Armitage shanks close coupled toilet constantly filling

[Lusi83]

Armitage shanks 'sandringham' toilet can tell from my previous post on here it is almost exactly 3 yrs old ...
Close coupled, push button, bottom fill

Suddenly started constantly filling and overflowing into pan. Not a drip it like a tap running - the flow from the inlet isn't slowing down at all...
Figure its a problem with the water inlet valve??
Realised have no idea how these work
(did have an idea of the good old fashioned ball cock)
Thinking the plastic box thing around the valve is a float - and that being at the top doesn't seem to effect the flow rate
...seen mention of a diaphragm - could this be causing this?
Can that be repaired without removing the whole inlet valve?
Anything else I can do - short of replacement of whole valve -which if I have to mess around taking off the the whole inlet valve off anyway I might well consider ...

Just had a chaotic week - then this started! As I was on my way out the door this evening to a school event (last thing I had to get through - only got back 45 min ago)! And I was so looking forward to a restful weekend!

 

[Blagard]

Most modern WC's have an integral overflow which discharges into the pan instead of the days of an external overflow pipe.

So first check if the water is going down the integral overflow pipe. If it is then it will almost certainly be your water supplies float valve that is the problem.

If it is not overflowing then the problem will be at the bottom of the flush valve where the seal should be closed except when flushed. You can often get replacement seals or sometimes it just needs cleaning away something that is keeping it open.

To access the seal turn the water off then remove the top half of the flush valve which will also have the seal attached (removal is usually just twist and lift out). Check the seal and the seat of the seal at the bottom of the cistern.

If it is the float valve can you post a picture of it to allow us to determine what type, as some are easy to fix.

 

[longdogs]

Look to see if you have an isolation valve fitted under the cistern so you can isolate the water until you have fixed the problem (or until you next need to use the loo )

 

[Lusi83]

Sorry this took so long to reply ...took me a while to be able to face taking the photo, uploading etc..

It is definitely the water inlet - water isolated to loo at moment, cistern full and no water running into pan...
(filling up cistern with a bucket, if I add too much water and it is overflowing into pan...)
This is the water inlet valve

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• Lusi83
• 1 Feb 2014
• 1

I can't even work out how to get the diaphram - the blue bit - I assume is the float is moving readily enough.
And it was very sudden - no trickling overflow - it just suddenly 'went'

Almost cross post with squeaky - I did isolate water, now filling cistern with a bucket - (waterfeed and isolator is in eaves cupboard behind loo...not enough pipe under loo to fit an isolator in room - so its a bit of a faff to keep turning it on and off... )

 

[Lusi83]

Right I got the diaphragm out...hope these photos are clear enough finding this hard to describe...

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• Lusi83
• 1 Feb 2014
• 1

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• Lusi83
• 1 Feb 2014
• 1

Two questions - how do I know it is this causing the problem - it is knackered? Seems to be a bit of wear in the rubber around the red disc...would this cause the problem? Cause it to suddenly not to shut off at all? Could it be another part?

Secondly this one has ridges on the bigger rubber circle - which seem to fit into grooves on the water inlet valve - all the ones I can find online -even the armitage shanks ones- don't seem to have these ridges - they seem to be smooth ? Will the smooth ones be ok?

(Seem to be different models of this toilet and I can't find which mine is at the moment -or the instructions and I normally keep the instructions for everything !)

Many thanks ....

 

[Blagard]

I wouldn't bother trying to fix that. As you say it is not obvious that is the problem even though most of the time it is. Having said that have you tried simply cleaning out the parts and refitting? Sometimes a bit of grit in the water main can cause a valve to malfunction.

If refitting after a clean out does not work I would replace the complete valve with a fluidmaster as at least you can get the spares and the valves seem pretty good

http://www.screwfix.com/p/fluidmaster-bottom-entry-fill-valve-uk/84007?

 

[Lusi83]

Thanks everyone!
If anyone else has this problem...
Got a new diaphragm from B&Q (plumbsure) and it didn't fit ! (no time to get to up to screwfix so thought it as worth a try)
Spoke to Armitage shanks helpline to find out
a)which wc model I have for future reference (number on my cistern lid didn't match a model on their website) and
b) did anyone sell a suitable diaphragm
They don't - you can get one from their website - described as a 'water inlet valve service kit'...has various filters etc as well and is at around £9 delivered...
Told the nice man I wouldn't bother- it might not even be fixable even with the kit and I could get a whole new valve from screwfix for £2 more and probably would get another make so I could get hold of the parts ..also at 3 yrs old why would it have failed?
He very kindly sent me a kit FOC!
And I was in a hurry (mass sleepover for teenage daughters birthday party planned and this the only loo!) -didn't do the service -just popped new diaphragm on - and it worked!
Oh and the ridges are just a result of it sitting in the valve - new ones don't have them...

 

[adela]

I am glad to hear you have sorted it

 

[Snorbs]

Lusi83 - any chance you could post some instructions for how to disassemble the flow valve to get at the diaphragm please?

 

[Lusi83]

Can't find the instructions at the moment ...actually came across them quite recently and put them somewhere safe but can't remember where right now... - will check in the shed again tomorrow in the daylight...and post them if I find them

But I think it was easy - disconnect the water!!!!!
Just take off the white circular shaped top ( think it was like a quarter turn or press & turn - not unscrew) and the diaphragm was just under there...