During the last year or so, I've had a bit of trouble with both the loos
in our house. In both cases the ball valve in the cistern broke, leading
the cistern to fill continuously. Lots of water flowed out through the
overflow pipes, which in both cases lead outside the house. But lots of
water also overflowed over the top of the cistern, in one case causing
quite a bit of damage.

Anyone got any ideas why the overflow pipes weren't up to the job, and
what I can do about this?
--
Simon Elliott
http://www.ctsn.co.uk/

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 11:46:38 +0000, Simon Elliott
wrote:

During the last year or so, I've had a bit of trouble with both the loos
in our house. In both cases the ball valve in the cistern broke, leading
the cistern to fill continuously. Lots of water flowed out through the
overflow pipes, which in both cases lead outside the house. But lots of
water also overflowed over the top of the cistern, in one case causing
quite a bit of damage.

Anyone got any ideas why the overflow pipes weren't up to the job, and
what I can do about this?

Two options.

1) Fit a service valve in the supply to the cistern. This is worth
doing anyway to facilitate repairs but can also be used as a means of
reducing flow.

e.g.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...17447&ts=88368

This one fits onto the valve but you can also get them to fit in line
in 15mm pipe.

These are available from any DIY store.

2) Fit a Torbeck valve.

e.g.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...14716&ts=88510

or

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...19960&ts=88510


Apart from being quieter than old fashioned ball valves, these come
with a flow restrictor that you can insert.

Basically you need to reduce the flow rate into the cistern to a level
that the overflow can manage.




..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Simon Elliott" wrote in message
...
During the last year or so, I've had a bit of trouble with both the loos
in our house. In both cases the ball valve in the cistern broke, leading
the cistern to fill continuously. Lots of water flowed out through the
overflow pipes, which in both cases lead outside the house. But lots of
water also overflowed over the top of the cistern, in one case causing
quite a bit of damage.

Anyone got any ideas why the overflow pipes weren't up to the job, and
what I can do about this?

I guess such catostrophic failure is very unusual (???) - the overflow is
there to cope with the valve dribbling rather than gushing. Baths are the
same, if I run the cold tap even without the plug in, the overflow wouldn't
cope and the bath would overflow eventually, but I do have a lot of cold
water pressure.

You could turn the gate valve feeding the toilet (if you have one) back a
bit - take longer to fill up but may then allow the overflow to cope should
it happen again.

Tony

Simon Elliott explained on 27/03/2004 :
During the last year or so, I've had a bit of trouble with both the loos
in our house. In both cases the ball valve in the cistern broke, leading
the cistern to fill continuously. Lots of water flowed out through the
overflow pipes, which in both cases lead outside the house. But lots of
water also overflowed over the top of the cistern, in one case causing
quite a bit of damage.

I have never heard of a ball valve breaking without some help. Usually
they just fail to close fully and continue to drip water into the
cistern at quite a low rate. None of the overflows are not designed or
intended to cope with the full flow of water, rather they are intended
to cope with a tap left on dripping.


Anyone got any ideas why the overflow pipes weren't up to the job, and
what I can do about this?

--


--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

Andy Hall writes

[snip]
Thanks for the suggestions and links

Basically you need to reduce the flow rate into the cistern to a level
that the overflow can manage.

Makes sense. I was looking at the problem from the angle of "how do I
get the overflow to cope with the flow rate", but it's probably easier
to solve "how do I reduce the flow rate so that the overflow can cope
with it".

--
Simon Elliott
http://www.ctsn.co.uk/

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 13:51:10 +0000, Simon Elliott
wrote:

Andy Hall writes

[snip]
Thanks for the suggestions and links

Basically you need to reduce the flow rate into the cistern to a level
that the overflow can manage.

Makes sense. I was looking at the problem from the angle of "how do I
get the overflow to cope with the flow rate", but it's probably easier
to solve "how do I reduce the flow rate so that the overflow can cope
with it".


You might want to also check that the overflow is not partially
blocked.

I would hook up a garden hose and insert nozzle into exit from cistern
and give it a good blast through.



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andy Hall wrote:

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 13:51:10 +0000, Simon Elliott
wrote:

Andy Hall writes

[snip]
Thanks for the suggestions and links

Basically you need to reduce the flow rate into the cistern to a
level that the overflow can manage.

Makes sense. I was looking at the problem from the angle of "how do I
get the overflow to cope with the flow rate", but it's probably
easier to solve "how do I reduce the flow rate so that the overflow
can cope with it".


You might want to also check that the overflow is not partially
blocked.

I would hook up a garden hose and insert nozzle into exit from cistern
and give it a good blast through.



.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Also check the overflow pipe run to ensure that it slopes slightly downwards
over its whole length. If any part of it is *higher* than the point where it
connects to the cistern, it won't operate until the water reaches the
highest level.

--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

"Simon Elliott" wrote in message
...
Andy Hall writes

[snip]
Thanks for the suggestions and links

Basically you need to reduce the flow rate into the cistern to a level
that the overflow can manage.

Makes sense. I was looking at the problem from the angle of "how do I
get the overflow to cope with the flow rate", but it's probably easier
to solve "how do I reduce the flow rate so that the overflow can cope
with it".

Andy obviously has the real answer but simply a wider diameter overflow
would allow more water to flow out faster.

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 12:06:10 -0000, "Tony" wrote:


"Simon Elliott" wrote in message
...
During the last year or so, I've had a bit of trouble with both the loos
in our house. In both cases the ball valve in the cistern broke, leading
the cistern to fill continuously. Lots of water flowed out through the
overflow pipes, which in both cases lead outside the house. But lots of
water also overflowed over the top of the cistern, in one case causing
quite a bit of damage.

Anyone got any ideas why the overflow pipes weren't up to the job, and
what I can do about this?

I guess such catostrophic failure is very unusual (???)

The "overflow" is not an overflow pipe but a *Warning pipe*.

Nearly everywhere on the continent has a dinky little valve in the
feed to the toilet cistern to regulate the flow.

- the overflow is
there to cope with the valve dribbling rather than gushing. Baths are the
same, if I run the cold tap even without the plug in, the overflow wouldn't
cope and the bath would overflow eventually, but I do have a lot of cold
water pressure.

You could turn the gate valve feeding the toilet (if you have one) back a
bit - take longer to fill up but may then allow the overflow to cope should
it happen again.


And make the cistern refilling quieter

DG

"derek" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 12:06:10 -0000, "Tony" wrote:


"Simon Elliott" wrote in message
...
During the last year or so, I've had a bit of trouble with both the
loos
in our house. In both cases the ball valve in the cistern broke,
leading
the cistern to fill continuously. Lots of water flowed out through the
overflow pipes, which in both cases lead outside the house. But lots of
water also overflowed over the top of the cistern, in one case causing
quite a bit of damage.

Anyone got any ideas why the overflow pipes weren't up to the job, and
what I can do about this?

I guess such catostrophic failure is very unusual (???)

The "overflow" is not an overflow pipe but a *Warning pipe*.

Nearly everywhere on the continent has a dinky little valve in the
feed to the toilet cistern to regulate the flow.

- the overflow is
there to cope with the valve dribbling rather than gushing. Baths are
the
same, if I run the cold tap even without the plug in, the overflow
wouldn't
cope and the bath would overflow eventually, but I do have a lot of cold
water pressure.

You could turn the gate valve feeding the toilet (if you have one) back a
bit - take longer to fill up but may then allow the overflow to cope
should
it happen again.


And make the cistern refilling quieter


This problem has nothing to do with water pressure or the overflow pipe. The
answer is simple as I have found out , Restrict the amount of water arriving
in the cistern.
Peter.


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