Bath drain installation is being annoying!


  #1  
Old 12-29-02, 12:27 PM
sugarbeth
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Angry Bath drain installation is being annoying!

I'm installing a new bath (Kohler) with its new drain/overflow (also Kohler). When I attach the drain part of it (with the plumber's putty), that pipe should be horizontal or slope downwards towards the tee, yes? So why is it that when I tighten it, this part keeps sloping the wrong way, making water pool in the bottom of the drain?

Thanks for any input you can give me!

Beth
 
  #2  
Old 12-29-02, 03:46 PM
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Beth,

Are you sure you have installed the drain the right way per instructions?

I hope you are not tightening the overflow pipes before doing the drain. If you are using plumbers putty and the rubber gasket is placed under the tub bottom (Centered on the drain hole) and you are sure that you have the drain tightened, there should be minimum slope of the tub drain. Slight slope isn't a problem but this should not be a problem if it slightly sloped. Just ensure that all fittings are tight first at drain, then attach all your other hardware and check all fittings.

Hope this helps!
 
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Old 12-29-02, 08:42 PM
sugarbeth
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Thanks Doug~
yes, even just attaching the drain by itself, not connected to the rest of the overflow setup, the drain pipe just seems to want to lie with the opposite slope of what it should be. The tub is level, so it's nothing like that. I'll take it apart again next weekend and see if I can figure something out - I was just hoping that maybe this was a common situation that someone could give me input on. Thanks though!
 
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Old 12-31-02, 05:13 PM
BoatCop
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They (unsure of who "THEY" are) make off-set rubber gaskets, where one side of the gasket is thicker than the other. You install the gasket on the bottom side of the bath drain, and use plumber's putty on the top. This should give you the proper slope you need to drain properly, and prevent "pooling" in the drain, which would become a bacteria farm.

I think several thicknesses are made, and they're cheap enough to get a few different sizes, so you'll get it just right. A plumbing supply house should have them, or maybe even HD or Lowes.
 
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Old 12-31-02, 05:29 PM
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sugarbeth,

BoatCo just might have a point here. I think the problem might be that the rubber gasket that is provided is not perfectly flat and it is off-plumb if you will. One side is fatter than the other in a Kohler application. This must be the problem. I can't see any other possibility.

Hope you find the answer and let us know.

Happy New Year!
 
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Old 12-31-02, 07:26 PM
sugarbeth
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Thanks Alan, that's what I was wondering - if they made gaskets like that - it would definitely solve the problem.

I'll be taking this apart again soon to see if there's something about the bottom of the tub that's keeping the drain from being hooked up with the right slope. It's barely noticeable, because the water does go down, it's just that the last bit stays in there and I know that's gonna stink after a while!

Thanks all, for your input.
 
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Old 01-01-03, 12:23 AM
L
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Another thought -- check the rubber gasket you are using carefully. It may already have this bevel and you just need to rotate it 180 degrees.
 
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Old 01-05-03, 10:37 AM
sugarbeth
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I took it apart again, and it looks like the drain ell itself is the problem. If I put a level on the flat surface of the drain ell where it meets the bottom of the tub, the pipe that runs from it slopes very much upwards. This has gotta be a defect, right? I'm going to call Kohler tomorrow.

beth
 
  #9  
Old 01-23-03, 01:34 PM
sugarbeth
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Thought that I would post an update on this

I called Kohler, and I have to give two thumbs up for their customer service. They took my info, told me they'd stick the new part in the mail by the next day and they didn't even ask me what was wrong with it! I told them anyhow.

This drain part was two pieces of brass welded/soldered together, and I think it was just done a little sloppy. Only someone as anal retentive as I am probably would have picked up on the slight angle that it had.

I got the new drain piece, and it looked good. It's all hooked up now and the water is draining all the way out! Yay!
 
  #10  
Old 01-23-03, 01:54 PM
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beth,

Congratulations! Glad everything is on line and no leaks! I have to hand it to Kohler, you pay but you get more!

Enjoy the tub!
 
 

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