Drain blockages and DIY video

That's basically it. You need some way of measuring or estimating how far in it is at any time, so you know where to dig when you find the problem.

You could mount the camera on a little trolley - maybe a roller skate or similar - and attach it to drain rods to push it along the pipe, and retrieve it.

If possible, record the signal so that you've got a permanent record, and also record sound so that you can have a verbal comment each time you attach another rod - for distance measurement purposes.

Obviously the camera and its connections, and the light source (LED torch?) need to be water (and worse!) proof.

I had to have my drains surveyed professionally before and after some building work - and have lots of DVD footage to prove it, but hadn't considered sharing it with the world!

It's probably more interesting than anything on the tele tonight

You basically have the idea.

A lot of cheap CCTV cameras have infra-red LEDs built-in. Argos sell them, I guess you could take it back within 16 days if it doesn't work...

Mark off the cable in metres so you can keep track of its position, and block the drain upstream so your camera doesn't get tangled up in 'flushables'

Owain

Go on Stuart post up some of the footage.

df

... and then they sell it on to another customer as new :-)

Steve

I do not fancy that, the drains are a good 5 feet down and pass under Yorkshire Electricity substation land.

I had a childs toy lorry in mind for that. They have outgrown it and will not need it back.

I like that idea. And easy to do.

If I go ahead and try this I will do it when the neighbours are out so nothing is going to come down the drain.

Wait till I get a cheap camera and the weather picks up. I'll give it a go.

Cheers

Adam

Before you start, ask yourself how you're going to recover your Tonka-cam if it comes off the end of the rods (or whatever!)

BTW, our local council does a video drain survey for about GBP60.

It's pretty straightforward. My dad did exactly that. Cheapo CCD camera from Maplin plus a couple of Infra-red LEDs. All ran off 5V.

Attached to a little Lego truck, and string at either end of the run to pull the truck both ways. More tricky if you can't get to both ends of the run I guess.

Huge great tree roots in the drain :-(

Jon.

|!On 2007-02-22, ARWadsworth wrote: |! |!>

|!> If I go ahead and try this I will do it when the neighbours are out so |!> nothing is going to come down the drain.

I have a video of a neighbours turds coming down our joint drain. This would improve the viewing figures.

|!> Wait till I get a cheap camera and the weather picks up. I'll give it a go. |! |!Before you start, ask yourself how you're going to recover your |!Tonka-cam if it comes off the end of the rods (or whatever!) |! |!BTW, our local council does a video drain survey for about GBP60.

This has to be the most amusing thread I've read in a long time!!!

Although sharing the video with the world is now yes turd day's news.

NT