diposal overflow to second bowl

[Mikeyboy745]

if i fill one side of my kitchen sink (double bowl) with water and turn on the disposal when I drain the water some water comes up into the other bowl. If I dont run the disposal water doesnt come up into the other bowl. Also during normal use water doesnt come into the other side. Only when I test the drain with the disposal running with about 2 gallons of water in the bowl it comes up the other bowl drain. Is this normal?

 

[Hackney plumbing]

The motor is forcing the water out of the disposal side faster than the drain can handle. If you do not have a baffle tee it can also make the issue worse. A partially clogged drain can also give the same result. Chances are it always has. I dont think you have a problem.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Water should not come up in the other bowl at all. You have an obstruction in your drain line somewhere.

 

[Hackney plumbing]

Water should not come up in the other bowl at all. You have an obstruction in your drain line somewhere.

Thats simply not true. You cant expect to fill one side of a two compartment sink piped with a common end outlet or center outlet waste and expect the water not to equalize to a degree...especially with a motor forcing it out of one side.

 

[hj]

quote; Thats simply not true. You cant expect to fill one side of a two compartment sink piped with a common end outlet or center outlet waste and expect the water not to equalize to a degree

Your statement is also not true as long as you are talking about the sinks draining by gravity. In that case the water will seldom back up into the other sink if the drain is not obstructed, but a disposer is a pump so it WILL force the water into the drain faster than the drain can accomodate it and thus back up into the other sink. HOW much backup will determine whether there is a drain problem or not.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

If the drains are not obstructed and properly installed there should be no back up under any conditions. You are saying that folks should expect the disposal to back up into the sink? 90% of every sink back up due to a disposal has been because the drain was plugged or someone decided to install the disposal without the drop elbow which drives the discharge through the tee.

 

[Hackney plumbing]

When you fill a 2 compartment sink on one side and the sink is piped with 1.5" tubular with an end outlet or center outlet waste the water will equalize between the two bowl. Water seeks its own level. How deep the sink is also makes a difference.

When you fill a bathtub.....and pull the stopper......You dont think any water backs up into the overflow pipe? Sure it does because its going to seek its level while draining as fast as it can. Same with a kitchen sink but its just not as much water and a kitchen sink can have another bowl.

Throw a garbage disposal into the mix and the waters forced out.

You guys need to get back out in the field for a while.

Kitchen sinks piped with 1.5" copper dirty arms cant take that much water when its being forced out by a disposal.

 

[Hackney plumbing]

If the drains are not obstructed and properly installed there should be no back up under any conditions. You are saying that folks should expect the disposal to back up into the sink? 90% of every sink back up due to a disposal has been because the drain was plugged or someone decided to install the disposal without the drop elbow which drives the discharge through the tee.

A disposal doesn't have to be connected with an elbow. That would mean it has its own trap. Not all disposals are installed with its own p-trap. Its common to have a low hookup waste and catch both sink bowls with one trap. Water seeks its own level and the disposal forces it out faster than the trap can take it.......then it will equalize between the two bowls.

Garbage disposals are not meant to be filled with water and flipped on........the typical disposal is turned on and then the food is slowly ran through the unit.

Notice the original poster only has an issue when the sink has water in it...a few gallons and then the switch is turned on. Thats the only time it backs up. Running a cable through that drain is likely to do NOTHING TO CORRECT THAT.

How restrictive the basket strainer makes a difference also. Kohler baskets have a large draining area that allow the sink to drain faster..

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Where did I say "it's own trap" You need to get out and read better LOL

Your assertion that YOU are the only guy here working for a living is poorly founded. I have been and continue to be out there working for the past 38 years now.

 

[Hackney plumbing]

Where did I say "it's own trap" You need to get out and read better LOL

Your assertion that YOU are the only guy here working for a living is poorly founded. I have been and continue to be out there working for the past 38 years now.

You said that the disposals "ell" wasn't used. How else would you use the 90 that comes with a disposal if it didn't drop into its own trap?

You would use the ell and then drop it into a 90 degrees tubular slip joint arm? Drop it into another 90? How would you use it?

Act like your in the field then. This is 1st yr stuff.

 

[Pipewrench]

Sounds to me like you should call a local plumber to come out just to be on the safe side...

 

[Hackney plumbing]

Sounds to me like you should call a local plumber to come out just to be on the safe side...

Not a bad idea because it would be an awful thing if she continued to fill the disposal side with a few gallons of water and flips the switch. I'm sure if she calls a guy she would need a complete drain and jet job and when that didn't work they could replace it with a new 3" line.LOL

Just kidding.....it couldn't hurt.

 

[Pipewrench]

Best advice you EVER gave

 

[Hackney plumbing]

Best advice you EVER gave

keep a positive attitde and your business will pick up......dont worry. Thanks for the kind words.

 

[Kreemoweet]

Sounds to me like you should call a local plumber to come out just to be on the safe side...

There's no plumber needed there, because there's no problem: normal sinks, with no clogged drains, with or without a garbage disposal, WILL
sometimes back up into the other bowl like the original poster described.

 

[Pipewrench]

I know sir... Kind of a inside joke

 

[MACPLUMB]

The way I always did it according L.A. City code is you start with the p-trap on top of trap you have a
deverter tee stacked on top of that the garbage disposer ell so the water and waste from the G/D
goes straight thou the devert tee and though p trap
you use a cross over to pick up the basket side of sink,

I usually use from a 1/2 to full sink load of water when running the G/D and it "doe's" "not" back into
the empty sink
the op has a partial blockage in kitchen sink drain, and needs a Plumber before it becomes a full stoppage, from a Master Plumber
and Master Drain man with over 35 years of snaking drains from Louisiana, So. Calif, No. Idaho, Western
Washington State, and Salt Lake City, Utah

Believe me it all works the same !