DWV fittings - where what

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Jim W

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I'm doing a two bath hookup on a new 2 story addition. I've looked around the vast web and can find nothing explaining what fitting is "legal" to use for drains and vents. I live in Lemon Grove, CA (south CA).

There's long sweep Ls and short sweep Ls and I'm not sure if the short sweep Ls and Ts are ok to use for drains or are just for vents only.


I'm thinking short sweeps are to be used "upside down for venting and long sweeps (both Ts and Ls) are for downward fluid/solids flow.

Can somone point me in the right direction?

Thanks
Jim W
 

Jimbo

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It is a little more complicated than that. A 90º elbow must be a drainage fitting, meaning a long sweep. What you call a short sweep can only be used in a dry vent.

Tees are something else. A sanitary tee can only be vertical. A horizontal connection to a waste lateral must be via a wye , plus a 45º if the connection is a 90. If a vent is to be taken off a horizontal line, it must be via a wye rolled to 45º angle.


There is a lot to it, including slopes, maximum trap arm lengths, sizing and connection of vents. Your inspector will tear you up if you don't get some help before you try to install all this.
 

Jim W

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Thanks Jimbo - thats what I'm trying to avoid - getting torn up by the inspector. I also want to do this right and I'm a die-hard dIY'er. Not to say that I won't give in on the DWV part of this addition.
Isn't there a source that provides some explination of how to use each fitting?
I'm pretty sure I have the sizing correct for each fixture, and I've done a lot of homework on what's required. Its these damn fittings.

I suppose this is what seperates the real plumbers from us common folks. I was hoping for a list of fittings and where they could be applied within a system. Does a "list" exist or is it something you just pick up after years of experiance?

Thanks for getting back
Jim
 

Jimbo

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Well, I don't know of a list like you want, but two on line catalogs will show you all the fittings, they just don't explain how to use them.

nibco.com and charlottepipe.com


You want a technical text, not a 1-2-3 book.

The 2007 California Plumbing Code is your reference, but it is esoteric reading, and cost around $150. You would also want the handbook, another hundred. Available from IAPMo_Org
 
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hj

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fittings

Isn't there a source that provides some explination of how to use each fitting?

How could there be? It is like asking for a book to show you how to use a bolt. EVERY fitting can be used in many ways, some of them quite ingenious, so even if there could be such a book, it would still not cover all possible ways to use them. In addition, WHAT the fitting is being used for will often determine if it can even be used there, and how it would be installed. Learning that is one of the reasons plumbers go to school for years, and don't just try learn from the Internet.
 

Jim W

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where I can safely apply a wye and a short sweep 90

Ok - so this forum is not for serious DIYe'rs - just weekend warriors.
I built my own backhoe from an old Italian tractor, removed 230 yards of hard clay with it, added 1000 sq ft to the back of my home, built a 750 sq ft shop - all while holding down a 60 hour a week job to boot.


Most of the time these "forums" are operated by, and enlist some extremly good folks who are willing to help. It realy gets my goat that there's always some disgruntled people who want to bash instead of help.

All I'm asking for is some direction on where I can safely apply a wye and a short sweep 90. is that so tough?

Sure, "bolts" have an endless array of applications - I'm not asking about bolts but thanks for the info.
 

Jim W

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HJ,
Geeze, I just read my reply and figured you didn't deserve my soapbox oriate - I apologize.
I'm really not looking for every possible application for every fitting (although it would be handy). My situation is really straightforward. From what I've discovered, a wye and a 45L is probably safe to use for wet draining in a vertical app. The short sweep 90 is ok for dry venting (upside down to the fluid flow, right side up for the movement of air). If I keep with that, I should be fine.
 

Kingsotall

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Well, then rather than us try to teach you plumbing in 100 words or less post a picture of what you need help with and we'll steer you in the right direction.
 

hj

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?

All I'm asking for is some direction on where I can safely apply a wye and a short sweep 90. is that so tough?

You are approaching the problem backwards. Rather than give you ALL the possible Y and short sweep 90 applications we can think of, why not give us YOUR application and we will try to tell you the configurations which will work. Your statement about a "Y" and 45 in a vertical pipe, for example, may or may not be proper depending on the specific situation.
 

Jimbo

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All I'm asking for is some direction on where I can safely apply a wye and a short sweep 90. is that so tough?

Short sweep elbow are not drainage fittings. You are asking for a 30 second summary of a topic for which there are volumes written. For starters, there are two major national codes, UPC & IPC, not to mention several states which have their own code, and some major cities have their own. There are major differences.

You haven't given us even a sketch of what you want to install. We mentioned other things besides fittings.....slopes, trap arm lengths, DFU calcuations, vent sizing, etc. You seem to not be considering these other aspects of DWV design.

You are in Lemon Grove , so you are under the 2007 California Plumbing code, which is based largely on the 2006 UPC. I don't remember if Lemon Grove is a city, or if you are under the county. One thing for sure, everything you are planning very definitely requires a permit. The permit office can give you some help ( try the Saturday morning homeowners sessions) but they will not design the system for you, and depending on what kind of day an inspector is having, he may give you some detailed pointers, or he may just fail the job and tell you to call back when you are ready.

I am not trying to pick on you, just telling you like it is.



These forums are very good at answering specific questions, but questions framed like your initial post tend to get the response that
" here is another guy trying to slap together a plumbing system and he doesn't know which way is up!"
 
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