# Urinals



## Buddy (Oct 25, 2009)

Hello everyone: been awhile since I asked a question and the feedback was great and helped me out with my leadpan. 

My question today is: My customer has a slow draining urinal. Before I pull it off the wall and possibly throw it out and replace it, I was thinking of running my 3/8 cable through my K50 machine, but I have never done that before. The urinal is probably about 20 years old and its a Gerber (I think). Have any of you ever cabled out a urinal - it has an integral trap. Thanks alot for your help. Buddy


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

<--- (sighs)


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Buddy said:


> Hello everyone: been awhile since I asked a question and the feedback was great and helped me out with my leadpan.
> 
> My question today is: My customer has a slow draining urinal. Before I pull it off the wall and possibly throw it out and replace it, I was thinking of running my 3/8 cable through my K50 machine, but I have never done that before. The urinal is probably about 20 years old and its a Gerber (I think). Have any of you ever cabled out a urinal - it has an integral trap. Thanks alot for your help. Buddy


Again, been a while that you be asked to post an proper intro before we'll help ya.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Buddy said:


> Hello everyone: been awhile since I asked a question and the feedback was great and helped me out with my leadpan.
> 
> My question today is: My customer has a slow draining urinal. Before I pull it off the wall and possibly throw it out and replace it, I was thinking of running my 3/8 cable through my K50 machine, but I have never done that before. The urinal is probably about 20 years old and its a Gerber (I think). Have any of you ever cabled out a urinal - it has an integral trap. Thanks alot for your help. Buddy


3/8 cable is too small. Use at least 5/8, or preferably, 7/8


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Handyman here, gents...


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

RealLivePlumber said:


> 3/8 cable is too small. Use at least 5/8, or preferably, 7/8


I was thinking 2 1/8 minimum through the K-1500


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Plumberman said:


> I was thinking 2 1/8 minimum through the K-1500


Ya not helping,,, gotta tell him how many feet into the drain...


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Plumberman said:


> I was thinking 2 1/8 minimum through the K-1500


Yeah man, that what I'd use. 

I didn't think the op had one, but if he does, by all means.

Much more thorough job.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Him and Carpenter can ponder both of their questions in the DIY chat room... This ain't the place


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Carpenter been banned... awww... wanted to know about his moonshine making equipment..


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Buddy said:


> Hello everyone: been awhile since I asked a question and the feedback was great and helped me out with my leadpan.
> 
> My question today is: My customer has a slow draining urinal. Before I pull it off the wall and possibly throw it out and replace it, I was thinking of running my 3/8 cable through my K50 machine, but I have never done that before. The urinal is probably about 20 years old and its a Gerber (I think). Have any of you ever cabled out a urinal - it has an integral trap. Thanks alot for your help. Buddy


 





Post an intro in the introduction section; the answers will improve.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Buddy said:


> Sorry - I didn't do the proper introduction. I am a Registered Plumber with 25 years experience - 99% of my work is residential. I work in the suburbs of Philadelphia. A client asked me to repair/clear some urinals in his warehouse. These urinals have not be used for at least 2 years and they are clogged. Client wants them fixed if at all possible - they are at least 20 years old. My question is do you have any recommendations on using cable on urinals. By the way, I have replaced a lot of 2" galvy urinal drains in my time because I understand that they are some of the worst drains. I was only looking to see if there was agistered shortcut. Thanks.


What's the difference between registered plumber and licensed plumber???


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## Turd Chaser (Dec 1, 2011)

Pull urinal, treat urinal trap way with calci-solve and k50 the drain. Hookup a hose to the flush valve angle stop and flush the drain until clear.


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## Buddy (Oct 25, 2009)

Thank you for your help with my urinal question.Also dug deeper in the zone and found answers to my question from earlier this month. Quite honestly, I am always humbled whenever I go on this site because I can see the knowledge that a lot of you have. As far as the difference between Registered and Licensed, I took my Masters Plumber test in 1993 and worked for myself since 1994. That's all - didn't mean any harm by the question. Buddy


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

rjbphd said:


> What's the difference between registered plumber and licensed plumber???


In Philly, same thing


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

If the blockage is a buildup in the urinal...

Pull urinal,

Dissolve buildup with hydrochloric acid Santeen is one brand it can be found under.

Finish cleaning off with pressure washer.

Cable drain with 5/8" cable and flush with hydrochloric (after removing cable).

PS...
Don't do this in your backyard or your wife will be very unhappy for over a year.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*you can have that work*

there is not a thing more god-forsaken than having
to pull a 20 year old urinal off a wall and deal with 
that kind of nastiness....

we have done it many times decades ago ...
pulling back human salt and rotten piss back 
then getting it all over your tools, your cable, and gloves...




and I wont touch another one.. I usually pass them
on to one of my competitors that I do not like ......


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

I don't do urinals either... 

Had an old journeyman I worked for pull em off the wall and chip the calcium buildup out with a hammer and chisel.

