I've never had a clogged drain or lost jewelry down one either.

I have seen this for sale here in Vancouver or a similar product and gave it a once over. The mechanism seams solid and built well.

I think we will see more of these types of P Traps if our local cities move away from allowing Kitchen Garboratars in our homes. I have not encountered this myself here in North Vancouver but have heard of some tougher changes for our Vancouver Kin Folk living in Richmond.

I have snaked countless lines for our clients and repaired tons of damage caused by clogged lines. Renovations are risky and old lines should be replaced or cleaned if in good repair.

A P Trap that clogs often has a deeper root to the problem most times like bad venting, to many connections, bad connections, bad grade or minor blockage down stream.

Ideally you will have a clean out on this drain line every 20'. Clean an old line with a snake and cutter if need be. Check your venting above. Bees, birds and critters can wreck havoc on your homes system if the vents become constricked or blocked all together.

A simple $3.00 strainer used in your sink is a wiser investment and better for your homes plumbing lines.

Consider having your drain lines deep cleaned with a chemical flush and camera inspection if you really want piece of mind.

It is my opinion that the smallest drain line in your home should be 2". 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" are allowed many times but for ease of service, cleaning and flow rates a 2" drain line is so much better. Consider this if things are wide open. Snake your old lines if not before installing new pipe...

Good Luck.

Let us know how it works....

Early adopters are the guinea pigs, fruit flies, lab rats. Plumbers are always willing to look at new things. Plumbers are reluctant to adopt new things, because a lot of study has already gone into the products and rules that we now have. Many new products cause other problems. When a product is marketed to the general public and not to plumbers alone, it is a clue that there may be a reason why plumbers have not accepted this innovation.

P traps already have the self-scouring ability described in the video now on permaflow-drain.com page 1. ("creates turbulence"). This is described in plumbing codes also, because there is a size limit to prevent anyone from oversizing the P trap or pipe. (Pipe too large = ensures stuff gets deposited and not carried downstream. (which is the opposite of our intentions).).

The paddle in the permaflow might be a great advantage. Or, it might cause other problems which we will know as common knowledge in 20 years from now.

The Permaflow being transparent is a nice feature, which other P traps could also have. Maybe there are transparent regular P traps already. I've not gone looking.

P traps are already made with holes underneath that you can open to clean them out from. (It's a threaded hole with a bolt to seal it. You leave it closed for years at a time). To see an image of one, search for "P-Trap with Cleanout". It has a huge advantage over the permaflow: you remove gravel sand dust and gunk that might have been dropped down the drain during construction or during the course of normal living. Why do people not install them more often? I don't know. What I do know is that it is far far better to remove things that collect in the P trap than to send them a few feet downstream. The permaflow merely gives you a paddle that sends blockages downstream a few feet. It does not guarantee that objects will be carried out of your house's DWV drain line and into the public sewer or into your septic tank.

Another concern I see right now is that the paddle has a handle outside the drain, on an axis which pierces the drain --- so this is where a drip can occur.

My initial conclusion is that I would like to have a clear plastic P trap. If it had a cleanout that I open up entirely, I would have the option to remove stuff too. On the other hand, maybe clear plastic is not yet good enough to be truly useful as P trap material: maybe it cracks or cannot be glued well to the other materials, or... well, I'll find out within the next 20 years. Stay tuned.

hth

has anyone ever looked inside their drain pipes?

I just can't imagine what that would look like from the outside in mere months. Even under a closed vanity, I think it would look gross. I wonder if you will even be able to see through the clear plastic over time??

But, interesting concept.

I was thinking the same thing about the look of this P Trap in time.

Personally I like a solid glued PTrap with no compression fittings or clean out nuts. I prefer the use of 2 Fernco type connectors to remove the P Trap. I feel this set up is safer for my clients and accidental blows to the plumbing lines below a crammed sink does not result in a slow drip.

I find that the nut on the P Trap holds hair and helps to build these blockages faster. We have tried some of the rubber P Traps and they work great for slight off sets but I have received complaints of a "Strong Rubber Smell" inside the sink cabinet base.

It might be best to tape it off with some black electrical tape - month 3 or 4. No need to view pond scum when going for an scrub pad...

I think David just called me a fruit fly :o Ewwwwww!

Well, whatever everyone's pro and non-pro thoughts are, I just thought I'd throw it out there. I've discovered a few FANTASTIC new products on these boards over the 8 years. This one may or may not be as wonderful but you never know :)
I'll probably try it someday. If it were to leak, the water would go into a solid plastic container that holds cleaning products. If/when it overflows, I have a water alarm. If it were to leak while I was on a 3 week cruise to the Greek Isles, I'd be in heap big doo-doo (g) Course, same holds true if my washer, dishwasher, toilet, hot water heater or an old fashion PVC p-trap leaks :)
As for the looks of the thing after a few weeks or months. I thought of that too. It would be pretty gross!
Monica

a leak would not be catastrophic if you are away. It's not a supply line with pressurized water. The standing water in it is not a lot.

(slapping forehead!) Duh! What was I thinking? What do you expect from a fruit fly? (g)
Monica

Thanks for the p-trap 101, guys, really!

I get guinea pig and lab rat as examples of test subjects...but, a fruit fly? Aren't they pests or parasites?

Not true, Monica! ; )