Need Advice...Leaking shower/tub connection

[tmy23]

Thanks in advance for any help...So ceiling tiles in the kitchen started coming down today with water. Directly above it is a bathroom. Didn't want to pull kitchen ceiling, so opened up the bedroom wall behind the shower valve. The leak was a loose upper compression fitting on adjustable connector which connects the tub/overflow drain to the trap. I'm not a plumber, but sort of shocked that the plumber put a compression fitting in an area with no access?

Anyway, am thinking of pulling it out and replacing with PVC. I can cut out and replace the trap, but I don't really want to mess with the tub drain/overflow. As you can see they glued a threaded fitting into the drain/overflow, can I glue use a female threaded fitting on the new trap piece and glue it to that threaded fitting? I didn't know if I would be able to work it tight before the glue seized up? Seems if I really glop the glue on I should be able to get enough turns?

Thoughts? Thank you all!!

 

[Cacher_Chick]

On thing that gets my attention is the yellow cement on those upper joints, which I would be willing to bet is CPVC cement.
If you have enough room to get in there, you might be able to cut a few slots in the upper trap adapter and then peel it off the pipe in a few pieces. If it comes off easily, you would be wise to dump all the components that have the yellow cement on them and start over.

 

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[tmy23]

Not challenging your expertise, but read up on a few web sites that CPVC solvent can be used on PVC but not vise versa? Is the yellow solvent really a problem? How about the issue of using solvent on threaded fittings before sealing the wall back up?? Or thread 2 PVC stubs into the threaded sections of compression fitting and put a fernco clamp on it. ?? Is a fernco more reliable than a compression fitting.?

 

[hj]

Plumbers have been using 'compression joints" on concealed waste and overflow assemblies for DECADES. It has been the standard almost since they were invented.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

There is no way to know if/how well the yellow cement works, as I only know for sure that it's use is not a normal practice for PVC anywhere that I have been.

Have you identified exactly where the leak is coming from? I would be leery of the plated metal tubular pipe, as most these days are paper thin. If the proper compression washers are installed at the compression fitting, they should not be an issue, though I would replace the tubular pipe with plastic to eliminate the concern of corrosion of the pipe.

 

[tmy23]

Thank you for the help. About 3 years ago the original fiberglass tub cracked (it wasn't supported correctly underneath), I had a guy come out to replace the tub. I found the upper compression ring cracked and partially separated from the threaded part. Maybe it cracked over time, or he tightened too much? Not sure. Anyway, replaced it all with glued PVC last night but of course torqued the piping too hard trying to mate the last connection and loosened the seal of the tub drain. have a very slow tiny drip. tonight after work I'll take that all apart, clean it up and reinstall. I do have 1 question about that. Looking underneath, it looks like they used plumbers putty on both sides of the rubber gasket under the tub, between the gasket and the tub bottom and between the gasket and the PVC drain fitting. Is this needed? I've been reading about some pros now using silicone? Can that be used instead of plumbers putty? Seems like less chance of drying out? If I can do I use on the basket to tub surface? and do I use it on the underneath gasket?

THANKs again, it has been a great help!

 

[Terry]

You can use Silicone on the flange, but you will have a hard time ever removing it to snake the drain in the future.
With fiberglass, I use stainless putty. There are two kinds of putty in the store.