# Camera Snakes



## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

There are a few different choices for camera snakes these days, many of them pretty inexpensive. For the people who have one, what have you used yours for? How has it helped you? Any special tricks?


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I had a bunch of splice boxes up in the ceiling I had to find, so I bought one to make the job easier. :blink:

That was a waste of time and I returned it the next day :no:

I went back to the low tech method of a mirror and flashlight :thumbsup:


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

:thumbsup:


Frank Reynolds said:


> There are a few different choices for camera snakes these days, many of them pretty inexpensive. For the people who have one, what have you used yours for? How has it helped you? Any special tricks?


 
I have the milwuakee, and the rigid. I find them very handy, and have saved me many times.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I currently have the Ridgid SeeSnake.











As soon as I start hiring employees and become a 'real' contractor, I'm gonna get a microExplorer.


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## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

I also have the Ridgid, I bought the original one, I see that the newer one has a video output as well as the option for a smaller head.

I only used mine once, it helped out but it also got stuck. It took about 20 minutes to get it out, the rubber around the snake got ripped up so it is no longer water proof. I was at the point in which I wasted a lot of time and I was about to just rip it out and loose the camera head in the wall. Luckily it came out before my "breaking point".

Other than that one time I haven't found any other use for it that I can't do the old fashion way. That's why I came to you professionals, I'm curious about how you use yours. In what ways have you used yours?


*480sparky*, the Explorer is nice, I especially like the auto-leveling head. However, it is pretty expensive, I'm not sure if the extra cost is worth it for me. One option which I could really use is some type of servo to tilt the head around, that would be tits.


*Black4Truck*, the flashlight and mirror method is classic, it will never be replaced. Especially when you use this: http://www.techtoolsupply.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=55-400

It was the best $25 I ever spent, I use this ALL the time.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Frank Reynolds said:


> .........*480sparky*, the Explorer is nice, I especially like the auto-leveling head. However, it is pretty expensive, I'm not sure if the extra cost is worth it for me. One option which I could really use is some type of servo to tilt the head around, that would be tits. ..........


It's worth it to me, as I could use the recording features (both still and video) to pay for it.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Frank Reynolds said:


> It was the best $25 I ever spent, I use this ALL the time.


 
That "gizmo" is fine till you as insulation to the mix.. then you are back to mirror and flashlight :thumbsup:


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## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

Black4Truck said:


> That "gizmo" is fine till you as insulation to the mix.. then you are back to mirror and flashlight :thumbsup:


That gizmo IS a mirror and flashlight, just rolled up in one convenient package to make it easier to use.

So no one wants to share camera snake uses with me? Fine, I'll take my ball and leave


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I have the Millwukee one and at best I would say that it has been "Handy". I cant say its really bailed me out of any tough situations. I find myself reaching for my mirror and a bright flashlight first.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Frank Reynolds said:


> That gizmo IS a mirror and flashlight, just rolled up in one convenient package to make it easier to use.
> 
> So no one wants to share camera snake uses with me? Fine, I'll take my ball and leave


As I said before, add insulation to the mix and you can't see chit :no:


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## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

Black4Truck said:


> As I said before, add insulation to the mix and you can't see chit :no:


Yeah, I'm not following.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Frank Reynolds said:


> Yeah, I'm not following.


Look at the demo tape.. he sticks the mirror up 2 inches into an uninsulated ceiling


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## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

Black4Truck said:


> Look at the demo tape.. he sticks the mirror up 2 inches into an uninsulated ceiling


I've used that device for years, in all conditions.

I'm just not understanding what you mean about going back to a mirror and flashlight. This device IS a mirror and flashlight, only built together so it's easier to use. I'm not following how insulation will effect it.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Frank Reynolds said:


> Yeah, I'm not following.


 Frank most of them are only about three feet long so if your trying to look beyond that your pretty much SOL....... Dont get me wrong they do have a purpose but I havent come to one yet.....Many times when you insert them into the wall the camera never seems to look in the direction you need it to.


