Residential sewer jetter

[JeffK]

I am thinking about buying a jetter for residential use and looking for recomendations. What PSI? What GPM? What Size of Hose? I am thinking an electric sewer jetter not gasoline. Any brand better than another Personal opinion. What about Tree Roots?

[wmcisewer]

Your first time jetter should be determined by what the majority of the calls you plan to use it on.
An electric jetter will help you on small lines such as sinks and shower drains where as a gas jetter will work on any drain. It is simple math, it takes horse power to produce gpm @ psi.
Electric jetters sold to plumbers are limited to about 2 gpm at 1700 psi that is limited to 15 amp @ 120 v. This is not enough power to break through hard build up clogs or roots.
I have been jetting since 1989 and have used jetters starting at 10gpm @ 150 psi, 1.8 gpm @ 2000 psi, 25gpm @ 2000 psi, 28 gpm @ 2500 psi, 4 gpm @ 4000 psi, 5.6 gpm @ 4000 psi, 8.6 gpm @ 4000 psi, 16 gpm @ 4000 psi, 5 gpm @ 5000 psi, and 5.5 gpm @ 10,000 psi.
The reason for all of this is that it takes flow of gpm to move mass and it takes psi to cut mass. Simple sludge can be cleared with low gpm and psi, hard clogs can be removed with low gpm and high psi, heavy debris require high gpm and lower psi, and roots require medium gpm with 3500-4000 psi and the corect jetter head.
The answer to roots is you need at least 4 gpm @ 4000 psi or 5.5 gpm @ 3500 psi with the proper head to clean 4" sewers with roots.
The math is Simple to make sure you have the corect eqiptment.
gas: psi x gpm / 1100
diesel: psi x Gpm / 1250
electric: psi x gpm / 1460
This will give you the horse power required to run a pump at gpm & psi.