How to find a 3" pipe, threaded on both ends and 3" long?

Plumber came to kitchen to take care of my clogged drain after I failed to do it myself. Below the sink, he took off the trap that had what he called a 3" pipe attached to it. Well as he was trying to remove it, part of the t hread broke off. it was old and rusted. Now, he told me to have it replace. His job did not call for replacing pipes and had me sign a waver for that. That's fine. Now what I want to know is how to go about getting that pipe. I'm sure its not ready made, or maybe I am wrong. I know it probably won't be available in a regular hardware store. He said to ask for a 3" pipe, th readed on both ends and 3" long. Isn't that what they call a 'coupler"?

Reply to
novel
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What happened when you asked the supplier for a 3" pipe, threaded on both ends and 3" long ?

Reply to
Don Phillipson

o do it myself. Below the sink, he took off the trap that had what he calle d a 3" pipe attached to it. Well as he was trying to remove it, part of the thread broke off. it was old and rusted. Now, he told me to have it replac e. His job did not call for replacing pipes and had me sign a waver for tha t. That's fine. Now what I want to know is how to go about getting that pip e. I'm sure its not ready made, or maybe I am wrong. I know it probably won 't be available in a regular hardware store. He said to ask for a 3" pipe, threaded on both ends and 3" long. Isn't that what they call a 'coupler"?

Troll alert! Troll alert!

Reply to
trader_4

Couplings are threaded inside.

Pipe and nipples are threaded outside.

Local hardware store probably does not have 3" pipe.

This is one source

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Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

to do it myself. Below the sink, he took off the trap that had what he cal led a 3" pipe attached to it. Well as he was trying to remove it, part of t he thread broke off. it was old and rusted. Now, he told me to have it repl ace. His job did not call for replacing pipes and had me sign a waver for t hat. That's fine. Now what I want to know is how to go about getting that p ipe. I'm sure its not ready made, or maybe I am wrong. I know it probably w on't be available in a regular hardware store. He said to ask for a 3" pipe , threaded on both ends and 3" long. Isn't that what they call a 'coupler"?

Ed, you really think a plumber came to unclog a drain, broke off a 3" pipe, and then told the customer to just go get a new one and put it in? If the trap is attached to a 3" pipe and the 3" pipe needs to be replaced, it sure as hell isn't something that someone asking these questions has any hope of replacing. It would be very unusual for the trap in a kitchen sink to be connected to a 3" pipe to begin with.

My vote is troll.

Reply to
trader_4

If the so called plumber could not replace it, time to call a real plumber. They'd be equipped for any situation.

Reply to
philo 

Is the pipe 3" long, or 3" wide?

3" wide pipe for a kitchen drain sounds a little suspicious. Every kitchen drain I've ever seen uses 1.5" or 2" pipe. Also, I can't imagine any professional plumber who would break a pipe and not fix it. In any case, I've seen a lot of oddball stuff in old houses, so I'll respond anyway.

You said the pipe was old and rusted, so I'm going to assume the pipe is galvanized steel pipe (copper doesn't rust). You said part of the thread broke off, so a threaded adapter is probably not an option. Having worked with old galvanized pipe, I know that trying to take apart old rusted fittings often results in more damage to the plumbing.

I would probably use a hacksaw to cut the pipe below the area it rusted. Then I would use a rubber "Fernco" coupling to adapt to an ABS or PVC pipe that I can install a proper drain fitting on (the nut and washer that seals around the drain tailpipe). If you have 3" wide pipe, you would need to find a reducing Fernco coupling, or use a regular Fernco coupling and transition to the smaller size in the plastic pipe.

If your pipe is really 2" pipe threaded on each end, that would be called a "pipe nipple". Most hardware or big box stores should stock a 3" long pipe nipple. But as I mentioned, trying to take apart old galvanized fittings can be hit or miss, especially since you already had a piece break off. I would soak the fitting with WD40 or something before trying to take it apart. Then carefully use a couple of pipe wrenches to remove the broken pipe nipple. If you're lucky, maybe it will come out without breaking. If you're not lucky, the fitting may break and you'll end up replacing even more pipe and fittings. That's why I would probably opt for the Fernco approach.

