Author Topic: Plumbing question  (Read 2946 times)

zahc

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Plumbing question
« on: March 01, 2011, 09:13:38 PM »
In one of my 2nd-story bathrooms, there is a shower/tub combination installed. Not the 1-piece fiberglass kind, but the kind where there is a fiberglass tub at the bottom and then the wall around it is tiled for the shower.

In the room directly next to the bathroom, on the other side of the wall that has the tub/shower, I want to put in a sink with hot/cold water and drain. It seems to me that I can cut a hole in the sheetrock low and toward the faucet-end of the tub, and I should be able to see in there and tap into the hot/cold water and the same drain as the tub. But I'm not a plumber so I don't know if this kind of thing is doable or not, or if it is a bad idea or not. Presumably I can use the same drain and vent as the tub uses, but I'm wondering if the tub will flood when I run water down the sink. And since I'm not familiar with plumbing, I can't visualize what it looks like so that I know where to cut a hole in the sheetrock.
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cassandra and sara's daddy

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2011, 09:18:50 PM »
couple of these for supplies
http://www.sharkbiteplumbing.com/fittings/tees/tees
and these
http://www.fernco.com/plumbing/flexible-couplings/qwik-tees-ells
for drain and vent   vent  very important to keep water from tub.
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never_retreat

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2011, 09:42:46 PM »
Yes there would be no problem tapping the water lines. The drain and vent on the other hand my technically be undersized, or only sized for the one device. Chances are you would not have any problems though. I would only really be worried if you were looking to drain a washing machine. They dump water very fast, so theoretically if the pipe was to small it could come out the tub.
One thing to realize is that we been forced to use more water saving faucets, shower heads, and crappers. They have not reduced the sizes of the drain lines.
I installed a bathroom on the third floor of a row home and successfully vented all 3 devices through a 11/2 pvc pipe. Way to small by code but it was all I could fit in. Been running 4 years and no problems.
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cassandra and sara's daddy

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2011, 10:00:46 PM »
It is much more powerful to seek Truth for one's self.  Seeing and hearing that others seem to have found it can be a motivation.  With me, I was drawn because of much error and bad judgment on my part. Confronting one's own errors and bad judgment is a very life altering situation.  Confronting the errors and bad judgment of others is usually hypocrisy.


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Jim147

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2011, 11:07:00 PM »
Don't forget to cross your hot/cold lines when going through a wall like that. It sucks to turn on the hot and it never gets hot.

jim
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2011, 11:09:31 PM »
Don't forget that the drain for the tub/shower is NOT in the wall, it's in the floor.
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never_retreat

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2011, 11:24:04 PM »
Don't forget that the drain for the tub/shower is NOT in the wall, it's in the floor.
Also the 3 rules of plumbing.
Cold is on the right
Crap runs downhill
and payday is on Thursday.
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cassandra and sara's daddy

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2011, 12:09:36 AM »
Also the 3 rules of plumbing.
Cold is on the right
Crap runs downhill
and payday is on Thursday.

rule 4  the beer is in the cooler
It is much more powerful to seek Truth for one's self.  Seeing and hearing that others seem to have found it can be a motivation.  With me, I was drawn because of much error and bad judgment on my part. Confronting one's own errors and bad judgment is a very life altering situation.  Confronting the errors and bad judgment of others is usually hypocrisy.


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RoadKingLarry

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2011, 05:57:05 AM »
I bought my current house as a "fixer upper" It was uninhabitable when I bought it. The previous owners had had it moved in. It was supposed to be Grandma and Grandpa's big house on the hill sort of thing. Grandma got cancer and died. You can tell the work doen before she died and the work done after she died by the quality, the later work was done just to get it sellable.
The plumbing was a nightmare. The violated the "crap runs down hill" rule several places in the drain line runs. The kicker that almost tempted me to put a torch to it was when I found the main drain line to the septic tank just kind of dead ended in the stem wall footing.
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280plus

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2011, 06:42:31 AM »
Don't forget that the drain for the tub/shower is NOT in the wall, it's in the floor.
Right, you proably have to access it from underneath and hopefully there's enough room for you to add. Only way to know is to open it up.
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JonnyB

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2011, 11:56:29 AM »
There are some places - municipalities/states/counties where the push-type (Sharkbite) fittings aren't approved is inside a wall. Out in the open, they're OK.

jb
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cassandra and sara's daddy

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2011, 01:00:26 PM »
wow thats funny in some areas they are approved for in slab connections
It is much more powerful to seek Truth for one's self.  Seeing and hearing that others seem to have found it can be a motivation.  With me, I was drawn because of much error and bad judgment on my part. Confronting one's own errors and bad judgment is a very life altering situation.  Confronting the errors and bad judgment of others is usually hypocrisy.


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never_retreat

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2011, 10:15:39 PM »
I've used a few shark bites on some hard to reach water lines for baseboard heat. They work well but I would never put one where it can't be seen or where a leak would be very bad. Like above a finished ceiling. I don't think they will fail mechanical but I don't trust the oring that makes the seal.
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zahc

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2011, 10:25:32 PM »
So I finally got brave enough to cut a hole in the drywall on the other side of the tub...there are the two hot-and-cold 5/8 copper lines hanging right there for the taking. The only question I have is how to tap into them. I could cut them, but I'm scratching my head over how I would insert an T-fitting, since they don't look very flexible.

