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Mike Cutler
09-30-2007, 9:18 AM
Looking for a little plumbing help here folks.
I need to remove some drains temporarily to replace a subfloor.
I will need to cut some of the black ABS drain lines to put the sub floor back in. All the pipe the local Home Depot has is White. Can I mix the two pipe colors? and is there a special adhesive. I think Oatleys has a special product, not sure though.
I can work high pressure air, water, steam and hydraulics systems, but plumbing seems to mystify me.:confused:

This whole project started out as repainting the back porch. Now I'm redoing the floors to the joists in the back 1/4 of my house.:eek:

Thanks for the help.

Greg Crawford
09-30-2007, 9:28 AM
I'd check with manufacturers, as they will know what their glue works with and what it doesn't. I think the black pipe was banned years back or something like that. I'm not even sure if the two will fit each other. Good luck.

David G Baker
09-30-2007, 9:36 AM
I don't know about the correct cement to use but when I left California around 7 years ago the only pipe available for use in drain pipe in my area was the black ABS. I moved to Michigan and in my area the only pipe available is white drain pipe. If you can't find a cement that matches your needs, there is a rubber coupling with hose clamps on each end that will join the two types together. This should work for you especially since you said that the set up is temporary.

Jim Becker
09-30-2007, 9:50 AM
Check with a local plumbing supply house...your needs are "beyond the borg"...

Don Abele
09-30-2007, 10:19 AM
I just happen to be in the middle of putting in a new bathroom in our basement. So I did a lot of research on the subject, especially since I have both white and black piping.

The white piping is PVC, the black is ABS. Both are schedule 40, certified for use in DWV (drain, waste, vent) applications. Some areas do not allow one or the other. Some don't allow the dissimilar materials to be mixed. You really need to check your code on this one.

ABS has some limitations with it that PVC does not. It can not be exposed to sunlight or oils (it breaks it down). Not sure that that would ever be an issue in a residential application.

With ABS you use a solvent glue only. With PVC you use a cleaner/primer then the cement. Each of the cements is only good for the material it is made for. For transitions between the two there is a glue called transition glue (it's green). Most plumbers (and local codes) will not glue the two together, but use a no hub transition band (the same thing you use to connect PVC/ABS to metal sewer lines). Even with the hub there's a lot of controversy saying that the two expand/contract differently and shouldn't be mixed. The plumbing in my house has been there quite a while with several glued ABS to PVC joints without fail.

Again, check codes (especially the one about needing a permit/license/inspection).

Take care,

Doc

David G Baker
09-30-2007, 4:53 PM
An electrician once owned my house, he used plastic 2 inch conduit for drain pipe. It worked fine but I thought it was a bit unusual.
Not sure if it is still true but approximately 10 years ago a friend needed to have some drain work done on her home in San Francisco and was required to use all copper for any venting or drains that were being replaced or changed. Probably fire and earthquake protection.

Gene Jordan
09-30-2007, 10:57 PM
I'm not sure if this helps in your location, but my local Lowes lumber yard carries ABS black plastic pipe as well as PVC white plastic pipe. This is in Southern Illinois. I'm not sure if all of the Lowes stores carry it though.
Good luck on your project.

Mike Cutler
10-01-2007, 5:19 AM
Thanks for the responses folks.
As of now I only have to redo some shower and toilet drains, but I will have to cut the main vent stack to properly install the subfloor. All of the piping is on one common wetwall.
It's going back in the same configuration it came out, so I don't think I'll need an inspection. I'll call the town in the morning.

Thanks for the tip about lowes. I'll have to check it out.
I remember the two local Home Depots used to have different color drain pipe. One store had black, the other white. They also have seperate colors for gutter material. One store has white, the other has brown. Wierd huh?

Russ Filtz
10-01-2007, 7:33 AM
ABS has some limitations with it that PVC does not. It can not be exposed to sunlight or oils (it breaks it down). Not sure that that would ever be an issue in a residential application.
Doc

Note PVC is not recommended for long term sunlight exposure. It can be damaged by UV. For most residential uses you're probably OK, but for utility work we always spec a coating normally.