Flexible WC overflow?

[The Medway Handyman]

Had a call last week to sort a toilet that was 'leaking'.

Tracked the leak to a fill valve dripping badly, causing the cistern to overfill, resulting in water flowing into the overflow pipe, which had a cracked nut.

Right sod of a job. Overflow pipework was 22mm, only nut & adaptors I could find locally were Marley 21.5mm. About 4" of free pipe which then disappeared into tile covered boxing in.

Why do the bastards make two sizes of overflow pipe & fittings? 21.5mm &

22mm?

Getting the overflow pipe to line up was a right PITA.

Next time I will change the siphon to an internal overflow type & by pass the poxy overflow completely.

Given that you can get flexible tap connectors, flexible WC pan connectors, flexible basin & sink waste pipe - can you get flexible 22mm overflow couplings?

[Nightjar]

Don't forget 23mm as well.

A bit of hose and a couple of jubilee clips?

Colin Bignell

[Matty F]

I always make them overflow internally, although I understand that that may be banned. The reason given is that people don't know it's overflowing unless it runs out of a pipe outside. In my case I never go near the pipe outside, while I can see a dribble into the pan, and I can certainly hear the water running. My water bill was double the usual rate until I fixed the small leak.

[Nightjar]

The requirement is simply that it 'shall be fitted with a warning pipe or with a no less effective device'. A float switch and light would comply with the regulations and there is nothing to say where the warning pipe (usually the overflow of cisterns of under 1000 litres) has to run. Water running down the back of the WC pan is probably more obvious than having it running out of a wall somewhere, particularly in large buildings.

Colin Bignell

[Andrew Mawson]

21.5mm &

connectors,

overflow

In a similar situation I've used a 22mm copper corrugated bend - one of those things stocked by the sheds that have a short length of corrugations in the middle with plain pipe at each end.

AWEM

[cynic]

You haven't mentioned stopping the cause of the overflow?

[The Medway Handyman]

I replaced the fill valve.

[YAPH]

Indeed. I only carry short (7" IIRC) syphons, and usually replace with Fluidmaster drop valves which do for 1 1/2" or 2" cisterns with push-button dual-flush, which most people prefer or are happy enough with. (Though I ask first.) And of course carry a stock of overflow hole stopper plugs (from Toolstation).

[roy2rnpvw]

I am searching the Internet for a flexible overflow pipe as the new wc has different measurements to the old one, necessitating changing the fixed ove rflow pipe. It would be so much simpler to screw on a flexible hose to the cistern and compression fit to the fixed pipe. Alternately how do I conve rt my wc into an internal overflow?

[A.Lee]

Every toilet I have fitted in last 10 years has had an internal overflow, where have you bought this piece of history from?

[roy2rnpvw]

Hello and thanks very much. I am very happy. I just opened up the cistern and found it was an internal overflow. Thanks once again. Roy

[The Medway Handyman]

Thats also my experience. In fact, I don't think you could buy a siphon/flush valve without an internal overflow if you tried.

[roy2rnpvw]

My new Toilet hasn't allowed for my soil pipe that is running parallel to t he floor. The pan spigot just touches the soil pipe bend. I bought an ext ension piece and had to remove the rubber seal of of the soil pipe bend as the finned extension cannot pass through the hardened rubber seal. I canno t find a new flexible seal so am thinking of cutting the inner ring off to allow the finned extension to pass through. This still means that the cist ern will be about 2 inches away from the wall. Any comments?