Slow drain, partially clogged by emulsion (mostly) and ink residue....

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Is there a great solution for this?  I have searched this board, but didn't run across anything.

My washout booth runs into a floor drain which is open and accessible, so I could call a local "roto-rooter" type service to clear it out to sewer inlet, I suppose.  The caustic drain openers are perfectly legal here, but don't completely solve the problem, although that does help temporarily.

Any advice?

Thanks!
Stan

[mk162]

try the ZEP one, I think it's called Heat Crystals or something like that.  It's a granular drain opener, best stuff I've ever used. 

You are going to need to probably call and have it cleaned, and then install a filter.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Zep has a lot of products, but probably only one crystalline drain opener. I'll try to find it.  Seems like Lowes and Home Depot both carry Zep.

I'd like to hear more about filters too. I'm sorta handy, so adapting one might be in my immediate future. My booth has a drain just like a kitchen sink, or bathroom lavatory. I've thought about fitting some extra coarse mesh across the opening, say 110 or coarser. 

What do you use?

[tpitman]

I buy sheets of that blue coarse washable heat/air filter media. Looks kind of like scrub pad material. My sink has two drains, and I cut round pieces that fit into the holes. It plugs up pretty quickly, telling me that it catches a lot of solids.
Looks like this:

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Thanks Tom, it looks like that will work. How do you hold the filter in place? It seems like some sort of hoop, or weight would fit the bill, but I wouldn't want to restrict the flow.

[Sbrem]

I've had Roto-Rooter do our very long drain pipe a couple of times in 20 years, one time finding it easier and less expensive to simply cut out the offending blockage and put up new pipe. Get a filter, it makes all the difference.

Steve

[tonypep]

We used a local company Tencarva Machinery who specialize in filtration systems. They have multiple locations primarily in the SE it seems.

[3Deep]

Crazy you might say but it works pour bleach in your drain every once in awhile, bleach slowly eats up emulsion and allso cuts grease and other crap and it makes the drain slick so stuff runs throw better.

Darryl

[CastleKing]

Autotype has a filter units that fits under your washout booth. We change the filter material daily but it catches about 90% of any solids including ink and emulsion.

[ScreenFoo]

This is remedial reading for many, but monofilament polyester mesh for screen printing was originally manufactured for the water filtration industry.  You probably already have everything you need.   

[Gilligan]

Build a settling tank like Mooseman (and I ripped off from him)... seems to work great to catch things... can then run a filter if you want to really get the floaty stuff but if it's floating you probably won't have much of an issue with it.

[tpitman]

Thanks Tom, it looks like that will work. How do you hold the filter in place? It seems like some sort of hoop, or weight would fit the bill, but I wouldn't want to restrict the flow.

I cut them just a little bigger than the drain hole and press them in. They stay in place by themselves. Water passes easily, but as you use them, it starts to run slower and slower.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Some excellent replies.  I poured about 3 quarts of Red something or other (Caustic Soda I think.....) down the drain in about 4 doses yesterday, and got things moving a little better, but it looks like a call to Roto Rooter is just around the corner.

I'm up and running for now, but I can't put off a solution very long. We are just slammed right now, and when I get a breather I gotta fix this right! Gonna try Tom's idea tomorrow, at the very least. It seems a pretty fast fix.

I really stunk up the place with all my fiddling around too.

[mk162]

the best thing to do is start mixing chemicals and seeing what combo works the best.  j/k

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I've done some of that, wink wink. I launched a hubcap from of a 1959 GMC Pickup nearly into orbit with a ping pong ball full of a mysterious energetic substance, which I shall not mention, but it does require a match to begin the umm.....chemical deflagration. Oh and a shovel, placed into loose dirt (for a makeshift seal), the handle never even moved. Snapped it clean and shovel went about 150' straight up. It wasn't a NEW shovel, but it wasn't rotten either.

I think I'll pass on your idea, MK162, but thanks!