Drain Pipe Question

Molo

Molo

Member
Messages
922
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Cold New York
Hello all,

I have a drain system that is a combination of pvc trap, semi-flexible black plastic pipe, galvanized metal, going into the main cast iron drain.
Question: The galvanized is breaking down and crudding up. Can I take the galvanized out and go directly into the cast iron with PVC?

TIA,
Molo
 
I think yes. Depending on whether you are making the connection at a hub or in a straight pipe will determine how you make the connection.
 
PVC to Cast Iron

This would be PVC being threaded into The vertical cast iron drain below coming down from the toilet. (There is currently a galvanized piece threaded in there, and I want to know if I can put PVC in there).

TIA,
Molo
 
Yes, but the threads may be all mucked up. If you can't thread in a new pipe adapter, snap off the CI and use a no-hub reinforced fitting.
 
More details

Hello,

Not sure of the kind of black pipe, it is plastic, and the walls are thin, it goes onto a barbed galvanized fitting, the galvanized then threads into the 3" cast iron vertical drain. I want to eliminate the galvanized and go directly into the cast iron with PVC. What is jadnashua referring to when he says to "snap off the cast iron, and use a no-hub fitting"?

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks,
Molo
 
The "snap off" is refering to a tool used to cut cast iron. It's not the only way to cut CI, but one of the best. I doubt if you will really need to go that far. I don't think the female threads in the cast iron will be damaged. All you should have to do is remove the fitting that is there now and replace it with a male PVC adaptor and redo everything with PVC. If somehow the thread in the CI are buggered up, they can be cleaned up with a pipe tap easier than cutting the CI. Cutting the vertical CI could really be a problem because the pipe must be well supported above and below to prevent the pieces from falling.
 
Hello Hello

The 2.5 " galvanized goes into the cast iron.
1. What's interesting is that there appears to be some sort of metal putty (like JB Weld or something) around all the galvanized-cast iron joints. What could this be?
2. Also, below bathtub drain is copper. I just noticed that directly below the T where the tub overflow and drain are connected there is a leak . The leak is where the copper stem fgoes up into the T. How can I fix this?

Thanks,
Molo
 
Please help, Total Mess!

Hello all,
I have gotten myself in deeper than I thought, (surprise, surprise).

The Details:
A 2" piece of galvanized (running horizontal) goes into a 4"cast iron drain (running vertically from the toilet).

The Problem:
The galvanized was breaking down, so I pulled the galvanized out. THERE ARE NO THREADS IN THE CAST IRON STEM!! The 2" galvanized was inserted into the cast iron with the old packing and poured lead method! ( I have no experience wih this, that's why I'm so frantic).

What I Did:
I went to the store and bought a 3"-2" fernco sleve. I thought the fernco would slip over the Cast Iron and the PVC I'm installing. It Didn't! The diameter of the Cast Iron stem (there is a thick ring of cast at the end of the stem) is too big for the fernco to slide over.

What Should I Do:
???? I am very grateful for any advice on this.

TIA,
Molo
 
They make donuts that fit inside of the hub that you then insert the pipe into. It is a tight fit.
 
Donut details

Hi jadnashua,

Thanks for the response, Do the donuts need to be paked and poured like the old galvanized that wen into the cast iron? I'm wondering how a water-tight seal is made?

Thanks,
MOlo
 
Nope, it is a compression fit. SOmetimes a bear to insert, I hear (never used one). You must check the CI, there are two varieties - normal and thick hubs. There should be a mark cast in the pipe near or on the hub. A good plumbing store should have what you need.
 
What a mess

I've been reading past posts about PVC to Cast Iron connections. It appears that there are alot of vafious couplings made for this purpose. Some I saw were made by Mission. The Cast Iron connection I have to go into stems off the 4" vertical, and has a thick ring of cast iron at the end. Is this considered bell type?

Thanks,
Molo
 
Here is a link to the Fernco website, where you can choose what type of connections you want to make and it spits out the connector you need.

If you click on their new products link, they now also sell some "miracle leak stopper" that is made from fiberglass and resin.

http://www.fernco.com/coupling.asp
 
Last edited:
ring

That fitting with the ring on the bottom was, and can, only used with packed lead/oakum joints. A barbed fitting in a drain line is a definite No-No. It reduces the size of the pipe enormously and creates an obstruction that will cause debris to accumulate behind it. That is a definite handyman repair.
 
Whole Nw Wrld, Please advise

This drain repair has cefinitely been an entirely new thing for me. I had never even heard of oakum and lead joints before. Then I put a pipe wrench on the 2" galvanized to "unthread it" from the Cast Iron stem, and it breaks free with no threads. This is my first experience with this kind of joint. I was thinking that I was in real trouble, and honestly I still haven't found a good solution. I peeled all the old lead and oakum out of the joint, and was left with an opening approximately 3" wide. Like I said the Cast Iron stem wasn't one smooth diameter on the outside. It had this thick band (hub?) around the end. This made the idea of sliding a fernco over the stem very difficult.
What is the very best way to repair this?
HJ, are you saying that a barbed rubber donut that fernco makes would be a bad idea?
I would be very grateful if someone could give me a detailed explanation on the best way to repair this.
Remember the cast iron is good, I'm just trying to replace the deteriorating 2" galvanized that runs into it.

Totally in the dark,
TIA, Molo
 
joint

I am saying that a pipe or fitting with the "bulge" on the end would not go through the donut. I am not a fan of the donut, and have never used one. One problem being that the hub was never designed for the donut so it could have a different dimension, and unless you do a very good job of cleaning the hub, the donut might not turn out to be leakproof.
 
Not real sure of what you've got there but it sounds to me that the simplest way to get past this is to use the snap cutter to remove the hub then you can use a fernco (no hub coupling) to transition to PVC...then you will have something you can easily work with.
 
snap-cutter

Thanks for the advice guys,
I've never used a snap cutter before, but that sounds like it might be a good idea randy to remove that annoying thick ring (hub?), and then I could slide a fernco over it, If they make one that size! I can't believe the fernco sit. They \want a measurement to the 100th of an inch on the diameter of the pipes you are joining to match the appropriate fernco.

TIA,
MOLO
 
oakum and lead or plastic lead

Hello everyone,

I spoke to an old-timer who owns a plumbing supply house. He told me to go into the Cast Iron with PVC and to use Oakum and Plastic Lead.
1. Does anyone have any experience with this?
2. Is it a good method?
3. If you use Oakum and plastic lead, do you have to be super careful not to crask the joint after you've installed it, or is it a strong joint?

TIA,
Molo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Use a shielded Fernco or get to work trying to separate galvanized to CI connection?
Replies
1
Views
1K
nowwhatnapster
nowwhatnapster
M
Bathroom Remodel - Cast Iron Repipe and Removing Galvanized Drains
Replies
6
Views
1K
Mandelbaum
M
D
Old House, lead bends, weird connections
Replies
0
Views
440
DIWHYGuy
D
MrHappy
Best drain routing for tight space in basement bathroom
Replies
3
Views
7K
wwhitney
wwhitney
J
Washing machine stand pipe overflowing
Replies
0
Views
380
JSR13
J
Back
Top