# vapor lock?



## bkplumber (Jan 24, 2011)

I had a local plumber do a drain cleaning for me because i dont have a drain cleaner. This is a new construction job. The guy that came out told the HO that the plumbing system was vapor locked. Anyone ever heard of this?


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZU3ckWpCdc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

"it was just vapor lock...


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Sounds like the guy who cabled the line was either stupid or was just talking stupid.


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## plumb nutz (Jan 28, 2011)

He got paid for that? I gotta try that one...


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

What cutter do you use on vapor lock?


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

bkplumber said:


> I had a local plumber do a drain cleaning for me because i dont have a drain cleaner. This is a new construction job. The guy that came out told the HO that the plumbing system was vapor locked. Anyone ever heard of this?


*Well one time we installed a bar sink in a basement. The run of piping was about 50 feet the termination was in a Zoller under sink tank and a pump. We did not read the instuctions as to venting the tank, we installed a Studor vent on the tank. Needless to say it did not drain afer the first sinkfull. Would that not be vapor lock?*


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Attention Bayside500. :whistling2: :laughing:

By the way, How are you feeling Bill? Glad you pulled through.



PLUMBER_BILL said:


> *Well one time we installed a bar sink in a basement. The run of piping was about 50 feet the termination was in a Zoller under sink tank and a pump. We did not read the instuctions as to venting the tank, we installed a Studor vent on the tank. Needless to say it did not drain afer the first sinkfull. Would that not be vapor lock?*


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> *Well one time we installed a bar sink in a basement. The run of piping was about 50 feet the termination was in a Zoller under sink tank and a pump. We did not read the instuctions as to venting the tank, we installed a Studor vent on the tank. Needless to say it did not drain afer the first sinkfull. Would that not be vapor lock?*


No, That is just because the AAV didn't allow for the air to escape the tank so it could take in the water. depending on layout that too can be overcome. I think it is studar that has an engineered vent design to take care of that.


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## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

*vapor lock is when a fluid such as gasoline gets hot in the fuel line and turns to a gas instead of a liquid, the fuel pump cannot pump gas (I.E air), only liquids.

modern cars do not have that problem as they have the fuel pump in the gas tank and run at much higher pressures than older cars that had the fuel pump mounted on the engine block.
*


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Did he have a crack pipe hanging offa his lip? :blink:


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Bayside500 said:


> *vapor lock is when a fluid such as gasoline gets hot in the fuel line and turns to a gas instead of a liquid, the fuel pump cannot pump gas (I.E air), only liquids.*
> 
> *modern cars do not have that problem as they have the fuel pump in the gas tank and run at much higher pressures than older cars that had the fuel pump mounted on the engine block.*


 
There is no such thing as "vapor lock" 

An expanding gas is a cooling gas.


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## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

RealLivePlumber said:


> There is no such thing as "vapor lock"
> 
> An expanding gas is a cooling gas.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vapor_lock


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

RealLivePlumber said:


> There is no such thing as "vapor lock"
> 
> An expanding gas is a cooling gas.


You must be a child of the EFI Age... :laughing:


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

422 plumber said:


> What cutter do you use on vapor lock?


 I usually smear some Vicks Vapor Rub on my cutter when I run into that kind of mess.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Redwood said:


> You must be a child of the EFI Age... :laughing:


nah, quite the opposite. Spent the last half of the 70's, and all of the 80's, at a machine shop/auto parts store. Had every ASE cert. there is. Built more engines than I have installed toilets. But, what do I know?:laughing:


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

*I've cleared drains on air locked systems*

Where water is holding in a kitchen sink, attempt to clear the drain from above (top down) and if that doesn't work,

go downstairs and cut open walls to find a cleanout, open it, and all of a sudden a large air rush followed by everything you saw in the sink above, come roaring out of the piping system.


That's happened a few times to me.


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## Hoozycoozy (Apr 26, 2011)

Oh yeah, vapor lock!! I keep the tool to fix that right next to my pipe stretcher.....


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

Hoozycoozy said:


> Oh yeah, vapor lock!! I keep the tool to fix that right next to my pipe stretcher.....


 
You mean one of these.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

RealLivePlumber said:


> nah, quite the opposite. Spent the last half of the 70's, and all of the 80's, at a machine shop/auto parts store. Had every ASE cert. there is. Built more engines than I have installed toilets. But, what do I know?:laughing:


Vapor lock is one of the reasons we used a cool can on the race car...

Cooling the fuel and increasing the fuel density was the bigger reason though...
Mo Power!

Pack this baby with dry ice...


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> Where water is holding in a kitchen sink, attempt to clear the drain from above (top down) and if that doesn't work,
> 
> go downstairs and cut open walls to find a cleanout, open it, and all of a sudden a large air rush followed by everything you saw in the sink above, come roaring out of the piping system.
> 
> ...


No that would be called a clogged line or an unvented sealed container downstream...


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## Associated Plum (Nov 4, 2008)

"Vapor lock" may have been the wrong word to say, but in Mr. Parr and Dunbars' situation I believe the general public could relate to the word "vapor lock" easier than trying to explain why the system was not draining because of a stoppage.


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## plumb nutz (Jan 28, 2011)

Wouldn't "air locked" be a more appropriate term?
Have had lavy drains with grid strainers or low rising pop ups become air locked.


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## mialle30 (May 10, 2010)

plumb nutz said:


> Wouldn't "air locked" be a more appropriate term?
> Have had lavy drains with grid strainers or low rising pop ups become air locked.


Same here especially on vessel sinks.


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## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

I think I've got vapor lock after a few too many brews. A hiccup seems to do the trick for me.


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

AWWGH said:


> I think I've got vapor lock after a few too many brews. A hiccup seems to do the trick for me.


That's why we snore when we lay on our backs, the man parts flop down over the rear entry and create vapor lock!

Mods, I tried to keep that as clean as I could... That joke is as old as the hills, but delete if you deem necessary.


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