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## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

captkirk said:


> Frank most of them are only about three feet long so if your trying to look beyond that your pretty much SOL....... Dont get me wrong they do have a purpose but I havent come to one yet.....Many times when you insert them into the wall the camera never seems to look in the direction you need it to.


We were talking about the mirror device I linked to in an earlier post. Not the snake.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Frank Reynolds said:


> ............So no one wants to share camera snake uses with me? Fine, I'll take my ball and leave


OK, true stories.

I bought the SeeSnake. No particular reason, just thought it would come in handy. A week later, I got to trim out a house. When I had roughed it in, the fireplace was not set, so I left the wires in place for the fp installers to deal with. All they did was push them out of their way, slam the fp in, vent it and beat feet out the door.

Along comes good old me, and I open the bottom of the fp. No wires. I get out the SeeSnake, and I can see them through the opening for the gas line. So I take a scrap piece of #12 solid with a hook on the end, run it back there and within 5 minutes, I'm done.

SeeSnake is now paid for in first use.



Story # 2.

Another house had a gas fireplace, but during a previous remodel of the basement, the gas shutoff got turned off, and the ceiling was rocked. Plumber was lamenting about ripping the ceiling down to find it. I pop out a couple of recessed cans, run the camera up, and show him _exactly_ where the shutoff is.


Story #3.

Two rooms in a basement have lost power. I cannot find any bad connections, but determine it must be between two boxes. I cut a small hole next to a receptacle box, run the camera up, and there in the wall is a buried switch box. Drywall saw comes out, and lo and behold..... bad connection in the buried switch box.





captkirk said:


> Frank most of them are only about three feet long so if your trying to look beyond that your pretty much SOL....... Dont get me wrong they do have a purpose but I havent come to one yet.....Many times when you insert them into the wall the camera never seems to look in the direction you need it to.


 
You can get 36" extension for the SeeSnake, and couple them up to 30'.


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## Frank Reynolds (Oct 15, 2009)

Great stories! Those are the exact things I was looking for, keep them coming guys!




480sparky said:


> Two rooms in a basement have lost power. I cannot find any bad connections, but determine it must be between two boxes. I cut a small hole next to a receptacle box, run the camera up, and there in the wall is a buried switch box. Drywall saw comes out, and lo and behold..... bad connection in the buried switch box.


That's pretty crazy that you found it right there, what made you cut the hole next to the receptacle and look up? What made you think there was something up there in that position?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Frank Reynolds said:


> ............That's pretty crazy that you found it right there, what made you cut the hole next to the receptacle and look up? What made you think there was something up there in that position?


It was all in ½" EMT, and this was the closest box to the panel, but I couldn't find the other end of it, so I thought I'd run a fish tape up. It went about 3 feet up and stopped dead. I suspected a buried box at that point, but I used the camera to 1. confirm it and 2. determine which side of the wall was going to get a blank cover.


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## nunu163 (Oct 8, 2009)

theyre great when installing old work can lights just drill a 3/4 inch hole and u can see where your joist is. its pretty easy to patch a hole like that then the hole for your mirror


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

nunu163 said:


> theyre great when installing old work can lights just drill a 3/4 inch hole and u can see where your joist is. its pretty easy to patch a hole like that then the hole for your mirror


 im a fan of drilling a hole big enough to slip a piece of # 12 wire through and feeling around with that. Now thats even easier to patch......


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

I didn't realize you wanted examples!

1) The very first time I used mine. I was drilling in a wall to move a receptacle 3' to the right. Finished basement, so I'm going accross instead of down and back up. I drilled the first stud with flex bit. Slid the camera in, there was 3" plumbing pipe right against the next joist. One pull of the trigger on that flexbit would have went right through that pvc.

2) Adding recessed light in finished ceiling. After determining joist layout, drilled test hole and found there was a pipe right where I was going to drill my next hole.

3) Lighting shutdown at retirement home in Richmond. One hallway, remove recessed cans and start looking for junction box above ceiling. Ended up finding (10) buried 4" square boxes that were not accessible without damaging sheetrock. 

4) when fishing sticks in a wall. Instead of using a glow in the dark stick with flashlight, just stick in the camera, which has a light bright enough to light up the whole ceiling bay, and see right where your stick is.


