Once again our downstairs loo is overflowing. The float arm is sometimes jamming as the float ball floats upwards. Push the arm sideways and it frees up and the ballcock closes.
Can this be fixed, or will I need to replace some parts?
Is it possible to clean any corrosion present at the pivot point of the arm?
This may allow free movement of the arm.
Is the ball rubbing on the side of the cistern as it moves up and down? If so. you may be able to rotate the body of the valve slightly so that the ball takes a different path. Slacken the water connection *slightly* and also the nut holding the valve in the cistern. Rotate the valve a bit and then tighten everything up.
If it always sticks at the same place you could maybe effect a temporary fix with something like a bit of string or a bent coathanger to stop it from falling that far.
I can't see much in the way of corrosion.
The arm moves almost too freely at the moment. It moves horizontally as well as vertically. But when it moves horizontally towards the toilet, it sticks and doesn't move all the way back up. It's not sticking on the syphon assembly or anything else that I can see, but it doesn't want to float back up.
It doesn't seem to be sticking on either the side of the cistern or on the syphon assembly. The ball arm moves horizontally as well as up and down, and when it moves horixontally towards the toilet bowl, it won't float all the way back up.
Interesting idea, but it sticks only an inch or so below the top poistion. I don't know if this will allow the valve to fully open. I'll have a play and see what happens.
In that case, it sounds as if the pivot pin is worn and/or corroded. You could take it all to bits, clean it with wire wool and re-assemble it - which *may* cure it - but I'd be more inclined to cut my losses and replace the whole valve/float assembly with a Torbeck valve - something like
| but I'd be more inclined to cut my losses and replace | the whole valve/float assembly with a Torbeck valve - something like |
Agreed, IME these are much more reliable.
Looks interesting. What would be involved in removing the old one and fitting this one?
If it's sticking that high I think you'll find that something is fairly seriously knackered and it's time for a new valve.
| On 03/11/2005, Set Square wrote: | > In that case, it sounds as if the pivot pin is worn and/or corroded. | > You could take it all to bits, clean it with wire wool and | > re-assemble it - which may cure it - but I'd be more inclined to cut | > my losses and replace the whole valve/float assembly with a Torbeck | > valve - something like
Yes, it is dead easy.
Let's assume it's side entry.
Turn off the water. take the lid off the cistern. Undo the union joining the water supply pipe to the input end of the valve body. Undo the external nut which holds the valve body in the side of the cistern, and withdraw the valve, complete with ball, from the inside.
Assemble the new valve as per the instructions which come with it - using the appropriate flow restrictor depending on whether it's fed from the mains or from a low pressure supply. Fit the valve into the cistern with its inlet pipe passing out through the hole in the side, and fit the nut to hold it in place. Connect the water supply pipe, taking care that the fibre washer is in the right place (you may need to replace the washer). Turn the water back on, and adjust the float so that the cistern fills to the desired level. Make sure there are no leaks, and refit the cistern lid.
Retire to the pub on what you would have had to pay a plumber to do it.
[Bottom entry is the same in principle - but there are extra rubber washers to enable the valve to seal the hole in the bottom of the cistern. You also need to get the cistern as empty as possible before removing the old valve, 'cos any remaining water will run out when you do.]
Thanks - enough detail so that even I ought to be able to do this! Just one question:
I think it's fed from a tank in our loft three floors up. Does that count as high or low pressure? (Whoever fitted the tank sensibly fitted valves on the exit pipes so turning the water off will be easy enough.)
I'll print this bit out and show it to the missus. It's on the list of instructions, so I've _got_ to do this bit.
It's low pressure. The static head generated by this will still be less than
1 Bar compared with mains at about 4 Bar.
OK. Thanks again for taking the time to post such detailed info.
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