PVC Keeps Disconnecting

[caughtinyourfrost]

Hi there! I'm here seeking some help for my kitchen sink.

Under our kitchen sink, the pvc pipe that allows water to drain keeps getting disconnected from the pipe that leads it out of the cabinet into our system. Basically, the pipe disconnects, we run the water, the cabinet floods. The bottom pipe has a twisty portion that tightens it around the pipe that drains that water, but it keeps loosening and separating. This has happened before and I threw some teflon tape on there and it lasted a few months, but it happened again so now I'm looking for something a bit more permanent. I asked the home improvement store what to do but they weren't much help (not much of a shocker to be completely honest). Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you! I attached a picture to see what we're dealing with here.

(Also if you can explain this to me like I'm 5 that would be awesome, I'm a 20yo girl with no experience in plumbing or anything of that sort)

 

[havasu]

Do you have the rubber retainer ring installed?

 

[Geofd]

Is that translucent nut threaded on to the white peice as tight as possible????? Is there a crack in that translucent part, does the pipe ( trap ) underneath sag

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

Do you have the rubber retainer ring installed?

I don't believe so. Would it be in that little gap where all that dirt is? (I'll clean it if needed, I know rubber rings help with the connection but never thought of one being present for some reason). If I need to buy a new one of these, what am I exactly looking for in the hardware store?

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

Is that translucent nut threaded on to the white peice as tight as possible????? Is there a crack in that translucent part, does the pipe ( trap ) underneath sag

There's no cracks as far as I can see, and the pipe doesn't sag. I have the nut threaded as tightly as possible.

 

[havasu]

Do you have these rings installed?

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

Do you have these rings installed?

It didn't, I ran to Lowes not too long ago and grabbed some. However now I'm dealing with two issues.

1. The washer is not fitting right. It's not taking up the all insides, and it's showing a bit when I tighten it. It's still holding the water though, which is a plus. I may also be putting it in wrong.

2. There is now water coming from the pipe below (that U shaped pipe). I did have to move it a bit to get it to fit under the pipe where the water drains which may have loosened it a bit. I may just need to tighten it, but I do not have the right tools do so. I only have generic hardworking tools, and a very few plumbing supplies.

 

[Geofd]

Try an 1 1/2" trap nut and an 1 1/2" poly washer

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

Alright good news, I got the nut and washer to fit properly and we are all good!
Bad news, now the bottom pipe is leaking. Nothing intense, just a few drops here and there, but I'd like to get that figured out before it becomes anything serious. That bottom pipe has been jostled around wuite a bit in the ordeal so it may have loosened a bit. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm not familiar with this part and it doesn't seem as straight forward. I could be wrong of course!
(The part closer to the camera is where it leaks, where the top pipe connects to the U-shaped pipe)

 

[Geofd]

Are you sure it's not the nut closer to the walll????

 

[havasu]

You should only hand tighten that plumbing. Too much force and they'll leak every time.

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

You should only hand tighten that plumbing. Too much force and they'll leak

Are you sure it's not the nut closer to the walll????

It can be either one honestly, I said it was the one closest to the camera because that's where I felt the most wetness. I dried the entire pipe, turned the water on for a short time, then felt for the wetness.
And gotcha, I don't want to mess up the plumbing. Thank you

 

[FishScreener]

I think, I’d just replace the trap and whole thing they kits at home centers, hardware stores an lumber yards. Looking at your photos, there is evidence of leakage on most of those ring-tite joints.

 

[havasu]

I agree. The entire sink kit is about $20, which is all new and should be a 5 minute job to get that area leak free.

 

[TomFOhio]

That slip nut that you were showing us doesn't take a washer. It is already built into the nut. Is it possible that your
pvc pipe is cut to short.

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

I think, I’d just replace the trap and whole thing they kits at home centers, hardware stores an lumber yards. Looking at your photos, there is evidence of leakage on most of those ring-tite joints.

I agree. The entire sink kit is about $20, which is all new and should be a 5 minute job to get that area leak free.

Dang I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, I didn't want to mess with the plumbing too much but I guess I'll have to lol.
What am I exactly looking for? Like, a specification.
Also, how would I remove the current pieces? Is it just the U-shaped part or the entire under portion, up to where it leads into the wall?
Sorry for asking so many questions, I'm not exactly great with plumbing but I want to fix this and do it right.

 

[FishScreener]

I’d do one of these, which is a complete kit. Looking at your pictures every joint is leaking.
This one is for a double sink with garbage disposal. but they hold have a kit for two tail pieces, for setups without the disposal.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/PF-Wate...al-Installation-Kit-in-White-PF0989/307267074
It’s not too hard, my daughter preplaced the drains on her moms kitchen sink when she was 12, almost 13, with a bit of direction from me over FaceTime. There are videos on YouTube, to show you how. Watch a couple first.

 

[caughtinyourfrost]

Gah I'm so confused. Am I looking for a sink repair kit or a P-trap? I can't find anything that fits (I could just not be looking hard enough though). The upper pipe below the nut measures to roughly a 2" diameter and everything else is roughly a 2.5". I absolutely suck at math and measured the diameter without disassembling anything using the circumference so I can very much be wrong. All I know is that it's slightly larger than the pipe where the original problem stemmed from. I'm sorry to be an annoyance, I thank you all for your patience and help thus far. I'm so close to getting this figured out but I'm also so confused.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I don't believe so. Would it be in that little gap where all that dirt is? (I'll clean it if needed, I know rubber rings help with the connection but never thought of one being present for some reason). If I need to buy a new one of these, what am I exactly looking for in the hardware store?

That nut has a built in washer. You dont use another washer with that nut.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Your pipe coming out of the wall is 2” pvc.

The P-trap you have is 2” sch 40 pvc. .

The inlet of the Ptrap is reduced from 2” to 1.5” pvc sch 40.

The thin polypropylene tube that’s white Is 1.5” tubular.

You need to cut the 2” ptrap off the horizontal pipe coming out of the wall approximately 3” past the trap going into the wall. It must be cut square/straight.
Cut 3” toward the wall from this arrow.


Then you will glue on a 2x1.5” pvc bell reducer.
Then you will glue a 1.5” male sch 40 trap adapter into that bell reducer.

Now you will need a 1.5” tubular polypropylene complete ptrap.

You will also need a 1.5” slip joint tailpiece extension to come out of the ptrap and connect to your existing polypropylene that’s connected to your sink.

Any questions ? Would you like a shopping list ? From what store ?