Milwaukee M18 Pipeline Inspection System

Milwaukee Brings Modular Design to Plumbing Inspection

Milwaukee is introducing major improvements to plumbing inspection with the M18 battery as its power source. The Milwaukee M18 Pipeline Inspection System is a modular system designed to make inspection easier to use and see.

Because of its modular nature, there’s just one control/recording system to learn, it’s easy and cost-effective to add more pieces, and you simply have fewer models to root through as you try to decide which product is best.

Control Hub

At the heart of the system is Milwaukee’s IP54-rated Control Hub. Weighing about 4 pounds, it’s capable of detaching and moving to other reels without breaking its connection to the monitor you’re using.

Data storage is on the Control Hub with an impressive 500GB of capacity. You can transfer the videos and photos with the built-in wifi or onto a USB stick.

One very cool feature is that Milwaukee gives you the ability to hot-swap your battery. There’s a smaller lithium-ion battery in the Control Hub that lets you switch batteries without losing your connection or recording.

Next to the power button, there’s a zero-out button so you can easily track the camera’s distance down the line.

One-Key is also built into this unit. There are no custom controls to work with, but as one of the most-stolen tools on a plumber’s van, tracking and inventory management are incredibly valuable.

Camera

Milwaukee’s self-leveling camera is a big upgrade for a couple of reasons. First, they’re using a digital connection instead of analog.

That leads to more practical upgrade—1080P HD viewing. Thanks to a true HD picture, it introduces the ability for a left/right pan and 4x digital zooming without getting completely pixelated.

Milwaukee M18 Wireless Monitor 2971-20

Built-in wifi forms a wireless connection from the camera to the M18 wireless monitor. Thanks to using wifi instead of Bluetooth, the range reaches out to a max of 200 feet and you can connect multiple monitors.

Multiple-monitor and tablet/smartphone capabilities are particularly helpful when letting your client see what’s going on without having them stand right next to you. To use a tablet or phone, simply download Milwaukee’s Pipeline Inspection app and connect to the Contol Hub’s wifi signal.

Milwaukee M18 Plumbing Inspection System and Wireless Monitor

Milwaukee’s 8-inch, 800 x 600-pixel monitor is much more rugged than standard tablets. It features overmold around the edges and a sunshield. It’s not a touchscreen, but it does have backlit hard keys and a dial to select options on the screen.

Through the monitor, you can record video, take photos, adjust the LED brightness on the camera, add audio, and even trim your videos. You can share those files via email or Airdrop directly from the monitor. If you choose to use a tablet or phone instead, all of the same functions are there.

The monitor uses an M18 battery for power or you can connect it to the Control Hub via USB-C cable and use its battery.

Like the Control Hub, the monitor includes One-Key.

Reels

There are four drum reels available now that a couple of additional models are coming for 2022. Two are appropriate for 2 – 6-inch pipes and two handle larger 3 – 10-inch pipes.

Milwaukee M18 Plumbing Inspection System

The designs are slightly different to match the size and weight you’re working with. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Milwaukee M18 120-Foot Pipeline Inspection System 2973-22

25mm IP67-rated 1080P camera
10mm push cable
Slip-resistant rubber grips
Capable of sitting on its back for use on roofs and slopes
Monitor/tablet mount adapter
Carries via top handle or backpack straps
Small land medium size skids included
Sonde frequency: 512Hz, 640Hz, 33kHz
Line trace frequency: 33kHz, 83kHz
Weight: 35.6 pounds with battery

Milwaukee M18 200-Foot Pipeline Inspection System 2974-22

34mm IP67-rated 1080P camera
12mm push cable
Wide wheelbase with telescoping handle
Monitor/tablet mount adapter
Small land medium size skids included
Sonde frequency: 512Hz, 640Hz, 33kHz
Line trace frequency: 33kHz, 83kHz
Weight: 57.6 pounds with battery

Milwaukee M18 200-Foot Mid-Stiff Pipeline Inspection System 2975-22

25mm IP67-rated 1080P camera
10mm push cable
Wide wheelbase with telescoping handle
Digital zoom and pan up to 4X
Skids and camera sleeve included
Sonde frequency: 512Hz, 640Hz, 33kHz
Line trace frequency: 33kHz, 83kHz
Weight: 37 pounds without battery

Milwaukee M18 325-Foot Stiff Pipeline Inspection System 2976-22

34mm IP67-rated 1080P camera
12mm push cable
Built for commercial and municipal sewer lines greater than 200 feet
Skids and camera sleeve included
Digital zoom and pan up to 4X
Sonde frequency: 512Hz, 640Hz, 33kHz
Line trace frequency: 33kHz, 83kHz
Weight: 60 pounds without battery

Runtime

Milwaukee packs the system with two 5.0Ah batteries—one for the Control Hub and one for the monitor. Your runtime varies depending on how you’re using it, but expect at least 8 hours out of both the Hub and monitor.

Milwaukee Pipeline Inspection Software

There’s a difference between Milwaukee’s Pipeline Inspection App on a tablet and the Pipeline Inspection Software. Here’s a quick glance at them side-by-side:

App

Table/smartphone-based replacement for the Monitor
Maximizes image quality
View live video
Record/capture video and images
Trim video
Save directly to mobile device
Access saved jobs on the Control Hub
200-foot max wireless range

Software

Computer-based
Extract jobs from the Control Hub wirelessly or via USB-C cord
Build and save PDF reports
Upload to videos to YouTube
Cannot be used for viewing, recording, or editing

Milwaukee M12 Pipeline Locator

When it’s time to dig, Milwaukee’s M12 Pipeline Locator takes center stage with its dual omni-directional antennas. It can track a sonde up to 20 feet deep. A 4.3-inch color screen gives you a directional arrow and distance to target on a map-style display.

The locator uses industry-standard locating technology and frequencies, so it’s compatible with other brands’ sondes and you can locate Milwaukee’s sonde with other brands’ locators.

This one uses an M12 battery for power instead of an M18 pack. Expect to get around 9 hours of use out of the 1.5Ah battery that comes in the kit.

Sonde frequency: 512Hz, 640Hz, 33kHz
Line trace frequency: 33kHz, 83kHz
Power frequency: 50Hz, 60Hz
Length: 32.5 inches
Weight: 5.25 pounds with battery

Additional Accessories

Grounding stake for line transmitting features (included in System options)
Camera skids that mount onto the camera springs (included in both System and bare Reel options)
Optional tablet mount 48-53-2970