Align Sink Drain with P-trap?

[DanaG]

I'm trying to replace a bathroom sink, but the new sink's drain no longer aligns with the p trap. (See attached picture) The pipes are off by about 1.5". Just wondering if there are any easy fixes here to re align?
Very much a novice DIYer so any input is appreciated!

 

[wwhitney]

What you need to do is rotate the trap a little and shorten the trap arm a little. That will bring the trap inlet inline with the sink tailpiece. The picture shows the slip joint connection within the trap that will let you rotate the j-bend portion of the trap.

Because of the angle, I can't make out what is happening on the trap arm. Usually there's another slip joint connection there. In which case you can shorten the horizontal projection by pushing more of the trap arm into the slip joint connection. You do need to be sure not to push too much in, you could in theory block the fitting in the wall. But if you push it in as far as it goes, and then pull it out at least 2", that should be fine.

If there's no slip joint connection on your trap arm, please post another photo that show the whole length of the pipe from the trap to the wall.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

fully adjustable trap swings and slides in and out

 

[DanaG]

What you need to do is rotate the trap a little and shorten the trap arm a little. That will bring the trap inlet inline with the sink tailpiece. The picture shows the slip joint connection within the trap that will let you rotate the j-bend portion of the trap.

Because of the angle, I can't make out what is happening on the trap arm. Usually there's another slip joint connection there. In which case you can shorten the horizontal projection by pushing more of the trap arm into the slip joint connection. You do need to be sure not to push too much in, you could in theory block the fitting in the wall. But if you push it in as far as it goes, and then pull it out at least 2", that should be fine.

If there's no slip joint connection on your trap arm, please post another photo that show the whole length of the pipe from the trap to the wall.

Cheers, Wayne

Thanks for the response Wayne! The trap rotates but there's no slip joint connection on the arm. The attached picture shows the wall pipe a little more. Let me know if you have any tips!

 

[wwhitney]

I can't figure out what is going on with that trap arm where the diameter gets bigger. Normally that juncture would have a slip joint nut and be a slip joint connection.

My experience is limited, maybe one of the plumbers here will recognize what the picture shows. Peering into the hole on the wall could also be informative, but obviously very difficult to take a picture of.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Weekend Handyman]

I can't figure out what is going on with that trap arm where the diameter gets bigger. Normally that juncture would have a slip joint nut and be a slip joint connection.

My experience is limited, maybe one of the plumbers here will recognize what the picture shows. Peering into the hole on the wall could also be informative, but obviously very difficult to take a picture of.

Cheers, Wayne

I am not a plumber. It looks like it is a soldered in copper drain.

 

[wwhitney]

I am not a plumber. It looks like it is a soldered in copper drain.

Well, that would certainly make shortening the trap arm difficult. That could be confirmed by scuffing the rear larger diameter portion to see if it is copper colored. Maybe the lighting in the photograph just makes it look grey.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[DanaG]

I am not a plumber. It looks like it is a soldered in copper drain.

Yes! I wasn't sure how to explain this, but it is soldered into a copper pipe.
I don't know how I'd go about shortening it. Maybe best to get a plumber in for this one?

 

[John Gayewski]

Yes it's soldered. You need to unsweat it at the copper connection and solder a trap adapter. I've seen this a lot and most dummies will find a fernco that really doesn't fit and tighten it to the tubes. Horrible.

 

[wwhitney]

Yes! I wasn't sure how to explain this, but it is soldered into a copper pipe.
I don't know how I'd go about shortening it. Maybe best to get a plumber in for this one?

Yes, unless you're proficient with soldering. I'm curious what size the larger diameter pipe is (I assume the trap is a 1-1/4" tubular trap?), and what the next connection downstream looks like. If the

On the off chance there's a slip joint connection in the wall (not very likely, and would only make sense if the larger diameter pipe is in fact 1-1/2" tubular (exact 1-1/2" OD)), you could open up the wall a little to get access to it.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[wwhitney]

Yes it's soldered. You need to unsweat it at the copper connection and solder a trap adapter. I've seen this a lot

But what is it soldered to? 1-1/4" copper DWV (1-3/8" OD)? If so, soldering in a trap adapter makes a lot of sense, and is what they should have done originally.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[John Gayewski]

But what is it soldered to? 1-1/4" copper DWV (1-3/8" OD)? If so, soldering in a trap adapter makes a lot of sense, and is what they should have done originally.

Cheers, Wayne

Yes it's soldered into a copper santee in the wall. It was a trend for a while apparently.

 

[wwhitney]

Yes it's soldered into a copper santee in the wall. It was a trend for a while apparently.

I was asking about what the 1-1/4" tubular is soldered to. Since the diameter is so close, I guess it must be 1-1/4" DWV pipe. The ID (1.295") just happens to be enough that 1-1/4" tubular has the right gap for a solder connection?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[DanaG]

Thanks for the help all! Guess I'll have a professional take it from here.

 

[John Gayewski]

I was asking about what the 1-1/4" tubular is soldered to. Since the diameter is so close, I guess it must be 1-1/4" DWV pipe. The ID (1.295") just happens to be enough that 1-1/4" tubular has the right gap for a solder connection?

Cheers, Wayne

I assume a regular slip tube extension. I haven't done a lot of investigation. I usually just roll my eyes and fix it. An older plumber might know exactly. A modern slip tube extension would have threads. Maybe they cut them off

 

[wwhitney]

I assume a regular slip tube extension.

If it were a regular 1-1/4" tubular extension, soldered instead of slip joint, then we should see the diameter neck back down to 1-1/4", which I'm not seeing. And there would still need to be a trap adapter between that and the assumed san-tee in the wall.

So I'm liking the idea they stubbed 1-1/4" copper DWV out of the wall and just soldered the tubular to it instead of using a trap adapter.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Reach4]

If that is the case, and DanaG doesn't solder, how about sawing the copper off maybe 1.25 inches from the wall.
Use Fernco 3001-1125 to connect to a plastic spigot trap adapter. Then use a reducing washer in the trap adapter to connect to 1-1/4 plastic trap. Or instead of a 1-1/2 trap adapter, use this to connect to the trap.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/NIBCO-1...Street-Trap-Adapter-C580127HD112114/100344838
https://www.fernco.com/dimensional-drawings/3001-1125