Differing toilet pipe sizes

[southlondonone]

New member, looking for some advice for a simple mind!

The flush on my push button system takes ages to fill. Which is a pain as it is the main guest toilet so when you have several guests over it can be quite embarrassing when they come out to say the toilet won't flush.

I have bought a new Fluidmaster Brass Shank Bottom Entry Fill Valve. Thought this would do the trick as the old one is looking pretty dated.

Anyway, started draining cistern etc took old one out and then realised the new brass shank is bigger than the old one so won't fit the current pipe from the mains.

Coming from the floor is a pipe (cold water in), attached to that is a flexible pipe which then secures to the shank. Now I'm not sure if I can get another bottom entry valve that will fit the original one or can I get a new flexible pipe that will fit?

I've tried measuring the pipes but this appears difficult work. The shank on the new one says 1/2" but measuring it (the width at the bottom) is over 1/2".

Any help much appreciated. Can do photos if help but it's more the size thing I think. For info the house is a Victorian house so may explain odd pipe sizes!

 

[longdogs]

A new fluid master will have a half inch thread so if something doesn't quite fit, it must be the flexi. ( I must admit that I have never come across one that doesn't fit)

 

[denso13]

You can get ⅜" flexi connectors which is perhaps what you have if it is too small for the new valve. Can you post a pic?

 

[longdogs]

You can get ⅜" flexi connectors which is perhaps what you have if it is too small for the new valve. Can you post a pic?

Yeah, I was thinking that but would it have fitted the old valve? Don't know if there are any 3/8 old valves out there?

 

[HERTS P&D]

See below:


http://www.screwfix.com/p/fluidmaster-euro-bottom-entry-fill-valve-3-8/87426


Andy

 

[southlondonone]

Thanks for the replies. I see the 3/8" one, that sounds like it may be the answer.

Thanks for the other replies/ suggestions. Can do some photos but I think this 3/8 one may be the answer! If not I'll be back with photos!

Does anyone know what screw fix are like taking things that have been opened back? I've taken the new one out of the plastic. Doh.

 

[loafer]

keep the filling valve instead of suffering the ambarrasment of screwfix counter person saying "Screwfix says no!" Buy another flexi the correct sized for the shank. The pipe feed end will still be 1/2"-15mm!

 

[southlondonone]

Sorry loafer, I'm confused now. I thought the one posted above in the link would be a smaller thread on the shank, no?! If not what is the 3/8" measurement in relation too?

 

[denso13]

The existing flexi must be smaller than ½" if it is too small for the new fluidmaster. Change the flexi for a ½" one and you can use the fill valve you already have.

 

[southlondonone]

Are there different flexi pipes then, in terms of size at each end? I'm thinking if I get the half inch one you suggest then surely it won't fit the mains pipe I've got. Unless the current one is two different sizes at each end, right?!

 

[denso13]

Yes, you probably have 15mm x ⅜" but you need 15mm x ½". A piccy would be good though.

 

[southlondonone]

Cheers Denso. I will take some snaps tomorrow and put them up with some measurements (albeit not actually sure how you measure pipes, whether from edge to edge or the inner thread etc)

 

[southlondonone]

Ok apologies for not putting pics up yesterday, was a long day.

I put the labels with my rough measurements, pain/ difficult measuring pipes! But then realised they are tiny unless you zoom in so I have written them out in order starting at top to bottom. Apologies if not accurate but hopefully adequate!

The first image shows from floor to shank (measurements arent written on).

Second image shows the connections closer.
Width of shank thread so to speak 1.5cm or 0.7" (inches were really hard to do due to the location of pipe)
Width of flexi pipe fitting entering mains 2cm or 3/4"
Width of nut coming from floor/ mains 2.5cm or 1"

These are all approximate but as close as I can get. They are all measured from one side to the other if that makes sense.

Untitled

• southlondonone
• 4 Nov 2014
• 1

Untitled

• southlondonone
• 4 Nov 2014
• 1

 

[TheVictorian]

I would suggest that it fills slowly because the flexi pipe has a couple of kinks in it.

 

[southlondonone]

I think the top kink was done by me twisting to try and get the thing off, it's tightly stuck so couldn't get the bottom bit undone. But it was straight initially so think that may be misleading on my part. Excuse the novice!