Working Through A Blockage; If Cutting Tool Lodges In Drain; Freeing Lodged Cutting Tool; Retrieving Drain Cleaner Cable - Harbor Freight Tools Hydrostar Drain Monster Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions

Working through a Blockage

1. If Cutting Tool becomes lodged in blockage and
Drain Cleaner is still operating, the Cable will start
to wind up or twist. If so, immediately turn off,
let tension release, and then pull back on Cable
to free Cutting Tool from the drain blockage.
If Cable cannot be freed by pulling back, briefly turn
the motor on in rEV setting to free the Cutting Tool.
cautiOn! Do not keep cable rotating if
cutting tool is lodged in a blockage. If Cutting
Tool stops turning and Drum keeps rotating,
Cable can twist, kink, break, or tangle in the drain.

if cutting tool Lodges in Drain:

1. If Cutting Tool stops turning and Cable cannot
be pulled from blockage, release Foot Switch
while holding Cable with both hands.
WarninG! Do not remove hands from cable
or cable may kink, twist and break.

Freeing Lodged cutting tool

1. Release Foot Switch and turn the
Rotation Switch to OFF position.
2. Pull back on the Cable to free it from the blockage.
If the Cutting Tool will not come free,
place the Rotation Switch in rEV position.
WarninG! Do not operate Drain cleaner
in reverse for any longer than is needed
to free the cutting tool from blockage
(for no more than several seconds at a time).

retrieving Drain cleaner cable

1. Once the drain is clear, turn on the faucet
or use a hose to flush the debris out.
nOtE: Pay attention to the water level.
There could be blockages farther down in the drain.
WarninG! Do not pull cable from
drain while cable is still rotating. cable end
can whip around, causing serious injury.
NOTICE
rotation Switch controls rotation of drum only. DO nOt uSE rOtatiOn SWitcH
in rEV pOSitiOn WHiLE rEMOVinG caBLE FrOM pipE. use reverse direction
only momentarily for relieving pressure or untangling cable from a blockage.
Warranty void if cable damaged from allowing motor to twist
excessively against blockage, or if drum is run in reverse long enough to unwind cable.
Items 68285 68284 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.
2. Once Cutting Tool is free of blockage
and is turning again, slowly feed rotating
Cutting Tool back into blockage. Do not
force Cutting Tool through blockage.
3. Allow the spinning and cutting to break up
and work its way through the blockage.
nOticE: While working through the blockage, the
Cutting Tool and Cable can get clogged with debris and
cuttings from blockage, preventing further cleaning.
The Cable and Cutting Tool will then need to be
retrieved from drain and the debris removed. See
"Retrieving Drain Cleaner Cable on page 11".
2. The Drain Cleaner motor will stop and
Cable and Drum will turn backwards
until tension in Cable is released.
WarninG! tO prEVEnt SEriOuS
inJury: Do not remove hands from cable
until all the tension is released.
3. Place Rotation Switch in OFF position.
3. Hold the Cable with both gloved hands, press the
Foot Switch for several seconds, then release, and
pull on the Cable until it is free of the blockage.
4. Place the Rotation Switch in the FOr
position and continue cleaning the drain.
2. Pull the cable from the drain by hand and
feed into the Drain Cleaner until the cable
is a couple of feet from the drain opening.
A flow of water down the line will help to clean
the cable as it is retrieved. (If necessary, change
the cutting tool and continue cleaning.)
3. Set the Rotation Switch to the OFF position, dry your
hands, and unplug the machine before removing
end of cable from drain and returning it to the Drum.
Page 11