Galley Sink drain assembly with plastic elbow flix

Stu Jackson · August 23, 2013, 06:05:06 PM

Quote from: Mike McDonald on August 23, 2013, 05:53:00 PM
Stu,
I had to break everything apart on mine. Nothing would budge. Even after I cut the parts out, I still couldn't separate them. Get out the dynamite!

Holy Cow, Batman. I broke out the wallet for a Dremel tool. Hope it's the dynamite you suggest.

Thanks for the encouragement. I had to go home to avoid having to buy a complete new sink!

Might have been easier...

There is, BTW, a post here on this board about how to find a new sink. If I need it, I'll post a bloody link!

Reading the Dremel manual as I type...

Mike, was it C4 you eventually used? Or just plain July 4th stuff???

Stu Jackson · August 24, 2013, 08:53:31 PM

Boy, Dremel is the way to go. Only took an hour each.

Stu Jackson · September 08, 2013, 11:05:19 AM

Brain fade question: What is the material used to seat the new sink drains into the circular opening in the sink?

Brief update: I bought the Forespar 1" 90 degree elbow fittings but couldn't get them to work - couldn't figure out how to get them tight with the double threads on the fittings underneath. Bought the Ambassador fittings, waiting for delivery scheduled for tomorrow.

Fred Koehlmann · September 08, 2013, 01:19:18 PM

Hi Stu,

If you're seating stainless into the stainless sink, use plumber's putty. Knead the putty into a thick pencil like rod and place around he strainer's threads, and squeeze it down into the sink opening. Then thread on and tighten the nut under the sink. More putty will ooze out. When you're nice and tight just wipe off the excess putty.

I actually had to replace the whole drain setup just a few weeks ago as well. Here is what I did: http://blog.koehlmann.ca/marine-maintenance/replace-sinks-drains-in-galley/.

Hope it's of some use.

Fred.

Ron Hill · September 08, 2013, 01:53:53 PM

Stu : Fred is correct, use plumbers putty. It's inexpensive, easy to use and I've never known it to fail over time.

Have never tried it, but I'll bet that butyl rubber will also work. A few thoughts

Stu Jackson · September 08, 2013, 03:07:06 PM

Thanks, gentlemen.

Nice writeup in your link, Frederick.

Stu Jackson · September 09, 2013, 05:20:36 PM

The Ambassador sink drains arrived today.

They include, could this be true?!?, instructions. As a guy, I actually read them!

They include this: "...use either the included foam gasket which is supplied for your convenience. However, we recommend using plumber's putty (not included) instead of the foam gasket. Do not use both the foam gasket and plumber's putty."

Pretty clear to me. While I love butyl tape, I'll break the bank for the plumber's putty as Ron and Frederick (great writeup on his blog) suggest.

The instructions even include PICTURES, so I should be able to mess it up quite well.

Appears to be a nice product, and the screw that goes into the plastic has a bronze insert, so the screw doesn't go into just plastic. Sweet.

Phil Spicer · September 11, 2013, 06:04:24 AM

Stu, I can't believe you didn't have a Dremel before this ! Get back to the store & get all the goodies that go with your Dremel. The flex shaft is a must & you will want to keep it on your second Dremel tool...More tools !!! You will ask how did you get along without a Dremel for so long.

simdim · September 11, 2013, 07:05:00 AM

I became a huge fan of Fein MultiMaster Oscillating Multi-Tool (or cheaper varieties - Bosch, Rockwell etc) for odd jobs like that. It takes a zero clearance to cut and can be very use full when fighting things like 3M 5200 and 4200 (in scraper mode)

Cheers,

Simon

Stu Jackson · September 11, 2013, 05:07:28 PM

Quote from: Phil Spicer on September 11, 2013, 06:04:24 AM
Stu, I can't believe you didn't have a Dremel before this ! Get back to the store & get all the goodies that go with your Dremel. The flex shaft is a must & you will want to keep it on your second Dremel tool...More tools !!! You will ask how did you get along without a Dremel for so long.

Phil, I had one, years ago. It broke. I learned to live without it for 14 years. Only use I had for it on the boat was when I installed my speakers in the cockpit. It is kinda nifty.

