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[Jingthing]

Yes I know the difference between a standard sink plunger and a standard toilet plunger.

I've got a classic sink plunger and I'd like to try a bellows style one on a clog (how romantic).

So are these sold locally? I haven't seen them but I haven't yet started looking for one. So if you know SPECIFICALLY where to buy one (as opposed to a guess), please let me know. Thanks!

Something like this design, with a sink (not toilet) structure at bottom. These are hard plastic and one piece thingies.

Here's a standard sink plunger which I don't need. These of course are sold all over:

Edited April 4, 2013 by Jingthing

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Be careful ! I know someone who bought one of these things and was sucked down the toilet and never seen again.

[Jingthing]

Be careful ! I know someone who bought one of these things and was sucked down the toilet and never seen again.

Yes but that would be a trick as I would be using a sink plunger on a sink ...

I have heard the bellows versions for toilets can get ... um ... messy ...

[Spalpeen]

I've seen them upstairs at Friendship supermarket.

[Jingthing]

I've seen them upstairs at Friendship supermarket.

Thanks for that. That's a place I would have looked without specific advice but now I'll go there first. I hope they've got the sink kind. Here's the toilet kind (that I DON'T want).

Note the difference at the bottom:

Edited April 5, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

OK, at Friendship they had a product called Master Plunger, a bellows style plunger that supposedly will work on tubs, toilets, showers, kitchen, and bathroom SINKS!

I'm skeptical too as I was looking for a purpose built tool but as that's all they had, I bought it anyway.

The cost was 590 baht.

On amazon.com its 415 baht plus shipping.

It's a Made in the USA product.

It seems like it will PROBABLY make a seal on my kitchen sink. That's the test I think if it's an OK product. As is obvious if you look at the picture, it makes a seal lower than the top of the sink (not ideal I think).

If it doesn't work for my current problem there could be a more serious issue that no plunger will fix.

(Not going into further details on my clog here, that's just too depressing and mundane.)

BTW: if you want this product there is ONE left in stock at Friendship (color Blue).

http://www.amazon.com/Water-Products-MP100-3-Master-Plunger/dp/B0006IXNDW

Edited April 5, 2013 by Jingthing

[jombom]

You might need to clean the strainer, after the S-bend also. Be very careful if it is plastic --- they rarely go back together properly.

It's the filter under the sink --- on the waste pipe.

[jimmybkk]

In Homeworks the other day I saw a device that was kind of like a very basic bicycle pump (no springs etc.) and at the front end (away from the handle) it was fitted with a rubber flange (dunno if that's the right word?) that's supposed to fit the drainage plug in a sink I think. I am guessing you have the option of either trying to suck out the blockage or blow out the blockage. I think they were around 100 baht each. Perhaps worth a try of the bellows plunger doesn't work.

[Jingthing]

Oh, heck, I am going to update on this as it all turned out so well.

I have been using a bacterial type drain additive that has worked very well for me in the past on different drains, usually one application. This sink drain wasn't responding after three times (you add more every 3 days) so I tried a standard plunger. But for some reason I wasn't able to make a great seal with the standard plunger, BUT I had noticed some improvement after multiple tries with the standard plunger.

So with this new fancy plunger I decided to add another dose of bacterial additive one more time, and then try it. Again, the additive alone didn't clear it.

Well, I just used the bellows plunger, and VOILA. Totally clear.

So much LESS WORK (less plunges) than a standard plunger too. Basically, two strokes, then major improvement.

At that point it was so clear that it was hard to add enough water with faucet to finish the job so I had to add water from another source.

Then two more strokes and then totally fixed.

So yes I am happy with my purchase!

I read on some site that because of the hard plastic of these kinds of plungers it's a good idea to loosen them up a bit under hot water for using in the sink. I did that and it seemed to help.

Basically the technique is fill the sink somewhat but not too much and the down stroke is to push the air out (the chamber is big) and then you suck in water to fill the chamber and then you've got MAJOR POWER to force the drain blockage. Anyway ... it works.

BTW, I also think a standard plunger would have worked, just more physical work and more plunges IF I could make a decent seal. I think the problem for me was the standard plunger wasn't WIDE enough. I noticed in Central they've got some fancy color WIDER standard plungers (also short style) for 250 baht. I think that would have worked too, but I already had the bellows plunger.

I don't like to use toxic chemicals (not great for the pipes and if they don't fix the clogs you've got a toxic situation when you open up the pipes). I also don't like using BOILING WATER (which can work) because it tends to soften pipe connections (makes leaks).

Cheers.

Edited April 7, 2013 by Jingthing