Leak free seal for basin drain
 

What is the secret to getting a leak free joint where the drain
connects
to the wash basin? I've managed in the past, but never on the first
try
so I must be doing something wrong. My technique, read off of
instructions for installation of the drain, is to roll a gob of
plumber's
putty into a rope about 1/4" in diameter and lay it in the depression
in the basin where the drain goes. Then I drop the drain in, work the
rubber grommet up over the drain from below, put the washer and nut
on,
and tighten the nut. Then I peal away the putty that has been sqeezed
out
around the drain and do a leak test by closing the drain plug,
filling the basin and letting it stand. After 10 minutes
or so I put my hand down there and find wetness. Since it gets wet
when the
the plug is in place it must be leaking around the putty, right?

At that point I loosen the nut and work the drain up far enough to
squeeze some more
putty in, but that seldom works and I have to take it all apart and
start from scratch.

Could someone clue me in?

TIA

Jag Man wrote:
What is the secret to getting a leak free joint where the drain
connects
to the wash basin? I've managed in the past, but never on the first
try
so I must be doing something wrong. My technique, read off of
instructions for installation of the drain, is to roll a gob of
plumber's
putty into a rope about 1/4" in diameter and lay it in the depression
in the basin where the drain goes. Then I drop the drain in, work the
rubber grommet up over the drain from below, put the washer and nut
on,
and tighten the nut. Then I peal away the putty that has been sqeezed
out
around the drain and do a leak test by closing the drain plug,
filling the basin and letting it stand. After 10 minutes
or so I put my hand down there and find wetness. Since it gets wet
when the
the plug is in place it must be leaking around the putty, right?

At that point I loosen the nut and work the drain up far enough to
squeeze some more
putty in, but that seldom works and I have to take it all apart and
start from scratch.

Could someone clue me in?

TIA


Leaking at the putty should *not* cause a drip below.
That will only allow water in the basin to go down the
drain.

The secret is to seal the rubber Mack gasket to the
threads of the pop-up drain and also to the basin.
I use silicone sealant. Apply to top surface of the
Mack gasket and also liberally to the threads.
If you don't seal the threads, water will spiral
down them.

Jim

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
...
Leaking at the putty should *not* cause a drip below.
That will only allow water in the basin to go down the
drain.

The secret is to seal the rubber Mack gasket to the
threads of the pop-up drain and also to the basin.
I use silicone sealant. Apply to top surface of the
Mack gasket and also liberally to the threads.
If you don't seal the threads, water will spiral
down them.

Jim

But Jim, where would the water spiraling down those threads come from?
Seems to me it can only come from the basin, 'cuz that's where the
water is, and if you follow the threads upward
you come right to that joint between the metal of the drain meets the
porcelain of the
basin, i.e., where the putty is. Conversley, if that joint is sealed
by the putty
AND THE DRAIN PLUG IS DOWN there is no way water can get to those
threads.
That's the test I'm talking about. I dry everything, close the plug,
and fill the sink up about 3-4".
After a bit the threads beneath the nut are wet. Not much, but wet
nonetheless.

Now, I agree that if the drain plug is up (or the basin is full and
flowing into the
overflow hole) the rubber Mack gasket (didn't know that's what it's
called) can
be involved.

I'm no plumber, but that's what I see when I look at the drain
plumbing.

Ed

Jag Man wrote:

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
...

Leaking at the putty should *not* cause a drip below.
That will only allow water in the basin to go down the
drain.

The secret is to seal the rubber Mack gasket to the
threads of the pop-up drain and also to the basin.
I use silicone sealant. Apply to top surface of the
Mack gasket and also liberally to the threads.
If you don't seal the threads, water will spiral
down them.

Jim


But Jim, where would the water spiraling down those threads come from?
Seems to me it can only come from the basin, 'cuz that's where the
water is, and if you follow the threads upward
you come right to that joint between the metal of the drain meets the
porcelain of the
basin, i.e., where the putty is. Conversley, if that joint is sealed
by the putty
AND THE DRAIN PLUG IS DOWN there is no way water can get to those
threads.
That's the test I'm talking about. I dry everything, close the plug,
and fill the sink up about 3-4".
After a bit the threads beneath the nut are wet. Not much, but wet
nonetheless.

Now, I agree that if the drain plug is up (or the basin is full and
flowing into the
overflow hole) the rubber Mack gasket (didn't know that's what it's
called) can
be involved.

I'm no plumber, but that's what I see when I look at the drain
plumbing.

Ed


You're correct; if the putty seals perfectly and the pop-up seals
perfectly, then water can not (should not) leak at the nut.

But somehow, some small amount is getting past one of those
2 places and if the threads aren't sealed to the gasket,
it will drip below.

I don't know the exact answer to your situation,
but if it drips below, it's not completely sealed.

Jim

On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 18:37:37 GMT, "Jag Man"
wrote:

What is the secret to getting a leak free joint where the drain
connects
to the wash basin? I've managed in the past, but never on the first
try
so I must be doing something wrong. My technique, read off of
instructions for installation of the drain, is to roll a gob of
plumber's
putty into a rope about 1/4" in diameter and lay it in the depression
in the basin where the drain goes. Then I drop the drain in, work the
rubber grommet up over the drain from below, put the washer and nut
on,
and tighten the nut. Then I peal away the putty that has been sqeezed
out
around the drain and do a leak test by closing the drain plug,
filling the basin and letting it stand. After 10 minutes
or so I put my hand down there and find wetness. Since it gets wet
when the
the plug is in place it must be leaking around the putty, right?

At that point I loosen the nut and work the drain up far enough to
squeeze some more
putty in, but that seldom works and I have to take it all apart and
start from scratch.

Could someone clue me in?

Are you rolling the putty in your hands until it's thoroughly warm and
softened? See it this helps: apply the putty to the bottom of the
drain set, not the basin, then very firmly work the drain set into the
basin, squishing putty out and seating the drain set so when it's
tightened from below it doesn't have far to go.

Adding putty after tightening down the drain set then loosening it
won't work, in my experience. You have to start over from the
beginning.

--
Luke

I believe I have resolved this problem. When I removed the drain from
the
basin to begin fresh, as suggested by Luke, I noticed a small pointy
bump
in the porclain where the drain flange sits. (Kohler quality?) I used
a tile
cutting bit in a Dremel to gring it off. Also, I placed the roll of
putty
around the drain flange rather than on the porclain. When I
reassembled
and tightened it, no leak!

Thanks to the people who responded to this.

Ed


What is the secret to getting a leak free joint where the drain
connects
to the wash basin? I've managed in the past, but never on the first
try
so I must be doing something wrong. My technique, read off of
instructions for installation of the drain, is to roll a gob of
plumber's
putty into a rope about 1/4" in diameter and lay it in the
depression
in the basin where the drain goes. Then I drop the drain in, work
the
rubber grommet up over the drain from below, put the washer and nut
on,
and tighten the nut. Then I peal away the putty that has been
sqeezed
out
around the drain and do a leak test by closing the drain plug,
filling the basin and letting it stand. After 10 minutes
or so I put my hand down there and find wetness. Since it gets wet
when the
the plug is in place it must be leaking around the putty, right?

At that point I loosen the nut and work the drain up far enough to
squeeze some more
putty in, but that seldom works and I have to take it all apart and
start from scratch.

Could someone clue me in?

TIA