# NEW sink and plumbing is slow draining, no overflow, pipes not clogged



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

I don't reconize that drain assembly but thats not the problem. You need to lower the trap so it connects directly to the wall stub out. In order to do this you will need to install a 11/4" slip joint tailpiece extension between your trap and the chrome drain assembly.


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## LateralConcepts (Jun 6, 2010)

TheEplumber said:


> I don't reconize that drain assembly but thats not the problem. You need to lower the trap so it connects directly to the wall stub out. In order to do this you will need to install a 11/4" slip joint tailpiece extension between your trap and the chrome drain assembly.


Right. That will give you a direct shot into the wall with your trap arm. You need to eliminate the two 90's. The first one isn't approved DWV fitting. It's schedule 80.

Also if the ABS coming out of the wall is 2", you need to reduce it to 1 1/2 then use an 1 1/2x 1 1/4 trap adapter. 

Or your could just use an 1 1/2 trap and just use a 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 slip joint at the chrome tailpiece.


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## ymi2b (Jul 30, 2010)

*Thanks!*

Thanks to both of you.
I assumed the muliple bends were obstructing the "flow" somehow...
I used to work in automotive engineering and with HVAC you want the air blowing as hard as possible so you try to minimize the number of bends and especially avoid 90 or less degree bends. 
Of course, water and air engineering principles for "fluid dynamics" are pretty much the same...
But, I originally thought the draining is not a PERFORMANCE issue, meaning you don't need FAST flow, I figured the slowest point/bottleneck is at the sink's trap itself... Now my guess is that I've caused small "burps" at the 90 degree joint, kind of like turning a jug of water upside down, where it stops up for a moment and then either burps and lets a small gush of water out, or else it just only ever allows a small flow despite the large opening of the jug. 

I'll let you know how it goes when I do my best to make it a straight shot to the wall stub.
..I was just tyring to optimize my storage space under the sink..


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## braindead (May 31, 2010)

I know I'm late on this post but I have to put my 2 cents in.

That drain you have in your sink is wrong, most of those are used on vessel sinks which always have a draining prob:no:. you need to get one with the overflow holes in it and replace. Even with the pipes changed you will still have a problem.


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## ymi2b (Jul 30, 2010)

*Fixed*

braindead was right. 

Here's what I did to fix the issue.

I used a grinding wheel on the outside side of the metal drain assembly and made a small hole at the same location where the sink's overflow drain hole is located (so it lines up correctly).

I then put everything back together and everything drained quickly as a normal sink would!

As for braindead saying it's the "wrong" drain, well, it's the only drain that Home Depot had that would actually fit that sink... and man it was expensive, like $45.

Logically, I still don't know why the overflow drain hole needs to be present. The in-the-wall waste line has the roof pipe vent the located very close to the sink's pipe entry to the wall, and that vent is not blocked at all. 

:thumbsup:Oh well, it's working great, so I guess no need to think about it too hard at this point.


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## braindead (May 31, 2010)

Try draining a bottle of water with the top submerged and see what happens, that drain assembly you have is for a vessel sink and they are known for not draining properly. :yes:


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## ymi2b (Jul 30, 2010)

*BrainDead's challenge fulfilled*

Just replying almost 4 years later to BrainDead's challenge, haha!
Yes, if I fill the sink up to the high water overflow slit in the sink, it drains very slowwww, that is, until the water drains below the overflow slit in the sink, at which time the water slowly drains faster and faster until it goes quickly like a normal sink again. Thus, adding the slit in the actual metal drain pipe where the overflow channel of the porcelain sink joins at the bottom of the sink, thus allowing that overflow channel's air flow to join in at the metal drain, was essential to proper draining. My brain still cannot quite wrap around why this air channel is necessary, but it works and has worked well all these years. Also, note that the PVC piping I had in place remains the same, it may look odd, but I did that arrangement to make space under the sink, and I've had no problems, thankfully.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

My two cents. The trap was raised above the vent which is not legal anywhere.


