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A sewer inspection camera is an investment that one does not make quickly or lightly. When you are deciding to make such a significant purchase for the expansion and growth of your plumbing business by looking for a sewer camera for sale, you want to make sure that you are getting the most for the money that you are going to be spending. Because of this, you want to make sure you know what to be looking for and what kinds of features and specifications on a sewer camera will best suit your personal needs. Because of this, Spartan Tool is here today to provide you with a useful guide on how to choose the right sewer inspection camera for you.
How to Choose the Right Sewer Inspection Camera
There are a wide variety of different things for you to take into careful consideration when you are in the market for a sewer inspection camera. Such hardware is comprised of multiple pieces of important technology that allows for you to find blockages and discover any other issues that might be going on in the plumbing. In order to make sure that you are getting the most for your money and that you will have a plumbing camera that does everything you need for it to do for as long as possible, it is vital that you keep in mind all of the following pieces of advice on the different aspects.
Sewer Camera Insertion Probe
The insertion probe is one of the most important parts of a sewer camera system. It not only is the part of the entire apparatus that is the first part to reach new areas of the plumbing or sewer, but also house the sewer camera itself. Because of this, you want to make sure that the insertion probe on the drain camera you are looking into buying has all of the features and specifications that you will need in order for you to be able to get a clear picture of what is in front of it as well as the durability to last through several jobs over the course of many years. Some things you want to keep in mind with an insertion probe include the following:
Length of the Insertion Probe
One of the key characteristics that you should keep in mind when you are looking for a sewer camera for sale is the length of its insertion probe. You want to be sure that the insertion probe will be able to get to all of the places that you need it to without any stress or extra hassle. Typically, it is good to make sure that the pipe camera insertion probe can reach from one manhole to another with ease. You can use a reel with a stand to extend the length of your insertion probe further if you need to, but generally, the longer it is to begin with, the better. In most instances, insertion probes measure between 20 meters to 120 meters.
Material of the Insertion Probe
Another factor that you need to consider when it comes to a drain camera’s insertion probe is the material that it is manufactured from. For most jobs, insertion probes that are covered in PVC will provide you with the level of sturdiness that you will need. However, one thing you should note is that these can get worn out and even damaged because of heavy duty sewer inspections. If you buy a sewer camera that has a braided insertion probe, you can rest assured knowing that you have hardware that is considerably more durable and long lasting than the standard PVC ones.
Longevity of the Insertion Probe
It is actually possible to make sure that the sewer camera you are looking to buy lasts even longer than initially anticipated. The longevity of a sewer inspection camera can be enhanced by making use of insertion probes that have been made to be waterproof as well as chemical-proof as well as able to stand up to 1-6 bar pressure. By purchasing a pipe camera that has these types of enhancements, you will be able to keep your hardware in action longer and more reliably, without having to worry about damage or old age anywhere near as much as you would have had to otherwise.
The Camera Itself
As you might have guessed, the camera itself on a sewer inspection camera is one of the most vital components that should be taken into consideration when you are looking to choose the right camera for you. It is the eye that shows you everything you need to see while you are conducting a sewer inspection operation to find out what is causing a blockage or other internal plumbing problem. Because of this, there are a number of different factors that need to be taken into consideration while you are doing research. The more you know ahead of time about the camera itself on a drain camera set-up, the better off you will be in the long run. You will be able to get the kind of picture you want with the capabilities you need.
Sewer Camera Illumination
To the surprise of absolutely no one, drains and sewers have absolutely no lighting housed within them. Because of this, you want to make sure that your sewer inspection camera will be able to actually see what is in front of it while you are feeding it through a line. In order to do this, you need to make sure that the plumbing camera you are interested in buying has adequate illumination capabilities. In most instances, the image will be better for light sources that are brighter. Drain cameras that come equipped with bright adjustable LED lights are usually the best way for you to go. They will get you the best quality picture time after time.
