Sanyipace 512Hz Pipe Locator, Underground Pipe Detector with 3" Screen, Dual Modes & Adjustable Handle, Rechargeable Battery & Carrying Case for Sewer Camera Pipe Plumbing HVAC Inspection

I needed the camera system to locate a possible break in the drain pipe under my slab in a 1970s house with cast iron pipe. Previous Plumbing experts had given me the general idea where the brake might be. But, I needed to know more precisely so we could start the tunneling repair process. Everything came well packaged. Assembling the basic unit was intuitive and it is generally easy to use. The instructions provide the general idea but are lacking detailed use and guidance for the wand and accessories. So, I experimented with locating the transducer above ground with different techniques. The camera comes with exchangeable heads that will center the camera in different size pipes. Unfortunately, the instructions don't describe how to or where to install the pipe centering head on the camera... a picture would have been nice. For use in the smallest pipes, this head is simply a sphere. I believe this is a design flaw. Tapering the leading and trailing edges would have made a lot of sense. As I inserted the camera down the first pipe, I was very pleased with the quality of the picture in the one and a half inch drain under my sink. I was quite pleased with the ease of setup and the ease at which the camera went into the pipe. When I met the first street tee, the honeymoon was over. I got stuck. I couldn't proceed forward and the ball prevented me from pulling back out. No creative wiggling helped. We wound up having to insert a piece of PVC from the roof vent to guide it back out. I remove the centering head from the camera and reinserted. The inspection proceeded fine from there, easily running down the pipe to the merky clog. The lights on the camera work well. But, nothing was going to let me see through that merky water. Another place the instructions lacked detail is in regards to rewinding the rod back onto the spool. This lack of instructions cost me as well. Though using as little force as I could, the rod cracked. The camera continued to work, but the rod compellingly buckled. Obviously, this was more than a little frustrating because the job wasn't finished. Later talks with the product support people suggest that a different rewinding technique would safeguard the rod. Again, pictures in the instructions would have been nice. But, the story has a positive ending. Their support group responded to emails immediately. I mean within a few minutes. Less than 36 hours later I had a new replacement rod on my front porch. They didn't try to place blame, they just replaced the rod... they actually upgraded the length of the Run. Which was much appreciated. While the camera was in the pipe, I was able to use the wand to locate it relatively easily through our concrete slab and confirm the location with the distance meter on the spool. There is certainly a learning curve with this tool. But I'm optimistic about the capabilities it will provide in the future now that I know the inherent limitations.

I’d like to get in contact with customer support so I can change this rating to 5 stars Changed to 5 stars with new camera and excellent customer service and support! Rachel was awesome to deal with and handled it like a true professional.