Torbeck valve nightmare

[Hazelb]

I posted earlier about a toilet I had overflowing. The problem was Identified as a torbeck valve problem.

So I replaced the valve with a 'Fluid master' one I had lying around, fixed great!

Just sorted out an air amittance problem on the newly fitted ( 2 days ago)downstairs loo ( nearly! )
Guess what?
In the midle of the night, the torbeck valve decides to keep filling, overflowing all night!
So I've turned the isolation valve to the cistern off untill I can sort it out.

and then
Flush the upstairs en-suite toilet and it doesn't stop filling- new toilet about 3 years ago with torbeck valve!

I did notice that the plumber who fitted the downstairs loo did fully open the stopcock. Where as it is only normally open 3/4 a turn. So I've closed that back down

All the torbecks have been fitted with the correct preassure reducing bits for use with high water preasure.

Are these valves prone to problems? I must sat they are all budget toilets and valves from Wickes. So do I just need a better quality valve?

I better break the news to hubby, we are down to one toilet again!

 

[Softus]

I did notice that the plumber who fitted the downstairs loo did fully open the stopcock. Where as it is only normally open 3/4 a turn. So I've closed that back down

If everything is working correctly, there is no reason to partially shut the stop cock. Doing so doesn't reduce the pressure at all, but some people do it when the mains pressure is so high that the flow from the kitchen tap is too fierce.

All the torbecks have been fitted with the correct preassure reducing bits for use with high water preasure.

To be picky, these reduce the flow, not the pressure.

Are these valves prone to problems? I must sat they are all budget toilets and valves from Wickes. So do I just need a better quality valve?

Frankly, I would find it hard to get a worse quality valve than the ones Wickes sell. When you say "torbeck", do you mean Torbeck style, but a different make?

In any case, if you happen to live in a hard water area, (which I do), then you'll get periodic problems with Torbeck or Fluidmaster valves because they don't behave well when scaled up.

 

[NickSR]

I fitted a Torbeck valve to a toilet and another to my header tank. Both simply repeatedly leaked and are the biggest disaster for any house fitted with a water meter as you have simply no idea when they are going to leak and you might be on holiday when it happens. The tank one caused serious water hammer irrespective on any alternative parts Opella offered. No amount of fiddling with them solved the problems- they are simply UNRELIABLE. DO NOT FIT THEM UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY WANT PROBLEMS.
I fitted two, both are USELESS and I have replaced the loo one with a Fluidmaster and the header tank one with a good old ballcock which has given no trouble at all. At no time were they even remotely encrusted with scale.

 

[JohnD]

I have three and they work fine. They are delightfully silent. I have a water softener with a sand-bed particle filter so the water is very clean. They have been in place for years and the oldest is about 13 years old.

In my old mum's house, there are two, and one of them dripped after replacing the supply pipe. I reckon it got bits of scale or rust in it. I flushed out the pipe but couldn't stop it dripping until I fitted a new rubber diaphragm and other bits from a spare.

The scale does not have to be outside, if you get a bit of grit inside, it may interfere with the working. Most times, taking the parts out for a wash, and letting the pipe gush, will clear it. I think it is easier than periodically replacing the washer and cone in an ordinary ball valve, which can drip or jam and get noisy with age..

If you fitted two and they both immediately went wrong it might be coincidence, or it might be you have gritty water, or it might be you made a mistake when fitting them. I wouldn't know.

 

[NickSR]

Well, for one thing, the hammering is one of the loudest sounds I have ever heard in a house. No part they supplied both stopped hammering AND leaking. When they cut off at one bar they thump, at 0.2 bar they also make a farting noise which can be heard anywhere in the house. A lot of the time, one works. Intermittancy of something that leaks is the problem. The problem is having to use magic or the prescient capabilities of Paul Atreides of Dune to know when one is going to leak whilst I am out ,so I might turn the water off in advance. Which DOESN'T happen with the ball-cock replacement!

We ALL have SOME things that work. SOMETIMES soap lands on its end too!

 

[JohnD]

mine are all right.

It would be as foolish for me to proclaim that they are invariably the world's finest, based on my own experience, as it is for you to claim "...they are simply UNRELIABLE. DO NOT FIT THEM UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY WANT PROBLEMS... I fitted two, both are USELESS"

I'm quite happy with mine. You chuck yours away if you want to.

 

[NickSR]

I am binning them, exactly as you say, because I want neither leaks nor water hammer. You may note the the topic title, launched by someone else, is 'Torbeck Nightmare'. Advertising promotes the positive; forums address actual experience when someone does have problems. If you take back any product, almost everywhere, you will be told that 'you are the only person who has ever had a problem with the product'. Leaks of all forms are annoying and can be expensive. They usually leak from bad joints, not poor products. This appears to be a 'real world intolerance' as with the original SA80 system, which was also 'completely perfect' before it was expensively recalled. I'm glad that you, though have had complete success! If they all failed, they would be withdrawn. How would you feel if your car, just occasionally, leaked all of its fuel?...........

 

[kevplumb]

You may note the the topic title, launched by someone else, is 'Torbeck Nightmare'.

you may note also that the thread is 4 years old

i agree with john if you don't like em bin em

ive never had a prob with one