Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

Today I finally rodded my drains (not done for at least 5 1/2 years
and maybe decades). There are a couple of things confusing me:

1. In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm
(the lower hole has got white foam in). Is the upper hole some kind
of overflow?

2. When I lifted the cover off I couldn't see the lower hole. It was
obscured by gunk and what I thought was a shard of broken pipe. When
I cleaned things out I found the shard of pipe was actually the cap /
cover thing in the 2nd photo. It was on its edge at an angle of about
45 degs to the opening of the pipe. I've no idea what it is or
whether it's supposed to be there.

Any ideas?

Michael

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

On Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:53:36 -0700 (PDT), Michael D
wrote:


Today I finally rodded my drains (not done for at least 5 1/2 years
and maybe decades). There are a couple of things confusing me:

1. In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm
(the lower hole has got white foam in). Is the upper hole some kind
of overflow?

2. When I lifted the cover off I couldn't see the lower hole. It was
obscured by gunk and what I thought was a shard of broken pipe. When
I cleaned things out I found the shard of pipe was actually the cap /
cover thing in the 2nd photo. It was on its edge at an angle of about
45 degs to the opening of the pipe. I've no idea what it is or
whether it's supposed to be there.

Any ideas?

Michael


The top hole is for rodding, by-passing the trap at the bottom.

The round bit is a lid that should normally be in the top hole, but which had
fallen out, partially blocking the drain.

Put it back and all should be well.

Andy C

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

On 25 July, 20:53, Michael D wrote:
Today I finally rodded my drains (not done for at least 5 1/2 years
and maybe decades). *There are a couple of things confusing me:

1. *In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. *Pls see the photo he *http://bit.ly/aYDCKm
(the lower hole has got white foam in). *Is the upper hole some kind
of overflow?

2. *When I lifted the cover off I couldn't see the lower hole. *It was
obscured by gunk and what I thought was a shard of broken pipe. *When
I cleaned things out I found the shard of pipe was actually the cap /
cover thing in the 2nd photo. *It was on its edge at an angle of about
45 degs to the opening of the pipe. *I've no idea what it is or
whether it's supposed to be there.

Any ideas?

Michael

It's an interceptor trap:

http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

On 25/07/2010 21:01, Andy Cap wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:53:36 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:


Today I finally rodded my drains (not done for at least 5 1/2 years
and maybe decades). There are a couple of things confusing me:

1. In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm
(the lower hole has got white foam in). Is the upper hole some kind
of overflow?

2. When I lifted the cover off I couldn't see the lower hole. It was
obscured by gunk and what I thought was a shard of broken pipe. When
I cleaned things out I found the shard of pipe was actually the cap /
cover thing in the 2nd photo. It was on its edge at an angle of about
45 degs to the opening of the pipe. I've no idea what it is or
whether it's supposed to be there.

Any ideas?

Michael


The top hole is for rodding, by-passing the trap at the bottom.

The round bit is a lid that should normally be in the top hole, but which had
fallen out, partially blocking the drain.

Put it back and all should be well.

Andy C


Like he said. I think you've got what's called an external backdrop -
where the input pipe is higher than invert level, and drops down just
outside the chamber - with a rodding point in line with the pipe. This
is illustrated - albeit with a bigger drop - he (see Fig 16)
http://www.brettmartin.com/building/...lmanholes.aspx


--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

wrote:
On 25 July, 20:53, Michael D wrote:
Today I finally rodded my drains (not done for at least 5 1/2 years
and maybe decades). There are a couple of things confusing me:

1. In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm
(the lower hole has got white foam in). Is the upper hole some kind
of overflow?

2. When I lifted the cover off I couldn't see the lower hole. It was
obscured by gunk and what I thought was a shard of broken pipe. When
I cleaned things out I found the shard of pipe was actually the cap /
cover thing in the 2nd photo. It was on its edge at an angle of about
45 degs to the opening of the pipe. I've no idea what it is or
whether it's supposed to be there.

Any ideas?

Michael

It's an interceptor trap:

http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html


Nice one. Hadn't seen that style before.

Modern practcie is to have sealed drains and appliance traps.

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

On Jul 26, 7:53 am, Michael D wrote:

1. In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm

Another useless Flash page that doesn't work. What's wrong with a few
JPGs on an HTML web page?

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

On 26 July, 08:55, Matty F wrote:
On Jul 26, 7:53 am, Michael D wrote:

1. In the inspection chamber before going into the street I found 2
pipes, one above the other. Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm

Another useless Flash page that doesn't work. What's wrong with a few
JPGs on an HTML web page?

works for me - are you putting enough coal on? ;)

Jim K

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

Matty F wrote:

On Jul 26, 7:53 am, Michael wrote:

Pls see the photo he http://bit.ly/aYDCKm

Another useless Flash page that doesn't work. What's wrong with a few
JPGs on an HTML web page?

http://images.kodakgallery.eu.com/ph...1233_0_ALB.jpg

http://images.kodakgallery.eu.com/ph...1233_0_ALB.jpg

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

It's an interceptor trap:

http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html


Ahhhhh - that explains it. Many thanks for the swift responses.

One other question: how should I re-attach the cap? If I just push it
back in it probably won't be a very good fit & may fall out again.
Should it be fully or partially mortared in to prevent smells getting
back through? I don't know if something more modern like mastic may
work as it would make it easy to get out.

Michael

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

On 26 July, 12:22, Michael D wrote:
It's an interceptor trap:

http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html

Ahhhhh - that explains it. *Many thanks for the swift responses.

