Customer Reviews for Milwaukee M18 Fuel 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Drain Cleaning 3/8 in. Switch Pack Sectional Drum System Kit

I returned the first u it as the snake is inside the drum. I received this unit and again the snake is inside the drum. I have emailed Milwaukee and am waiting for their response as it is a hassle to keep returning these to Home Depot. Will think twice before purchasing Milwaukee tools again. Am a contractor and we purchase over $600k from Home Depot every year so it is frustrating to receive tools that doesn’t work.

Easy to use, I really like the compact size, felt very strong. I've used it for about 7 jobs now and it has failed to disappoint.

Overall, I am incredibly impressed with this unit. It has surpassed my expectations in every way, and has several very nice features. Drum is detachable, makes portability a much less daunting task. Heavier snake systems can be a pain to haul into a job, especially on older houses where utility quarters are not too kind. The drum is fully enclosed. This means you can fully retract the snake, have it confined within the drum, and then clean later at the shop. You do not drop gunk all over the house, and can contain the mess until appropriate to clean it. The foot trigger is actually surprisingly nice. At first I thought the black section where you press down would be a hard plastic shell, but it is actually a soft, flexible rubber-like material. This gives me a lot more confidence that it wont break from being banged around, and also makes activating the tool much nicer and more comfortable. I do wish there was on-board storage for the button. It comes with a nice variety of cleaning attachments, as well as on board storage. The system works through a drive belt mechanism that tensions up against a drive pulley mounted on the drum spindle. This is an ingenious solution to implement interchangeable snakes. I absolutely love it. Which leads me to my one negative point about this tool. I absolutely do not like that the latches to secure the barrel to the motor backpack are all plastic. The hinge, rod, latch, everything is plastic. I am fine with the latch being all plastic, if significantly reinforced. The pin in the hinge is plastic, and is around 1/4". This is a decent amount, but the flange is not nearly big enough, in my opinion. These two hinges not only hold the drum into the motor backpack, but is also the mechanism used for adequately tensioning the drive belt between the drum and the motor. This seems like a huge, glaring weak point to me. Please beef up these hinge flanges. I am afraid of shearing them off. A combination of everyday use, as well as just the right (or wrong) couple of bumps could break one of these flanges very easily, which COMPLETELY disables the tool. Aside from the flange issue, I am thoroughly impressed. Milwaukee has again added a huge value to my M18 battery line, and added speed and efficiency to my daily cycle.

This, like all Milwaukee cordless products, is a contractor-grade tool, designed and built to stand up to the rigors of job site use. Huge upgrade over the wheel-in units that I'm familiar with - not just in that it's cordless, allowing for use most anywhere, but also in its physical portability. Whether you need to access the drain system from up rooftop, or down in a crawlspace, you can get this unit in there and working to solve the problem quickly. This particular model comes with 3/8" inner core cable loaded in the drum, which is ideal for use with pipe diameters of 2"-3". Models are also available with other cable choices - and even with multiple cable choices - in both tool-only and kit form. Milwaukee sells cables for this unit with diameters from 5/16" - 5/8", both inner-core and open-wind, for use in pipes from 1-1/4" thru 4". Pre-loaded drums, as well as standalone replacement cables, are available.

M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Drain Cleaning 5/16 in. Switch Pack Sectional Drum System Kit OMSID: 303171509 Unbelievable Cordless Machine I was fully prepared to be underwhelmed by this cordless sectional drum cleaner from Milwaukee. How could it compare in terms of power and functionality with the 120v drum cleaner I was used to wheeling into place for tough drain cleaning jobs? Well let me say I was blown away by this unit across the board. Right from the get go you notice that Milwaukee thought through how this actually gets used. Gone are the wheels and the large handle found on traditional units and instead the power unit has backpack straps (a nice handle too) and the sectional drum units separate for easy carrying. The whole thing is liquid-tight and so as you're moving this in to and out of the house you're not dripping or rolling tires across your carpets and other living spaces. There's even a nice storage area for your cable heads so everything is contained. When it comes to fire the unit up the foot pedal provides great on-off control and the electric brake means that it stops much quicker than traditional units. That's great if you catch something and the cable starts to whip. The brushless motor provided plenty of power and after about 45 minutes of running the unit to clean out a house's 3" and 4" lines over 50' with a 1/2" cable the battery still read 4 bars. This is awesome as it means you're not thinking about battery life and getting stranded mid-job. And the cordless functionality means you're not worrying about finding an outlet or electrocuting yourself during usage. I'm also super impressed with the ability to quickly swap in different cables, each with their own containment drum. Switching takes seconds and it means this unit can be used for both the big 3" and 4" residential main drains as well as the smaller drains under sinks and in bathrooms. Noise level is a moderate drone and it's below where you'd worry about hearing protection. Who is this for: Everyone from the homeowner who knows they're going to need to call in a plumber from time to time (or splits this across a neighborhood) to the pro who's using it to make money. I think this would be especially great for a building manager or someone who has several rental properties so they can tackle drain cleanouts without the expense of calling in a plumber. Who isn't this for: It would probably be hard to justify the cost of this setup for someone who doesn't plan to use it several times. Though at the emergency cost of a plumber visit adds up quickly. Other Thoughts: I struggled to come up with improvements. I think the only two things that I came up with were 1) it would be nice to have markings on the cable to indicate how much has been spooled out and 2) a cap over the cable end would be a nice touch that helped prevent scuffing walls as you carry it around (or damaging anything it bumps into in the truck.) Conclusion: While not for everyone, if you're someone who somewhat regularly needs to clean out drains this tool has so many great innovations packed into a durable package that I think this is an awesome new option.