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## Protech (Aug 6, 2009)

I own several. The see snake micro explorer is the only one that's worth owning. All the others are crap.


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## Aiken Colon (May 16, 2008)

I know who manufactures the Extech BR200, which I am pretty sure is also the Rigid model. Both are made in China, but I actually like the model. It has video out, and is one of the few models that will take and store pictures on the included SD card.

Extech BR200

JJ


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## Aiken Colon (May 16, 2008)

Protech said:


> I own several. The see snake micro explorer is the only one that's worth owning. All the others are crap.


 
The Testo VP42 and VP72 are both good units as well. The only flaw is the ability to take and store images. However, both have video out. Testo is a high end German manufacture of mainly HVAC test & measurement devices. The video scopes are both made in the USA, through a Testo partner.

JJ


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## slowforthecones (Sep 13, 2008)

Aiken Colon said:


> I know who manufactures the Extech BR200, which I am pretty sure is also the Rigid model. Both are made in China, but I actually like the model. It has video out, and is one of the few models that will take and store pictures on the included SD card.
> 
> Extech BR200
> 
> JJ


so your saying the Ridgid model doesn't have video out and Extech does?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

nunu163 said:


> theyre great when installing old work can lights just drill a 3/4 inch hole and u can see where your joist is. its pretty easy to patch a hole like that then the hole for your mirror





captkirk said:


> im a fan of drilling a hole big enough to slip a piece of # 12 wire through and feeling around with that. Now thats even easier to patch......


I just use my #2 spinner.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

480sparky said:


> I just use my #2 spinner.


Same here.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

480sparky said:


> As soon as I start hiring employees and become a 'real' contractor, I'm gonna get a microExplorer.


Zing!


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## Aiken Colon (May 16, 2008)

slowforthecones said:


> so your saying the Ridgid model doesn't have video out and Extech does?


No I am saying the Rigid model is made by the same exact Chinese manufacture as the Extech BR200. I know who makes both units (it is the same company), and it is not either of these companies. They both private label the unit. I have considered bringing it in, in our own version. Both of the units Sparky showed earlier in this thread are made by this company.

Both units are exactly the same, if you can save a few bucks by going the Extech BR200 route you will end up with the same exact tool. Although from what I can tell the Rigid version is actually about 20% less than the Extech model.

Look in the background of the 5th image down in this link, you will see both of the Rigid versions on the display wall.

http://www.goscam.com/en/en_news_view.php?Id=82 

From what I know, only the Testo ones are made here in the USA. Which is great irony, we go to Asia to have stuff produced cheaply. The Germans come here I guess. 

The Wohler ones are the best in the world, IMO. However, they carry a big price tag.

JJ


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## KayJay (Jan 20, 2008)

Aiken Colon said:


> Both units are exactly the same, if you can save a few bucks by going the Extech BR200 route you will end up with the same exact tool. Although from what I can tell the Rigid version is actually about 20% less than the Extech model. JJ


From what I can gather, they are not really the same even if the same manufacturer does happen to make them both.
The Ridgid Micro has a 2.4” fixed display and the Extech BR200 has a removable wireless 3.5” display with a range of up to 32’. Also the Micro only has an RCA video output with no on board video storage like the Extech.
Extech says theirs can be used with a max of two additional optional 38” extensions, where as Ridgid says the Micro can be connected up to 30’ with optional extensions.

The more expensive Ridgid MicroExplorer seems like it may be a closer match to the Extech BR200 and BR250, as far as features go, with it’s 3.5” display, on board JPEG storage, video output and rechargeable lithium ion battery. Still no removable wireless display, but is supposedly self-leveling, so the picture always appears upright. It can also be used with optional extensions up to 30’ max.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

*camera snake*



Black4Truck said:


> I had a bunch of splice boxes up in the ceiling I had to find, so I bought one to make the job easier. :blink:
> 
> That was a waste of time and I returned it the next day :no:
> 
> I went back to the low tech method of a mirror and flashlight :thumbsup:


What did you do when you found the splice boxes?


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