Close-couple p-trap for wall exit???

[dpb]

I ran into a new one for me--

Drain on wall-mounted water-fountain at church building draining very slow so needed to pull trap and clean it out since a couple shots of a drain cleaner didn't solve the problem and there's a collection pan in the top so can't use either a plunger or get a snake down it to clean it out. Well, this sucker is probably the age of the building which is 40 or so, so what w/ one thing and another given the _very_ restricted space under the thing, it was so thin that I ended up putting a thumb right through it. Well, the good news is it now drains very well... :)

The bad news is after a full afternoon of mucking about to get the remnants of the drain out the wall, I go to the hardware store, get a new (plastic this time) trap and get ready to put it back together. Except, the distance of the drain to the wall is only 4" and the size of the trap is just over that so the flange of the outlet side of the trap is rubbing the wall fitting leaving less than zero clearance for the elbow and wall outlet section. OK, we'll do the turn it 180 trick and circle the wagons -- except there's not sufficient clearance between the side panel on one side and the cooling compressor on the other to do that.

OK, went to the local plumbing distributors to find a close-fitting trap

-- they ain't got one any tighter than the one from Ace.

So, finally to the question. I did a quick Google but didn't find one

-- anybody here know if there is such a thing any more? It's 1-1/4" drain and need a p-trap that has something like 3" or less distance center-line to center-line inlet to outlet.

[Speedy Jim]

Haven't seen one in decades :-(

Last ditch: Get a heavy weight (17 ga) trap. Saw a section out of the return bend and braze back together..

Jim

[Oren]

Not a clue from me. :)

Would an RV/Motor Home type supply store have a smaller version (tight spaces) verses a local hardware?

-- Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

[dpb]

Don't know have never had or worked on mobile homes, but not a bad idea

-- I know much of it is smaller for tighter spaces. Brings the idea of the motorhome crowd, too...

Thanks, hadn't thought of it...

Just came back from reconnoitering the sittyachun w/ my long-time ol' plumber buddy -- he allows "ya' got a problem, donchya'?"... :) Says never run across one in his 60-some years that close that he recalls. Says he suspects it was supplied w/ the fountain...guess I'll try Halsey Walker, too, and see if they have an answer...

We only got like 8-10 of these, all alike and all of the same age... :(

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[kool]

Get 3 1-1/4 street (MxF) copper 90's and make a trap.

[Oren]

Twice in the last two weeks; riding with my friend I say, "There's the

*trailer* from 1940"; folks live there! My guess is they find parts or adapt!! ?

(PS - mobile homes are placed (some places), the tounge cut off and the axles removed, but they are called mobile..!!)

Trust your friend...

-- Oren

Hofstadter's Law - It [a task] always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

[dpb]

Tried variation already -- all have stubbed out of wall is 1-1/4 male thread about 3/8" depth -- tried both PVC and galvanized street el -- neither will clear the compressor on the side to make the turn.

The copper _might_ be short enough, though. Have to wait 'til Monday now for the plumbing distributor to open as there's no chance of finding

1-1/4" copper anywhere else...

Actually, what I'm thinking towards now is to chop off the standard

1-1/4" trap exit elbow and take a piece of hose and fashion it into a trap shape and simply clamp one end to the tailpiece and the other to the horizontal--my own Fernco, if you will... :)

[dpb]

Around here they're known as "tornado bait" and they tend to move w/o need for tongue or wheels... :)

As I responded to kool, my current thought is to adapt to shaping a piece of hose to a trap and clamping both ends...

I do know the local mobile home dealership folks pretty well from outside activities so I'll swing by there tomorrow and check on what they know/have that might be useful.

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[aemeijers]

Fine-tune reality- take the fountain off the wall, and remount on a 2" standoff made of whatever. I assume the feed line would be easy to extend?

aem sends...

[Abe]

I think they're Halsey Taylor now.

[Abe]

[dpb]

Yeah, that was a mis-statement but figured it wasn't worth correcting when I realized it...

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[dpb]

Yeah, I sent them an e-mail to their service as it was after hours--gave them the model number and asked if the traps were supplied w/ the units and/or what the current solution (other than new coolers :) would be)...

We'll see what we hear...

Meanwhile, today I'll run by the mobile home dealer and check w/ them and then if that doesn't pan out, go to the farm supply and get a piece of sprayer hose and fashion one so will be able to use it Sunday. This one, of course, is the one that is just outside the kids' area and the only "little kids" low one in the building is a slave off this one so when I cut the water off on this one it kills the other one, too. If it were any of the others in the building, it could wait and nobody would probably notice for a week or so...

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[dpb]

_Absolute_ last ditch -- as say, there are 8-10 of these beasties in the building and I'm _not_ going to start that project... :( Lord only knows what else one would uncover when doing that re: water supply, mounts, etc., ...

If nothing else, as noted elsewhere, I'll simply fashion a flexible trap as a workaround. If it doesn't cause a problem w/ a collapse after a time, it'll be good enough. If it does, I'll work on either the heavier-walled conventional trap and brazing or perhaps easier, taking a section out of a plastic trap and regluing it or fashion one from soft copper or some such. Once I find one solution that is workable I can then repeat it. I'm still thinking the hose will be easiest and probably work fine...

Thanks for the suggestions...

--

[Oren]

Check an auto parts store for molded radiator hoses, with various turns and bends.

-- Oren

..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..

[dpb]

...

Well, just got back and it is repaired! :)

Went to Ace again "one more time" to see if could find anything else to cobble something together from before resorting to the hose. Found a lone metal "j trap" which has a shorter bend than the "p-traps" by just enough to make it fit -- I guess that was what was used originally. I made a plastic exit elbow work, but a metal one there would be better as they have a shorter bend, also.

Would have preferred plastic and cost 5x as much for the fancy chrome that nobody can see, but it does work. The previous was probably from original installation so if this one lasts half that I'll be long removed from the maintenance... :)

Thanks to all for the ideas...