Pipe Camera Material
Another characteristic of sewer inspection cameras that should be taken into consideration when examining the camera itself is what kind of material it is made up of. The reason behind this is that if you end up buying something manufactured from a material that has less durability, you will more than likely end up running into expensive problems sooner, causing you to shell out more money in the long run. Because of this, it is highly recommended that you buy a sewer camera for sale that has a camera constructed from stainless steel. These last considerably longer, and will hold up under a wide variety of tough conditions better than cheaper models will.
Type of Sewer Inspection Camera Head
There are numerous different types of pipe camera heads that are available when you are looking to find a sewer camera for sale. While the drain cameras that come packaged with standard heads are typically more affordable, something that you should keep in mind is that cameras that come with pan/tilt as well as self-leveling capabilities allow for you to go around corners and see the sides or walls of a drain or sewer. This in turn allows for you to do a more thorough job and see potential problems that you might not have been able to find otherwise.
The Monitor Hub
One of the other key components of a sewer inspection camera is the monitor hub. This piece of equipment is what allows for you to see what your sewer camera head sees as you are navigating through the drain or sewer. You will want to make sure that you are able to get the best picture possible while also being able to utilize other functions that will make your job easier in a variety of different ways. In addition to these factors, you will also want to be able to easily show your clients a clear picture of what is going on in their plumbing after the fact with different saving and editing features that come built into most if not all modern pipe camera monitors.
Sewer Camera Monitor Screen
The screen on a sewer camera monitor is one of the most vital pieces of the whole machine. As a plumbing professional, you need to be able to rely on your sewer camera screen to be able to provide you with a clear and unimpeded view of the area that you are currently working on inspecting in a drain or sewer. A small, dark, and grainy picture will not do you a whole lot of good, as you will not be able to clearly see what exactly is going on in the plumbing. In order to get the best picture of the work area, you will want to get a plumbing camera with a screen that is wider and provides you a higher level of resolution. The wider the monitor is and the more resolution you have to work with, the better off you will be in the long run.
Image Capturing and Saving
Another aspect of a pipe camera’s monitor hub that should be kept in mind while you are searching for a sewer camera for sale is its image capturing and saving capabilities. The plumbing cameras that are available on the market right now are able to capture a wide array of different file types as well as various different resolutions. Footage from modern sewer inspection cameras can be saved onto storage devices like SD cards and USB devices as video in MPEG or AVI files, or just as images with a simple JPEG file. It is wise to have a sewer camera that can provide you with as many of these types of options as possible so that you can work with whatever computer equipment both you and your clients have available.
Other Features of the Monitor Hub
Though not necessarily the most important aspects of a sewer camera monitor hub, there are a variety of other features that many of them come with which may make them all the more worth your while. For instance, many plumbing cameras offer users keyboards that are waterproof, so that notes can be taken during a plumbing inspection operation. These sewer camera keyboards can be used to put onto the footage being recorded so that they can be looked at afterward by both you as well as the client. These notes can include important details or other general information that you want to keep track of for one reason or another.
General Characteristics
In addition to the parts of a sewer inspection camera mentioned above, there are some more general characteristics and aspects that need to be taken into serious consideration as well, as they do play a considerable role in whether or not the model you are looking at is going to be the right one for you. Some of these characteristics include the following things:
Weight and Handle of the Entire Machine
When considering purchasing a sewer inspection camera, you need to make sure that it is lightweight and has a grip that is comfortable for you to work with. This is especially the case if you are planning to use your plumbing camera for prolonged periods of time. Should you be considering a pipe camera that is on the bigger side, you may wish to purchase one that comes equipped with carrying wheels. This makes it much easier for you to transport from job to job and then back to your office again, as there will be considerably less lifting and carrying involved.
Radio Transmitters
Something you should consider getting in addition to your sewer inspection camera is a sewer camera radio transmitter. These are typically found behind the plumbing camera at the tip of the probe. These operate on 512 Hz frequency mode in North American, and help your drain camera find blockages or even locate your sewer camera itself. That being said, you will want to make sure that you have an accurate locator on the radio transmitter in order to be able to properly trace it. Otherwise, you will not be able to take full advantage of the benefits that a sewer camera radio transmitter provides.
