Hi

I've got a loo with a slight leak around the seal between the flush pipe
and the cistern. It's leaking because whoever installed the cistern
didn't install it in line with the pan, so the flush pipe is at an angle
and the seal doesn't fit properly.

Is there such a thing as a flexible flush pipe? Obviously the best
solution would be to move the cistern so it's in the right place, but
this loo is in a house I'm letting and I'd rather not be there all day
moving the cistern around. Plumbcenter told me, via a clueless-sounding
man in the background and a clueless-sounding woman in the foreground,
that such an item doesn't exist. Does anyone here know differently, or
have an alternative solution?

Cheers,

Mark

Not as far as I know although there are several different designs of
these seals, the cheaper ones, for example the ones made from clear
plastic, are difficult to get a decent seal. I assume this is a
low-level cistern (as opposed to close-coupled) and you mean where the
flush pipe connects to the pan and not the cistern? The seal where the
flush pipe connects to the CISTERN should have no flexibility in it all
and it should not be difficult to achieve a good seal.

You could try getting a new seal and seeing if it makes any difference
(it may well do, if you buy one of the more substantial variants).
However if this fails you are left with two choices (a) Realign the
pan/cistern properly or (b) Dry the whole thing off and bodge it by
running a bead of silicone around the leak. This should hold because
the leak is under a low pressure but, as I say, it's a bodge.

Luke

Mark wrote:
Hi

I've got a loo with a slight leak around the seal between the flush pipe
and the cistern. It's leaking because whoever installed the cistern
didn't install it in line with the pan, so the flush pipe is at an angle
and the seal doesn't fit properly.

Is there such a thing as a flexible flush pipe? Obviously the best
solution would be to move the cistern so it's in the right place, but
this loo is in a house I'm letting and I'd rather not be there all day
moving the cistern around. Plumbcenter told me, via a clueless-sounding
man in the background and a clueless-sounding woman in the foreground,
that such an item doesn't exist. Does anyone here know differently, or
have an alternative solution?

Cheers,

Mark

It does indeed:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...17529&ts=47995

We've had one in, err, 'regular' use for several years and despite
initial skepticism (worried about the internal concertina restricting
flow) it's been faultless.

Mathew

Mathew Newton wrote:
Mark wrote:
Hi

I've got a loo with a slight leak around the seal between the flush pipe
and the cistern. It's leaking because whoever installed the cistern
didn't install it in line with the pan, so the flush pipe is at an angle
and the seal doesn't fit properly.

Is there such a thing as a flexible flush pipe? Obviously the best
solution would be to move the cistern so it's in the right place, but
this loo is in a house I'm letting and I'd rather not be there all day
moving the cistern around. Plumbcenter told me, via a clueless-sounding
man in the background and a clueless-sounding woman in the foreground,
that such an item doesn't exist. Does anyone here know differently, or
have an alternative solution?

Cheers,

Mark

It does indeed:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...17529&ts=47995

We've had one in, err, 'regular' use for several years and despite
initial skepticism (worried about the internal concertina restricting
flow) it's been faultless.

Mathew

Oops... now that I've actually *read* your post I see I'm barking up
the wrong tree with this suggestion. Sorry!

Mathew (hoping you'll see this correction or otherwise be sat at home
wondering how on earth this massive pipe will solve the problem)

On 2005-11-23, Wingedcat wrote:
Not as far as I know although there are several different designs of
these seals, the cheaper ones, for example the ones made from clear
plastic, are difficult to get a decent seal. I assume this is a
low-level cistern (as opposed to close-coupled) and you mean where the
flush pipe connects to the pan and not the cistern? The seal where the
flush pipe connects to the CISTERN should have no flexibility in it
all and it should not be difficult to achieve a good seal.

Yes, it's a low-level job and no, I don't mean the seal on the pan :~)
It's leaking from under the cistern. The cistern is a crappy plastic
thing boxed in behind some kind of vanity unit type thing but it's not
in line with the pan, meaning the flush pipe can't be arranged in such a
way that it's in line with the bottom of the flusher unit thing inside
the cistern. The net result is that the o-ring that's meant to seal the
flush pipe into the flusher unit (by tightening the white plastic nut)
doesn't seal the two not-in-line pipes fully. I have explained this
badly.

If only there was a flexible pipe so I could get a good fit to the
cistern and a good fit in the pan spigot, allowing the bendy bit to take
up the misalighment

You could try getting a new seal and seeing if it makes any difference
(it may well do, if you buy one of the more substantial variants).
However if this fails you are left with two choices (a) Realign the
pan/cistern properly or (b) Dry the whole thing off and bodge it by
running a bead of silicone around the leak. This should hold because
the leak is under a low pressure but, as I say, it's a bodge.

I initially thought the leak was from the seal you mentioned but on
investigation the water is dribbling down the flush pipe from above and
dripping onto the floor.

Unless anyone else has some brainwaves it looks like I'll be moving the
cistern. Why can't people install things right the first time?

Cheers,

Mark

Okay - so it's leaking from the cistern. I know what you mean, you have
a large plastic nut as you say which is supposed to act like a
compression fitting using the o-ring making a tight seal. You could try
replacing the o-ring and maybe a new one would provide enough of a
seal. Maybe you could try shifting the pipe a bit so the "misalignment"
manifests itself at the pan end rather than at the cistern end, which
might be more forgiving of the misalignment.

