Toilet pan connector replacement query

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Hi all...

Figured I'd have a go at replacing the old leaky toilet in our WC, as we have another bathroom to use if I make a hames of it :D. This toilet was put in I would say around 2000, we bought the house a few years back and are slowly replacing things.

I removed the mask behind the toilet and disconnected/capped of the water to the cistern, and was a bit stumped by the pan connector.

From what I've seen on the interwebs, the connector fits into the soil pipe (perhaps I haven't seen enough videos/walkthroughs) and ours seems to go over... and is stuck in place with adhesive of some sort. Is this a common method for joining the pan to the soil pipe?

Ideally I'd like to remove it, as the new toilet (a combo unit w/ sink on top) needs to be quite close to the wall. If I were to re-use this pan connector it would stick out from the wall quite a bit.

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Never reuse a Pan Connector, it will leak.

Looks normal enough to me, socket end fits over the outlet spigot of the WC Pan, finned end pushes into outgoing soil pipe. Try and avoid using a Flexi if you can though, horrible things. Try a Straight Pan connector and if thats not long enough, use an extension piece to make up the gap.
 
Ermmm nope, yours seem to go inside it too. The flexi has 2 plastic ends like that, if you look closely you will see the fins of the end of the pan connector fitting inside the (cast?) soil pipe. Wouldn't worry.

If it's cast you might need to get the smaller pan connector 31/2" rather than a 4". Test it with a magnet.
 
Thanks for the advice. I'll have a go at ripping it off later today and seeing what lies beneath. All sorts of surprises in this house, nothing has been as expected so far :)

I'll post back with what I find. I've got a Vernier caliper set handy to get the diameter of the pipe.
 
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Ah, so I pulled off the old pan connector, and as Hugh suggested, it was a case of two connectors stuck together. The pipe is cast iron.

Of course I couldn't find my calipers or anything like a flexible tape (cloth?) measure, so I used a ruler and it shows about 4 inches. From our previous bathroom re-do we had a Mcalpine WC-F26R kicking around (ordered by accident but never returned) so I imagine this would work.

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(The awful plastering will be hidden by the toilet and a mask!)

* update*
So I had a go with the McAlpine connector, it goes in about 1/2 way. As if it narrows. I've given it quite a push but that is about as far as it goes. Is that normal - or should I be looking at a more suitable connector?

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Use some soapy liquid, if it goes half way in, it should go all the way in.

I must be honest though, I don't have an issue with flexi's especially McAlpine's, they have their place.

That being said, looking at this one in situ, a straight connector pushed back onto that should fit fine as long as it's all in line and the fall is correct.
 
Update... picked up a McAlpine WC-F23S Straight Flexible WC Connector, the 140-310mm one as it appeared to be the shortest. It went into the cast iron pipe easily, seemed like there was a few mm of play. I was expecting there to be a bit more resistance, but I can't get it in any more than there as I think it was cut back so that I'm hitting the start of the bend in the cast iron pipe.

I think the angle is a bit too much, the connector doesn't go is far up the spigot as the previous one. It is still a few cm too far from the wall, I think I'd be better off getting something like this 3.5 adapter and something like a 14 degree connector or a short straight one.

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Tested it by dumping a few buckets of water, just feeling to see if there are any leaks, it seems okay so far. Initially felt a bit damp but that might be because I was moving the toilet back and forth trying to get it straight.
 
f it's cast you might need to get the smaller pan connector 31/2
The F23S The one you have got has the smaller 3 1/2" end for narrower ~90mm cast iron pipe.

The one you had was probably the F26/23R, which has the standard 4" end for normal 110mm soil pipe.

As long as the spigot end is right up to where the pan connector narrows then that should be fine, it should go on as far as the last one TBH.
 
Bah... tried with a 14 degree connector and a 3.5'' adapter. The adapter got pulled up slightly and this lets the water come out.
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Then tried with a short flexi connector but it had the same effect on the adapter. There isn't a lot of traction for it, so it comes out at the slightest disturbance, probably not the best idea for a toilet connector :D

I forced in a short 110mm connector in the cast iron pipe, so that seems to work. No water comes out there, but there seems to be a tiny weep of water from the spigot-side. Just waiting to see if it is from moving the toilet about... if not, then I'll have to see if I can force it on to the spigot a bit better. It already seems to be up pretty high though.

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If you need to force something its a sign that the penny don't fit the slot.
Same if its a slack fit.

Either would ring warning bells to me that something isnt right and i would take a step back and remeasure the joints carefully.

Imperial measurements can mimic but be different to metric.

Also, i used a little lubricant when i did this on my bathroom as friction was being a bugger despite the fittings being correct. Cast iron can be rough so thats an added concern.
Lubricants can be complex and may or may not be applicable so check if you do use some.

Hope you get it sorted.
 
I’m not sure why you bought a 3 & half inch extension b, when you measured 4”, but you appear to have an offset (which would be better measured) and obtain an offset pan connector.
 

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