Totally different bath waste fitting headache

[diy_monkey]

Hello!

I'm hoping you guys can help with this one as its proving to be a real nightmare for me.

I'm trying to change the waste pie and overflow on my bath. The bath is about 60 years old, so getting the old system out was difficult to say the least, but I did eventually manage it. Once I fitted the new pipe I found that it isn’t as long as the old one so now does not reach the U bend. See the photo below there's about a 10 mm gap between the two (I put white tape on the end of the waste pipe just to make it clearer in the photo).

The waste pipe goes into the wall behind the bath and is very solidly cemented in so there's no chance of moving it (see second photo).

If I try to screw the U bend onto the waste pipe it goes on crooked and causes massive leakage because the two don’t sit together right.

This is causing me major issues as obviously I can’t use the bath properly at the moment. What to do?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ferret]

try a standard 1 1/2" 'p' trap not a shallow bath trap as you are using

 

[diy_monkey]

You live and learn

 

[stevetheplumber]

you can get trap extenders in various lengths for just this problem

 

[diy_monkey]

Right, here’s where I am with this now. I’ve added a new part, please see picture below, but the problem is I still have a leak (although much much less than before). The way I see it, is that there are three possibilities, and here's what they are:

1. I’m still using the wrong part; I’m thinking this, because if you look at the picture, you can see that the horizontal waste pipe to the right is not straight. This is because the trap doesn't line up perfectly with my waste pipe but, then I’m also thinking that no part ever will unless made specifically to the dimensions of my own bath. I went to a Plumb Centre and they were less than helpful, I went to Homebase, and all they had was the shallow trap that I had on there originally, and so I went to Wickes, and made a guess that this looked like the part I needed.

If this is still the wrong part can somebody please post a picture of the correct part that I should be using?

2. I’ve not put it together right. I'm thinking this because the leak is very tiny. When I empty an entire bath the spillage is so small that I can wipe it up with a cloth (you can see the plastic bag that I’ve put under it to protect the floor, this enough), but I've tightened everything up as much as I can and I'm not sure what else I can do. The whole set up is solid and wont move at all.

3. The leakage can be cured using some sealant, or other magic formula that my lay brain is not aware of.

Your advice please chaps would be very greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kay-jay]

from the picture it looks like the discharge pipe is a fraction too short and you have pulled the trap from the bath at a bit of an angle to try and couple it all together.

i would undo the discharge connection and leave the trap to bath connection engaged and see just how short the pipework is. the insertion depth of the fitting is visible as a plastic ridge on the outside. you will need a straight connector either pushfit or solvent weld depending on the type of pipe it is. you will need to trim the existing pipe to allow for any extension that the straight connector gives and take into account how short the pipe is currently. a couple of measurements should see you well on the way to sorting this out.

alternatively angle your bath trap to the side and use a couple of bits of pipe and elbows to work round to the discharge pipe.

hope this helps


KJ

 

[dontknowitall]

If it was me I wouldn't start from there ...!

You need a shallow bath trap for a start.

Then you need a combination of 1 1/2" waste pipe and elbows to reach your final pipe. The 1½" waste can be either push fit or solvent weld. A full elbow (with "nuts" at each end) might not fit so you should consider a street elbow which has a nut at one end and the other end fits into another fitting (e.g. coupler).

Unfortunately, experience has left me with 32mm and 40mm pipe in both push fit and solvent weld and a none too small box complete with elbows, obtuse elbows, couplers, reducers of both solvent weld and push fit.

And I frequently have to return to the merchants to buy that final piece that I thought I had.

One final tip - if it's a tiny drip coming out, ptfe tape often works.

Unless you're facing a solvent weld 40mm pipe and are installing a new suite, these wastes can be a little tiresome. If you're persistent enough you should be there by this time next week!!

 

[diy_monkey]

Thanks

[FONT=&quot]from the picture it looks like the discharge pipe is a fraction too short and you have pulled the trap from the bath at a bit of an angle to try and couple it all together[/FONT]

I have length of 40mm plastic pipe already, should I just try and cut a longer piece?

[FONT=&quot]you will need a straight connector either pushfit or solvent weld depending on the type of pipe it is[/FONT]

Is that a connector already there, connecting the plastic pipe to the wall? Do you mean add another one, because I wouldnt have thought there would be room?

[FONT=&quot]alternatively angle your bath trap to the side and use a couple of bits of pipe and elbows to work round to the discharge pipe.[/FONT]

Sounds like it might be the easiect option as already have lots of pipe, but would lots of elbows increase the chance of a blockage?

 

[diy_monkey]

@ dontknowitall

You’re not kidding when you say this is tiresome, I only wanted to change the bath socket, so that I could then board it up, and then tile the side of the bath, but I can at least have a bath now.

What difference does it make if I use a shallow trap rather than the U bend type trap I have on here?

It seems like the solution may be to create a maze like network of pipes just to get everything to line up, but like I said, would this not increase the chance of a blockage?

 

[dontknowitall]

It shouldn't do with a bath as it's fairly clean water going out - unlike a kitchen sink for example.

My thoughts were a bath trap, small piece of pipe, elbow down, small piece of pipe and elbow across to drain in wall. Street elbows are shorter than standard ones (and you could always cut a few millimetres off one and use ptfe tape for good measure.

 

[diy_monkey]

OK I'm trying to picture this in my head and I'm thinking, if I was to use rigid pipes and 90 degree elbows, it would need to be:

Trap, short pipe, elbow down, pipe across, elbow up, pipe up to level of waste, elbow right, pipe to waste.

I know that’s much more than what you said, but if all is rigid, how will “bath trap, small piece of pipe, elbow down, small piece of pipe and elbow across to drain in wall” mean that everything sat straight. If the corners are square, would I not need to make a square shape to get everything to sit right?

Does that make sense?

 

[dontknowitall]

Sort of makes sense but that's why I suggested a street elbow and cutting it a little. Without being there and trying a piece against it and measuring, it's a little tricky. I suggested bath trap because they finish nearly at the bath waste level.

Just thinking about it though, a bath trap on it's own with a piece of pipe might work. Down from bath, through trap and straight off to the drain. Again, difficult without having a trap to measure and not knowing the measurements there.

Edit ... or maybe a shower trap?

 

[diy_monkey]

Right, I understand now, Sorry, I didnt know what a street elbow was.

I shall have a play and let you know if I have any further problems.

Thanks for your help.

 

[dontknowitall]

Thank you for the appreciation - I just hope it does help and works!! Enjoy!!!

 

[kay-jay]

Thanks



I have length of 40mm plastic pipe already, should I just try and cut a longer piece?



Is that a connector already there, connecting the plastic pipe to the wall? Do you mean add another one, because I wouldnt have thought there would be room?



Sounds like it might be the easiect option as already have lots of pipe, but would lots of elbows increase the chance of a blockage?

yes thats a connector holding the pipe between the discharge pipe and the trap, and yes i would cut a longer piece and try it out as the picture looks like the trap is pulled out of line by a few degrees to make up for a short pipe.

i would try this out seeing as you already have some pipe before going spending more money on different traps etc

KJ

 

[helpsy]

What about one of those 40mm flexi hoses toolstation do with screw one end and solvent weld other end and the little tube clamp that allows you to make the U bend(trap).
Just a thought.

 

[buckley plumb]

i dont like using them but have you tried turning bath trap 90 and fitting a flexi waste pie .you can get these now a great way to overcome small misalignment issues.

ant

 

[stevetheplumber]

why ask and ignore the answer all it needed was a 1 1/2 trap extention