My sink drain clogged. We removed the traps, cleaned everything up and now I have a leak at each trap,

The traps are compression fittings, one side has a plastoc "wedge" that seals the pipe as it is tightened. I tightened it so tight that the ring broke, but it still leakes.

My questions:

1- Is this an alignment problem?
2 - Can I fix this by buying new "wedges" ?
3 - Should I put a little plumbers tape on the pipe?

TIA

actions · 2010-Mar-10 11:16 am ·

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro

Premium Member

2010-Mar-10 11:25 am

Re: pvc drain pipe compression fittings

Alignment and dirty pipe/wedge can be a problem. Try with new wedges. You don't need to tighten that hard, hand-tight is enough.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 11:25 am ·

averagedude
join:2002-01-30
San Diego, CA

averagedude to AVD

Member

2010-Mar-10 11:27 am

to AVD

Very easy fix.
Go to home depot / lowes / ace and get a tooth paste size tube of plumbers putty (aka pipe dope). It is only a couple of dollars (about the cost of toothpaste).

Spread the stuff over all of the threads, and pipe prior to assembly. Basically smear it everywhere, then when done get a dry rag and wipe off all excess. This is one time when making a little mess is ok and ends up with good results.

Using teflon tape under the sink is a waste of time and energy.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 11:27 am ·

cdru
Go Colts
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Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

2010-Mar-10 12:09 pm

said by averagedude:

Very easy fix.
Go to home depot / lowes / ace and get a tooth paste size tube of plumbers putty (aka pipe dope).

Plumbers putty and pipe dope are two very different products. Pipe dope and thread sealant may be interchanged usually, but not plumbers putty which is a clay-like substance, not for sealing threads.

said by averagedude:

Using teflon tape under the sink is a waste of time and energy.

And using thread sealer on a compression slip joint fitting threads is equally a waste of time if you are wanting to fix it correctly. If liquid it making it to the point of the threads, the slip joint fitting has already failed.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 12:09 pm ·

AVD
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AVD

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2010-Mar-10 1:20 pm

said by cdru:

If liquid it making it to the point of the threads, the slip joint fitting has already failed.

Thanks for ALL the responses. My question: what would cause the slip joint to fail?

actions · 2010-Mar-10 1:20 pm ·

cdru
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cdru

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2010-Mar-10 1:27 pm

said by AVD:

Thanks for ALL the responses. My question: what would cause the slip joint to fail?

A poor seal.

It could be dirt/debris at the actual compression, a scratch on the ring or on the pipe, stretched out ring, etc.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 1:27 pm ·

AVD
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AVD

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2010-Mar-10 1:47 pm

welll, I'll buy new slip joints if there are available, and hope that fixes the problem.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 1:47 pm ·

cdru
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cdru

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2010-Mar-10 1:59 pm

Any hardware store or home center would carry them.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 1:59 pm ·

averagedude
join:2002-01-30
San Diego, CA

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averagedude to cdru

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2010-Mar-10 2:25 pm

to cdru

Thanks for catching that.
What you posted as a correction is what I ment.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 2:25 pm ·

Ken
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Ken to AVD

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2010-Mar-10 7:39 pm

to AVD

Two of the most common causes of leaks of those cheap slip joint fittings is over tightening them, and trying to force them to align. Make sure they align properly by themselves before you tighten down the fitting, you shouldn't be using the tightening of the fitting to draw them into alignment. Also make sure they are just lightly hand tightened, don't crank them down as hard as you can. Since the plastic is so thin it will easily warp and leak if you over tighten or try to force the alignment.

actions · 2010-Mar-10 7:39 pm ·

AVD
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AVD

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2010-Mar-10 11:50 pm

Thanks again for all your help.

I turned these things wedge UP and now they are not leaking. This is counterintuitive to me. Does it make sense? The narrow part of the wedge pointing towards the nut (ring) as opposed to being driven down into the bigger diameter pipe.

(photos coming soon)

actions · 2010-Mar-10 11:50 pm ·

nunya
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2010-Mar-11 12:10 am

to AVD

I'm no plumber, but that sounds like a future leak to me. You probably over-tightened the fitting, which can be as bad as too loose. The answer is probably the one you do not want - replace the bad assembly.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 12:10 am ·

AVD
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AVD

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2010-Mar-11 12:13 am

said by nunya:

I'm no plumber, but that sounds like a future leak to me. You probably over-tightened the fitting, which can be as bad as too loose. The answer is probably the one you do not want - replace the bad assembly.

no I got it hand tight... this was working before.. all that was done was to remove and reinstall 2 traps on a double sink. Afterward both were leaking, now that I turned the slip joint around, it is working...

actions · 2010-Mar-11 12:13 am ·

AVD

AVD

Premium Member

2010-Mar-11 12:40 am

left
right

actions · 2010-Mar-11 12:40 am ·

pro7070
BJ "The Prodigy" Penn
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Inman, SC

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pro7070 to AVD

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2010-Mar-11 11:36 am

to AVD

That's ass backwards. The thin part of the washer/ferrule "wedge" as you call it seats into the fitting. The nut compresses against the larger end of the washer pushing the "wedge" into the fitting until it seals off.

The way you have it jerry rigged may be working now, but I'd look into doing it the right way.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 11:36 am ·

AVD
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AVD

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2010-Mar-11 11:39 am

that way wasn't working on either side. Flipping it works perfect.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 11:39 am ·

pro7070
BJ "The Prodigy" Penn
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pro7070

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2010-Mar-11 1:13 pm

said by AVD:

that way wasn't working on either side. Flipping it works perfect.

Well theres a reason it wasnt working. Pipes could have been in a bind because of bad angle.Irregularity/nick in the pipe/washer. Sometimes on new p trap assemblies the seats come with excess material from the molding process and need to be sanded/trimmed. Lots of possible causes. It looks as though you've mixed and matched nuts and washers. That could be the reason.

I guess as long as it works and you are satisfied that's all that matters.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 1:13 pm ·

AVD
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AVD

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2010-Mar-11 1:15 pm

said by pro7070:

said by AVD:

that way wasn't working on either side. Flipping it works perfect.

I'm not satisfied, just pissed that it doesn't work the right way, buy other than new slip washers and slip nuts, everything else is original.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 1:15 pm ·

AVD

AVD

Premium Member

2010-Mar-11 1:16 pm

another thing, it seals beautifully without even being had tight, the other direction it never sealed.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 1:16 pm ·

pro7070
BJ "The Prodigy" Penn
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pro7070

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2010-Mar-11 4:29 pm

Are you talking about the disposal side white tailpience that goes into the black p trap? It looks from the picture that it is going down into the trap at an angle.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 4:29 pm ·

AVD
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3 edits

AVD

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2010-Mar-11 11:22 pm

actually, its both sides (the white one and black one). I can straighten it out by rotating the trap, but right no its working, and I don't want to tempt the fates by adjusting anything.

actions · 2010-Mar-11 11:22 pm ·

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