Float/Ball Valve Connection Questions.

[CareerChangeChancer]

Came across a toilet cistern float valve the other day, that was connected to the copper supply pipe by a 15mm compression nut and olive. Is this right? Apparently, it had been there, leak-free, for 10 years. As I was replacing the valve, I soldered on a tap connector to the pipe. I would have thought screwing an olive into a plastic tail would cause problems?

When a plastic/push-fit tap connector is connected to taps or float valves, what type of washer, if any, do you use in the connector. Normal copper tap connectors are obviously fibre washers, but not sure about plastic ones.

Finally, why do Screwedupfix sell Fluidmaster float valves for cisterns with Euro 3/8'' connections? The products numbers are 87426 and 49003. Although, don't go checking on their site just yet, it's been down for a few days. Again! What use are 3/8'' valve tails in the UK? What do they fit?

Thanks

 

[Charnwood]

Many taps and float valves have a chamfered end so they can take an olive and nut directly.

There are lots of cisterns originally fitted with a 3/8" inlet valve. Fluidmaster, Torbeck and Wirquin all do inlet valves with 3/8" tails to allow like-for-like replacement.

 

[TicklyT]

That doesn't sound right at all, but I have seen it before.
I don't fancy putting enough torque on a plastic thread to set the olive onto the pipe, but I suppose it would work if you used a brass fitting to initially compress the olive. Not nice though.

I have never had any problems using fibre washers with plastic fittings, but I do soak them in water before fitting them.

3/8" valve tails fit through the holes in ceramic cisterns that are too small to take 1/2" tails!