Re: Toilet chain rusts and breaks

[Sondra Z]

I have the same problem. I have been in my home 33 years and only over the past 5-7 years have I had this problem. I have bought solid brass chain it corrodes through. I then bought galvanized wire and rigged it up to work and they still corrode about every 6-8 weeks. I am really frustrated. Someone suggested rubber and my mind is in overdrive trying to figure how to do that. I just ordered new parts for this time. This is the replacement for mine if anyone has any ideas on use of any material but metal or brass.

Thanks so much.

[Anonymous]

How  about a couple loops of fishing line, tied to the lever and flapper ??

In 40 years and 8 toilets in 5 homes, I've never had a chain rust. Other problems, yes but not chains. And aren't some water supplies particularly corrosive ?

[micky]

You took the words out of my mouth. Or weedwacker string, or nylon twine, etc. I normally think of metal as better than plastic or anything invented in the last 150 years, but synthetics have advantages too.

When I was in highschool I put some gasoline in a little plastic dish that food had come in at the store (because my mother wouldn't let me use actual dishes. She thought I'd ruin them.) And the dish melted, into a blob. For a long time I acted liek gasoline would do this to any plastic, but of course that's not true. They even make cas cans out of plastic. The same thing is true of string. Maybe some will be botherred by the OP's water, but I'm sure some won't.

Me neither. Although in NYC for 12 years I had a flushometer.

Must be.

[TimR]

I've had exactly the same problem. I've tried various types of chain, wire, cable ties, none survive. If the link isn't very limp the plug won't slide down and the toilet keeps flushing.

What's in there now is paracord with the inner strands pulled out. so far working fine. .

[Boris]

Sondra Z [e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

This appears to be an 11 year old post, but in case you still can't flush your toilet (:>), my solution for chains, even stainless steel chains, that have corroded, is to use a small nylon tie.

[TimR]

Nope. Tried it, didn't work.

Actually my plumber put it in first, when it broke I replaced it twice that way, finally realized it wasn't going to work. Tried three different type chains, all corroded. Now the paracord is in there, so far so good.

This is one of the old style toilets where the stopper moves vertically, with the shaft going through a small loop, rather than pivoting, so the requirements on the handle are slightly different. The connection needs to be quite limp or the stopper will hang up and the toilet keeps running. (one of the basic rules of engineering design that my professor hammered into us was NEVER put a side load on a sliding joint) Hopefully you notice and jiggle it until it slides down, but can't trust the family to notice.

[invalid unparseable]

Have not had this problem although my well water is somewhat corrosive. I have some old Kevlar cords that would probably work.

[Ed Pawlowski]

One thing not addressed is the water quality. If it is corroding bras and SS in short time, perhaps it should be treated both for health reasons and corroding infrastructure.

[invalid unparseable]

I had tested mine with a kit from Lowes when we got a new well. It looked at all contaminants and there was no problem except pH is a little low and water hard plus 1 ppm iron when it should be less than a half ppm. Brought it down with an iron filter. Only problem I had with toilets in the last 20 years was corroded tank bolts on oldest toilet.

Many states will test water for just a few dollars and a lot of people like plumbers will do it for free. Of course the plumber will want to sell you a treatment system.

[gfretwell]

If the pH is below ~7.1 it will eat your plumbing. A lot of folks want it more like 7.4 - 7.5. A few drops of the phenol solution from a swimming pool kit in a shot glass of water will tell the tale. You want it orange, not yellow (acid) or pink (alkaline).