How can I UNglue pvc from a sump?

[Enderg60]

A heat gun applied directly to the joint will break the bond on PVC glue to PVC. Five minutes or so should do the trick. In the absence of a heat gun, I’ve used a powerful blow dryer 2000 W or so for a little longer.

If you want to actually remove the PVC from the bulkhead, this is the only way.

If you can cut it about 2" above the union you can glue another fitting on there to fit the new plumbing. This would be the easiest way to go.

If those options scare you(nothing wrong with that, piping can be intimidating at first), replace the bulkhead and trash all the piping and start from scratch.

As said spend the money on a union. This is something that you dont want to do now but will at some point be worth it. Ive been piping tanks for 20 years and this always holds true. Put unions EVERYWHERE.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Just cut it and add a union.

 

[FishPersonFL]

I was thinking same thing... basic. Cut the pipe and just add a union to the remaining few incehs of pipe sticking out of the sump, right? Are there PVC cutters like bolt cutters? or do I need to use a saw?

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Husky 1-1/4 in. Ratcheting PVC Cutter 16PL0101-1 - The Home Depot

Husky's 1-1/4 in. Quick Change Ratcheting Pipe Cutter tackles PVC, CPVC, Polypropylene pipe, PEX and Polyethylene pipe up to 1-5/8 in. outer diameter (1-1/4 in. I.D.). The ratcheting action features a

www.homedepot.com

 

[bruno3047]

Not if it was cemented correctly. A PVC join is a molecular bond that cannot be broken.

Then we must have some pretty crappy plumbers out there. In a previous life I was a home designer/builder/renovator. Many times I had to break PVC bonds on bathroom sink drains because there wasn’t enough material sticking out from the wall to cut and mend with a coupling. Once when my heat gun failed, I used a blow dryer.

 

[twwety]

I would go one extra step and add a union with a valve to it.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Then we must have some pretty crappy plumbers out there. In a previous life I was a home designer/builder/renovator. Many times I had to break PVC bonds on bathroom sink drains because there wasn’t enough material sticking out from the wall to cut and mend with a coupling. Once when my heat gun failed, I used a blow dryer.

I'd agree. A lot skip the primer and just use the cement which results in a weak bond that can be unglued with heat. It's illegal where I live.

 

[bruno3047]

I'd agree. A lot skip the primer and just use the cement which results in a weak bond that can be unglued with heat. It's illegal where I live.

Every job that I did had the purple primer in evidence. The reason it’s purple is so that the inspectors can see plainly whether or not primer was used.

 

[Yates273]

Thanks for the advice. But I'm really pre novice when it comes to plumbing. I need very basic terms.
Would this be ok?: cut the piping going into the sump so there is a few inches of pvc left going into it? (drain intake) and then put a coupling on top of that piece of piping, and connect that to new tank? I doubt I'd change tanks again for a very long time (the first tank was a total mistake). So I wont need a union.

You can always use a union.

 

[FishPersonFL]

I would go one extra step and add a union with a valve to it.

the drain pipe from the shadow drain box will havea a valve . all three (3?) of the drain pipes will have one. I just got a lot of piping and a ton of balll valves, elbows, 45's , unions, joiners (from thread to slip). purple primer :-D and cement. Pvc cutter, and some other thing to twist the pvc in and out of the joints. I think I just need some good gate valves and a good check vlave, has to be from online, everything else was from home depot.

 

[welsher7]

Here is the youtube video mentioned before. I have done this on joints that i personally primed and glued.