We have a close-coupled toilet that IIRC came from Screwfix. It does not use the "traditional" close-coupling kit, i.e. there is no metal bracket. Instead the cistern sits on top of the pan and there are two holes, one either side, drilled through the cistern and through the pan, and through these are two nylon bolts with a small rubber washer on each. There is the usual big doughnut on the flush outlet.
I did ask BES if they stocked these just in case I ever needed spares and they had not heard of them. As you can imagine, I've gone and lost one. Before I phone SF tomorrow, has anyone else seen these before and do you know what they are called and where I can buy them from?
I would imagine any old nylon bolt would do, since it is submerged metal would rust. I would however need to find some suitable washers.
It makes you wonder who designs this stuff. " I know, instead of using that perfectly good idea thats been around for ages, lets drill holes in the botton of the 20+ litre water cistern".
Most of the ones I've seen have used stainless steel bolts. IIRC the washers are cone shaped?
Yes, I was thinking of going to a few tomorrow, taking the remaining bolt with me. I just wondered if there was any mail order supplier to save me the time and petrol. I always though BES were a "proper" merchant but they didn't have them; OTOH it's not the "proper" part for the job, is it?
Is PTS a proper merchant? That's the nearest I have, I think.
But wouldn't even that rust if constantly submerged?
I quite agree. If they are not tight enough, it will leak. A silly way of doing it imho but presumably cheaper.
Whilst I've got the cistern off, is there a fast filling valve? This has a torbeck at the moment. Very quiet but also very slow. Isn't a flush 6 litres on a new loo and 9L on an old one? For such a small volume, why does it take so long to fill?
Is there an incorrect restrictor fitted? The design of a torbeck is such that it's almost an "open pipe" when open, capable of filling very fast but will shut off with a bang...
There are two restrictors supplied with a new valve, a HP (lots of fins IIRC) and and LP (not so many fins) but you can use a torbeck without a restrictor if your supply is gravity from a tank on the floor above say.
Some have a single filter/restrictor and the destructions tell you to cut it to various lengths depending on your water pressure - not that many actually know what their water pressure is.
I use torbecks for speed. With no reducer I can fill a cistern in about 40s. See what is fitted in the inlet. A coarse spiral (about 3-4mm pitch) is for low pressure, a fine one ~2mm pitch for HP. If not enough reducer flush may not stop or valve will close with a bang.
Thanks. What are the definitions of high and low pressure? Is mains always considered high pressure and gravity-fed is low pressure or isn't it as simple as that? Our pressure should be 3 bars; there is a prv to stop it going higher than that. Would the pressure on the first floor be lower than that due to it having to fit gravity to get there?
This is the factory fitted valve, and I don't remember seeing any spare parts or instructions or if there were, I expect they are long gone. I shall see if I can remove whatever is in situ, otherwise I guess I'll have to buy a new valve to ensure I get all the parts.
These plastic bolts are about 1cm wide and about 6.5cm long. The washer is about 2.5cm wide but has a lip on the inside edge so it is almost like a top hat washer. SF say their previous supplier is no longer trading but their new one, PJH group, didn't want to know because they didn't fulfill the order. The bolts are almost like those used to hold a toilet seat, so may be I could use some of those, if I could find a suitable washer.
I got out the yellow pages and found there were half a dozen plumbers merchants in town, so spent the afternoon visiting them. In the past, I have read posts here, normally directed at Doctor D, criticising the staff at plumbers merchants. Having met a few who were uninterested and unhelpful, I can see why people have said what they have said!
I'm sorry, I misunderstood what TMH was telling me. I thought the quote about metal bolts referred to the "proper" way of coupling, using this:
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went to Grahams and they sold metal bolts with rubber cones that go through the bottom of the cistern; I realise now that that is what TMH meant. Sorry for the confusion.
Grahams told me that these were fitted to their £300 toilets. £300 for a toilet! I'm surprised though, I would have thought that being constantly submerged in oxygenated water would be a recipe for rust. Would it help to coat them with something?
Another merchant suggested that steel would rust and I should source a brass bolt: do you know of any sources for a 10M x 60mm brass bolt?
I have bought the pack from Grahams for the time being. It had four plastic washers, two plastic nuts and two metal nuts. Do you use one washer either side of the cistern? IE One in the bottom of the cistern above the cone and then one underneath the pan above the nut? I have used the plastic nuts; what are the metal nuts for? Do you need to fit those beneath the plastic ones? Or is this a one pack fits all and you choose the bits you need from it according to your toilet?
I had a look at the display loos in B&Q. All the unbranded ones use the through the cistern method, which is a PIA when you remove the cistern because you have to remove the "dead water" first. The Armitage Shanks ones all had "intact" cisterns with fixings below.
I see you can buy a pressure gauge for about £11 that screws onto a washing machine tap but I want to know the pressure upstairs at the toilet and not downstairs at the washing machine. I think it would be too much hassle to fit and then remove a 3/4" adaptor to the cistern feed to connect the gauge and the gauge would probably never get used again, so I can see why the trial and error approach is simpler.
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