I'm really impressed with this high quality, sturdy cable from Milwaukee. I picked up the Milwaukee Switch Pack recently and wanted this cable so I could run bigger drain lines. The finish is high quality stainless and from some initial use I see no signs of corrosion. I particularly like the high quality connectors for connecting into the Switch Pack drum (or any other compabile setup,) extending a line, or attaching fittings. The cable is quite stiff and has a bit of spring, which is just what you want for clearning tough lines. So far this product looks like a winner. It comes packaged in a cardboard box with a hole for extracting the cable. Read the warning carefully, though, as you don't want to just pop open one end of the box or the whole thing will spring out on you. Instead you feed it from the open hole right into your drum, which worked perfectly.

The "M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Drain Cleaning 5/16 in. Switch Pack Sectional Drum System Kit" is an excellent tool. Great design, sturdy, easy to set up and operate. It was delivered in a carton very well protected with foam wrapped with heavy plastic. Not a scratch on the product. The instructions provided with this tool are very detailed and must be read prior to assemble and operate. Also instructions for the use and maintenance the battery and charger is included and must be read as well.

I'm comfortable to say how amazing this cordless drain cleaning swith pack drum system works with ease. I've done several drain cleaning jobs on the roof and front/rear clean outs. Such a smooth backpack carry with sectional drums with a handle for easy carry. The kit comes with a backpack, 2 switch pack drums that is a complete 100 foot line, charger, 2 battery packs, foot pedal, 4 head attachments and 1 pin key. Make sure to read the operator's manual for complete instructions on the proper use. I'm very happy on how easy, convenient, compact and cordless this kit is. Its easy to clean while the drum covers is one latch from opening. The pin key makes it easy to easily remove the head attachments. Another great feature is the ease of adding the secondary switch pack drum to extend the cable line. I will say again this cordless drain cleaner makes it so much easier and fast without having to deal with any extension cords. Please make certain that your battery packs are fully charged prior to any work. Oh yes!!! be sure to use the kickstand while having the drum in use. This kit comes with everything you need and the design makes the task much faster and I have used the commercial size drain cleaners and understand how heavier, bothering with the electrical cords and its not very light to carry onto the roof of a house or industrial buildings.

`Professional Tool, With a ton of POWER !!!! This is a super powerful tool that anyone from beginner to pro will like to use. Quickly becoming your main go to tool for drain clogs after the plunger. It is a completely self contained unit that can be easily carried to your job with the attached backpack straps. Once you put it down, slide out the stabilizer bar and connect the foot petal control. (I now leave mine connected) Open your access cover and your ready to go. will handle 1-1/4 - 4 inch drains easily Spins at 250 PM easily tearing thru all clogs yet not so fast that it cuts thru pipes like some of the pro machines, this machine would easily be handled by a novice and not have to worry about damaging pipes, and with 75 feet of cable you can clear most sewer lines right out to the street. You can also buy additional drums and go even farther. Has a forward/reverse switch which makes putting out snake easy and winding up is easy as well, thee snake is also coated to prevent rust, When I rewind mine I wrap a rag around the cable to wipe it down. It will accept other brand cables as well so if you already have a long snake you can use it with this one,, the foot petal also makes it easy yo use keeping both hands free for the snake, Great for novice or pro and though it is expensive for a homeowner if you think about it, it pays for itself after 4 or 5 uses compared to calling a sewer service

