Shower rough in mystery plumbing

[JGW]

Hi, all. I'm renovating a bathroom and have to re-do the shower/tub plumbing as I'm replacing a two-handle set with a single handle mixing valve. When I opened up the wall I expected to find some pretty basic plumbing but instead found this (see attached picture). What are those extra stacks (for lack of a better word) for , and am I OK to tear it all out down to where the 1/2 inch pipes stub through the floor? Thanks in advance.

 

[Reach4]

What are those extra stacks (for lack of a better word) for

Those are water hammer arrestors. Ideally they will contain air when you drain the plumbing and serve as a shock absorber for water. The newer versions have pistons to separate the air from the water to prevent the air from dissolving away.

The top cross piece looks like a mechanical strut to secure those pipes in place. It was made with available scrap.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[JGW]

Those are water hammer arrestors. Ideally they will contain air when you drain the plumbing and serve as a shock absorber for water. The newer versions have pistons to separate the air from the water to prevent the air from dissolving away.

The top cross piece looks like a mechanical strut to secure those pipes in place. It was made with available scrap.

Yes, it's just scrap soldered in place as a support. So I should be Ok to remove everything? Had professionals replumb another bathroom in my house and they didn't do anything like that. Water hammer perhaps not a problem.

 

[hj]

They only work for a few months anyway, and can SELDOM, if ever, be recharged by draining the system.

 

[JGW]

Many thanks to both of you. Out it comes.

 

[Reach4]

Yes, it's just scrap soldered in place as a support. So I should be Ok to remove everything? Had professionals replumb another bathroom in my house and they didn't do anything like that. Water hammer perhaps not a problem.

If you remove the existing arrestors, you can replace them with the more modern version: