# setting a shower drain



## jaydevries (Jan 29, 2012)

can you take a picture
also international plumbing code allows 1 1/2 " for shower drain


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

jaydevries said:


> can you take a picture
> also international plumbing code allows 1 1/2 " for shower drain


Sorry but my digital camera is broke. Cannot post a picture. Code here requires a 2" drain for a shower. I'm working off an exiting p-trap that was installed when the slap was poured some 30 years ago. Looks like the sewer pipe 2 1/2 -3 " in diameter. A 2" or slightly larger ABS pipe, I think it's called, was cemeted into the sewer pipe. Since code here only requires a 1 1/2 " drain for a shower/tub combination, a 1/1/2 " pipe was inserted into the 2 " pipe coming from the sewer pipe. Basically the original opening was reduced down to a 1 1/2" opening for a tub/shower setup. After removing the tub drain with it's overflow drain for the tub, I'm left with the 1 1/2" pipe sticking up from the sewer pipe. The 1 1/2" pipe was pushed down into the 2" pipe until it hit a stop. I cut the 1 1/2" pipe off at the stop, leaving me with a 2" drain opening from the sewer pipe. Since code here requires a 2" drain for a shower only, I'm set. I now have a 2 " drain opening coming up from the sewer pipe. I have about an inch to an inch an a quarter of the 2" inch pipe sticking up from the sewer pipe so that I can now attach an elbow on to. When I connect the 2 elbows with short piece of 2" pvc to relocate my shower drain approximately where the original tub drain was, my drain is to high above the slab. One of the elbows is turned down, the other one is turned up, forming an " S " connection. If I add another p-trap and do not do the s-connection , is this legal? Basically, 2 p-traps in series.


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

What i'm understanding is :

You've left the existing p-trap there, and are trying to extend that with a 90 to the new shower location?

:huh:


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

2 p-traps is not legal. Why don't you just cut the old p-trap off?


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Here's a nice picture of a shower drain rough in. You can see part of the connection to the vent at the right.


http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BXGLnym5Ue4/R8bBidCD9QI/AAAAAAAAEp8/RVzh09iNdVI/P1000251.JPG


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

Alan said:


> What i'm understanding is :
> 
> You've left the existing p-trap there, and are trying to extend that with a 90 to the new shower location?
> 
> :huh:


Exactly. I only need to extend about 10" to basically where the original tub drain was. I can extend from the sewer pipe with a 2" elbow, add about 3" of a 2" PVC pipe, then add another 90 degree elbow up to the top of the slab. The second elbow opening is only about an inch below the top of the slab. When I place the OTAY drain on top of the opening, the tub drain is almost 4" above the slap surface. That's to high. I would have to raise my shower flooring surface nearly 3 1/2 - 4" inches. If I use another p-trap in place of the 2nd. elbow, my height for the drain would be fine. ?? But am I allowed to have 2 p-traps in series. There's already a p-trap for the sewer pipe, and extending out from it about 10" and adding another p-trap for the shower drain, is this legal?? If it isn't, then how can I get the desired height of my shower drain in relation to the concrete slab? The drain should only be about 1 1/2 - 2" inches tops above the slab. Laying the first mud slope, then the water membrane, than another mud slope on the top of that, plus the tile, shouldn't be more than 2" at the most above the slab surface.


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

Alan said:


> 2 p-traps is not legal. Why don't you just cut the old p-trap off?


Alan, I think that's what I will have to do, unless I can find a better shower drain that's not so high. The original tub drain came straight out 90 degrees about 10" and had a brass drain that threaded into the bottom of the tub. My 10" connection needs to be about 2" lower in the ground so that when I add a shower drain it won't stick up so high above the slap. Thanks for your suggestions.


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Jackets said:


> Exactly. I only need to extend about 10" to basically where the original tub drain was. I can extend from the sewer pipe with a 2" elbow, add about 3" of a 2" PVC pipe, then add another 90 degree elbow up to the top of the slab. The second elbow opening is only about an inch below the top of the slab. When I place the OTAY drain on top of the opening, the tub drain is almost 4" above the slap surface. That's to high. I would have to raise my shower flooring surface nearly 3 1/2 - 4" inches. If I use another p-trap in place of the 2nd. elbow, my height for the drain would be fine. ?? But am I allowed to have 2 p-traps in series. There's already a p-trap for the sewer pipe, and extending out from it about 10" and adding another p-trap for the shower drain, is this legal?? If it isn't, then how can I get the desired height of my shower drain in relation to the concrete slab? The drain should only be about 1 1/2 - 2" inches tops above the slab. Laying the first mud slope, then the water membrane, than another mud slope on the top of that, plus the tile, shouldn't be more than 2" at the most above the slab surface.


How you do this is : 

Cut the old p-trap off. 

