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Gerber Bath Drains Quick Reference Guide

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Updated
Here is a list of topics in this reference, click on the item to jump to the specific sections:
Type of Bath Drains
Generally, the various types of tub drains can be classified by

  1. The kind of tub the drain is designed to fit

  2. How the drain is operated (how to operate the plug)

  3. The kind of material it’s made of: plastic or brass

Bath Drain Installation Types

Standard Bath Drain: All-tub drain in tee (fits most 14" to 16" high tubs).

 Drain in shoe: Drain drops down directly from the drain shoe

Roman Tub Drain: Luxury tubs require drains to fit deeper wells (up to 20” deep), with the drain often farther away from the walls requiring longer tubing between the Tee and the drain shoe

  • Roman Tub drains are available in all Gerber drain styles
  • Note that the Gerber Roman tub Pop-Up drain does not have a longer shoe tube as the linkage is not extendable or adjustable

Side Outlet: Outlet is to the left or the right side of the Tee

Back Outlet: the drain outlet is horizontal, away from the tub. Drains with Smooth Tee allows a 90˚ rotation for horizontal installation or back outlet configuration (Suffix -87)

Thru the Wall Drain: Thru the Wall Drains: available with Lift and Turn seal, locating the Tee behind walls up to 10” thick. (Retainer ring supplied, standard)
 
 
Most Common Tub Drain Plug Operations
 

Pop-up - This stopper operates by means of a plunger in the tub overflow pipe, when the lever moves, the connecting rod linkage in the overflow drain pipe moves also and pivots a rocker arm that connects to the pop-up stopper - ADA Compliant

Lift & Turn - A Lift & Turn drain stopper has a small knob on the cap of the drain stopper, which is used to twist the stopper open and closed

Trip Lever (Plunger) - Similar to the pop-up stopper, it operates by means of a plunger in the tub overflow pipe, which moves up and down to close and open the tub's drain pipe - ADA Compliant

Auto Trip - Uses a spring-loaded design, and the stopper body is held in place to the cross-bar on the drain fitting via a screw found underneath the cap of the stopper - ADA Compliant

Cable Drain - This drain uses a metal cable that connects a knob at the overflow drain to the pop-up stopper

  

 
 
 
Drain Material Type

Brass Drains

Brass drains are the premium material system for tub drains: the “gold standard”

  1. 1 ½” OD brass tubing connects the cast shoe and overflows to a cast Tee fitting. Can solder tubing, head, tee and shoe together
     
  2. The thicker the tube, the more durable the drain
    • Thickness is measured as gauge
    • Thickness = weight = higher cost
    • The higher the gauge the thinner the brass
    • Gerber offers 17 gauge and 20 gauge drains
    • Note that Gerber supplies brass compression nuts with select models, and plated zinc nuts with the 20 gauge drains
       
  3. The shoe, overflow head and Tee are cast brass
    • There are two kinds of cast brass: yellow and “red” The RED has more copper. However there is no functional difference between yellow or red brass in durability or corrosion resistance. Red brass drains offer more pipe flexibility for special installations

Plastic Drains

ABS (black) / PVC (white)

Plastic drains are less expensive

  1. Schedule 40 = 1 1/2” pipe (OD 1-7/8” with thicker wall) - common size type for drain & vent piping
    • If you use Schedule 40, the OD of the PVC piping fits the fitting
    • Less expensive tubing can be used that has thinner walls: typically this tubing is the same OD as brass tubing
    • Higher the Schedule #, the side wall thickness increases
  2. PVC joints are sealed with adhesive (solvent/weld), ABS cannot because the adhesive will attack the ABS
  1. PVC is more flexible than ABS, but ABS is stronger and more shock resistant. ABS is better at handling severely cold temperatures, but it can warp with exposure to direct sunlight
     
  2. Tubular drains (except trip lever) can be horizontal outlet simply by rotating the tee 90º
     
  3. Plastic drains and piping are not allowed in some localities due to local codes/ restrictions (i.e. Chicago, New York, etc.)
     
  4. Sold as complete drain, or “half pack” head & shoe trim kits (plumber supplies schedule 40 tubing)
 
 
Gerber Unique Features
 

Pre-Adjustable Linkage

Gerber Trip Lever Pop-Up and Plunger drains have pre-adjustable linkage
 
 
Drain Shoe & Overflow Tube
  1. Tubs require an overflow channel if they are designed to be filled (the drain stopped)
  2. The overflow is a safety feature that helps channel water that has overfilled the tub back down into the drain pipes
  3. The Overflow Head is the typical access point to clear a clogged drain line
  4. Drains are located at the lowest part of the tub; the fitting below the tub that receives the drain flange is called the Drain Shoe; it connects with the Tee to the overflow tube at the wall

Gerber Overflow Gasket

Gerber overflow gasket is adjustable to the angle (2-˚ to 10˚ slope by rotating the gasket) of the tub front wall

“self-retaining” (stays in place during installation and servicing)

The overflow head seal gasket will be sufficient to have a tight seal without any sealant. A video on Gerber Plumbing's YouTube channel shows How To Maintain a Tight Seal on Bath Drain Installation.

Retaining Ring

Retaining Ring holds the Head in place during drain routing or servicing
 
 
Special Codes

Chicago Code (suffix -88)

  • Retainer ring included
  • “Clean out here” imprinted on the surface
  • Brass drains only
 
Philadelphia Trap (suffix -71)
  • No tailpiece supplied (plumber supplies tailpiece)
  • 3 extra slip nuts and washers supplied
  • Brass drains only

Philadelphia Tee (suffix -74)

  • Cannot be Trip Lever
  • Requires full 1 ½” ID waterway
  • No tailpiece supplied (plumber supplies tailpiece
  • 3 nuts and washers
  • Brass drains only
Click to download the complete Gerber Bath Drains Quick Reference Guide
 
 
 
 

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