Milwaukee has come out with a new line of cordless drain cleaning tools. The M18 Fuel 5/16 inch Switch Pack Sectional Drum System is perfect for cleaning and removing clogs in 1-1/4 inch to 4 inch drain lines. I like the modular drum design, which allows switching out multiple packs for different size lines. After testing the Milwaukee Switch Pack Sectional Drum on several different size drain lines, I am very pleased with its features and performance. The Milwaukee Switch Pack Sectional Drum System comes with two major pieces; a motor and controller section, and a drum section. It includes 75 feet of 5/16 inch steel cable which spins at a speed of 250 rpm. The motor is a brushless design which provides superior durability and run times over brushed motor designs. It also includes a 5 amp-hour battery, charger, and electronic pedal switch. The motor section includes an integral drum brake, padded backpack for transport, and pull-out support stand to prevent the unit from tipping over. Setup of the Switch Pack Sectional Drum System is quick and easy to use. The tools is quite heavy and is designed to be transported in two pieces. It’s also an expensive tool, and is best suited for the professional contractor. It comes with a 5-year Tool Warranty and 2-year warranty on the cable.

This is a seriously professional tool for snaking out drains. It is very heavy with the full 100' cable installed in the winding case. The built in back pack straps come in handy for getting the unit near the drain you need to work on. Being cordless is a big plus, and it comes with the larger M18 battery, which gives you plenty of power/time for most jobs. A lot of thought was put into the design of the unit, as the cable easily detaches from the driver (backpack part). You can set up several size cables in different drums and quickly change them out for the particular job you are on. It can use most cables, but the ones made by Milwaukee are of high quality stainless steel. The foot pedal allows you to operate/ guide the cable with your hands while applying power with your foot. This is much easier than a trigger type pack. The drive motor is brushless for maximum power and long life. I have used big rental units that are very cumbersome and hard to use, and in my opinion, this is quite an upgrade just being able to carry it in and not needing a cord. Cleaning pipes is never a fun job, so finishing it quickly and easily is always a plus!

This M18 FUEL SWITCH PACK Sectional Drum System has been designed for drain cleaning professionals. It is a brand new system and offers solutions to many of the difficulties faced using conventional methods of drain cleaning. This system offers portability. It is a back pack and so can be carried hands free to wherever the stoppage is located. It is HEAVY so it will take a strong back and shoulders to pack it around. The other benefits include: a tool free drum connection so different cable sizes can be interchanged, fully enclosed drums for mess containment, accepts other brand cables and lots more. We have a septic system and have had the problem of a certain area of pipe freezing when it gets super cold. Hopefully with this system the problem can be handled at the first sign of slowed drainage. No more digging up frozen ground. We are not professionals, the access to the pipe is out in the open and we are old so this wonderful system will be packed around on a hand truck. Another excellent Milwaukee product.

A convenient and customizable drain cleaning system for both the professional and the DIYer. Milwaukee sells this system in a variety of configurations. This particular configuration 2775C-222 includes the following: 1 - SWITCH PACK powered base (2775-20) 2 - SWITCH PACK drums with anchor cable (47-53-2775) 2 - 1/2 in. x 50 in. inner core coupling cable with rust guard plating (48-53-2774) 4 - Cable head attachments with RUST GUARD plating and pin key (48-53-2790) • Medium Funnel Head Attachment w/ RUST GUARD™ Plating (48-53-2786) • Medium Drop Head Attachment w/ RUST GUARD™ Plating (48-53-2787) • 1-1/2" Spade Bit Attachment w/ RUST GUARD™ Plating (48-53-2788) • 1-1/2" C-Cutter Attachment w/ RUST GUARD™ Plating (48-53-2789) • Pin Key 2 - M18 REDLITHIUM XC5.0 extended capacity battery packs (48-11-1850) 1 - M18 and M12 multi-voltage charger (48-59-1812) The Powered Base accepts M18 batteries on one side and the foot switch on the other. It features backpack style straps for easy transportation to the job site. A switch on top allows selection of Forward, Reverse and Off. The foot pedal can ne conveniently stored in the top of the Power Base. The system electronically slows and stops the drum when pressure is released from the foot pedal. Milwaukee claims this is 5x faster than other manufacturers. The system spins the cable at 250 RPM. A maximum of 100 feet of cable is supported. The Switch Pack Drums can be fitted with a variety of cables (75 ft. x 5/16 in. inner core cable; 50 ft. x 3/8 in. and 1/2 in. inner core cable; 50 ft. x 5/8 in. open wind cable). In this particular system it came with the 50 ft. x 1/2 in. inner core cable. The drums will also accept cables from other manufacturers. The drum itself is metal as is the guide pipe but the outer shell is a polymer to reduce weight. The drum drops into and latches on to the Powered Base. A belt in the Powered Base presses against a pulley on the drum to spin the cable via the brushless motor. The cables feature a proprietary rust guard coating which Milwaukee claims provides 3x longer life and 20x rust resistance. A unique cable wind geometry provides stronger pull force and sustains shape. The connectors are as small as the cable to ensure no snagging. Connection between cables and and attachments is very secure and requires the pin key to separate them. There is no concern of the attachments separating while in the pipe. Carrying the product to the job site is easy by strapping on the backpack powered base and carrying one or two drums by hand. This setup also makes it easy to climb up a ladder with the equipment to clean from the vent pipe. My first use of the product was to clear a 4 inch landscape line that was clogged with dirt. While I wanted to use the spade bit, I was unable to make the initial sharp bend in the pipe so I switched to the drop head attachment which was able to spin into the turn and down the pipe. I ran out almost 50 feet of cable and broke through the dirt/mud allowing water to finally pass through the drains. This is an outstanding product and will be welcomed by many professional plumbers. The only thing missing with this system is an auto feed mechanism.

