Identify the Missing Drop-Ear Elbow
At 0:26 in
Fun Plumbing Find In My Friends Shower Wall! #helpingothers #plumbing #plumbers #hacks
What happens here
The video explicitly points out the absence of a proper 'drop-ear 90' (a drop-ear elbow) at the end of the copper pipe. A drop-ear elbow is a critical plumbing fitting that has threaded connections for the shower arm and two 'ears' with screw holes, specifically designed to be fastened directly to a wooden stud or blocking. This secures the pipe rigidly to the wall's framing, preventing any movement of the shower arm and, consequently, the shower head. The existing elbow is a standard 90-degree soldered copper fitting that is free-floating and cannot be secured.
Goal: Understand the function and necessity of a drop-ear elbow for stable shower arm installation.
Tools and materials
- 90-degree Copper Elbow — The existing, unsecured elbow that should have been a drop-ear elbow
- Drop-Ear Elbow — The correct fitting that should have been used to secure the pipe to the stud