Stu Jackson · September 15, 2013, 12:35:15 PM

The new sink drains didn't fit, because the holes in the sink were slightly smaller! I enlarged them with the Dremel and a grinding cone on our power drill. Some correspondence with Steve:

DONE!

I used the T arrangement because I had tried it when I first removed the microwave with the plastic Forespar fittings and saw that the water from the thru hull didn't come up beyond the waterline.

I also used the plumber's putty instead of butyl tape. The plumber's putty was easier to use and much less sticky. For the $5 I paid for the plumber's putty, it was worth it.

I had to get "creative" to get the screw from above into the plastic-with-the-brass threaded portion of the "underneath" unit because I was working alone. I got close to calling for assistance, but then decided against it. Let
s get challenged! I figured that maybe I'd have to tape the pre-assembled "T" bottom fittings to the underside of the sink.

But I found I had "just enough" reach to handle a screwdriver from the top while lining up the screw to one of the bottom fittings. Just... I did the left (amidships) sink first, but I had to do it left handed with the screwdriver! I was only able to do this because of the opening in the fiberglass for the microwave.

I connected the drain hose I'd installed a few weeks ago to the "T". Then I ran the water from the galley sink for the first time in about a month. No drips. Nice.

I replaced the microwave wooden housing, and slid the microwave back in, connected the electrical outlet, and taped it over.

Then, I sat back and smiled. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

Thanks so much for your identification of this possible alternate to the PVC and bar sink galley drain arrangement.

LINK to my Tech Notes: http://c34.org/galley-sink-drain-upgrade/

search: galley+sink+drain

Ron Hill · September 15, 2013, 02:25:57 PM

Stu : It's hard to believe that you could live for all these years with those "Mickey Mouse" drain fittings that Catalina used!!

I'm sure that Cory will be much happier!!

stevewitt1 · September 17, 2013, 12:24:08 PM

I had a hard time loosening the old drains. Then the familiar "CRACK" sound I'm so used to hearing when I do plumbing sounded informing me that I'd be taking them out in pieces. The second sink allowed me to unscrew the ring about two turns past leak before jamming so tight I couldn't hold it with anything from the top stuck down in it. Out came the trusty Dremmel with a cutting disk on it. I did however opt for buying my replacements from a local RV outlet. When I told them I needed to get to a barbed fitting for the hose, they immediately questioned if I was working on a boat.

My PO relocated the macerator (no need for it on the Great Lakes) to handle the slow drain issue. I call it my garbage disposal. I wonder why I always get strange looks from boaters around me when I turn it on to drain my sink?

Steve

visit us at www.ocontoyachtclub.com and www.warbirdsix.com

Noah · August 10, 2014, 09:15:08 PM

Not sure deactivating an old thread is appropriate, but I am now going through the infamous galley sink drain retrofit exercise and have some questions and observations. I opted to go with the Ambassador Marine Sink drains (as discussed and used by others on the forum) as an alternative to the Home Depot bar sink drain strainer and PVC. As Stu indicated, and I neglected to comprehend, the drain assembly is TOO LARGE to fit the holes in my sink. Before going crazy with my Dremel tool, I purchased the standard Home Depot bar sink drains. These fit nicely. Now I have two options. Dremel and ruin the sink for future "standard hardware"
Or...or no Dremel and use the bar sink drains. Meanwhile, thinking, or over thinking the problem, it occurred to me that the real slow drain is because my 1990 boat has a 3/4 inch thruhull. Am I wrong in assuming the no matter hot fat the drain pipes/hoses are upstream, the ultimate cause of the slow sink drainage is eventually they have to be reduced to exit the 3/4 thruhull? Yes? I am considering replacing my existing 3/4 thruhull with a 1-inch one at my next haul out. Opinions please.

Fred Koehlmann · August 10, 2014, 10:35:10 PM

That's why when I went with the bar sink drains, I used 1-1/2" ABS plumbing and included a clean out (for the just in case I get a plug situation).
http://blog.koehlmann.ca/marine-maintenance/replace-sinks-drains-in-galley/
I have discovered that the sink does drain faster, but I'm sure that this is just because the pipe has more volume that it can hold before it can go through the thru-hull.