Pipe Crawler Frequently Asked Questions

Deep Trekker is your one stop shop for rugged and submersible pipe crawler systems. Designed and developed to conduct infrastructure and structural inspections in hard to reach areas, Deep Trekker’s pipe crawlers advanced and innovative systems.

Deep Trekker offers two lines of sophisticated pipe crawlers with DT340 and the DT320 Mini. Fully submersible and battery operated, Deep Trekker’s crawlers offer users a convenient and effective way to conduct pipe inspections.

Take a look at some of the most frequently asked pipe crawler questions below.

What ongoing maintenance is required?

Deep Trekker crawlers are unique in the way they are manufactured and tested. The DT340 utilizes magnetically coupled drives, meaning that the wheel assembly has an opposing magnet to the drive assembly, locking into place as place as a water tight assembly without the need to pressurize the crawler (otherwise known as “gas” it or fill it with nitrogen) to maintain its waterproof integrity.

There is no ongoing greasing or oiling required. The only recommended ongoing maintenance is to keep it clean - as much as is reasonable with a sewer going robot of course! We also recommend that users charge the batteries if the crawler has not been used in more than 4-6 months.

Each crawler goes through extensive testing prior to delivery to ensure that it is ready to withstand the harsh environments of storm and wastewater pipes. Each crawler goes through a 50 stage Pre-Delivery Checklist, which includes a simulated rough terrain test, high pressure test and low pressure wet test among other drive tests. We do our absolute best to ensure that each crawler is ready to withstand the rigour of pipe inspection.

Is the pipe crawler submersible

The Crawler is rated to go to a depth of 50 meters (164 ft) underwater.

How far can you go into a pipe?

Our crawlers can be equipped with up to a 400m (1,312') tether.

What sizes of pipes are the crawlers ideal for?

This depends on the requirements of your inspection. If you are looking to perform NASSCO compliant, PACP coded inspections, (learn more about standards-compliant inspection in our CCTV Pipe Inspections for WinCan blog), then the camera head needs to be in the center of the pipe. The DT320 can center the camera head in 6-12" (150mm-300mm) diameter pipes and the DT340 can center the camera head in 8" - 36" (200mm-900mm) diameter pipes.

However, if you are just looking to get a good general inspection the range increases dramatically. The DT320 has been used in 18" and 24" pipes with great results. The DT340 has been effectively used in pipes as big as 9 foot in diameter. The crawlers are perfectly able to be used in pipes even larger than this diameter, it all comes down to what your requirements are. If you are ever unsure, our industry experts are available to help you decide what makes the most sense for you.

How are the pipe crawlers powered?

We have designed a completely portable system by putting lithium-ion batteries inside the pipe crawler and controller. With batteries on board, there is no need to have topside power (although the crawlers can be integrated into a CCTV truck system for convenience).

How long do batteries last?

Our pipe crawler systems work up to 8 hours on a 1.5 hour battery charge. Rated for 1,000 charge cycles, the batteries are very durable. We find that clients usually get at least a few years out of a set of batteries. The best part about the battery operated system, is that the batteries can be easily replaced down the road without needing to replace your entire crawler system.

What kind of camera is used?

The DT340L comes equipped with a static camera head and the DT340S and the DT340X are equipped with a pan/tilt/zoom camera head for tough pipe inspections. The DT320 Mini Crawler is equipped with an HD pan/tilt camera.

Does the controller record the video?

We offer a digital video recorder that plugs into the back video out port on the controller and records all footage onto an SD card. It’s about the size of a deck of cards and can fit in your pocket as you’re working. We can also record via a computer running pipe inspection software .

Can the crawler go over obstacles and through mud?

Absolutely! We have seen both of our crawlers handle significant challenges in pipes such as disjoints, tree roots, gravel, sand, silt, mud, sewage and more!

Talk to us about your pipe inspection projects

What software can I run with my crawlers?

We are a flexible platform that allows you to operate as a basic standalone inspection system and record video, as well as connect to all the major software programs available on the market for more detailed inspections.

Deep Trekker is an authorized reseller of WinCan and POSM software. We have also integrated with GraniteNet, ITPipes,and CTSpec among others.

What if I want to operate my crawler from a truck or van?

We understand that sometimes you still want to have the comfort of a van to operate from. Our system is flexible - just because it can be portable doesn't mean you can't also mount it into a van as well. You just get the best of both worlds in that case.

Curious about getting a Deep Trekker crawler built into a van or truck? We can help.

Are you able to customize the crawler?

In a single day of inspections you may encounter several different pipe profiles, which is why we have made our systems entirely modular with plug-and-play technologies. The compact camera head can be easily removed using the quick release brackets to swap between cameras or accessories.

In addition to optional tracks, various wheel sizes and materials have been designed for specific jobs. Quickly add and replace wheels and tracks in-field based on your precise task at hand.