One other question: how should I re-attach the cap? *If I just push it
back in it probably won't be a very good fit & may fall out again.
Should it be fully or partially mortared in to prevent smells getting
back through? *I don't know if something more modern like mastic may
work as it would make it easy to get out.

Michael

I wouldn't bother with the cap. AIUI, the modern solution would be
straight-through with no trap at all (unless there was a special
requirement like grease-traps for restaurants). I would do my best to
clear out the trap and get everything flowing as freely as possible
though.

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

Michael D wrote:
It's an interceptor trap:

http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html


Ahhhhh - that explains it. Many thanks for the swift responses.

One other question: how should I re-attach the cap? If I just push it
back in it probably won't be a very good fit & may fall out again.
Should it be fully or partially mortared in to prevent smells getting
back through? I don't know if something more modern like mastic may
work as it would make it easy to get out.

Michael

It's purpose is to prevent rats and debris getting into the drains.
If you look at the pictures of interceptors, you'll see that there is a
water trap to prevent sewer gases getting through.
Don't mortar it in or use any other kind of adhesive or you may never get it
off again, if you like you can lean a housebrick against it

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

wrote:
On 26 July, 12:22, Michael D wrote:
It's an interceptor trap:
http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html
Ahhhhh - that explains it. Many thanks for the swift responses.

One other question: how should I re-attach the cap? If I just push it
back in it probably won't be a very good fit & may fall out again.
Should it be fully or partially mortared in to prevent smells getting
back through? I don't know if something more modern like mastic may
work as it would make it easy to get out.

Michael

I wouldn't bother with the cap. AIUI, the modern solution would be
straight-through with no trap at all (unless there was a special
requirement like grease-traps for restaurants). I would do my best to
clear out the trap and get everything flowing as freely as possible
though.

yes. The only downside is pongs. If these are floating up from gulleys
or plugholes, then consider trapping those individually. Or source a
rubber plug from somewhere that fits. Or modify what you have to take a
standard rodding point.

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

Phil L wrote:
Michael D wrote:
It's an interceptor trap:

http://www.draindomain.com/interceptor%20traps.html

Ahhhhh - that explains it. Many thanks for the swift responses.

One other question: how should I re-attach the cap? If I just push it
back in it probably won't be a very good fit & may fall out again.
Should it be fully or partially mortared in to prevent smells getting
back through? I don't know if something more modern like mastic may
work as it would make it easy to get out.

Michael

It's purpose is to prevent rats and debris getting into the drains.
If you look at the pictures of interceptors, you'll see that there is a
water trap to prevent sewer gases getting through.

which is bypassed by that pipe..
so its just as much to stop the pongs getting through as well. The cap,
that is.

I wonder if at some point the thing flooded, and someone poked around,
the cap fell off, and it drained and they left it like that.


Don't mortar it in or use any other kind of adhesive or you may never get it
off again, if you like you can lean a housebrick against it


Frankly the whole concept is defunct these days anyway, so its moot as
to whether what is upstream is well enough trapped so the whole shebang
is a redundant but of potential blockage.

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

yes. The only downside is pongs. If these are floating up from gulleys
or plugholes, then consider trapping those individually. Or source a
rubber plug from somewhere that fits. Or modify what you have to take
a standard rodding point.

Forgot about those.
To the OP, you can buy a rubber bung with a butterfly screw which tightens
and seals the hole, they are made specifically for drains and you can get
one from any builders merchant, or maybe even b&q.

Look for drain test plug on google, a 200mm (4 in) one will set you back
about 8 - 10 quid

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

Phil L wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

yes. The only downside is pongs. If these are floating up from
gulleys or plugholes, then consider trapping those individually. Or
source a rubber plug from somewhere that fits. Or modify what you
have to take a standard rodding point.

Forgot about those.
To the OP, you can buy a rubber bung with a butterfly screw which
tightens and seals the hole, they are made specifically for drains
and you can get one from any builders merchant, or maybe even b&q.

Look for drain test plug on google, a 100mm (4 in) one will set you
back about 8 - 10 quid

typo fixed, 100mm not 200mm

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

Phil L wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

yes. The only downside is pongs. If these are floating up from gulleys
or plugholes, then consider trapping those individually. Or source a
rubber plug from somewhere that fits. Or modify what you have to take
a standard rodding point.

Forgot about those.
To the OP, you can buy a rubber bung with a butterfly screw which tightens
and seals the hole, they are made specifically for drains and you can get
one from any builders merchant, or maybe even b&q.


And I forgot about those!

15-all ? :-)

Look for drain test plug on google, a 200mm (4 in) one will set you back
about 8 - 10 quid

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Phil L wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

yes. The only downside is pongs. If these are floating up from
gulleys or plugholes, then consider trapping those individually.
Or source a rubber plug from somewhere that fits. Or modify what
you have to take a standard rodding point.

Forgot about those.
To the OP, you can buy a rubber bung with a butterfly screw which
tightens and seals the hole, they are made specifically for drains
and you can get one from any builders merchant, or maybe even b&q.


And I forgot about those!

15-all ? :-)

Ye ok :-p

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Couple of things I don't understand about my drains
 

To the OP, you can buy a rubber bung with a butterfly screw which tightens
and seals the hole...

Is this a good idea?

The trap will be prone to blocking from time to time (because it's
inline, with no great pressure acting on it).

When it does block, the chamber will start to fill.

When the chamber is deep (in s***), you want to *easily* remove that
plug and allow the chamber to drain.

Perhaps you could arrange a pull-cord to retrieve it, if the fit isn't
too tight.