# Helpful tip with Brass Hub drains or funnel drains?



## SSP (Dec 14, 2013)

I get tons of requests when i walk into a commercial building (Much more profitably now) or a facility that uses coolers with a condensate discharge to FDs to make repairs to old damaged brass floor drains that have been destroyed and need replacement. Sometimes the old screws are rusted up and snapped off, sometimes the screw pattern is opposite to what you get at your supplier. And i have tried everything believe me, i started out the long way and started buying short self-tapping screws and would pre-drill delicate holes and try to tighten them down in an improved orientation with new top-grate / brass hub or cone but it was very time consuming and once i started doing it, EVERYBODY wanted there Hub drains straightened out and repaired. 

I've seen them siliconed, tap-con'd, hammer-pinned down, self-tapping screws and a dozen more ways that never seemed to last very long, until i brained up and realized a system that gurantees i can fix any brass FD thats messed up within 5 minutes and all you need to do is use a little 50/50 solder and some heat, i first remove existing grate, use my M18 grinder with brush to clean up existing brass flange and new, flux up faces, put new grate+hub in place and 50/50 solder lightly in place.. and its done. 

Its even easier to take apart than it is to put together for any real pro, so unless you know plumbers who don't carry solder kits you're not hurting anybody in the future either. I should put up some pictures to avoid a flaming but have none where you can actually see the solder unconcealed. Since ive never seen this tactic done before or heard of it i thought i'd share and hopefully help someone out. :thumbup:


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

SSP said:


> I get tons of requests <SNIP>
> 
> #1 - Couple of questions ... What if the drain blocked and water rose above the strainer, how wouild you create enough heat to un-solder?
> 
> ...


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## SSP (Dec 14, 2013)

I guess just Note the application specified and be sure to confirm with local municipalities and authorities having jurisdiction if this is an approved joining method in your area. . I usually just fill the old screw holes with a couple dabs of 50/50 solder to secure in place which can be broken by tapping with a hammer or drilled out if need be. I have a whole other method for raising clean-outs and flood-drains involving less permanent solutions and no solder lol
I appreciate your perspective as you bring up a plausible point, although If the drain is blocked, i would lean towards looking for a clean-out, as removing a grate strainer has never been a solution to a plugged drain for me. I'd like to point out this isn't a "new way" of installing these drains, its more of an optional solution where existing conditions prevent conventional means of doing so, especially when you have a ZURN funnel drain and its a s 2 hole screw set and the existing Watts is 3 hole screw set and the new orientation causes a tripping hazard 

Crooked un-level FD bodies in finished concrete drive me nuts, broken/damaged grates are a tripping hazard, Hub drains take way more abuse than ever designed to, and sometimes they are battered seemingly beyond repair while permanently encased in concrete covered in tile...


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