Connecting vanity drain in gutted bathroom


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Old 06-20-16, 10:14 AM
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Connecting vanity drain in gutted bathroom

Hi all

So, I had the bathroom gutted, and we got almost everything back in--at the point where I want to connect the vanity faucet/sink

Yes, I know. I should have replaced the cast iron waste when the bathroom was down to the studs--I just didnt know. Now I do, and hopefully it wont bite me in the backside later

Back to the topic:

I picked up a P trap kit at home depot, and Surprise! doesnt fit. My question is what fittings do I need to get the new drain pipe (Moen Banbury drain stop) to connect to my 1950s era waste line

Pics:

This is a pic that shows drain (gray pipe in middle) and the waste line below it. Waste line is cast iron with a rubber coupling (?) to a PVC elbow with a threaded fitting. That fitting is way bigger than the grey pipe (and the P trap kit I bought).

Any tips on what I need to do to get this project complete would be most appreciated! Thanks in advance!
 
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Old 06-20-16, 01:55 PM
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Why do you have all those fitting attached to where the drain comes out of the wall?
Why is there a rubber coupling there?
From that elbow there should just be a nipple long enough to come out the wall then a 1-1/4 trap adapter.
That nipple is what's going to fail first.
Why the huge hole in the sheetrock?
With the shut offs removed (should have been replaced with new 1/4 turn valves if your remodeling)
and just the nipple sticking out of the wall a simple hole saw would have made the round holes needed.
http://www.hometips.com/wp-content/u...150.gif?d5efad
 
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Old 06-20-16, 01:58 PM
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They make a transition piece to go from 1 1/2 to 1 1/4. Go to a plumbing house and show them the picture and ask for the proper fittings. Or go to an ACE hardware or a Hectors, some place that know what hey are talking about and are knowledgeable. Not your Big Orange or Big Blue.
 
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Old 06-20-16, 02:09 PM
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Remove all the white PVC fittings and the rubber coupler from the house pipe.
Post a picture, showing the metal pipe coming out of the wall.

It looks like you only need a few fittings once we can see the end of the metal pipe.
 
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Old 06-20-16, 02:15 PM
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will get more pictures either today or tomorrow.

AS far as big gaping hole, had 'free help' from family member and he left the sheetrock this way. Not sure what/if anything I should/can do about it now that vanity is in.

That coupling/pvc is what was left after the demo guys finished

thanks for the replies!
 
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Old 06-22-16, 06:53 AM
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more pics

OK, I was able to sneak back in as the floor guys havent started staining/refinishing...

I took off the rubber coupling... Saw some nastiness inside (paper?), which I will clean out. Otherwise, looks like its an unthreaded end of a metal (cast iron?) fitting that I am dealing with. The other end threads into a cast iron elbow (looks like some 'gunk' on that connection).

Looks like I *might* be able to unthread that fitting at the elbow above it... (but I would get a little nervous about that--I dont know how 'strong' this 50+ year old piping is...)

What fittings would I need to go from PVC drain to this cast iron (?) unthreaded fitting...

Junk in the pipe:


More junk in the PVC/rubber section I removed


Good pic showing unthreaded to threaded fitting plus elbow that remained after I removed PVC/rubber
 

Last edited by sirk98; 06-22-16 at 06:55 AM. Reason: fixed pics
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Old 06-22-16, 07:55 AM
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If it were mine I would cut out more of the drywall and then break out the cast iron elbow. Do this by using two large hammers, 2 or 2-1/2 pounders. Hold one hammer on the collar of the elbow closest to the nipple coming from the tee and then smack the other hammer on the collar about 180 degrees opposite the stationary hammer. It might take a few hits but the elbow will split and come off the threaded nipple.

Then cleanout the remaining nipple and tee as best as you can. Get a 1-1/2 inch ABS (black) plastic or PVC (white) plastic female thread to "spud" adapter and using Teflon paste that is approved for the plastic fitting screw the thread adapter to the steel nipple. Then use a plastic "quarter bend" (90 degree) elbow to turn the pipe out towards the room. If you use ABS no primer is needed for the glued joint. Be sure to use the proper glue for the type of plastic.

From the quarter bend you would add a short piece of i-1/2 inch pipe to come flush with the outer side of the drywall when replaced and then add a 1-1/2 inch "trap adapter" which will glue onto the stub pipe. The trap adapter has a nut on the outside that contains a slip washer that holds the trap arm in position.

The purpose is to get rid of as much of the steel and cast iron as possible without making a huge job of it.
 
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Old 06-22-16, 10:08 AM
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yikes... That gets me nervous.... (at least for DIY)... I would think there is a risk I could break that T if anything goes wrong...?

If I understand you correctly, I would use one 2-2.5lb hammer as an anvil, more or less? So, prop one from underneath the elbow, then whack the elbow from the top until it splits?

The other issue is that I (boneheaded move) already siliconed the vanity top to the vanity, and secured to the wall... Might have clearance issue...

Thanks so much for the reply!
 
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Old 06-22-16, 10:24 AM
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If I understand you correctly, I would use one 2-2.5lb hammer as an anvil, more or less? So, prop one from underneath the elbow, then whack the elbow from the top until it splits?
You understand correctly. You do have to hit it smartly but not like Hercules might do. They usually split with two or three blows. Chance of harming the tee is almost non existent unless you hit it by mistake.

