u-bend sink-waste

[Moisha]

Hi there,

 

We will shortly be plumbing. We have a Belfast sink.

 

There are many kinds of u-bend sink-wastes available on Toolstation. Which is the right kind?

 

Jon

[Chris J W]

Personally, I'd go for the Bottletrap type.

 

 

Fitted one to my Dad's sink after I cracked his older 'normal' one trying to unscrew it to clear-out the blockage. This one's much easier to maintain when needed.

[Moley]

We will shortly be plumbing. We have a Belfast sink.

 

You might have to wait until you've got the sink in place to see what type of trap (if any) can be fitted. Ours is an ordinary stainless 1 1/2 sink + drainer, and there's no room for a u-bend. It all depends on the depth of the sink relative to the height of your outlet skin fitting, which should be above outside water level

 

 

Note: if sink / drainer are in-line with the boat, and bow is usually slightly higher than stern, drainer should be towards the front, as water tends to drain better downhill for some reason.

 

This only occurred to me after I'd fitted ours

[John Orentas]

Yes you can forget about that 10 inch above the water line rule, if you have a deep sink you will have to work out quite carefully where you can locate the drains on the hull. Best not to use skin fittings, there is always a good chance that you will wipe them off on a lock wall, weld a short length of compatible size tube in place so you can fit the drain fitting straight onto it.

[Dropacog]

A related question folks: my bathroom basin and kitchen drink drain so slowly it's unreal. Any ideas as to how I can improve things? (Or what, perhaps, is the cause of said slow draining?)

 

Any tips gratefully received!!!

 

Thanks, David

[Chris J W]

A related question folks: my bathroom basin and kitchen drink drain so slowly it's unreal. Any ideas as to how I can improve things? (Or what, perhaps, is the cause of said slow draining?)

 

Any tips gratefully received!!!

 

Thanks, David

 

For a start check your u-bend and all the sludge inside the waste pipe. I had to do Dad's as it was taking an age to drain (especially when the washer was emptying via the sink) and after, ah-hem, breaking the u-bend, I discovered that there was so much years old grot in the pipes that it was down to half/two-thirds its internal diameter! Rather than arse about trying to clean it out I replaced the whole 1.5yd length and made it slighly dogleged to get a better angle. Works fine now!

Edited April 18, 2007 by Chris J W

[John Orentas]

A related question folks: my bathroom basin and kitchen drink drain so slowly it's unreal. Any ideas as to how I can improve things? (Or what, perhaps, is the cause of said slow draining?)

 

 

Often it is because of the use of caravan type plumbing, all you can do is fit domestic style piping.

[Dropacog]

Thanks both for your tips.

 

Best regards, David

[blackrose]

Get the sink in and work out where the waterline is. Then you'll have to try to get 10" - 12" above it for your outlet. You may find that there is only a narrow margin in which you can still get gravity to drain your sink while keeping the outlet the required distance from the waterline. A big watertrap may only make matters worse and one solution is to try to find a low profile sink drainer from a chandlery. I actually used the drainers that came with my double sink, capped them off and used off the overflow drainers because they're on the side. It works well but of course the sink has no overflow!

 

I always switch my pumps off when i go out so hopefully I'll never overfill the kitchen sink without realising.

 

I used brass skin fittings for all my outlets - no problems at all thus far. I've heard they can become damaged in locks but it's hard to see how as they are almost flush with the side of the boat and the rubbing strakes stand proud. If one ever gets damaged they're easy enough to replace.

Edited April 18, 2007 by blackrose

[Moisha]

Thanks all--we have a large belfast sink, so will have to figure out the waste. The bottle trap looks good and does not seem to take up too much space. We have fenders on sides, so perhaps a skin fitting will work.

 

Thanks again,

Jon

[NB Phoenix]

Thanks all--we have a large belfast sink, so will have to figure out the waste. The bottle trap looks good and does not seem to take up too much space. We have fenders on sides, so perhaps a skin fitting will work.

 

Thanks again,

Jon

 

Why fit a trap (u bend) at all? The trap in your house is there to keep the smell from the sewer from coming back up the pipe. This don't happen on a boat because you empty straight into the cut.

[Moisha]

Why fit a trap (u bend) at all? The trap in your house is there to keep the smell from the sewer from coming back up the pipe. This don't happen on a boat because you empty straight into the cut.

 

 

Thought that the trap is for being able to clean out the debris that may accumulate from use of sink. Anyone correct me if I am wrong.

 

moisha

[Moley]

Thought that the trap is for being able to clean out the debris that may accumulate from use of sink. Anyone correct me if I am wrong.

 

If there isn't a trap, no debris can accumulate. Phoenix is right, we haven't got a trap, and there's no smell. Of course, if you happen to drop anything into the sink that's small enough to go down the plug'ole, there's no trap to catch it, so be careful or use some sort of strainer.

[blackrose]

If there isn't a trap, no debris can accumulate. Phoenix is right, we haven't got a trap, and there's no smell. Of course, if you happen to drop anything into the sink that's small enough to go down the plug'ole, there's no trap to catch it, so be careful or use some sort of strainer.

 

Yes, I agree with Pheonix & Moley. Sorry, I forgot to mention I hadn't used a trap - just the drainer (or whatever it's called) straight out.

[steveh]

As Phoenix stated, a trap is purely there to stop bad smells for the underground drainage.

 

Without going all plumbing technical, basically to should only use a bottle trap on a wash hand basin. 'P' and 'S' traps are designed so that deposits do not accumulate bottle traps have a dip tube and therefore will block easily. If you are struggling for space I would recommend installing running trap and ensuring that you keep the 90 deg bends down to a minimum. Also that the running trap is installed in a place which is easily accessed just in case!

Edited April 18, 2007 by steveh

[Chris J W]

Thought that the trap is for being able to clean out the debris that may accumulate from use of sink. Anyone correct me if I am wrong.

 

moisha

 

Both. But, primarly, heavier crap that won't just get flushed away before it get chance to clogg pipes, as even "Bad Smells" can start coming back if the crap caught in the bottom keeps staying there.

 

Bottom line is that a "U" tube of any description, unless you've a perfect drop down to a waste outlet, can only be descbibed as "A Good Thing"

Edited April 18, 2007 by Chris J W

[Chris J W]

Sorry, got disrtracted by replying to other threads, but ...

 

 

Have you considered using your Grey Water as water for the loo? This struck me earlier as I've a memory from a Ch4 prog MANY years ago on a caravan and they haf Grey water system that used an archimedes screw powerd by wind that pumped from a holding tank upto a loo header tank with excess water going back to 'waste' via ball-cocks.

 

I'll have a proper look on-line tomorrw, but the bleeding 'memory bells' are ringing loud!

Edited April 18, 2007 by Chris J W