(In my experience the pipe at the cistern end has to emerge exactly
vertically for it to seal).

Don't tell anyone but what I have done under similar circumstances is
to wrap PTFE tape under, around and over the o-ring and up the threads
of the connector. Then tighten up the nut over the whole lot. It's a
bodge but it's worked for me. You can quite often see this done in pub
toilets where the cistern is at a higher level.

Moving the cistern could give you a major headache with the incoming
water and overflow connections so bearing in mind the cistern is hidden
I'd try alternative strategies first!

Luke

Unless anyone else has some brainwaves it looks like I'll be moving the
cistern.

Don't know if this would work or not - how about heating up the flush
pipe with a heat gun / over a gas cooker flame and bending it to the
required "S" shape and allowing to cool?

Not sure what plastic these pipes are made of mind. IIRC it must be a
thermoplastic rather than a thermoset. They are quite cheap even from
B&Q so if you balls a few up, no major tragedy.

Another bodger's idea I'm afraid.

On 2005-11-23, Wingedcat wrote:
Okay - so it's leaking from the cistern. I know what you mean, you
have a large plastic nut as you say which is supposed to act like a
compression fitting using the o-ring making a tight seal. You could
try replacing the o-ring and maybe a new one would provide enough of a
seal. Maybe you could try shifting the pipe a bit so the
"misalignment" manifests itself at the pan end rather than at the
cistern end, which might be more forgiving of the misalignment.

(In my experience the pipe at the cistern end has to emerge exactly
vertically for it to seal).

Yeah, we've already had a bash at getting the pipe in straight at the
cistern and leaving the pan end precariously wonky but even then
everything's too far out of whack to seal properly.

Don't tell anyone but what I have done under similar circumstances is
to wrap PTFE tape under, around and over the o-ring and up the threads
of the connector. Then tighten up the nut over the whole lot. It's a
bodge but it's worked for me. You can quite often see this done in pub
toilets where the cistern is at a higher level.

Good call on the PTFE - might be the next try, though the heating idea
in your next post could also be worth a look! When I'm in the pub next
I'll have a look.

Moving the cistern could give you a major headache with the incoming
water and overflow connections so bearing in mind the cistern is
hidden I'd try alternative strategies first!

Mmhm.

Thanks for the help!

Mark

Is there such a thing as a flexible flush pipe?

I believe I saw such a thing in Wickes only today.
However, why dont you simply bend the flush pipe you now have?

Wingedcat Wrote:
Unless anyone else has some brainwaves it looks like I'll be moving
the
cistern.

Don't know if this would work or not - how about heating up the flush
pipe with a heat gun / over a gas cooker flame and bending it to the
required "S" shape and allowing to cool?

Not sure what plastic these pipes are made of mind. IIRC it must be a
thermoplastic rather than a thermoset. They are quite cheap even from
B&Q so if you balls a few up, no major tragedy.

Another bodger's idea I'm afraid.

Ive bent plastic pipes many times by heating them with a hot air gun ,
if you do it carefully and move the heat around the a bit it works
great. Iv' done it many times on waste pipes when you just need a
slight bend and cant use a fitting, its not a bodge its a "trade tip".


--
Nick H

Hello,

In fact, I purchased a flexible flush pipe from B&Q this very week in
an attempt to address this very same problem. It came with all the
required fixings and cost £9.95.

Basically, there is an attachment that fixes to the pan and one that
fixes to the cistern. The flixible hose can then be cut to length and
fixed between the two attachments (using some sealant).

It was pretty easy to fit. However, the flush does not seem quite a
strong as before. The flexible hose actually has a larger diameter than
standard flush pipe. I wonder if this is having some effect.


HTH
Stephen

On 2005-12-09, wrote:
In fact, I purchased a flexible flush pipe from B&Q this very week in
an attempt to address this very same problem. It came with all the
required fixings and cost £9.95.

Basically, there is an attachment that fixes to the pan and one that
fixes to the cistern. The flixible hose can then be cut to length and
fixed between the two attachments (using some sealant).

It was pretty easy to fit. However, the flush does not seem quite a
strong as before. The flexible hose actually has a larger diameter
than standard flush pipe. I wonder if this is having some effect.

Yes, I finally found the same beast in B&Q! It seems to have done the
job, but only time will tell..

Cheers,

Mark

Mark wrote:
On 2005-12-09, wrote:
In fact, I purchased a flexible flush pipe from B&Q this very week in
an attempt to address this very same problem. It came with all the
required fixings and cost £9.95.

Basically, there is an attachment that fixes to the pan and one that
fixes to the cistern. The flixible hose can then be cut to length and
fixed between the two attachments (using some sealant).

It was pretty easy to fit. However, the flush does not seem quite a
strong as before. The flexible hose actually has a larger diameter
than standard flush pipe. I wonder if this is having some effect.

Yes, I finally found the same beast in B&Q! It seems to have done the
job, but only time will tell..

Cheers,

Mark

I revisited this problem and decided to replace the syphon as well.
This meant undoing most the of the work I had just done. However, I
also found (with some experimentation) that pushing the flush pipe too
far into the back of the toilet pan also restricts the water flow.

At this moment, I am pretty impressed with the flexible flush pipe from
B&Q. It is certainly easier to fit than the rigid type (as the job can
be done in simple stages).

HTH
Stephen