Flush valve leaking on new toilet

[Inchiquin]

I've just fitted a new toilet, back-to-wall with concealed cistern, but the flush valve is leaking into the pan. There is no external leakage. The leak seems to be quite severe - the cistern empties in about 15-20 minutes. I can't imagine that a brand new cistern would have damaged seals or anything like that, so is it something I've done wrong in the installation?

The housing will rotate about a quarter turn. I assume that's just to make positioning of the pushbutton cable easier, or is there a particular position that it needs to be? There are sliders for Full Adjustor and Half Adjustor - I assume these control the volume of water in a flush but could that affect the leak in any way? They can be set between 0 and 10 and they are on the default setting of 0.

I've taken the unit out and obviously will give it a good clean in case any bits of dirt have found they way in, but it all looks clean and pristine to me. It doesn't appear to be possible to get inside the housing so I can't actually see the valve.

Alan

 

[oldbutnotdead]

I've just fitted a new toilet, back-to-wall with concealed cistern, but the flush valve is leaking into the pan. There is no external leakage. The leak seems to be quite severe - the cistern empties in about 15-20 minutes. I can't imagine that a brand new cistern would have damaged seals or anything like that, so is it something I've done wrong in the installation?

Your optimism is touching but sadly misplaced. Or you may have kinked a seal during assembly.

The housing will rotate about a quarter turn. I assume that's just to make positioning of the pushbutton cable easier, or is there a particular position that it needs to be....

Check the install drawings carefully. Also check your positioning isn't inadvertently tensioning the cable & thus causing the 'leak'

Alan

 

[Rodders53]

Make and model of cistern / flush and whether concealed / close coupled might matter? Pics??

Bayonet fitting - needs fully clockwise from above to 'lock' in place correctly. They'll usually go on in one of four positions with 90 degrees difference. They usually turn/unclip at around a 45 degree turn? If not locked home the flush washer won't seal.

Check the flush pipe hasn't been pushed too far in to the cistern connector beneath the valve (there should be a stop but some cheap --- looking at you Flomasta --- may slip past or distort the connection and prevent the flush valve washer seating correctly? {You may wonder how I found that out }

 

[CBW]

Is it close coupled or is there a flush pipe? If CC then you may not have tightened the cradle on correctly. Check the cable isn’t catching to allow it to semi-flush.

 

[Inchiquin]

Is it close coupled or is there a flush pipe? If CC then you may not have tightened the cradle on correctly. Check the cable isn’t catching to allow it to semi-flush.

Flush pipe. There doesn't appear to be any tension on the cable so I don't think that's the problem. I'm thinking that it has to be a faulty valve. Unfortunately owing to circumstances beyond my control I didn't manage to fit the toilet until a year after I bought it so I'm not going to get a free replacement.

Alan

 

[Inchiquin]

Make and model of cistern / flush and whether concealed / close coupled might matter? Pics??

Bayonet fitting - needs fully clockwise from above to 'lock' in place correctly. They'll usually go on in one of four positions with 90 degrees difference. They usually turn/unclip at around a 45 degree turn? If not locked home the flush washer won't seal.

Check the flush pipe hasn't been pushed too far in to the cistern connector beneath the valve (there should be a stop but some cheap --- looking at you Flomasta --- may slip past or distort the connection and prevent the flush valve washer seating correctly? {You may wonder how I found that out }

It's a cheap Victorian Plumbing one, concealed as I said above. It's a screw fitting but that isn't the issue because as I said there is no external leak. Interestingly the flush pipe being pushed too far in was the first thing I thought of so I loosened it and tried to pull it downwards as far as I could but there isn't a lot of free play. If that could be the problem then the only thing I can do is remove either the cistern (PITA) or the toilet (bigger PITA) and cut a bit off the pipe.

Alan

 

[CBW]

I would double check the valve seating for detritus otherwise probably just better fitting something like this (probably best anyway being Victoria plumbing).

 

[Rodders53]

Pics of the cradle, flush valve and, perhaps, ask VP for advice (instructions on the flush valve component replacements - washer/valve)?

I use silicone grease on the valve 'rubber' and bayonet fitting to ease assembly/disassembly and perhaps help with the seal?

 

[Inchiquin]

I would double check the valve seating for detritus otherwise probably just better fitting something like this (probably best anyway being Victoria plumbing).

I've now taken the toilet out again and removed the flush pipe, and and the cistern is leaking merrily. So it appears to be a faulty valve rather than any problem with the positioning of the flush pipe.

I've cleaned it thoroughly and can't see any detritus. The link you've given is a useful suggestion. I don't think that particular one will be suitable because it says the overflow can be adjusted down to 8.5" and mine needs to be lower than that (about 7"). But it's a useful starting point.

Thanks for the comments.

Alan

 

[CBW]

There’s others available, maybe try a Multikwik valve, Thomas Dudley or Siamp optima 50.