Slop sink... the final chapter

[Giantsean]

So for anyone who may remember my two-drain slop sink and basement sink/laundry plumbing cleanup... I have worked out a frame out of galvanized pipe which worked a treat, sorted out my supply solution, and even figured out a way to plumb drainage without the risk of sewer gas sticking around in my life. A good few days indeed!

On the other hand, turns out said slop sink (bought used off Facebook) is a little weepy at one of the corners. It is not a stamped basin but rolled and welded, and it looks like it gets a little crunchy where the leg supports (now redundant in my setup) are tack welded to the basin. I rarely if ever expect to fill up that side as it's traditionally been the "storage" side in the old sink, and it's a basement so if it leaks a little it won't make any difference, but I still would like to seal it if I can. Short of welding, brazing, or soldering (maybe not even the preferred method in this setup), what's the go-to for stainless leaks. JB Weld, silicone, some other epoxy mix? Attached pic of the area though you can't really see the drip.. it's more or less from the fat spot weld to the left.

Final question on drain plumbing. I know it is less than ideal and eventually I want to fix it right because the biggest problem is the horizontal santee in the sewer line, but short of final align and glue, this is what I ended up with. Just wondering how divergent from code this may be. Long story short nobody is inspecting it, it works, and it's better than it was... just curious if it's more right than wrong.

Thanks as always!

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Wow.. Of all these bad ideas. Pick your favorite.

If I had to choose from the bad choices of fixing the sink pinhole, I would go with a putty style epoxy. Both parts are putty like which you mix in your hand then apply using a bit of water to smooth out. The problem is that the sink and the epoxy will never be totally seamless.

The drain is just bad. We already know the Tee on its back is bad, but a horizontal double elbow on its side is bad. Each side will just back up into the other as they flow.

Few things its got going for it tho.. its all going downhill. Its got PVC fittings with PVC pipe.

Wait.. does that washer drain start in 2" then reduce in size to 1.5"?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Giantsean]

A resounding yes to all those. The existing vertical santee was 1.5" so it would choke somewhere, I know they make others which adapt various sizes but this was the least amount of gluing. In fact I actually think the design is actually beneficial. We built a laundry room one floor up during our reno, this is just a backup washer which gets used infrequently for nasty stuff, so the sink will help keep the washer trap filled, and if the washer happens to flood the sink, I just better make sure to keep my wool suits out of it

The other positive... I already have a sh*t ton of JB weld putty lol.

Remember... when looking at this solution, do not think "it's bad" rather "it's better than before"

So all told... is it that it is is not ideal, but not illegal either?

 

[Giantsean]

Oh yeah and forgot to mention I know I have to extend the trap arm on the standpipe to at least 4" (unless I don't somehow)

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

is it that it is is not ideal, but not illegal either?

No.. its all not to code and therfore illegal. At least there are no cross contamination points.

 

[Giantsean]

Sorry I should clarify too... I know the horizontal santee is not anywhere near code (or at least not now vs. the 80's when it was originally done), but is the use of the double elbow allowed? I went this way for two reason.. first I couldn't get the heights needed to get the sink to drain into the standpipe before the trap, and second because I have seen the double elbow used for horizontal applications which made me think it was allowable (but maybe not in this application).

If I get around to fixing it right, I will just remove the section of sewer pipe, install proper wyes for both fixtures, and drain the sink directly back into a wye.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

The plumbing code does allow that a system that was installed to code remains to code into perpetuity, unless it creates a dangerous situation. You may repair those systems like for like. But all new plumbing fixtures must comply with the current code.

 

[Giantsean]

The plumbing code does allow that a system that was installed to code remains to code into perpetuity, unless it creates a dangerous situation. You may repair those systems like for like. But all new plumbing fixtures must comply with the current code.

So all that said (and not trying to be cute here)... would this have been to code in the mid-80's?

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

would this have been to code in the mid-80's?