Good luck!

Anthony Watson

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Reply to
HerHusband

Which broke - pipe or trap? If trap, take the old one to the store and match it up. If it was the pipe, take it to wholesale pipe supply (not Home Depot) and ask for 2-3 plumber referrals. Or ask a respected friend in the construction business for a referral. Asking a neighbor for a referral is trouble.

Reply to
Guv Bob

Hard to say. Not a legit plumbe4r, but a local handyman or a drunk one. Having 3" pipe is unlikely, but in an older house or aaprtment building, anything is possible.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

It's called a "nipple"

Reply to
clare

Any chance that you could take a digital photo or two and post it here? That would make it easier for people to understand what you have now and what you are asking.

If you don't know how to upload photos, post back here and I an others can show you how to do that.

Reply to
TomR

Maybe yes, maybe no -- I'm not sure. I see prior posts by this person and once in a while he does respond back here when others post responses to his original question.

Reply to
TomR

novel writes: He said to ask for a 3" pipe, th=

That would be called a nipple.

Reply to
Scott Lurndal

HI TomR, thanks for giving me the 'benefit of the doubt'...some guys here j ust get a kick out of calling someone a "troll', just because it be in thei r eyes against the norm...Not everything is perfect in this world. Perhaps I am to be blamed for the wording of my OP..so I will try to straighten it out here the best I can. I did call this guy a plumber mainly cause he does plumbing work for a company that just does drain cleaning. If the 'troll' caller actually read my OP thoroughly, he would of read that he made me sig n a paper wavering any liability in breaking a pipe...his company does not do that. Right now, so I could use the sink, its working just fine, so pict ure taking would not show anything, mainly cause the threaded pipe area tha t he screwed in was covered with 'plumber's tape', which I had from previou s problems. He gave me the measurements. I wanted this info here so I coul d be prepared the next time if and when it would clog, I will have it avail able to have the 'plumber' or 'handy guy' insert it. Guys like you make i t a pleasure in this forum not to rush to judgement.

Reply to
novel

Even a troll caller? LOL

Reply to
novel

Novel,

Mistakes happen, don't sweat it. As with most areas of life, it only takes one or two bad apples (trolls) to cause trouble for everyone else. It's easy for people with DIY experience to forget that not everyone knows the correct terminology for things. Heck, I've been doing this stuff for decades and still discover new things.

When it comes to stupid questions, I'm an expert! :)

OK, that makes more sense.

Photos are always helpful. In my previous reply I was picturing the drain pipe coming up out of the floor, mainly because that's the setup I dealt with at my in-laws. After I posted my response, I realized your pipe may be coming out of the wall instead. If that's the case, you may not have the space to use a Fernco coupling.

Post a photo if you can, it helps make sense when text doesn't necessarily explain the situation.

Armed with these responses you should have no trouble explaining what you need to the sales people at the hardware or box store. For that matter, you could probably find it yourself.

Good luck!

Anthony Watson

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Reply to
HerHusband

Inny, outie. Not a nipple's worth of difference.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Here is the picture the red tape is covering the pipe in question..sorry, its the best i can do

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Reply to
novel

I don't understand what is broken. Is the trap broken? Is the vertical Tee broken? Does the Tee have broken pipe stuck on its threads? Where is the

3" long piece of 3" pipe?
Reply to
Pico Rico

On 6/21/2014 8:27 AM, Pico Rico wrote: ...

The threads on nipple with the red tape wrapped around it to prevent the drip were apparently twisted off at the junction when the cleanout guy removed the trap. Seems that was able to rethread the trap onto remaining threads enough to get by for a while. One can see the nipple is now short by the offset from the sink drain now required to hit the trap entrance.

Reply to
dpb

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