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## SHR Plumber (Aug 20, 2013)

You should have cut out the entire drain pipe mess and started over. Let's see... ABS glued to PVC: NO. S-trap: sink drain not vented. Schedule 40 pressure 90 degree elbow: Clogs, clogs and more clogs. No primer used anywhere on the PVC: well maybe the fittings will just fall apart when touched and they can be returned for credit. The ABS drain pipe coming out of the wall is 1 1/2", not 2": your tape measure must have stretched out. Vessel sink pop-up assembly used on a standard sink: not made to work with that type of sink. No overflow drain in pop-up: wrong type of pop-up for the sink. 

And the reason the sink drained slow is the surface tension of the water bridges the openings in the unvented, no overflow tube connection pop-up assembly and prevents the water from going down fast. That pop-up will always drain slow in any sink, it is designed that way. You chose the wrong pop-up for your sink. If it was recommended to you by a salesperson, you should have taken it out, brought it back to them and threw it at them as hard as you can. Home Depot stocks other drains for that sink.

Everything is wrong with this installation. My head hurts from looking at it too much. I am glad it worked out for you but it is a god awful installation.


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## ct18 (Sep 20, 2012)

I used to work in automotive engineering.

And this is why he doesn't respond well to people telling him that contraption is wrong. Engineers never do anything, just ask one. I deal with them on a daily basis.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Me to. I love ripping the plumbing drawings apart.


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## ymi2b (Jul 30, 2010)

*Rude plumbers*

Wow, I would never hire rude plumbers like "SHR Plumber" and "c18" and "Ghostmaker" Your assumptions and observations may have been correct, but you guys are utter jerks in your comments. I would never hire you with such an attitude. If you find yourself losing clients, you may want to check you attitude.
I hate being a jerk back to you, but honestly, I'm helping you by calling you out on your response. I came here for ADVICE, which I thankfully received.

For the record, yes, there is always a "right way" by the books, but the right way is not always the only way, and the right way is rarely restrictive and not obtainable without serious redo of construction, in my case that would have entailed cutting a large slot through the shelf & into the lower drawer. This is why people dislike calling in licensed pros. Licensed people must follow local codes to the letter, no real creativity. Note that they are LOCAL codes, so vary locale to locale. Gee, I guess one locale is "stupid" versus the other if they don't do what SHR Plumber's locale does.
People tend to do their own plumbing because it's easy.

The drain did have pipe cleaner applied I just did a "neat" job of it, not sloppy, duh. The ABS to PVC utilize compression washer fittings with and threaded tight, duh, no glue, duh. 
It works flawlessly 5 years after merely adding the overflow drain slit to the pipe per original suggestion. 
Thus, sorry to disappoint you guys. 
The 90 degree bend, no clogs. Sorry again. 

I know from HVAC engineering 90 degrees is a big no-no it obstruct efficient flow, duh, and fluid dynamics apply to duh, air and water. However, that is not to say it doesn't work very well for certain applications. Duh. Look at how many 90 degree angles you have in a home, water supply lines, HVAC ducts.
Oh wait! A P-Trap has a 180 degree angle followed by a 90 degree angle. . . oh gosh, someone call SHR Plumber to go to the guy who designed the original P-Trap and ridicule him into the ground.:vs_no_no_no:

I hope you guys learn to control your negativity and sarcasm. Perhaps your clientele will grow as a result, and maybe your marriages will improve too? Give it a try, keep your nasty comments in your mind and try to use supportive SUGGESTIONS instead of insults, you may be amazed at the benefits:smile:


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## ymi2b (Jul 30, 2010)

You're insanely rude, SHR Plumber... Your post would make NOT want to hire you.. You may be good at what you do, but if you cannot work well with a customer's "wacky" thoughts, you should find another job that does not entail customer relations.


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## ymi2b (Jul 30, 2010)

C18, you're very rude. If you're a plumber, I hope clients first read you post and determine you're too ill mannered to work with. And you are largely correct, engineers are more about "concept" and "physics" than real-world practicality... In fact, engineering is now merging into design for that very reason.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

thread closed


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