Replacing toilet cistern overflow pipe

jar

Joined
2 Jul 2006
Messages
80
Reaction score
1
Country
United Kingdom
Hi
I am not a plumber so I know I have made schoolboy errors so please bear with me !

I had to replace the syphon in our upstairs toilet. This meant emptying and dismantling the cistern. In doing this I also had to replace the coupling kit from the cistern to the toilet bowl as the old one was rusted and the rubber perished.

Doing this meant that the cistern now sits higher than it did before. In turn this also meant that the pipe running into the overflow at the side of the cistern was too short. To be honest I now don't think it was actually long enough to start with.

I should have sorted this as I was refitting the cistern and I could have cut the pipe to length and dropped the cistern on top of the pipe. But I had a couple of leaks to contend with and didn't think about it at the time. I do not want to remove the cistern again unless it's absolutely necessary.

I have cut a piece of pipe to the correct length but can't fit it because it needs to go in between the cistern and a joint to where the pipe runs through the wall.

The problem is that the pipe coming out of the wall has barely about an inch showing so trying to grip this enough to push it into the connector if I remove it is almost impossible.

I was hoping there may be flexible pipes available but I only see fixed length of about 30cm. This pipe is only about 10-11cm

I've attached a photo. I don't think it's a particularly unusual setup but was wondering if anyone had any ideas which don't involve removing the cistern again. Even if it means an extra couple of joints or different type of (angled) joints ?

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • 20200428_094116.jpg
    20200428_094116.jpg
    126.7 KB · Views: 511
Sponsored Links
Is that the before photo? Doesn’t look incorrect imo. Try getting it to overflow by pressing on the float valve, also a lot of syphons now come with an internal overflow, which if the spillover level of syphon is lower than that of the pipes overflow, then it won’t matter so much.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: jar
Hi
The photo is as it is now. It's just not very clear but the pipes aren't seated fully into the 90 degree joint. I maybe should have looked at replacing the syphon with one that has an internal overflow but will do next time.

Just to clarify. With the new pipe removed I can twist the 90 degree joint to allow me to push it on to the pipe going into the wall. But I then can't fit the new pipe back in.
If I fit the pipe to the cistern and into the joint first, I can't then twist the joint to allow me to fit onto the pipe going into the wall. And this pipe does not have enough coming out for me to hold on to, which might give me enough leverage to just push the connector on without twisting. Hope this makes sense.

JimCrow - good suggestion. Thanks - not quite as drastic as completely removing the cistern.

Also - a question regarding the pipe going into the overflow stand pipe. Should there be a washer or seal of some kind here ? There has only ever been a cut of pipe going into the stand pipe joint with a nut holding this in place. I don't know how this could be water tight ?

Thanks again
 
Sponsored Links
Hi
The photo is as it is now. It's just not very clear but the pipes aren't seated fully into the 90 degree joint. I maybe should have looked at replacing the syphon with one that has an internal overflow but will do next time.

Just to clarify. With the new pipe removed I can twist the 90 degree joint to allow me to push it on to the pipe going into the wall. But I then can't fit the new pipe back in.
If I fit the pipe to the cistern and into the joint first, I can't then twist the joint to allow me to fit onto the pipe going into the wall. And this pipe does not have enough coming out for me to hold on to, which might give me enough leverage to just push the connector on without twisting. Hope this makes sense.

JimCrow - good suggestion. Thanks - not quite as drastic as completely removing the cistern.

Also - a question regarding the pipe going into the overflow stand pipe. Should there be a washer or seal of some kind here ? There has only ever been a cut of pipe going into the stand pipe joint with a nut holding this in place. I don't know how this could be water tight ?

Thanks again

No need for a washer, there's a taper on the bottom of the overflow that makes the seal.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: jar
Surely you can pull the old overflow out of the wall so that you can renew all of the overflow. Beyond that you must generate some play by lifting the cistern slightly. Remove the cistern securing screws (the two wall fixings), then tilt the cistern slightly and slip it in, as the actress said..
 
MeldrewsMate - thanks for the replies. I agree removing the overflow pipe from the wall is an option. But I don't know if this simply goes straight out to the outside wall - if it does great. But my luck with DIY suggests it doesn't and there would be lots of swearing involved. Also - yes, lifting the cistern is another option but, as I said, I had problems with leaks when I did the work so really don't want to disconnect the water pipes again if I can help it.
I know this kind of stuff is easy peasy for plumbers but I'm not one and if something can go wrong it usually does.

I think JimCrow's suggestion of lifting the overflow stand pipe might be my best option. This has never been replaced so I've ordered a new one so I have a spare as I think the rubber seal at least might need replaced. Difficult at the moment (lockdown) to just pop out and get something so I'd rather have it here before I start.

But I also like your idea of creating the slip-joint. I was wondering if I could do something by sticking another joint in somewhere but didn't think about filing the joint to make it move more freely.

Thanks again
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top