OT: Plumbing question

[stubbsz]

I'll get thrown off if I ask another OT question, but I'll risk the wrath.

I had to replace a P trap in a bathroom. I used the cheap and cheerful Black plastic trap. Now where it goes into the wall, I get a leak. The plastic washer was on the right way. I was really had to run the locking nut (whatever you call it) onto the thread at the wall but I managed it. It leaks. What tricks to I employ.
-Adrian

[fishnfst]

Get yourself a can of plumbers putty.. It stays soft but it will seal..

Roll yourself a noodle a little bit larger than the diameter of a pencil.. long enough to wrap all the way around the traparm.

Insert the traparm into the sant then push the washer up to the face of the threads.

Wrap the plumbers putty around the back and slightly over the top of the washer.

push the nut onto the threads and start to handtighten it.

You should be getting all kinds of putty squirting out.. Just keep on tightening it with your hand..

Once you can no longer tighten it with your hand take a pair of channel locks and give it an extra 1/4 turn..

During this whole operation try not to wiggle the trap arm around.. It has to stay straight as possible..

Peel away any excess putty that has squirted out and test your work.. It might take 1-2 tries but it is a tried and true method I've put in thousands of ptraps in this manner..

The second tip is you can use a little pipe dope or some sort or thread lubricant on the threads of your waste adapter to make the nut go on smoother.. Just read the labels though some lubricants like rectorseal are not supposed to be used on plastic pipe..

[stubbsz]

OK. Thanks very much, I 'll take another shot at it.

-Adrian

[stubbsz]

Arrggh. I found the root cause of my difficulties. There was the old metal washer still lodged in the outlet so that I couldn't get the washer up against the threads properly. Anyway, washer out and putty in; no leak.

Thanks again

-Adrian