"Douglas Sey" wrote in message
...
I have a low level toilet cistern, which has never been any bother until
just the other day. For some strange reason the level within the cistern
is
now rising too high and makes an exit out of the overflow pipe, which
unfortunately is leaking from a small joint.
What is likely to be causing the water to be rising about an 2 centimetres
higher than it ever did before. And if I could manage to stem the leak
from
this overflow pipe with some tcp tape, should I not worry about the water
level?

Thanks in advance
douglas



Is it a plastic float valve ? Or is it brass ?

If it's plastic, then you have to adjust the pressure pin. You do this by
turning the bolt thingy on the ball arm, near the main body of the valve.
Two or three turns should be enough. If this doesn't work, then you'll have
to change the washer in the valve body itself. You should also see a bolt
between the valve body and the side of the cistern. Make sure this is
actually touching against the side of the cistern, because, if it isn't, it
actually allows the valve pipe to bend with the pressure of the ball arm
being forced upward by the water.

If it's brass, you might get a few more years if you adjust the ball arm
down toward the water a bit. This is done by slowly bending the metal ball
arm down toward the water. If this doesn't work, then you'll have to change
the washer in the valve body itself. Be careful not to put to much upward
lift on the ball arm, because the joint at the valve body is the weakest
part of the valve and is designed not to allow the arm past a horizontal
position.