42mm Shower Trap to 52mm solvent weld - advice

[moleman]

Hi,

I'm a new plumber and still finding my feet.

One of the first jobs I did a year ago has come back to bite my bum, luckily it's for a friend but I want to get it sorted all the same.

I replaced their shower cubicle, the existing waste pipe was 50mm solvent weld (or so we thought as the time), it leaves the house through the wall into a roof cavity which isn't accessible (part of it's a porch, part of it's the bay window to the lounge - really frustrating design for any work to be done on it).

I'd never used solvent weld before and was getting increasingly annoyed why the 42mm push fit wasn't working - then the problem was worked out.

I fitted a reducer, which although claimed was 50-42mm it didn't quite fit to the solvent weld pipe, it seemed as though the solvent weld pipe may of actually of been 52mm.

In the end, after literally 2 days of going backwards and forwards to the merchants a way was found which after removing some part (can't remember now) of the reducer it slid VERY tightly into the pipe.

Now this involved removing the seal, it was ABSOLUTLEY not the right thing to do I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW, even then I wasn't in the habit of bodging things, but there comes a point when you've tried everything, and you've just got to make good with what you've got.

But today, they said they've got another leak in the same place, after going around to look at it this afternoon it looks like water's coming out from this joint between the 52mm solvent weld, reducer and 42mm push fit.

12 months on from that job I've still never used solvent weld again, I've got no experience of it. I've GOT to get this right this time.

QUESTIONS:

I can't seem to find a 52mm solvent weld > 42mm push fit reducer anywhere - do they exist?

And in general - how do I connect a 52mm solvent weld pipe to a Shower Trap?

 

[bobgibbs]

I've had the same trouble at work, the every little help place, I've got most of my maintenance people (me too) to use the rubber fittings with jubilee clips at each end, sometimes it's a tight fit but a bit of silicon lubricant and patience works

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

Solvent weld is usually pvc or could be abs and push fit usually poly propylene. Poly propylene will not cement, and they may have different expansion rates so eventually it will probably leak. Try a waste pipe compression coupler between the two, McAlpines make a few of them.

 

[johnmcginty]

Yeah what bernie says pushfit is not compatible with sw, if you buy a new trap you will most likely get a reducer with it , fit a compression onto this and reduce down accordingly.
DFD67465-8F71-B9AF-A211-C6B205045DB6
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[moleman]

Hi, thanks for the responses, much appreciated.

Yeah, I’m aware that solvent weld won’t pushfit and pushfit won’t weld, the problem is that I have a mixture of both which need to be connected.​

The compression coupler sounds promising – BUT I can’t find one that will house a 52mm pipe, can anyone supply a weblink?​

The same is true for a reducer, the one we got a year ago (which I modified) was a 50mm, which after SWINGING OFF and HAMMERING and CUTTING the bloody thing for hours I managed to make enough room to get the 52mm pipe down – however the problem is that after 10 months that’s now failed. It just wasn’t up to the job.​

I’d rather not do another Heath Robinson job on this one if there’s an actual proper, purpose designed solution – know what I mean? I know sometimes you’ve just got to PTFE, silicone and clip things the best way you can, but I did that last time and it didn’t work, so I’m a bit cautious this time.​

SO​

Can anyone supply me a link to a 52mm reducer OR compression coupler that will take upto 52mm?​

Or​

Has anyone any other suggestions?​

Thanks again​

 

[johnmcginty]

it is called 2" compression you can get it from drain centre
DFD67465-8F71-B9AF-A211-C6B205045DB6
1.02.28

 

[moleman]

it is called 2" compression you can get it from drain centre

Thanks John, can I just clarify first, 2" is 50mm, which is going to be 2 mil too small isn't it?

This was the problem I had with the reducer I bought, I had to remove the collar, remove the rubber seal and after feathering the 52mm pipe with a stanley knife it JUST about slid into it, I siliconed it up but it still wasn't water tight, the moment enough soap sludge and hair builds up to slow the speed of the waste water exiting it soon finds all the tiny weaknesses and presto, these people have got a leak again.

Sorry about being so pedantic it, but to clarify the problem, to get to the drain I'm going to need to crack about 2m of tiles, remove the shower door, prise the tray off a sand and cement base lying on marine ply before getting to the problem pipe, if I got that far and, 2" compression fitting in hand, I offered it up to it and !!! IT DOESN'T FIT!!!... it leaves me massivly up brown river creek.

So, if the maximum diameter a 2" (50mm) compression fitting will take is actually 2" (50mm) then I'm not sure it'll work, it'll leave me with the same action of forcing it in, cocooning it in PTFE, smothering it with silicone and plumbers mate, and I was hoping there'd be something available where I wouldn't ne leaving it to chance this time.

Your thoughts on the above points would be appriciated

 

[REDSAW]

push 42mm through the 52mm and re pipe?.

 

[johnmcginty]

bit hard to explain but if you ask for 50mm compression that is the outside diamiter and the wrong one ask for 2" compression and it will fit on 54mm pushfit pipe and "2 abs i did it the other week , any chance of a photo ? this is the size used in urinals that i have done, go to a pub and have a look . I am pretty sure thats what you are on about its just the metric imp crossover nonsense again . You need a 2" to 1.5 " compression reducer and you can get them from drain centre.

try mcalpine

 

[Phil]

Have a look on here Moleman.

http://www.mcalpineplumbing.com/productlist.asp

I would strongly advise going up through the ceiling, it will save ripping the bathroom apart, smashing all those tiles and possibly breaking the shower tray (depends how well you put it in).

If the ceiling is damaged anyway?

I can plaster aswell so this would be a no brainer for me, no way would I want to touch those floor tiles.

Edit: Moleman, you said you made numerous trips to the plumbers merchants for a connector, why didn't they give you a 2 inch compression fitting reduer in the first place?

These fittings are designed to cope with varying sizes of pipe, 50mm, 52mm no problem.

 

[johnmcginty]

here here , through ceiling everytime.
DFD67465-8F71-B9AF-A211-C6B205045DB6
1.02.28

 

[moleman]

Have a look on here Moleman.

http://www.mcalpineplumbing.com/productlist.asp

I would strongly advise going up through the ceiling, it will save ripping the bathroom apart, smashing all those tiles and possibly breaking the shower tray (depends how well you put it in).

If the ceiling is damaged anyway?

I can plaster aswell so this would be a no brainer for me, no way would I want to touch those floor tiles.

Edit: Moleman, you said you made numerous trips to the plumbers merchants for a connector, why didn't they give you a 2 inch compression fitting reduer in the first place?

These fittings are designed to cope with varying sizes of pipe, 50mm, 52mm no problem.

hmmm... that is interesting... I DID consider the ceiling (the shower room is RIGHT over the hall by the front door, so there's not too much disruption).

Like I said, I've only been plumbing for a year so all my plumbing has been done knelt over not leaning backwards on a ladder - it's just a bit out of my comfort zone.

I guess this would be one more experience under my belt.

I have plastered before, I'd be happy plastering a wall, but again, I've not done a ceiling before, so expect I'll need a few dust sheets

RIGHT!

Thanks one and all, I've got some really useful stuff from all of yous.

I'll get a 2" NOT 50mm compression, and 2" reducer.

I'll plan on going through the ceiling, I'm going to go back to their house and re-plan this with a mind to this.