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decisis_34 · May 19, 2009, 01:26 PM

Hello, I had a question that I couldn't find a direct answer to, so here it goes. I have a tub in the bathroom and it sits in between two closet's. I hate the tub shower combo so what I want to do is turn one of the closets into a shower.

Can I build the shower that will connect to the tub drain pipe?

If so will I need to make a p-trap for the shower?

On top of the concrete slab could I build (2x4's and ply wood) a raised floor for my pipes to run under instead of having to cut real deep into the concrete?

massplumber2008 · May 19, 2009, 01:37 PM

Hey decisis34:

You can connect into the pipes underground for sure, but the tub branch may be only 1.5" pipe so you may need to connect into the larger 2" lavatory pipe or the toilet drain pipe... hard to say without exposing the pipes. The shower drain will also need a vent.

If you are lucky you can connect into the 2" lavatory drain and use the lavatory drain/vent to vent the new shower drain line. This would require you to pipe the pipes as deep as the lavatory drain pipe and pitch up to the shower from there... NO STEPS. Otherwise, you can pipe a new waste line and an individual vent.. connect the vent to the other bathroom vents and install step up as you wanted...

There also other options for a shower... called a SANISHOWER... check it out at A compact domestic pump, very convenient to install a sink and a shower.

These small macerating pumps can be hooked up to evacuate a shower without having to break into the floor at all... ;)

Let me know if you have more questions...

MARK

ballengerb1 · May 19, 2009, 01:38 PM

Your tub has a 1 1/2" drain and the shower requirea a 2" drain. Trap is required soi you ight well run a 2" all the way to the main drain where the tub connects

decisis_34 · May 19, 2009, 02:02 PM

OK thank you for the quick responds but it always leads to more questions.

1. Since it is a concrete slab about how deep is the lavatory drain going to be?

2. If I was able to connect to the lavatory drain I would not need a vent?

3. No matter where I connect it or what I use I will need a p-trap?

4. I have never heard of the sanishower. Let me see if I understand this. My drain goes down to the p-trap then hooks into the pump. Does the pump have to be at the same level or can the pump be higher then the drain? Where then do I hook the pump into?

Thanks for your help!

massplumber2008 · May 19, 2009, 02:11 PM

Lavatory pipe is usually about a foot OR LESS below the concrete.

If you connect into the lavatory drain and the vent for rthe lavatory is 2" you will NOT need a vent for the shower...:)

You will definitely need the 2" PTRAP!

In terms of the sanishower, you don't connect into any pipes underground... you run pipes above ground and then the pump discharges the water from the shower to a pipe ABOVE the ground. Click and read the installation instructions at that site I provided above... see what you think about it.

Back to you.

decisis_34 · May 19, 2009, 03:27 PM

Thanks again. Few more questions and then I will be done. I like the sanishower idea a lot. I was ready to give up until this came along.

1. Have you ever used this product? If so is it professional?

2. I guess I'm just slow but I'm not understanding where the discharge is going to. Im thinking that I can just tie it into the tub drain, is this correct?

3. Lastly, on the vent. The sanishower does not have a place to vent so that means I have to have a 2" vent pipe before the pump, is this correct?

massplumber2008 · May 19, 2009, 03:49 PM

Excellent product...

You are confusing stuff here, for sure. The shower itself will still need a drain and a ptrap, but the drain from the shower will connect into the pump. From the pump a 1" pipe will be run to connect into a 2 or 3" pipe above ground somewhere where it is easy to connect into the plumbing.

You will cut a wye fitting into a 2 or 3" drain pipe above ground and then connect the 1" pipe from the pump to the sewer. The sanishower vent needs to connect into the lavatory vent if possible... but still all this means no cutting concrete.

Read the installation instructions at the link provided and you will understand much better.

The only downfall here is that the macerator pump makes noise when pumping which is often during a shower, but you get used to it quickly. Otherwise, as long as nothing is put down the drain that shouldn't be this is a great system that should provide years of trouble free service.

Let me know if you have more questions... no problem!

decisis_34 · May 20, 2009, 07:22 AM

I think I'm getting it. Before I didn't know that the pump had a vent on the top of it. I can run that vent up the wall and meet up with the toilet vent, correct? Also with the discharge (after the pump) I can run that to the toilet drain also, correct? Ok so here is what I have... Water from the shower to the shower drain... shower drain to the p-trap... p-trap to the pump... to exits from the pump, the vent and the discharge. The vent goes up the wall and connects to the toilet stack, the discharge pipe goes to the pipe coming out of the toilet down the wall connected by the wye pipe. So does that sound correct? I have also sketched a picture of the bathroom so you can see.

massplumber2008 · May 20, 2009, 07:31 AM

It all sounds correct...

YUP... can connect into the toilet vent at 42-48" above the finish floor (or higher).

The 1" discharge pipe from the pump can connect into the toilet pipe above ground... must use a wye fitting to connect into the stack.

Where would you put the pump?

decisis_34 · May 20, 2009, 07:54 AM

Awesome! I was planning on putting the pump under the shower, build the shower. Have it right next to the wall in front of the toilet and build an access panel to get to it. On the vent pipe can I have it run all the way to the attic then attach to the stack? Also when the vent exits the pump it is 1" do i the to make it 2" immediately? How does this plan look?

massplumber2008 · May 20, 2009, 08:58 AM

The pump is too tall to fit under a regular shower if you include all the fittings... or at least would require a HUGE step... but saniflo company may make a shower floor for this situation.. check it out at Saniflo macerating and gray water pumping systems

You can definitely connect the vent up in the attic... :)

The vent will be on top of the cover of the pump and they should supply a flexible connector with the pump... you will attach an 1.5" vent to this system and then run that up to attic as proposed.
There is a vent elbow

decisis_34 · May 20, 2009, 09:07 AM

O yea, I forgot that I was planning on making a seat in the shower as well so the pump would fit there perfectly. Ok well thank you so much for all your help!

decisis_34 · May 20, 2009, 09:13 AM

On second thought, I just thought about where the discharge is going to go. The toilet drain goes straight into the ground! Any other idea's about where I could go?

massplumber2008 · May 20, 2009, 01:09 PM

Is there a vertical component to the toilet pipe? If so, you can cut a fitting into the vertical pipe...

Otherwise, you can run that 1" discharge pipe a pretty good distance... maybe you can run it to the mechanical room and connect into a sewer pipe in there..?

decisis_34 · May 20, 2009, 02:24 PM

I'm sorry but I don't think I understand the "vertical component to the toilet pipe" comment. It is a standard toilet that is installed on the hole in the floor. The mechanical room is all the way across the house and I don't think I can make it with the slope needed. I guess I might be out of luck after all.