# PLEASE HELP..Kitchen Sink Plumbing!!



## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

You need to turn the water off and cut off the plastic drain and supply lines with a tubing cutter (copper supply lines) or hacksaw to remove the old and install the new sink cabinet base. 
You will need to measure, mark and drill two 3/4" holes in the bottom of the new sink base for the water supply lines, and measure, mark and drill pilot holes for a jigsaw to cut out for the electrical receptacle and drain line hole (unless you have a hole saw the right size) in the back cabinet wall. 
The hot water valves coming up through the bottom of the cabinet on the left go to the dishwasher (far left) and to the hot water side of the sink faucet (up), and the valve on the right is the cold water supply going up to the faucet.
Your present drain is ABS black plastic, and you will need to cut those off and replumb the drains. You can use an adapter at the wall (ABS glue) or plug the bottom connection and use the straight black pipe above, if the sink depth allows it. I would use a PVC white plastic sink drain assembly to match what you're connecting. PVC white plastic drains are made to hand-tighten. Turn the flat side of the plastic washer of the slip nut compression rings toward the ring and the beveled side toward the pipe.
Make up the drain assembly loosely while adjusting it to fit, and then go back and tighten all of the slip nuts after you have made it up. 
You will need to solder two new copper couplings onto the supply lines in order to re-attach the shut-off valves once the cabinet is installed. Use wet rags over the cabinet base around the pipes while soldering, and keep a fire extinguisher handy. Open the valves to allow heat to escape, and make sure that there is no standing water in the pipes or you won't be able to solder properly.
If this doesn't make sense to you, get a book on basic plumbing to help you, or maybe the pros in here (I'm not one) can explain what you need to do better. There's always more than one way to skin a cat. 
Good luck!
Mike


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## MinConst (Nov 23, 2004)

Mike's explained it pretty well. By the looks of the supply lines and the dripping solder on them. When you get this all out and before you place the new cab. Solder extensions on the supply lines so they will come through the cab bottom. You will want to cut these supply lines past and dripped solder if possible. Why there are two drains in there is a question I would like to know. But you should cap one off. Or use one each for a double sink.


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## davo420 (Feb 9, 2006)

Wow!!

Thanks for the detailed info.

Much appreciated.


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## ron schenker (Jan 15, 2006)

Could the 2 drains have been from a double sink(not the right way)? If you have trouble draining the water from the copper supply pipes, open a tap in the basement, this will empty the pipes above. BTW, Mike, excellent advice!


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## Bonus (Aug 25, 2005)

I agree, great description of the work to be done. All I might add is that if you're unfamiliar with soldering, you could use valves with compression fittings on them instead. These can always be tightened a little if they weep, and you can't set fire to anything with them!


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## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

I imagine that the two connections to the drain pipe were due to someone installing a new sink that was deeper than the top drain pipe connection would allow. Seen that situation before. 
Good idea, Bonus. Compression valves may be the better way for Davo420 to go, if he's not familiar with soldering. If you use compression valves Davo, wrap the brass ring ferrules with a wrap of teflon tape or smear a little clear silicone on them for anti-leak insurance. The ferrules, not the threads, seal compression fittings. Use a backup wrench on the valve when tightening the nut.
Use stainless steel flex supply lines made to connect directly to the valves and the faucet lines. They come in different lengths and have rubber gaskets built into them, so you don't have to use pipe compound or teflon tape to connect them.
If you're installing a double sink, you don't need to connect each sink drain separately to one of those two drain pipes. Just use one assembly with one trap, and then connect it to one drain.
It's O.K. to have a short level drain pipe under a sink, but don't angle one up. It's better to slope them down 1/4" per linear foot toward the drain, if possible.
Good luck!
Mike
P.S. BTW, it looks like you already have compression valves, but you still need to use straight 1/2" compression fittings to re-connect the two copper lines. Clean the copper pipe with sandpaper or emory cloth at both ends before slipping on the compression nuts and ferrules. Hold a backup wrench on the fitting when tightening the nuts. 
Get rid of the lower trap and cap that off. Use the straight pipe that's capped off now to connect the new PVC double kitchen sink drain assembly (you should be able to find one in a plastic bubble pack). You don't need or want two traps on the same line, and the PVC assembly already has one. In fact, after you get the old cabinet out of the way, I would replumb that whole ABS drain pipe in the wall to make it right (you don't need three drain holes in the back of the cabinet...just one at the right height.) Good Luck!


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