Very convenient. Wish it had more than one speed though. This is a pretty nice tool. Not much smaller than comparable tools, but much easier to transport and a bit more versatile. Runs on the M18 battery eliminating the need for power cords and receptacles. No need to drag cords around the outside of the house looking for the cleanout. Belt driven like the high end models eliminating and gears and potential for more things to break on a hang up. Foot paddle is small and light enough to be used by hand or foot and has a fairly long cord with storage. Backpack feature is nice to have when approaching a job and for larger crawl spaces, however it's not the best for constant use and would make it hard to wear in smaller spaces. Also weighs about 42 lbs with the battery and fully assembled ready to roll. The unit is pretty stable on its own when in use but there is also a bar that pulls out making it even more stable. Drum is removable, easily! The pack itself will work with many other dums made by Milwaukee offering different sized drums for larger or smaller jobs. Unit has forward and reverse though I wish it had a high and low or variable speed like many of the corded rivals. Comes with many different tips that have a quick connect feature for different situations or objects you may find in your way. Comes with charger and battery.

Milwaukee's M18 Fuel 18 Volt Cordless Drain Cleaner is Powerful. The Unit breaks down for easy cleaning of the cable. It weights a lot less than a traditional drain opener you would rent. Very Easy Operation. Flip the switch on top for forward or Reverse and Press on the Switch with your Foot or Knee. The cable feeds in and out smoothly. It comes with 5 attachments and has a 5 ah Battery that's compatible with other 18 volt Milwaukee Tools. Very Sturdy and Well made.

This newly released Milwaukee cordless combination drum and sectional drain cleaning snake has just replaced my K400 main line drum drain snake and I finally have the best of both worlds. This dual purpose (sectional and drum) drain cleaner not only is portable for use if you occasionally need to snake going "towards the house" where electrical outlets are either inconvenient or non-existent. A cordless drain snake is long overdue and Milwaukee has put meticulous thought into this professional hybrid plumbers tool. Cables are conveniently housed in their own individual swappable drums so you can either swap out alternative diameter cables or even extend cable runs. Various diameter sized cables up to and including 5/8-inch open wind cables make this perfect for home main lines This is my very first "sectional" drain cleaning system and it already has save my old aching back from having to simultaneously haul horribly heavy 1/2-inch inner core 100 foot runs of cable weighing over 35+ pounds alongside the actual "attached" drain cleaner. Being a 2 piece system (motorized drain cleaner and integral drum housing the actual cable) it is not only safer but easier to "individually" transport and navigate especially if you plan on snaking from multi-storied roof vents. Increasing cable lengths are a joy to perform as all that is required are the additional runs of cable each housed in their own drip-free drum canisters. Drum stops coasting as you let off the pedal allowing this new drain machine to come to a halt immediately unlike corded drain cleaners which take time to eventually stop spinning. This actual Switch Pack drain cleaning system comes with its own attached backpack type straps allows easy transportability to the more difficult to access cleanouts. After each drain clog session you no longer risk offending your spouse/clients dripping foul smelling stain-inducing drips as you exit the work area. No more tracking up home flooring and carpets with wheeled cart tracks which are also notoriously difficult navigating stairs and tight turns. Work areas are now as clean prior to you performing work as each cable canister is designed with "container within container" making it virtually impossible of flinging foul smelling sewer droplets on floors, walls and carpeted areas I can also reuse the old K400 accessories and cables thereby minimizing upgrade costs. This Milwaukee drain cleaning kit comes with two (2) M18 5AmpH lithium-ion batteries along with a dual purpose M12/M18 charger. Same charger will also charge Milwaukee M12 batteries making it a very features rich and cost effective kit with room to expand to all current Milwaukee M12/M18 tools. I've always been extremely cautious using corded drain cleaners since we are always exposed to wet floors and running water. I always use full flow garden hoses during a normal snaking session to help clear clogged main lines and as we all know water and electricity never ever mix very well. Cordless now resolves this dangerous concern. Power on this drain cleaner is supplied by Milwaukee's M18 brushless motor which not only minimizes battery drain issues but enables a already generous extended run time. If you are a professional plumber this Milwaukee drain cleaner is a very cost effective all-in-one drain cleaning system for both main lines, bathroom and kitchen drains. The addition of the newest Milwaukee 9AmpH battery should also eliminate battery recharging for weeks at a time.

