cistern overflow

[PoP]

I think it's a good move actually.

The historical way of arranging an overflow was to run a pipe thru an external wall so that the overflow drips water outside. All well and good, but there could be some foliage out there, or it could potentially get blocked (if it is really cold weather then the overflow pipe could ice up).

The time saved in piping the overflow is not insignificant either, if you have to add things like pipe clips etc.

PoP

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In article , Richard writes

The internal overflow actually causes the cistern to syphon and so flush the toilet. Therefore you will keep hearing the toilet flush!

[John]

Ghostly flushings!!!!!

Not necessarily - take a look at the workings of the push button type of cistern. There is no siphon - just a buoyant bung that is lifted to flush the toilet. When the cistern empties the bung reseats itself over the outlet and is held by the weight of water until it is next lifted. The overflow is down the central guide.

[Richard]

It would need a catastrophic failure of the inlet valve for the hydraulic siphon to complete on it's own and even then I doubt it. You may be referring to the self flushing cisterns that have been fitted to some public urinals these however are of different design and are purpose made to self flush. Incidentally IMHO these should be banned because of the vast quantities of water that they waste. That is of course if they have not already been condemned in view of the water shortages that many parts of the UK will soon be suffering from. Richard.

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In article , Richard writes

True, the only instance that I have had so far of mine working was when my ball fell off, pretty catastrophic! Don't ask why. Having just tested it with a slight dribble then no it doesn't syphon.

[Christian McArdle]

That depends on your system. All the taps in my house are direct from the mains, including the hot taps. Most houses I've lived in have had direct mains to the cold taps and stored water hot taps, although my parents did have drinking water in the kitchen only when I was growing up. They've since upgraded.

Christian.

[Owain]

"-" wrote | >It would need a catastrophic failure of the inlet valve for the | >hydraulic siphon to complete on it's own and even then I doubt it. | True, the only instance that I have had so far of mine working was | when my ball fell off, pretty catastrophic!

'Its' ball surely? Otherwise it certainly would be catastrophic.

Owain

[Soup]

House was like that when I was growing up too (only mains fed tap is the kitchen cold), house we are in now (council house Scotland)has only the cold tap in the kitchen fed directly from the mains everything else is fed from the tank in the loft either direct (cold taps) or via the hot water storage tank (hot taps).Thought all houses were the same, all the water (apart from the kitchen cold) can be switched off with the outlet valve from the tank in the loft (in case of a leak).Or any item can be switched off with the isolating valves (to change washers/ball valves e.t.c.).

[Andy Hall]

I'm not sure that I'd use the word "upgrade". Have you tasted the Reading public water supply. let alone looked at the Thames Water analysis for it?

.andy

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[Dave Liquorice]

Quite. He'd go thirsty here, no taps are off the mains. All water goes through at least the 150 gallon storage tanks. These are now properly covered and insulated when we moved in there was quite a collection of dead things (one mouse) and general muck building rubble etc in them.

Mains water is a recent inovation for this house, it arrived

[Niall]

Many are already fitted with some sort of "Cistermiser" device which ensures they only flush when used. Some are electric and use a PIR, others detect the drop in water supply pressure when taps in the toilet are used. Caution is neccessary- you don't want to see the results for the drainage pipework of inadequate flushing.

[Christian McArdle]

It's not so bad when it is really cold. I actually quite like it. The main problem is that it's a bit high in chlorine. When I was in Birmingham, I could hardly touch the mains water, even though it was supposed to be really good stuff from the Welsh mountains.

Christian.

[Soup]

Water here (Balerno Edinburgh Scotland) is very clear (straight from the hills at the back of us) I can't test the water but it seems "pure" with no chlorinary(?) taste. When I stayed at RAF Shawbury near Shrewsbury Shropshire the water was MINGING (not only the camp water but water in nearby houses, cafes e.t.c.)all red and full of bits despite being so near the Welsh border.