Ball Valve for Header Tank

[SWH]

Rather than hijacking the header tank overflow thread....

Need to replace the ball valve in our header tank as it's leaking, did this when we first moved in (18mths ago) but the mighty fine B&Q effort I purchased was noisy to the point of distraction, certainly enough to wake up SWH Jnr at the time anyway. So, I managed to replace the rubber valve within the old one, and put it all back together - and peace was restored. (I guess it makes the pipework howl, which is amplified by the ceiling).

It's now leaking again, so really it needs properly fixing with a new ball valve.

So... does anyone know where I can get one that doesn't howl like a demented badger when filling the tank?

Tank is a big old plastic effort, probably knee high and the diameter of a big Land Rover tyre; sitting on a thick section of ply over the joists in loft. The new valve I got before appeared to have plastic internals, where as the older one I repaired was brass/something soft and metallic inside. Clearly my repair skills were second rate, that and the internal piston was well worn in the old one anyway.

[dirkgently]

Go into a plumbers merchant and ask for a "half-inch part two ball valve" and they should hand you what you require.

[Rickyy]

dirkgently said:

Go into a plumbers merchant and ask for a "half-inch part two ball valve" and they should hand you what you require.

Not if you go into a Plumb Centre, chances are the monkeys will hand you one of these.......

[SWH]

Thanks chaps - got a Graham's plumbers merchant in town, I'll see what they say. I'll take in the old leaky quiet one as well, so they can see what I'm on about.

Still have the noisy one, which will stop the overflow washing the path outside all day while a find the right one - mix that overflow with a nutty Labrador somewhat keen on dripping water and you appear to get quite a mess, very popular!

[Simpo Two]

There has to be a better answer than these crappy old floating arms from c1900 that stick, rust and jam.

When I fitted Grohe cisterns the internal design was utterly different and frankly genius. Why can't you get bigger versions of that mechanism for header tanks?

[IainZ]

I've had this problem for over a year (since having the CW tank replaced)

Plumber said he would replace it but that it probably would be just the same

If you come up with a solution then please let us know.

[SWH]

Will do... looks like the plastic internals of the 'new' one can rattle about easily, and the actual nozzle the water comes in through is straight, rather than the tapered effort on the old brass one I just removed. Once I've actually been to the Grahams/Plumbase I'll try that one too.

I'm tempted to machine off the end of the piston in the old one and make a new end on it which the seal can sit in if I can't get anything better than a cheap old plastic howler like the temporary one in there now - somewhat excessive for a header tank however, making it the perfect back up plan

[IainZ]

SWH said:

Will do... looks like the plastic internals of the 'new' one can rattle about easily, and the actual nozzle the water comes in through is straight, rather than the tapered effort on the old brass one I just removed. Once I've actually been to the Grahams/Plumbase I'll try that one too.

I'm tempted to machine off the end of the piston in the old one and make a new end on it which the seal can sit in if I can't get anything better than a cheap old plastic howler like the temporary one in there now - somewhat excessive for a header tank however, making it the perfect back up plan

Not in the slightest bit excessive - its what any proper bloke should do

[rsv gone!]

Buy one from a decent brand like Pegler or you will do the job twice. (I did!).

[SWH]

dirkgently said:

Go into a plumbers merchant and ask for a "half-inch part two ball valve" and they should hand you what you require.

This is what the man suggested in there too - Much quieter

Still makes a bit of a noise, but nothing like the rather duff effort from B&Q. They did have an anti water hammer one, for a cool £45 trade, which funnily enough he'd not sold that many of - not really what I need though.

I've resisted any manufacturing efforts for now, and the dog is now most put out there's no regular thin stream of water running out of the overflow onto the side path (well, onto his daft head).