What Is the Difference Between a Rotary Drain & a Drain?

Drain

• The word drain is both a noun and a verb. As a verb, drain denotes the act of emptying the contents of a container, usually a liquid. For instance, when you drain your bathtub, you empty all the water it holds. As a noun, drain denotes the pipe or system of pipes and apertures used to remove the liquid contents of a container. Therefore, the pipe that connects to your bathtub or sink basin, through which you drain water, constitutes the drain. A generic term, drain refers to any such system.

Rotary Drains

• Rotary drains do not constitute drains, but systems used in drains to control the flow of water. Basically, a rotary drain entails any system that uses a circular motion to plug and unplug a drainpipe. If you twist or turn some element on your sink or bathtub to open or close the drain, your tub contains a rotary drain. The elements of the rotary drain all fit within the drainage system of a tub or sink.

Technology for Rotary Drains

• Various types of technology exist in rotary drain systems. The most basic type of rotary drain consists of a mechanism that fits into your drainpipe and possesses a protruding lever. When you turn this lever, the mechanism opens, allowing water to flow through the drain. When you return the lever to its original position, the mechanism closes, preventing water from draining. More complex rotary drains use turning knobs to move elements, like a linkage and rocker arm, to operate a pop-up tub drain.

Rotary Drains vs. Drains

• Numerous differences exist between rotary drains and standard drains. The former constitutes a system used to control the flow of water, while the later simply exists to allow elements to drain from a container. A rotary drain consists of mechanical, moving parts that fit into a drain system. Drains, on the other hand, usually contain no moving or mechanical parts, consisting of little more than a series of interconnected pipes. Ultimately, the two are fundamentally different, with the term “drain” appearing as something of a misnomer with the phrase “rotary drain.”