Help with a leaking toilet pan connector

[NeilPalfreyman]

Hi!

I'm hoping someone can recommend the best way of fixing a leak on the flexible connector shown in the photo. This is an old '60s house and the fittings on the photo were in place when we bought it so I have no idea how old they are. I'm also struggling to work out how many pieces of fitting there are!

The leak is on the underside of the flexible "concertina" section and it has a hairline split so it's pretty nasty.

I'm trying to work out what I need to replace and what I need to replace it with. The connector, obviously, but I don't know what the large black rubber pipe with the two jubilee clips on it attached to the soil pipe is doing and if I'll need to replace it too, or if I will also need to replace the elbow connecting to the toilet.

Any advice/suggestions much appreciated.

The dimensions (roughly) are soil pipe in wall just under 95mm, external dimension of flexible connector 120mm, toilet outlet somewhere betwee 95-100mm

 

[Madrab]

Ok, you have a flexible pan connector there, the white concertina fitting and a rubber fernco connector which looks like it's in place to handle the size change from the pan connector to the outflow soil pipe.

Easiest process for a DIY fix would be to loosen the right hand jubilee clip, remove the flexi connector and replace with the same. If a flexi's to be used, buy a Mcalpine, much better construction IMO.

Ideally the fernco would be removed too and you would just have a connector fitted straight into the soil pipe.

 

[NeilPalfreyman]

That makes sense, Rob, thanks!

What about the other end? Does the flexi connector connect to the elbow or is that an integral unit? If it's separate is it better for me to replace it with an integral unit?

Also - do those dimensions make sense and can I just use "standard" fittings?

 

[Madrab]

The flexi connector is all one unit so just replace with similar. Your pan spigot (outlet) is a standard size and most, if not all, pan connectors will fit 90-115mm. Just check the diameter of the right hand side of the fernco connector and get a flexi with the same outlet diameter. Make sure all surfaces are squeaky clean to avoid any leaks.

If it's only the flexi that's leaking, probably down to age, then as a DIY fix, I wouldn't disturb anything else and just replace the connector.

 

[NeilPalfreyman]

Thanks again, Rob.

So something like this as a replacement?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-wc-con8f-90-flexible-pan-connector-110mm-outlet/28262

If so does the fernco then clamp over the concertina bit on the LHS of this?

 

[Madrab]

That's the one, just check the distance you need and get one sized to suit. Yes, the outlet end will push into the fernco connector and then tighten the jubilee clip. They may have removed the fins on the old one to get it to fit.

Time for the rubber gloves and disconnect the old one to check.

 

[NeilPalfreyman]

Yeah, not a job I'm looking forward to! Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[NeilPalfreyman]

...just looking around for parts and I came across this:
http://www.plumbers-mate-sales.co.u...ector-reducing-extension---40005055-474-p.asp

Could I use one of these to get rid of the fernco or am I making un-necessary work for myself? I guess my worry is that the jubilee clip closest to the flexi connector may not have much to purchase on it. Or is the end of the flexi connector rigid underneath those fins, in which case the fernco may just compress the fins and make a tight seal?

Sorry for the all the "newbie" questions but I want to try and be sure that I can do it all in one go once I start!

 

[Madrab]

If it was me looking at that as part of a job, I'd be dismantling it all and checking the type and condition of the soil pipe and trying to remove the fernco as part of the fix.
That being said, these areas are notorious for causing problems for DIY fixes, as once disturbed it could become complicated very quickly and be difficult to re-seal without experience. Using the fernco isn't necessarily a bad thing and it obviously does do the job adequately but it is connecting externally rather than internally, that creates an internal step at the join with the soil pipe which could promote build up.

I'd keep it as simple as possible if I was you.

If you dismantle your own you will be able to see how it goes together and then consider the next steps. Yes the connector is semi rigid below the fins which gives the end and jubilee clip something to grip onto just don't overtighten. The main trick with sealing toilet wastes is to ensure that every join is super clean.

 

[NeilPalfreyman]

Okay, the good news is I have the old one off. The bad news is, despite it being a macalpine it was pretty much disintegrated - very nasty!

The problem, I think (see pic below - I've slipped the rubber fins off of the MacApline to try and get it into the fernco) is that there's just not enough room to use that particular flexible connector. There's not enough room to splay the concertina bits out to get the two bends in. I could probably force it but I think this is what the last plumber did, hence the fact that the old one just fell apart. I think it was too stressed.

Any ideas? The offset is about 50mm. I'm wondering if I can do it by using a space saver:

 

[Nige F]

I think you might get that spacesaver in