Nib broken off on drain pipe

[gksmith]

The bottom nib (or nipple) of my waste drain pipe got broken off when I got high centered in a rough parking lot. Fortunately no greater damage happened, but now the end cap will not stay on the pipe (the original one was lost in the process). And when I couple the waste hose to the pipe, a leaky connection is made--definitely not desirable! So how should I proceed from here!

[avanti]

If you have enough pipe, just cut out the broken part and replace it using a PVC or rubber sleeve. The parts are readily available and cheap.

If not, either:
(a) make a new nib by carving it from a little piece of PVC and glueing it on with pipe glue
(b) build up a new nib with epoxy.
or
(c) drill a little hole where the nib goes and make a nib-equivalent with a machine screw and a couple of nuts. Coat it with epoxy.

[gksmith]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do not live close to an RV dealer, so I was concerned about the best approach. The end of the drain pipe extends about 1-1/2" beyond the brace holding it up, so perhaps a coupler and a new piece with nibs might be the best way, if these pieces are made. Would Camper World have these? We are going to Nashville very soon, so perhaps I can try there. However, I do not see it in their catalog.

I had considered your "C" suggestion, drilling a hole and inserting a machine bolt the same size of the nib. I like your suggestion of covering it with epoxy. So, if I cannot find a new end piece, I will most likely use that suggestion.

Again, thank you!

[eric1514]

Termination Adaptor

[gksmith]

Thanks. It is now ordered. Amazon has everything, doesn't it! I had not thought to check there.

[gksmith]

I have received the waste line termination adapter and went to glue it on. However, there is some play between it and the existing waste line. It is close, but I can definitely move it a small fraction of an inch (32nd??) when placed on the line. I have never worked with this type of material, but I suspect that this is too much play for a satisfactory glued fitting. Is there some material I could wrap or apply to take up this play when gluing? Or will applying the ABS cement to both pieces take up this slack?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by gksmith

I have received the waste line termination adapter and went to glue it on. However, there is some play between it and the existing waste line. It is close, but I can definitely move it a small fraction of an inch (32nd??) when placed on the line. I have never worked with this type of material, but I suspect that this is too much play for a satisfactory glued fitting. Is there some material I could wrap or apply to take up this play when gluing? Or will applying the ABS cement to both pieces take up this slack?

That is kind of strange. The specs on plastic plumbing pipe are pretty tight, so I am guessing that one or the other pieces is not Schedule 40. I don't think using pipe cement would work well--they work by melting the plastic, so they are not space-filling. If this were a pressurized pipe, I would start over and do it right. Since it isn't, I would probably glue them using epoxy, which does fill space. That would be kind of a kludge, but I suspect it would be fine in practice.

[gksmith]

Avanti - thanks for the input. I have found some JB Weld epoxy that is designed for plastics. I have not used it yet, but I think it should be the perfect material for the problem at hand. Thanks again!

[gksmith]

The latest on my situation--after sawing off the remaining nib (only two to start with), the fit of the terminator hub onto the drain was tighter than I thought it would be--not snug, but very little play. So I decided to use the ABS cement after all as I felt that there may not be enough space for the epoxy. Time will tell how it turns out, but I am hopeful. It was a simple solution if it does work out.