Black PVC, or ABS?

[cactuscake]

In February this year the drain under my tub started leaking. There was quite a mixture of pipes - brass fittings attached to the tub, a chromed copper pipe leading from the bottom of the brass fittings making its way to the black plastic coupling in this picture. The metal had corroded at both ends of the chrome middle section and we had a plumber replace as much as he could with white PVC, it took about 2 hours because of the awkward space.

Unfortunately the joint between white and black has started leaking again and I'd like to fix it. I can't tell what type of plastic the black section is though.

What I can see of the text says "...WHITE PVC-I) (off-DWV U 1 1/2 2744 UFC MA..." it is in an incredibly awkward space and it was only by sticking the camera into a hole and taking a snapshot that I was even able to get an idea of where the leak was coming from. Other than that the repairs will need to be done by feeling around.

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I'm trying to figure out if I can just reglue the joint and if so, whether I'll need some of the green transition stuff, or if purple will work just fine.

Any ideas?

[kurt]

I'd be skeptical of being able to do the repair correctly if it's so hard to access.

Do you have a better establishing shot? What's under the tub? Does the subject area adjoin a wall?

[Bill Kibbel]

If it's leaking where white meets black, it's a trap adapter - not a solvent joint.

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Rotate the black ring with the ribs to the right to tighten the compression ring around the PVC pipe.

[cactuscake]

In terms of access, this end of the tub backs up against a partition that is marginally wider than the tub itself, the exterior wall is only another 13 inches or so beyond that, so I have to slide in, lying down on my right side. In this position I'm either lying down on top of my right arm and working with my left (right handed, so not very easy), or stick my left arm up in the air or stuff it behind my back so that I can get my right arm into the hole. Either way it not possible to get both hands working on the project because the pictured section of pipe is under the floor heading in the direction of my feet. All of this is being accessed through a panel about 1' x 2' on the back of the partition.

I do have an appointment for the same plumber to come out again but earliest availability is Monday after I leave for work (wife will be around). I was just hoping I could deal with it earlier since it's our only shower in the house and my weekends usually consist of other DIY projects involving dust, dirt and sweat.

[cactuscake]

Aha! Bill I think you're right. I tried to tighten it by hand (can't really get any tools in there) and it's already pretty stiff. But if that doesn't work I can probably get a new one.

Thank you! [:-slaphap

[hausdok]

I'm assuming you don't have a crawlspace or basement from which you can access that from below? Around here, they'd just go into the crawlspace, reach up through the opening for the drain.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[cactuscake]

Turns out it was indeed a trap adapter, and upon further testing the leak was coming from the next joint up and running down to this one. I discovered that when the plumber had switched out the old metal piping for PVC, one of the pieces was cut too short. He had tugged it all together and the screw fittings were holding at first but the tension proved too much in the end and so it kept slipping apart no matter what I tried.

For now I've made a sling out of a trusty wire coat hanger so that the lower section is being pulled up nice and snug against the too-short pipe. Should probably replace the whole set-up again, but I don't feel like doing it today... after all, I'm all showered and cleaned up now!