Or, you could try to clean out the elbow as best you can, screw in a thread adapter, glue in a short piece of plastic and then add the trap adapter as previously noted. Up to you but that steel pipe and cast iron fittings DO have a specific lifetime and the more of it you can get rid of the better off you will be.
 
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Old 06-22-16, 10:28 AM
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looks like, no matter what, I need to remove a fitting. Either the unthreaded to threaded currnely on one side of the elbow, or (recommended) break the elbow and remove both...

Im tired of this bathroom fighting me
 
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Old 06-22-16, 11:06 AM
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Im tired of this bathroom fighting me
I hear you. That's why I gave up working for a living and took up advising over the Internet.
 
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Old 06-22-16, 11:23 AM
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I hear you. That's why I gave up working for a living and took up advising over the Internet.
Love it!

Thanks for the advice!
 
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Old 06-22-16, 01:38 PM
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I can connect standard P trap kit to cast iron? I have been also looking at YouTube-- is there a reason the rubber adapter (like the one I took off) should be avoided? At this point, the vanity, sink and drain are in place... I am concerned I wont have enough clearance to get these cast iron fittings out... For the newbie DIYer, whats the least risky approach?

1) Connecting with a new rubber adapter from P trap to the nipple above?
2) removing the nipple and using plastic nut on the new, longer nipple (recommended above)?
3) breaking the elbow and going plastic all the way to the stack?

Thanks so much for the replies! This site is the best
 
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Old 06-22-16, 02:32 PM
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I would not remove the nipple, at least not yet. I suspect the nipple might be 1-1/2" copper, I could be wrong.

Pick the easiest place to sand down to bare metal and see if it's copper. Post a picture of the sanded area if you're in doubt.

If this is copper, you might have an easy fix if you can cut the stub out off behind the clogged stuff in front (or get the clog out). You would need at least about 1-1/2" of stub out left from the front of the elbow.
 
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Old 06-22-16, 03:57 PM
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You are awesome!

I can't get in there until
Saturday, due to floor drying in the house

Is there a reason we are gunning for that nipple (copper or otherwise?)

The crap in it seems to be (now dry) paper--pretty sure I can fish it out. Is that the reason consensus has been (thus far) to remove it? Or is is the durability of the nipple (or lack thereof)?

I'll sand it Saturday and post pics. THANK YOU!
 
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Old 06-22-16, 05:28 PM
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Note: I think you are confusing cast iron and galvanized steel. Only the main stack is cast iron. the other parts or galvanized steel pipe fittings.
The pictures in this thread show cast iron fittings (tee and elbow) and galvanized steel piping. There is no cast iron piping visible in these photos.

Using galvanized steel piping in sizes 2 inch and under (nominal sizes) was common before plastic took hold. Only pipe 3 inch nominal size and larger was cast iron.
 
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Old 06-22-16, 06:21 PM
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Is there a reason we are gunning for that nipple (copper or otherwise?)
Not really gunning, only to advise the best specialty connector required for the type of pipe so no leaks occur and to make it easy on you.

The only true way to fix this IMO is to cut out the cast iron tee and replace with ABS or PVC. I only see ABS around here.

That solution is hard for a newbie, but not for a plumber. Around here it might cost around $350.00, but you will be much better off.

The old cast iron tees have a sharp drop off which collects build-up over the years and doesn't drain well (if at all). Add to that you have an elbow coming off the tee, which makes the problem worse.
The ABS tees have a sweeping drop and you will notice a vast improvement in the sink draining.

If you want to cut out the tee yourself you can get help here, but you will need a sawzall or preferably a diamond grit angle grinder, or both.
 
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Old 06-22-16, 09:38 PM
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I have deleted my replies as I think I was just confusing the issue because I was wrong.
 
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Old 06-23-16, 07:04 AM
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I just spoke with the plumber I am using for other things-- he says I'd need to remove the (just installed) vanity to replace that T... Also estimates it would cost $525-- too much for me right now. The sink I pulled out was draining-- at this point, maybe just hooking it up is the best course.

I'll sand the pipe Saturday and post those pics

Thanks so much for the detailed response! Man, do I wish I knew this stuff two weeks ago--would have done this while down to studs
 
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Old 06-23-16, 02:02 PM
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Well, now you know and for the benefit of any others reading this thread...anytime you find galvanized steel piping in a drainage system you need to cut it out and replace with plastic as allowed by your LOCAL plumbing code. Galvanized steel was common in houses built before the plastic piping was approved by local codes, roughly about 1960. Sometimes copper was used but mostly in upscale homes of the era.

Galvanized steel piping was used with threaded cast iron drainage fittings in sizes up to 2 inch nominal and occasionally with 2-1/2 inch nominal piping. Three inch and larger piping was cast iron and the joints were caulked with oakum (tarred jute) and then leaded. Galvanized steel develops "carbuncles" inside that over time seriously impedes the flow of the waste water and also creates projections to catch anything solid and causes partial to complete blockages in the pipes.

Here is a picture, from our favorite DIY site, showing an extreme case of steel pipe clogging.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]67655[/ATTACH]
 
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Old 06-23-16, 02:13 PM
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On close examination of the pictures, Brian might be right, that might be a copper thread adapter screwed into the cast iron elbow with a piece of 1-1/2 inch copper sweat-soldered into the adapter. If so, then the proper method of repair would be to buy a brass trap adapter and after thoroughly cleaning the copper pipe sweat-solder the trap adapter to the pipe.
 
 

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