Decolav and Grohe Install Help

[Handyman]

My wife and I bought a model 1410-CWH Decolav vessel sink and a push button pop-up drain model 9297 for it. We also purchased a Grohe Tenso line model 32425 faucet to go with this sink. In attempting to install these I ran into a few problems.

First the faucet supply lines that are pre-installed on this faucet are not long enough to reach our on/off valves. I went to Lowe's and Home Depot (both of which suck for any kind of customer service or trained personnel who actually have any clue whatsoever in home improvement) and they told me to just put longer lines on. Not so easy. These lines are special and are inside of the faucet neck. They are not standard supply lines. I could not find any extension hoses and don't really want to make some kind of funky extensions on the copper lines to make it get closer either. What are my options? Does Grohe sell longer lines that can be installed?

Second problem is that the Decolav drain that we got was the one recommended for that sink. Only problem is that the hole on the bottom of the sink is 2" diameter i.d. and the drain is 1.5" o.d.. The only hardware supplied with this drain was a fiber washer and a nut. The washer barely covers the hole and since this is an overflow type sink I know it will leak when water is applied. Also what is to stop water from running down the threads? Clearly there is some kind of rubber washer missing. Decolav's and Grohe's websites offer absolutely no help in installation directions. Please someone help us!

I am attaching links to webpages for these so you can see what they are. Thanks.

Josh

 

[Jadnashua]

To extend the lines, you can get brass compression fittings for in-line. It looks like the fitting on the shut-off valve, but is on both ends with a hex-part in the middle so you can hold it while tightening the hose fitting to it. I did that for one of my faucets - seems to work fine. Just throw out the sleeves and nuts, as the hoses have gaskets and nuts on them. Sounds like you need a special drain for that sink. Too bad you can't use the drain that comes with the faucet. I don't like having to reach in the sink to pop it up, I'd rather do it remotely! My unprofessional experience.

 

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[Handyman]

The drain we got did not come with the faucet. It WAS the special one Decolav recommended for the sink. It seems there must be a cone shaped gasket (like one that goes between a toilet tank and bowl) that needs to go around the drain tube and into the hole in the sink. This theoretically in my mind would squeeze when tightened and fill in the threads on the drain pipe and fill up the sink hole and prevent leaking. Is this right?

 

[SRdenny]

To extend the water supplies on your Grohe faucet, try 2-Brasscraft B-1-12KC. They are 12" long connectors that will connect the 3/8" male thread of your angle stop to the 3/8" female thread of the faucet flexible connectors.
As for the drain, I would contact Decolav and ask them if you have the right parts. My fealing is you're missing a fat rubber washer that mounts to the bottom of the sink.

 

[Handyman]

Thanks for the help. I agree it seems there must be a missing rubber washer.

I checked Lowe's last night for those extensions but they didn't have anything. Where does a professional plumber go for parts? Our home inspector told us he used to be a plumber and that not to buy any faucets from the home improvement places because the quality wasn't there. He told us if we went to a plumber supply place and bought a faucet then bought the same faucet at Lowe's or Home Depot, the latter would be plastic w/ plastic tubes inside instead of copper. I tried contacting the two plumber supplies he told me about, and they don't sell to the public and you need an appointment to even see the showroom.

 

[Handyman]

Just an update for anyone who may be curious. I called both companies and Decolav said I am missing a rubber gasket and is sending it next day air. Grohe on the other hand said there are no longer hoses available and that I would need to get an extension.

 

[Jadnashua]

The Grohe faucets I've seen use a (metric?) thread on the faucet. If you lived in Europe, you could probably find something that would work. Here, just use a hose of the needed length with either an adapter (easier to find), or the appropriate 3/8" male connector (harder to find, but available, too).

 

[Handyman]

I went to Ace Hardware and they had 9" extensions with 3/8" female threads on both ends. I also bought some male to male adaptors to connect it all.

As for the rubber insert from Decolav, I am still waiting for it to get here even though they told me 2 days ago it was coming next day air.