The tub drain goes straight down into the floor and I can't see it, but running right down through the exterior wall where I CAN see is what looks like 2" white CPVC that also heads down into the floor. I could cut it, install one of those flexible boot-T-fittings, and that could be my sink drain, but I don't know where it goes. I can only assume it eventually ends up in the sewer but for all I know it could be a vent for something else and really cause problems if I dump water down it.
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never_retreat

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2011, 09:19:05 PM »
So I finally got brave enough to cut a hole in the drywall on the other side of the tub...there are the two hot-and-cold 5/8 copper lines hanging right there for the taking. The only question I have is how to tap into them. I could cut them, but I'm scratching my head over how I would insert an T-fitting, since they don't look very flexible.

The tub drain goes straight down into the floor and I can't see it, but running right down through the exterior wall where I CAN see is what looks like 2" white CPVC that also heads down into the floor. I could cut it, install one of those flexible boot-T-fittings, and that could be my sink drain, but I don't know where it goes. I can only assume it eventually ends up in the sewer but for all I know it could be a vent for something else and really cause problems if I dump water down it.
There is no such thing as 5/8 copper (in plumbing) You can cut out a piece the size of the inside of the fitting (about 3/4 of an inch) I haven't looked for one in a while but they make slip tees. So no stops inside. Cut out the chunk clean the ends and the fitting, lube it up with dope, pull the pipe to the side slip in on, line the pipes up and slid it over the second one. You might have to go to a plumbing shop to get the t"s like that. If not use a regular t and a slip coupling (can get this at big box stores) down the pipe a bit farther.
That other pipe you see in the wall could be a vent. Is there any other fixtures below this one or in the vicinity?
Pics would help also.
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cassandra and sara's daddy

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It is much more powerful to seek Truth for one's self.  Seeing and hearing that others seem to have found it can be a motivation.  With me, I was drawn because of much error and bad judgment on my part. Confronting one's own errors and bad judgment is a very life altering situation.  Confronting the errors and bad judgment of others is usually hypocrisy.


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zahc

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #16 on: March 05, 2011, 11:26:16 AM »
I said 5/8 because that's what my crude OD measurements indicated.

Here is a picture. Still not sure if it's OK to put a Quik-tee into that vertical pipe or not. And by "OK" I don't mean "meets code/is good plumbing practice", just "will it work at all or will it cause me horrible plumbing nightmares".

Maybe a rare occurence, but then you only have to get murdered once to ruin your whole day.
--Tallpine

cassandra and sara's daddy

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #17 on: March 05, 2011, 02:55:00 PM »
hawkmoon can address codes better than me but in my world thats very doable.
use one of these to vent sink if you have to
http://www.plumbingmall.com/studor.htm?gclid=CJSAyvaZuKcCFYnc4AodSlzf_Q

i have snuck bathrooms in some very special places
It is much more powerful to seek Truth for one's self.  Seeing and hearing that others seem to have found it can be a motivation.  With me, I was drawn because of much error and bad judgment on my part. Confronting one's own errors and bad judgment is a very life altering situation.  Confronting the errors and bad judgment of others is usually hypocrisy.


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CNYCacher

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #18 on: March 05, 2011, 03:16:50 PM »
Go buy two 1/2" Sharkbite Tee fittings and two 1/2" Sharkbite couplings, and a 10-foot length of 1/2" PEX.  Also buy two 1/2" Sharkbite to 3/8 compression under-sink valves.

Make two cuts in the copper pipe to create a gap 1/2" wide.  Test to see if you can push the pipe downward far enough to open the gap large enough to allow you to place the Sharkbite Tee, while keeping the pipe in line.  If you can, great.  if the pipe is too rigid, then make more cuts until your gap is about a foot.  Push the tee onto the upper pipe.  Patch the missing foot of pipe using a length of PEX and the Sharkbite coupling.

Use the remaining PEX to bring water from the Tee fittings to the cabinet under the sink.  Push on the under-sink valves.

That PVC is likely a drain/vent.  You should make sure you know what it is, but if it's a vent you can drain into it.

Disclaimer:  I am not a plumber and don't know what your codes are.

Replace "Sharkbite" with "push" if you want.  Plenty of companies make push fittings now.  Sharkbite is merely the "Kleenex" brand.
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zahc

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2011, 12:12:53 AM »
Quote
Go buy two 1/2" Sharkbite Tee fittings and two 1/2" Sharkbite couplings

I went to Lowes to do just that, but the 1/2" "GatorBite" Tee fittings are $10.60 each! And I couldn't grok how I would get them into the pipes since the pipes are fastened at both ends. For the amount I would have spent on two tee fittings, I bought all the required copper fittings and a hose-type auto-igniting MAPP torch w/soldering kit. Soldering in that small space without burning my house down was very interesting and back-breaking. I stuffed in damp towels, aluminum foil, and pieces of floor tile for heat shields. I'm still worried that some ember fell down the exterior wall into sawdust and is smoldering and going to burn my house down, but it's been an hour or so now and everything seems fine. 








That's the way the trap is supposed to go, right?

If I had it to do again, I would have done it with 4 push-lock elbows, 2 push-lock tees, and PEX.
Maybe a rare occurence, but then you only have to get murdered once to ruin your whole day.
--Tallpine

Perd Hapley

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2011, 12:25:06 AM »
No, your trap is upside down. Sorry.
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zahc

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #21 on: March 07, 2011, 12:32:57 AM »
I was kidding about the trap.
Maybe a rare occurence, but then you only have to get murdered once to ruin your whole day.
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sanglant

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Re: Plumbing question
« Reply #22 on: March 07, 2011, 01:07:57 AM »
looks to be more affective though. :laugh: just have to attach a second trap to the first one, or is that the first one to the second one? in order of water draining through them.