Thread: Leaking inlet valve on toilet

Originally Posted by Mr Whippy

Ron, Try these

Google Image Result for http://www.lusanbidets.com.au/products/images/277/SANY3048h.jpg


I have 23 toilets at my place and whenever I have a problem I fit one of these. I swear by them.

Dave.

I'm surprised no one's comment on this statement Dave - Keep 'em guessing hey?

Originally Posted by p38arover

Ok, I'm frustrated and I need the advice of a plumber.

We have a Gerberit Fors (or Impuls360 overseas by the look of it) inlet valve assembly in our toilet cistern (see Page not found – HTTP 404 | Geberit Australia ). It doesn't always shut off and thus overflows. All we need to do to stop it is momentarily turn off the supply water, then turn it back on.

I've replaced the main silicone seal (with an aftermarket Fix-a-Loo seal) but to no avail. (The genuine Gerberit seal costs as much as the complete cistern cost us!)

The problem is that I cannot find anywhere on the 'Net just how this inlet valve works. If I knew that, I think I could work out what the problem is.

The seal is designed with a hole in it through which a tiny channel flows water. Why I'm not sure but I suspect it is a water pressure thing which balances pressures to shut of the valve.

Is there a plumber on here who knows how they work?

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Here is how the inlet valve works.
When the cistern is filling, water passes around the inlet valve and this inlet valve is a very thin diaphragm very much like a condom.
As the water level rises, there is an upturned "boat" that rises on top of the water and it pushes a lever with very little force and the lever closes a very small hole through which water has been escaping.
This water comes from around the condom diaphragm and through a very small hole that is designed to be never blocked.
Now the water fills the back of the diaphragm and also covers a plunger that pushes the diaphragm against the seat of the valve. The seat of the valve is the ring you can see inside the whole mechanism.
We now have a situation where the thin condom is being pressed against a ring and the pressure behind the plunger is up to 100 pounds per square inch. The ring is the inlet pipe and it currently has little or no water flowing through it and thus the difference in pressure from the plunger is about 50 pounds as the inlet pipe has an area of about half a square inch. This pressure is so high that the ring literally cuts through the condom after about 12 months and the toilet leaks.

I have solved the problem by keeping the broken condom in place and making sure the hole is not obstructed. Now place a 11mm or 12mm "O ring" over the pointed blue part of the valve and carefully fit the whole assembly back into the unit and connect the arm. This will take a lot of skill. The O-ring will now do the "shutting-off"
You will find the water shuts off slightly sooner and it is below the overflow pipe.
It may leak for a minute as the enormous pressure of "shut off" will take time to squeeze the O-ring into the right alignment.
Colin Mitchell
Talking Electronics.com
talking@tpg.com.au