Milwaukee's Switch Pack accessory drum on their newest Switch Pack drain cleaning system currently sells for $30 making this a difficult to pass-up deal especially if you plan on complimenting your Switch Pack system with added diameter cables. Each drum is manufactured of extremely thick high impact plastic resin which will hold up nicely for many years to come. Each of these drums come with a attached 2-foot leader cable with a "pin-detent" end making it extremely easy to connect industry-standard coupling cables to each of these canister drums. If you plan on installing longer length "non coupling cable" you will have to forego using this included built-in leader cable and instead devise a way to attach what is now considered hand held electric snake cables to the internal drum prior to actual use. Be advised this drum minus internal cables already weighs in excess of 6 pounds dry weight so if you plan on installing a 75 foot run of inner core 5/16-inch cable the combined weight will run in excess of 25 pounds so plan accordingly. For me this is still way lighter in weight versus having to lug a 50 pound (probably more because of my desired normal work cable) Ridgid K400 main line electric snake. For those who are in the trades or have frequent need of a main line electric drain snake upgrade you should seriously consider Milwaukee's new dual use "Switch Pack" electric snake system which serves as both a drum and/or sectional drain snaking system. With the addition of these added drums you can effortlessly swap out various diameter cables in a matter of seconds but more importantly carry all your equipment in easy to transport canisters. Be sure and always oil the ends of the "pin-detent" connectors after each drain snaking session as they do rust and eventually refuse to disconnect once rust has gummed up the pin-detent internals.

There is some weight to this drain cleaner, but that will help make it stable when in use. The whole thing weights 42 pounds. The backpack part weights 16 pounds and the drum section weights 26 pounds. The backpack and drum are easy to separate. Just lift the latch on both sides and then lift it out of the backpack. Little hard to put back together since there are two V-type guide slots that it needs to slide down into, but not bad. The battery is the same that works with all their other tools and the charger is the same. The cleaning end attachments just slide right on the end, very easy to do. It isn't that loud when running and has a smooth turn to it and not so fast that it is hard to feed into the pipe or back into the drum. The cable is easy to clean with a water hose. The foot pedal or knee pedal is easy to operate. I haven't run it long enough to see how long the battery will last, but so far seems to run plenty long enough to fully extend the cable out of the drum and back in after cleaning the clog and then cleaning the cable. Milwaukee has come up with a great product as usual.

Had to return this and reorder another one as the snake is inside the drum. No one can help me get the snake out of the drum. Very poor quality control. If the replacement is the same, we will go with another brand.

Easy to assemble and use, only concern is that allot of moving parts are made out of plastic which can affect durability

This unit is awesome. I am a multi-unit operator of restaurants, and this is very handy and portable. Delivered fine however, cardboard box looks like it was dropped or hit on the side. One of the drums had a broken latch. Does not disrupt performance.

The lock broke after the first use.

I have been a plumber for many years now and when this product first hit the market I purchased one from my local supplier. I was excited to finally retire my corded machines and switch to something battery operated. So I have used my machine for years now not months but years so I can honestly say I have a good grasp on my review. Now when I purchased my machine I knew it wasn’t going to have the torque as my corded machine, I purchased the machine for light stoppages, something to get in and out. But my frustrations with this machine over the years is the same as the reviews on here, low torque, cable not spinning, and the number one issue is the cable coming out the drum, and now I see they made a adjustment to the drum with an updated plastic piece to keep the cable in place. WOW could they have done this first. The tips are weak, I have lost some down the drain then spend have my time getting them out. So I put my corded machines back in my service van, and retired my milwaukee machine, for I don’t want to spend more money to get updated parts on a machine that should have been put together right the first time.

Love this machine can be used with any M18 battery can use it for about 3-4 jobs and still have battery for another love the fact it comes with 2 drums that are 1/2 inch but removed one to use another for a small line snake