Hello every one my name i Cezar and I'm new to this forum. I'm about to do make shower pan in the hi-rise concrete building. I'm using schluter drain assembly which has female 2" ending. The stack drain 2" pipe is sitting in concrete floor sort of loosely. The hole in the concrete floor is about 4" living about 2" of space between the pipe and the edges of concrete hole. The top is even with the level of the concrete floor.
My problem is that when I put the schluter abs female drain on the top of the metal pipe it doesn't fit snuggly over it. It has about 1/8" of play.
I don't believe in silicon, and there is no room to maneuver since the metal pipe leaves only 2" on each side of the concrete hole.
Is there anything like an insert or bonding agent that will make the connection leak free?
Help would be greatly appreciated
Cezar

Hi Cezar...

That metal pipe is threaded... right? If the schluter drain has a female connection then your metal pipe needs to have threads that mate to it. If the metal pipe has no threads above the floor then I would try to back that pipe out using a wrench and then transition over to an ABS or PVC plastic pipe using a male adapter at both ends of the new pipe... male thread into female fitting below floor and male thread into the female adapter at the drain fitting above the floor. Be sure to install some teflon tape or pipe dope at the threaded joints to be sure they don't leak.

Any chance you can access the pipes from below? If so, that cast iron pipe could be installed into a clamp... that could be loosened and changed over to a threaded pipe.

Otherwise, you need to find a drain that will work with the cast iron pipe in place.

Let us know what you think...

MARK

Hello Massplumber
Thanks for your replay. It would help if the metal pipe was threaded but is not, and its top is flashed with the top of the concrete floor. Ideally I don't like to add more height to that pipe because its already to high for my mortar bed. If I do another transition to abs it would add another 2" inches or so,and that would cause my mortar bed to be unusually high. I'm not familiar with the term "back that pipe" maybe I missing something. Unfortunately I don't have access to the space bellow I'm sure people who live there never would allow to open their ceiling in their bathroom. The old shower drain that I removed was actually abs and it fit snugly over that metal pipe and additionally bellow there was some sort of ring made of felt like material. It looks like that there was some sort of the bonding material used.
Optionally if you could think of any way to cut metal pipe about two inches lower maybe with the grinder that would be small enough to fit inside the pipe, if I would able to cut it, I could use some sort of transition to abs and then clamp it, however I already tried cutting it with dremel and is not strong enough. I measured abs 2" pipe and its outside dim is 2 1/8" and the my metal pipe is exactly 2" If I would be able to get some sort of the sleeve that would fill 1/8" and than cement everything together that would be another alternative.
My last resort would be to jack hammer enough concrete to give me access from the side and then I suppose I could use the silicone to connect to ends plus I could use flexible clamp to add stability. What do you think would that work?
Once again your help is greatly appreciated.
Cezar

Cezar...

Call schluter and see if they have a drain that connects directly to 2" cast iron pipe. In this case, the drain wouldn't be threaded and then you can connect the drain and the pipe using an appropriate clamp.

Otherwise, you will probably need to chop the concrete up and use a grinder to cut the pipe down enough to join to it with a clamp.

DO NOT attempt to cement all this together using silicone... it will leak in a year or less and I promise you will be removing the entire shower and starting over again. Take your time now and find the correct method to join the pipes. You and your nreghbor will appreciate it in the future... :)

MARK

Thanks Mark
Yes I know this is liability issue. I will serch for radical sollution and do it proper way. Any idea what could have been used before on the old drain as I described before?
Cezar

If you have a 2" cast iron pipe then you will need to purchase a 2" no-hub cast iron flanged drain... see image.

You will connect it to the 2" pipe using a 2" no-hub clamp... see image.

Let me know if you want to discuss more...

MARK

Hello Mark
Thanks, for the advise I did it with similar clamp. I bought 2 ½” rubber clamp it fit over metal pipe sort of loosely, and the plastic end of the drain assembly was very hard to squeeze into the other end of the rubber. So I shaved a bit of the inside edge of the rubber, as well as I feathered out the plastic for better squeeze.
First I clamped the metal pipe since it sits way below the level of concrete, I tightened the clamp using #8 ratchet wrench, next I squeezed the top plastic piece in to the rubber, and tightened. Most importantly I didn't have to raise the whole thing even a quarter of an inch.
I'm pretty sure I did a good job however I'm not able to test for leaks just jet, because my pan and membrane is not in place yet
Thanks for all your help and advises, I'm not sure if I can rate your post more than one time let me know if I can.
Cheers
Cezar
.

Hope it all works out well... :)

Thank you for the update.

MARK

I have cast pipe that gose form base
Meant to the roof. I am been told that the 5ft that is in the roof that the abs will not hold it. I have a 10ft run
From the basement to my bathroom wall is that true. I would like to know.

Thanks