Water level

Plumbing Forums

Help Support Plumbing Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

oakumboakum

Active Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
40
Reaction score
1
Location
san francisco, CA
I installed new kitchen floor cabinets with a granite countertop and Kohler double bowl sink. The sink has 9 inch deep bowls and I knew going in that there might be a problem with the plumbing. The house was built in 1942 for the sinks available then. The cast iron stack and its two "T" fittings were installed for 1942 conventions.

Because of the depth of the sink bowls, it was a real chore to get all the pipes to fit. I had to cut the chrome tailpieces and waste arms but I was able to get a water tight system. I must have damaged the left basket because I couldn't stop a small drip if I filled the left bowl with water and then pulled out the strainer. I had to seal the tailpiece and nut with GE Silicone II. The basket is a Kohler Duostrainer Polished Brass unit and is expensive.

I want to know if the water level should ever be at the "T" where the two waste arms connect to it. Is this a code violation?


Thank you
 
Did you use a flange tail piece washer?
between the flange tail piece and the basket strainer

View attachment 21794


yes,,it is
show a picture of what you did under the cabinet
so we can figure out what you frigged up

Thank you Frodo,

I wasn't aware that part is available. I have always used a rubber ring between the basket and tailpiece. Even with the rubber ring I get a leak. I will try and buy that seal.

I tried to upload a picture but I keep getting an error message saying the file is too large.
 
Thank you Frodo,

I wasn't aware that part is available. I have always used a rubber ring between the basket and tailpiece. Even with the rubber ring I get a leak. I will try and buy that seal.

I tried to upload a picture but I keep getting an error message saying the file is too large.

change the picture size on your camera to 800 pixel
or resize the pic on your pc
 
A sink photo that was for this thread: (25% of original photo)

plumbing -  water lever  9-11-19   25 percent.jpg
 
After I posted my thread mentioning the small water leak at the tailpiece when I pulled out the strainer, I noticed water on the cabinet floor. I saw a small leak at the large threads of the basket strainer.

I first installed the baskets for the left and right bowls of the Kohler sink on August 30. I didn't have any problems with the right basket and its pipes but I kept seeing leaks on the left basket.

There was a small leak at the large threads of the basket. This meant that water was leaking from the sink and the putty. I had to buy a new 4" set of rubber and cardboard gaskets. I removed the left basket and the putty. I applied new putty to the basket and pushed it in place. I tightened the large ring and installed the tailpiece and waste arm. I tightened the 1-1/2 rings and filled the bowl with water. I checked after a few hours and saw no leaks. When I pulled out the strainer, I saw a small leak at the tailpiece. I tried coating the basket threads with teflon paste. I installed a new black rubber washer. I still saw a leak. That is when I decided to use GE Silicone II. The next morning I used the left sink normally and saw no leaks at the tailpiece.

I posted my thread and found a hardware store that had the tailpiece washer. Later in the day I happened to notice water on the cabinet floor again. I saw another leak at the large threads of the basket. I removed the basket, tailpiece, and waste arm. I capped the left side of the Tee and just used the right sink.

I went to the hardware store Thursday morning and bought putty, the rubber and cardboard gaskets, and the tailpiece washer. Saturday morning I again applied new putty to the basket and set it in place. I installed the rubber and cardboard washers and tightened the 4" ring. I filled the left bowl with water and kept an eye on the cabinet floor.

This morning I checked the basket threads and cabinet floor. They were both dry as a bone. I installed the tailpiece washer on the tailpiece and connected the waste arm and tailpiece pipes. I tightened the 1-1/2 " rings and pulled out the strainer. I didn't see any leaks. I filled the bowl again and pulled out the strainer. No leaks.

The left bowl is finally water tight. I have been working on kitchen sink plumbing since 1978 and I have never had the problems I encountered over the past two weeks. I had to buy the following to resolve the problem:

2 sets of rubber and cardboard gaskets
1 jar of putty
1 tailpiece
1 tailpiece washer
 
We refuse to use basket strainers with spinning larg lug nuts.
Only the three screw type strainers for me.
Just a grumpy old plumber now.
I did recently go do a free call back on a ISE disposer from less than a year ago which developed a leak at the putty seal.
First leak at putty in 45 years. Cheap putty?
 
We refuse to use basket strainers with spinning larg lug nuts.
Only the three screw type strainers for me.
Just a grumpy old plumber now.
I did recently go do a free call back on a ISE disposer from less than a year ago which developed a leak at the putty seal.
First leak at putty in 45 years. Cheap putty?

could be, I had a head scratch'er, till i was told by the little boy that mom ties the dog leash to the pipe
LOL
 

Latest posts

Back
Top