While saying "Momma said there would be days like this"

No sir, I'm beyond having strangers piss crystals hit me all up in the face, they can have all that.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

Plumberman said:


> I don't do urinals either...
> 
> Had an old journeyman I worked for pull em off the wall and chip the calcium buildup out with a hammer and chisel.
> 
> ...


That's easy one mis lick with a hammer or it slips out of your hands, new urial. That is all I can say about that.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

my last uninal fight was in a gay bar in down town indianapolis....

they did not install the urinal right and it had a long 
dirty arm on it that constantly stopped up with this nasty sort of lemonaid looking salty shush piss stuff... add to this ......you know every ****** in town
had their turn pissing in this drain......

I put on gloves up to my elbows, and a rain coat...then I opened up the wall , cut the pvc line with a hack saw , and installed a tee and clean out on the arm so we would never have to pull the damm
thing off the wall again.....then installed an access grill over the drywall I cut so the next unlucky ******* would have it easier than we did.....

I told them to call someone else to deal with the plumbing in this hell hole 


I threw away the gloves, and bleached all my tools


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

Master Mark said:


> my last uninal fight was in a gay bar in down town indianapolis....
> 
> they did not install the urinal right and it had a long
> dirty arm on it that constantly stopped up with this nasty sort of lemonaid looking salty shush piss stuff... add to this ......you know every ****** in town
> ...


That would be one that if it drains any I would just pour some clobber drain cleaner in it let the acid do its thing!


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## jitr64 (Sep 30, 2010)

Pulling urinals isn't really a big deal ,normally the stoppage is right at the back off the urinal.Once you have it off and have snaked the line, pour water through the fixture to made sure it drains ok ,if it doesn't try running a piece of 5/16 cable thru the trap by hand, a lot of times you will pull back gum etc.If all else fails reinstall then treat with calci-solve or sizzle. I probably pull about 100 urinals a year aint no big deal.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

wyrickmech said:


> That would be one that if it drains any I would just pour some clobber drain cleaner in it let the acid do its thing!


Not if it has an integral trap.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> my last uninal fight was in a gay bar in down town indianapolis....
> 
> they did not install the urinal right and it had a long
> dirty arm on it that constantly stopped up with this nasty sort of lemonaid looking salty shush piss stuff... add to this ......you know every ****** in town
> ...


 







.....:laughing:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> my last uninal fight was in a gay bar in down town indianapolis....
> they did not install the urinal right and it had a long
> dirty arm....


And that is where I stopped reading.


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## Turd Chaser (Dec 1, 2011)

Pulling urinals is not at all a big deal. I usually pull around 100 per year as well and have only cursed 1 that I can recall and that was because someone glued the damn thing to the wall using PL400. I was not happy.


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

Master Mark said:


> my last uninal fight was in a gay bar in down town indianapolis....
> 
> they did not install the urinal right and it had a long
> dirty arm on it that constantly stopped up with this nasty sort of lemonaid looking salty shush piss stuff... add to this ......you know every ****** in town
> ...



I hope it was a long dirty arm and not something else you were pulling on.:laughing:



jitr64 said:


> Pulling urinals isn't really a big deal ,normally the stoppage is right at the back off the urinal.Once you have it off and have snaked the line, pour water through the fixture to made sure it drains ok ,if it doesn't try running a piece of 5/16 cable thru the trap by hand, a lot of times you will pull back gum etc.If all else fails reinstall then treat with calci-solve or sizzle. I probably pull about 100 urinals a year aint no big deal.





Turd Chaser said:


> Pulling urinals is not at all a big deal. I usually pull around 100 per year as well and have only cursed 1 that I can recall and that was because someone glued the damn thing to the wall using PL400. I was not happy.


Good for you guys, do you also eat the mints that are in the urinal?


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## jitr64 (Sep 30, 2010)

:laughing:Good for you guys, do you also eat the mints that are in the urinal?[/QUOTE]
No but i do snake the drains in an embalming room from time to time surrounded by stiffs ,nothing like pulling back a red/brown cable lol,freaked me out at first but you get used to it.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

jitr64 said:


> ....but you get used to it.


I don't think I would.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

plbgbiz said:


> Not if it has an integral trap.


Let me clarify after you pull the urial if it drains any you put some clobber down the drain if it is draining any


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

jitr64 said:


> :laughing:Good for you guys, do you also eat the mints that are in the urinal?


No but i do snake the drains in an embalming room from time to time surrounded by stiffs ,nothing like pulling back a red/brown cable lol,freaked me out at first but you get used to it.[/QUOTE]


that is a whole other level... 
been there and done that too..
We have plumbed a few embalming rooms 
and they call you when the drain gets stopped up

its not the red brown cable that gets to you ....
its the *body fat* they have to cut though to find a vein embalm folks , when that stuff gets stuck on the end of the cable that will make your knees weak.....:blink:.

I only did that once too...


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