Saniflo/Upflush & Macerator--Shower Trap Installation Woes (Basement/Concrete Floor)

[revisednut]

All, I have installed the Saniflo “Saniaccess 3 UPFLUSH MACERATOR PUMP + ELONGATED TOILET KIT”.

I’ve tied in proper venting, as well as rough-ins for the vanity, shower stall, and toilet. I tested the pump by dumping a bucket of water in the toilet—worked great (pump is quieter than I expected).

This is a new basement bathroom from scratch.

My buddy and I have done a fair bit of plumbing, and everything has tested perfect, except for the p-trap in concrete floor for the shower stall. We broke up about an 8”x8” (4 inches down) area for the body of the trap to fit in, only to realize the outlet of the trap wouldn’t clear the bottom of the shower pan. We stepped down to 1.5” trap, and elongated the trap to bring the outlet past the shower stall. It all appears to have proper pitch, but after a couple hours, a test pool of water still sits in the shower stall. Even raising the stall (and by extension the pan) did not help it drain.



It tests for pitch, what are we missing???!?!?


P.S. We do realize the trap is supposed to be 2” for the shower.

 

[Kreemoweet]

You need to raise the shwr pan WAY higher. I think the install instructions state a MINIMUM of 6 inches.
The santee at the vent connection in your shower drain is also installed backwards.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[revisednut]

You need to raise the shwr pan WAY higher. I think the install instructions state a MINIMUM of 6 inches.
The santee at the vent connection in your shower drain is also installed backwards.

I was under the impression the idea to raise it 6-8" was to clear the trap (without breaking up the floor)--we were able to clear the body of the trap breaking up the concrete under it. Was there any issue making a a longer trap with the street 90, short extension, and 90? I'll try to shim in with the 4" side of 2x4's in the morning and see if I see drainage.

 

[revisednut]

Update--i've "shimmed" the shower base up with the 4" side of 2x4's and i do get good flow--i guess it's obvious i can't expect water to go UP further than the drain (it'll take the path of least resistance and pile up in the shower/drain, versus flowing to the pump. Any other options, other than building a 2x4 base? Headroom is a consideration, being in the basement...

 

[Plumber69]

You have no other options

 

[Plumber69]

Unless you dump it in a separate pump

 

[Plumber69]

Your vent tee for shower looks backwards

 

[revisednut]

Thank you for the help plumber69, i'll make a 2x4 base to raise the pan! Relative to the shower vent, I made a loop vent with the vanity and shower going back to the vent for the pump, should the wye still be the other direction?

 

[Terry]

The shower pan should be raised.

 

[Jaysonknott]

In an effort to maintain ceiling height, rather than raise the shower pan, could one lower the Saniflo unit by digging a pit for it in the floor?

 

[Taylorjm]

With the saniflo system, you can't have a trap that's below the intake into the macerator. I looked into that when I redid my shower downstairs and had a saniflo system.