Attach to 2" pipe that is left behind

Extend to new location

Install new p-trap

Set shower drain


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

Alan said:


> How you do this is :
> 
> Cut the old p-trap off.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks Alan. I may have to get a plumber to make the change. The old sewer pipe looks to be about 3" in diameter. Would have to remove some more dirt to get to it. Not sure how I connect the new 2" pipe to the old 3" pipe. Need to get it set properly so that I can start the mud slope, lay the membrane, set the drain and pour another mud layer, plus the tile.


----------



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Jackets said:


> Thanks Alan. I may have to get a plumber to make the change. The old sewer pipe looks to be about 3" in diameter. Would have to remove some more dirt to get to it. Not sure how I connect the new 2" pipe to the old 3" pipe. Need to get it set properly so that I can start the mud slope, lay the membrane, set the drain and pour another mud layer, plus the tile.


There should not be a 3" pipe near a tub/shower. Measure the OD of the pipe please. I'm really confused by some of your terminology too....


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

TheEplumber said:


> There should not be a 3" pipe near a tub/shower. Measure the OD of the pipe please. I'm really confused by some of your terminology too....


 
Alan, I didn't see your reply the other day, and I have been side tracked for awhile on my shower drain project. Picture this if you can. I'm looking down at a 10" wide by 16" long hole in my concrete slab. The hole is where the tub drain was. There is a 4" cast iron pipe running across the bottom of the 10" by 16" hole. With some dirt removed, you can see the top of the pipe. Off of this pipe, there appears to be a 3" cast iron extended elbow. Attached to the end of the elbow, is a 3" cast iron p-trap. At the end of the p-trap, a 2" plus poly type black pipe has been leaded and sealed into the 3" cast iron pipe. At the 2" opening, a 1-1/2" pipe was inserted and glued to the inside of the 2" pipe. Thus the 1 1/2" opening is left for the tub/shower drain.


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Ok, so the instructions I posted before still stand. . . :huh:

If you're having trouble picturing how to connect to 3" cast iron, then you'll need : 


This : 
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=ZMqrT6OgI6Pa2AXw8PCmAg&ved=0CJ4BEPMCMAM

and this :
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=OsqrT6i5Ncjs2gX3qtimAg&ved=0CJsBEPMCMAQ


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

Alan said:


> Ok, so the instructions I posted before still stand. . . :huh:
> 
> If you're having trouble picturing how to connect to 3" cast iron, then you'll need :
> 
> ...


Alan,
Thanks for the info. I measured the diameter of the p-trap coming from the sewer line. The cast pipe is actually 2 1/2" in diameter. The actual inside diameter of the pipe is 2 inches. The other end of the p-trap has a hub that has a 2" pipe sealed in it with lead, etc. The 2" pipe was then fitted with a 1 1/2" pipe for the tub/shower drain and sealed in. My problem is: If I cut the p-trap at it's beginning point, I'm left with about 2 1/2" to connect too, which is fine. Problem now is there are no couplings available for a 2 1/2" outside diameter pipe. I can only find a 3" or 2" coupling. Is it possible to go ahead and cut the pipe, hoping the inside diameter is big enough to insert a 2" drain line and then add another trap?

Another option would be to cut the hub off. The hub is much thicker, of course, to allow the 2" pipe inserted in it to be filled in with lead around it. If I cut the hub off, I'm left with a 2 1/2" outside diameter cast pipe, and at least a 2" inside diameter hole. If I do either cut, one at the beginning of the trap, or the other one at the hub, I'm hoping I can insert a 2" pipe in it, and I can then seal it with some special glue. The easiest seems to be to cut the hub off and use the existing p-trap, hoping I can connect a 2" line to it with no problem. I only need a short piece of pipe inserted into the p-trap, and then I can add my offset 2" drain for my shower.
At the moment there is about an 1 1/4" of 2" pipe sticking up out of the hub. I can connect to this with my 90 degree elbow and a coupling, extend it out about 10" and elbow up to hold my drain assembly. When I do this the top of my drain assembly is nearly 4" above the surface of the slab. Way to high. If I can remove the hub, that would give me a much lower connecting point to the p-trap. The hub is approximately 3" high. Hope this is clearer than mud. Thanks for your hellp.. Wayne


----------



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

2" pipe, whether it's cast iron or plastic is 2.5" O.D. You should have no problem using a 2" fernco if you cut the existing trap off. You can then transition to 2" plastic and install a new trap at your desired location.


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

TheEplumber said:


> 2" pipe, whether it's cast iron or plastic is 2.5" O.D. You should have no problem using a 2" fernco if you cut the existing trap off. You can then transition to 2" plastic and install a new trap at your desired location.


Yes.

character limit.


----------



## Jackets (May 2, 2012)

TheEplumber said:


> 2" pipe, whether it's cast iron or plastic is 2.5" O.D. You should have no problem using a 2" fernco if you cut the existing trap off. You can then transition to 2" plastic and install a new trap at your desired location.


 

Thanks !!!! Really appreciate your help. :thumbsup:


----------

