
lever in the direction opposite the cable rotation to
retrieve the cable. The rotating cable will work its way
out of the drain and back into the drum.
Continue retrieving cable until the cable end is just inside
the drain opening. Release the foot switch and allow the
machine to come to a complete stop. Do not pull the
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