F O L L O W - U P
I am finishing a remodel and set up for tile. Had vinyl shower pans
installed in both showers several months ago. They held water, passed
inspection and so I cut out the drains to let the water out. So much has
happened since with workers walking over everything that I decided that I
wanted to retest. Used a drain plug in one drain without a problem but the
other shower drain is old and the threads on the inside are rusted off so I
cannot screw a nipple down into it. I tried using a drain plug but because
of the uneveness of the surface water still finds it way down the drain. I
am at a loss. I don't really want to crack up the slab, change out the drain
and have to put in another shower pan, etc. The trap is full of water which
implies to me that the drain is holding water. A guy I know came over and
pumped the line with balloons and said that that the pan was OK but the
drain seems to be seeping but if so the trap would be dry. What can I use to
plug that drain and check the pan other than the conventional expandable
drain plug. Are some drain plugs better than others? How do I install the
drain plug, maybe I am doing it wrong. And lastly, is rust on the inside of
the collar where the drain and sub drain connect with deep crevaces a
problem. Redoing this drain and shower pan would be $$$$$. Help if you can.
Thanks.

I got a 2" test plug into the collar and it loses about 1/2" - 1/2" water in
24 hours. I then inserted a plastic bag over the drain covering the weep
holes and then put in the test plug. A few hours later it had lost 1/4"
of water but there was water all around the shower sill on all four sides
including under a wall behind the shower. Does this sound like a faulty or
rusted through collar. I guess it means replacing the drain and trashing
the shower pan that I paid to have installed.

"Michael Roback" wrote in message
ink.net...
F O L L O W - U P
I am finishing a remodel and set up for tile. Had vinyl shower pans
installed in both showers several months ago. They held water, passed
inspection and so I cut out the drains to let the water out. So much has
happened since with workers walking over everything that I decided that I
wanted to retest.

If the pan is made with heavy PVC material it is unlikely it was damaged by
walking on it.


Used a drain plug in one drain without a problem but the
other shower drain is old and the threads on the inside are rusted off so
I
cannot screw a nipple down into it. I tried using a drain plug but because
of the uneveness of the surface water still finds it way down the drain. I
am at a loss. I don't really want to crack up the slab, change out the
drain
and have to put in another shower pan, etc. The trap is full of water
which
implies to me that the drain is holding water. A guy I know came over and
pumped the line with balloons and said that that the pan was OK but the
drain seems to be seeping but if so the trap would be dry.

That doesn't make sense. The only way the trap would be dry is if the leak
is below the trap weir.

Sounds like you aren't a plumber but you did the plumbing yourself.
Sometimes saving a few bucks costs more.

What can I use to
plug that drain and check the pan other than the conventional expandable
drain plug. Are some drain plugs better than others? How do I install the
drain plug, maybe I am doing it wrong. And lastly, is rust on the inside
of
the collar where the drain and sub drain connect with deep crevaces a
problem. Redoing this drain and shower pan would be $$$$$. Help if you
can.
Thanks.

I got a 2" test plug into the collar and it loses about 1/2" - 1/2" water
in
24 hours. I then inserted a plastic bag over the drain covering the weep
holes and then put in the test plug. A few hours later it had lost 1/4"
of water but there was water all around the shower sill on all four sides
including under a wall behind the shower. Does this sound like a faulty
or
rusted through collar. I guess it means replacing the drain and trashing
the shower pan that I paid to have installed.