Toilet cistern filling too fast?

Is it traditional to use the half-hour gap between visiting relatives to re-plumb toilets over Christmas? 8-(

For the last few weeks, the toilet has been dripping. The close- coupled cistern isn't firmly attached to the wall, a visiting gorilla swung on the flush handle and the rubber doughnut no longer seated snugly into the pan. A replacement close-coupling-coupler was duly purchased and sat awaiting tuits.

Today was the day (Tomorrow is 5 extra rellies). I soon realised that the rubber washer on the overflow standpipe was gloopified, but no-one sells them as spares (I think is the nearest). That was one trip for parts.

Then I tried to re-connect the water supply and couldn't get the rigid copper pipe to mate with the mashed thread on the bottom entry valve without leaking. Cue a 2nd trip in the opposite direction for a new Fluidmaster valve. Previously I'd been a Torbeck fan, but these seem faster, quieter, and don't have such tiny orifices at risk of scale.

The doughnut incidentally was no trouble,..

Now it's all back together and leak-free, but seems to have trouble with the flush itself - the syphon doesn't stop syphoning. My suspicion is that the fast-filling Fluidmaster simply starts to re- fill the cistern before it's fully emptied and breaks the syphon. After all, Delchem's design is based around a flapper valve rather than a syphon. Is there anything I can do to regulate this? At present I've just left the supply ball valve at 45o, which isn't quite ideal.

Reply to
Andy Dingley
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Seems like it. Except in my case its rewiring some lights.

Could you install a service valve on the supply & leave it partly closed to reduce the incoming flow?

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Nothing in the Fluidmaster itself I suppose? ISTR a flow reducer plastic thing that you reversed for mains pressure. I know someone who was well chuffed over Xmas when he changed syphon, donut etc without leaks, only to find the screw holes in the the cistern didn't quite line up when he'd finished. No way of getting the angle to drill new ones so Velcro will have to do for now.

Reply to
stuart noble

Did he replace the cistern then? How come the holes moved? :-)

I have had holes shrink before now. Measured a shed window frame & when I returned with the glass the hole had shrunk by 100mm in one dimension. :-(

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

I think the new metal plate had a slightly raised section, so no amount of tightening of the wing nuts would align the holes

Reply to
stuart noble

There's already such a valve, and this is what I've done temporarily. Can't say I regard it as a good long-term fix though,

Can't see anything like that - there's a simple scale filter, which is in place.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Would have been worse if the hole had grown.

Or did you not have a glass cutting thingmy?

Owain

Reply to
Owain

I took it back to be trimmed. I am to glass cutting what Colonel Custer was to Indian fighting.

Don't ask about the hole for the fan in our kitchen window.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Can't see a long term problem with it.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

I have been thinking about precisely this recently. (Replaced kitchen mixer - and changed a leaking under-the-sink stopcock for a full bore valve. Flow and pressure seem too high now on cold water.)

Thought that there might be a problem with scale building up on one side of the valve (inside, that is). Would the slower flow just past the partially open valve tend to scale up? Or not? Tossed the ideas back and forth in my head - and couldn't decide. Does anyone have experience of doing this, long term, in a very hard water area?

Reply to
Rod

Did it in an upstairs toilet to stop the thud when the valve shut off. The valve is turned to about 25% on, and has been working just fine for the last 3 years or so.

Reply to
stuart noble

Oh, what about the hole for the fan in the kitchen window?

My little mishap this week - had a phone socket falling out of the wall, filler hadn't held it in so I thought I'd try some bathroom silicone sealer. (Did not have squirety foam to hand)

Did not realise it would conduct electricity for 2 days until it cured and would knock the phone line out.

I think next time I'll splash out on a pattress box ...

Owain

Reply to
Owain

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