Hello,

Where the cold water pipe feeds our toilet cistern, there is a small
drip of water constantly running down the pipe and causing a wet spot
on the floor. Initially we thought it was just condensation, but after
watching closely, it is infact a small leak where the metal pipe olive
screws onto the plastic fitting on the bottom of the cistern.

I would guess that it's a case of turning off the mains water and
disconnecting the joint. Then re-taping with PTFE and fastening back
up tight. Is this correct?

Also, do I need to drain the cistern before disconnecting the pipe,
and if so, how do I go about that?

Thanks in advance,

Graham

In article , "Graham
Culley" says...
snip

Also, do I need to drain the cistern before disconnecting the pipe,
and if so, how do I go about that?

There should be a leverto do this - sometimes on the front or side of
the cistern, and sometimes on the top activated by a chain.
Depress the lever as far as it will go and then release to empty the
cistern.

i wouldnt have thought it'd be a metal olive..it should be a flexable
washer. usualy just pinching it up works...if youve tried this you may need
a new washer. ptfe isnt usualy used here. pinch it up and see.

steve
"Graham Culley" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

Where the cold water pipe feeds our toilet cistern, there is a small
drip of water constantly running down the pipe and causing a wet spot
on the floor. Initially we thought it was just condensation, but after
watching closely, it is infact a small leak where the metal pipe olive
screws onto the plastic fitting on the bottom of the cistern.

I would guess that it's a case of turning off the mains water and
disconnecting the joint. Then re-taping with PTFE and fastening back
up tight. Is this correct?

Also, do I need to drain the cistern before disconnecting the pipe,
and if so, how do I go about that?

Thanks in advance,

Graham

"Rob Morley" wrote in message
t...
In article , "Graham
Culley" says...
snip

Also, do I need to drain the cistern before disconnecting the pipe,
and if so, how do I go about that?

There should be a leverto do this - sometimes on the front or side of
the cistern, and sometimes on the top activated by a chain.
Depress the lever as far as it will go and then release to empty the
cistern.


Boss white putty may be better alternative to ptfe tape in this situation.
Gets to parts of the joint that ptfe tape can miss.

Pete

On 31 Oct 2004 09:44:55 -0800, Graham Culley wrote:

I would guess that it's a case of turning off the mains water and
disconnecting the joint. Then re-taping with PTFE and fastening back
up tight. Is this correct?

Just try tightening it a tad but remember plastic isn't that strong.

If that doesn't work wander off to a shed and get a(*) fibre washer
for a "tap connector", ie something, red similar to thick cardboard,
with an inner/outer edge distance of a couple of mm.

(*) I doubt you'll be able to buy just one, it'll be a packet of 3 for
=A32...

Also, do I need to drain the cistern before disconnecting the pipe,
and if so, how do I go about that?

No, the only water that should come out is that between the ball valve =

the connection you are breaking. How ever if there is somewhere else
for air to get in (open ball valve in loft tank?) all the pipe work
above the broken connection will drain out as well. Be prepared for
nothing to half a bucket full...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in
:


Boss white putty may be better alternative to ptfe tape in this
situation. Gets to parts of the joint that ptfe tape can miss.

Pete

I'm a convert to Fernox LS-X for anything under the sun, from properly
installing pipework to fixing the semi-stripped thread on my kithcen tap

mike

Normally these connecters leak due to miss threading metal to plastic,very
easy to do.Undo connector and have old towel to hand to dry up excess
water,use lsx and ensure you do not mis thread when reassembling connector

"mike ring" wrote in message
52.50...

I'm a convert to Fernox LS-X for anything under the sun, from properly
installing pipework to fixing the semi-stripped thread on my kithcen tap

mike


What it the format of this Fernox stuff - gooey stuff or what ?

Pete

"Rob Morley" wrote in message
t...
In article , "Graham
Culley" says...
snip

Also, do I need to drain the cistern before disconnecting the pipe,
and if so, how do I go about that?

There should be a leverto do this - sometimes on the front or side of
the cistern, and sometimes on the top activated by a chain.
Depress the lever as far as it will go and then release to empty the
cistern.

To get the remainder of the water out, syphon it using a short
length of plastic tubing (sold at B&Q). The water in the cistern is
perfectly clean (unless you have any anti limescale/bleach/whatever
tablets sitting in it!), so no worries about accidentally getting
a mouthful.

In article ,
Graham Culley wrote:
Where the cold water pipe feeds our toilet cistern, there is a small
drip of water constantly running down the pipe and causing a wet spot
on the floor. Initially we thought it was just condensation, but after
watching closely, it is infact a small leak where the metal pipe olive
screws onto the plastic fitting on the bottom of the cistern.

I would guess that it's a case of turning off the mains water and
disconnecting the joint. Then re-taping with PTFE and fastening back
up tight. Is this correct?

Having gone crazy trying to stop a copper to plastic leak like this I
eventually used Fernox sealing compound. It's a small tube of a silicone
like stuff which seems to seal anything to anything. Not cheap, though.

--
*Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article 0,
mike ring wrote:
I'm a convert to Fernox LS-X for anything under the sun, from properly
installing pipework to fixing the semi-stripped thread on my kithcen tap

Seconded. Marvellous stuff for these odd ball joints. Trouble with copper
to plastic at a cistern etc is getting things lined up just right -
especially as space is often tight.

--
*Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Peter Stockdale wrote:


What it the format of this Fernox stuff - gooey stuff or what ?

Like clear silicone sealant.... *very* like it ;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

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In article ,
John Rumm wrote:
What it the format of this Fernox stuff - gooey stuff or what ?

Like clear silicone sealant.... *very* like it ;-)

Wonder what the difference is to justify the price? It doesn't smell or
feel *exactly* like silicone, though.

--
*A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
John Rumm wrote:

What it the format of this Fernox stuff - gooey stuff or what ?


Like clear silicone sealant.... *very* like it ;-)


Wonder what the difference is to justify the price? It doesn't smell or
feel *exactly* like silicone, though.

It is so long since I last used my tube of it that it seems to have gone
solid in the tube! So I don't really recall what the consistency was
like... A tad thicker than ordinary silicone perhaps?

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/