No.

 

[Giantsean]

Is the horizontal santee the main concern? Or the double elbow? I think 1 1/2 standpipes were allowable at some point in time so guessing that is not a huge problem.

If the double el, in what application is that thing usable? Have seen it used for sinks etc.

 

[wwhitney]

If the double el, in what application is that thing usable? Have seen it used for sinks etc.

That's a double medium turn elbow, so it's only for (2) horizontals both turning down to vertical. And it's apparently a pain for snaking so good to avoid.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Giantsean]

Back to the sink... methinks this may be the reason for the leak (much smaller than it looks in the photo). Pretty awful design w/ these leg supports if you ask me

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

They're designed to be mounted and stable and not move much. So when the leg does move a bunch the sheet metal fatigues eventually. Mine at home had a similar mobility issue but rather than tear, the leg assembly came apart from the sink. Whoever had it before siliconed the leg assembly back on.

 

[Giantsean]

They're designed to be mounted and stable and not move much. So when the leg does move a bunch the sheet metal fatigues eventually. Mine at home had a similar mobility issue but rather than tear, the leg assembly came apart from the sink. Whoever had it before siliconed the leg assembly back on.

I do not know the full history of mine but by time I got it, my legs (all three of them lol) were made from 1 1/4" galvanized pipe, attached with one nut/bolt each with no crossmembers... definitely not a recipe for stability lol. I ended up with this frame upon which it sits now, made from 3/4 galvy and some of those fittings which Lowe's sells, held w/ a set screw (it's actually very nice for the price). Hard to see but there is a lateral piece upon which it sits behind the front legs. Definitely better than the wood and cinder block frame it sat on before (which didn't have too many years left in them). I did have to pitch it back about a quarter bubble to help with sitting water (it is a lot lumpier than the porcelain for sure lol). Best thing is that I can take it all apart if I need to, and without the risk of a broken leg if something slips lol. The REAL plus though is that I can fit my washer and dryer side by side for the first time in six years

Eventually I'll sink a couple of lags into the framing behind so it won't come sliding off and break all my illegal plumbing

On that note, all works pretty well. The standpipe trap sits lower so the sink keeps the standpipe filled above the trap, but I did a test of a full washer empty and a drain of one full basin and nothing backed up. I'm calling the project officially closed Sincere thanks for all the good advice!

 

[wwhitney]

I'm calling the project officially closed

I think official completion has to wait until you change out that san-tee on its back and size the pipes properly. But it's a good milestone.

Changing out the san-tee is not too hard: secure the pipe on each side of it, maybe 8"- 12" away from the san-tee. Get (2) 4" PVC to 4" PVC shielded rubber couplings, e.g. Fernco 3005-44, and a 4x4x2 wye. Glue 4"+ of 4" of PVC pipe into the straight inlet and outlet of the 4x4x2 wye. Measure the resulting length of the wye plus stubs, and cut out a portion of the existing 4" pipe which is 3/8" longer than your measurement and includes the san-tee. This is the hardest part; you might want to wrap a sheet of paper or tape or whatever around the pipe to give you a square cut line to follow (you could use a coupling shield, but don't damage it); and perhaps make some practice cuts on scrap pipe or inbound of your final pipe.

Then you just deburr your cut ends, slide a metal coupling shield over each cut end, put on the rubber portion of a coupling, fold the free end of the coupling back onto itself, and then wedge the wye plus stubs in between the rubber coupling stops. The 3/8" of extra length you removed accounts for the thickness of the rubber coupling stops plus a little wiggle room for the extension of the folded back coupling side. Then unfold the couplings, put the shields in place, and tighten the clamps with a 5/16" 60 lb-in torque wrench.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[James Henry]

If it works just leave it alone, if your start putting in rubber couplings the vibration from the washer hose could cause it to leak. If your going to re-do something cut it off at the 4" pipe and redo the whole thing in 2".