Fibre gasket issues

[razorback]

I have mentioned this before as to why the fibre gaskets I change keep breaking down??? In a dwelling, I believe one of the major reasons for the gaskets breaking down is the over tightning of the two components - the float valve stem and the incoming.
Now, I manage a block of 72 apartments, 5 storeys high. The water is pumped from the pump house 4000ltr container at between 1.5 and 3.5bar. We have a number of toilets, which are leaking back into the bowl, a number of leaks from failed fibre gasket etc. As a result of this the pressure fluctuates from 1.5 to 3.5 bar, and I think it is a combination of the sporadic high pressure and the low pressure that does some damage to the fibre gaskets. There can't be any other reasons surely. I now use nylon gaskets, which are better suited for a development like this. Any views?

 

[Agile]

My view is that its unreasonable to supply water to properties with such a wide variation of pressure.

My advice would be to set the pump set pressure to about 2.2 Bar which would more appropriately match the mains water pressures.

In an ideal situation in high rise blocks every 2-3 floors have a pressure reducing valve per floor.

Tony

 

[razorback]

We have a number of toilets in this block whereby the water is constantly flowing back into bowl. Now there could be a number of reasons for that, but they won't say anything to me or ask me to fix it, or get someone in to rectify it. Goodness knows how many toilets there are doing that but there's a few. My question would be how can the pump be set at 2.2 when the block has leaks. It's always going to fluctuate isn't it?

 

[razorback]

It's now 1439. Just checked the pressure and it's 4.5bar

 

[razorback]

Would 4.5bar and possibly higher do some damage to the fibre washers then? I have changed a lot in here as too has my colleague.

 

[razorback]

My mistake...the pumps kick in at 3.8bar and then stop at 4.4bar. Does that make sense and is it set too high. Also, are fibre washers susceptible to damage by the reasonably high pressure.

 

[Nige F]

I have mentioned this before as to why the fibre gaskets I change keep breaking down??? In a dwelling, I believe one of the major reasons for the gaskets breaking down is the over tightning of the two components - the float valve stem and the incoming.
. Any views?

brass float valve stem and copper feed pipe with tap connector and fibre washer if so - file the float valve stem flat across the end - used to have problems with them on low pressure cistern fed - washer gets chewed because end of threaded valve stem is sharp

 

[razorback]

The fluidmaster is the valve. Interesting point though - the sharpness!! I will investigate.