Ballcock

[rooney1000]

Hi

I need to replace the ballcock in my downstairs toilet. The toilet is from about 1870 I think, a blue beauty, and the fixings for the ballcock look original !

Spent some time googling and whilst replacement looks fairly easy I have no idea what replacement ballcock to buy. Are they are all the same size, all the same fixings etc. Anyone know ?

It side fixed, so feed from side at top of cistern. Need to replace as it is dripping which means overflow out to garden is dripping and has been for about a year (just never changed it but dripping more intense now !!).

Any help appreciated !!

Thanks all

[url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/eno66Ae0[/url]

[guindilias]

They haven't really changed since then, just buy another one! Though it might be a good idea to shut off the water, flush it so the cistern is empty, and brush your choice of acid (ahem, One Shot drain stuff) over the fittings to dissolve the limescale and make the whole job easier - that looks like it will be a bugger to get undone.
It's a newish float, old ones were copper, so chances are someone may have done it previously - it'll just be a "bog" standard replacement from B&Q, Screwfix, or any plumbing place,

[guindilias]

Something like this...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-float-valve-part...

[finlo]

Try bending the float arm downwards a little before you replace anything.

[herewego]

You probably only need to replace the little rubber seal.
Shut off the water, close the split pin and remove it then slide the arm out along with the piston. Replace the two penny rubber seal and reverse the removal instructions.

[guindilias]

For all the price of a new one, I'd replace it anyway, looks pretty knackered... it could be overflowing because age squishes down the washer, so bending the arm may well stop it - but it looks very overdue for changing anyway!

[TooMany2cvs]

What does the connection to the outside look like?

That's your key. Apart from that, it's only a hole in the ceramic that should be above the waterline anyway.

[Sheepshanks]

herewego said:

You probably only need to replace the little rubber seal.
Shut off the water, close the split pin and remove it then slide the arm out along with the piston. Replace the two penny rubber seal and reverse the removal instructions.

The end cap has to be removed the get the piston out. Maybe it'll undo OK, but it looks like it coud be tricky.

As others have said, normally you'd just replace it but how straightforwards that is depends on what the connection it like outside the cistern.

On our side-entry cistern I used a Torbeck type valve, similar to this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/side-entry-fill-valve/6... although the flush spindle might interefere in the OP's cistern.

[rooney1000]

Thanks all. Added a coupe more pictures, hopefully one shows the leak. It is coming from the metal part / connection near the pin. I have no idea what the pin does, can sort of turn it a little but not a lot.

If I buy one like the screwfix link I assume I just unscrew everything, put new one in and attach the float ball to it and hopefully should all work ?

[bristolracer]

I wish they still made them like that.
Replace a washer rather than the modern ste push button plastic ones where the whole bloody assembly ends up in the landfill every 5 years.
And those old ones can also drop enough water to move the deposit rather than 3 blasts of the flush to do the job. Saving water eh?

Right im off to shout at some clouds.......

[dirkgently]

That's a Portsmouth valve,I would replace it with a side entry torbec.

[rooney1000]

Dirk - googled torbec side etc and loads of options and none of them look right (to me !!). Couldn't post a direct link could you ?

[TooMany2cvs]

bristolracer said:

And those old ones can also drop enough water to move the deposit rather than 3 blasts of the flush to do the job.

You might want to improve your diet...

[guindilias]

Or reduce your opiate intake.

[g7jtk]

Get a new brass ball valve. Undo the big Union nut on the new and old valve to swop the new parts over

[silversurfer1]

That is a part1 brass ballvalve if it were me id just get a new one, you can break the large nut connection on the inside of the cistern do the same on the new one and just replace half the valve so you don't have to muck about changing the whole valve 10 min job max

ss


https://www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-float-valve-part...


Beat me to it by 2 mins )

[rooney1000]

Great thanks - assume I need to turn off the water to do this ?

Also, on playing around last night i established that the leak actually stops if i pull the ballcock up higher. Played around and cant get it to naturally go any higher (through bending pipes etc !) - I think the unit it just old and hoping that replacing with the one in link will solve. Fingers crossed !!

[g7jtk]

You don’t have to turn the water off but there will be a terrible mess so it is better to do so. 😹😹😹

[markcoznottz]

bristolracer said:

I wish they still made them like that.
Replace a washer rather than the modern ste push button plastic ones where the whole bloody assembly ends up in the landfill every 5 years.
And those old ones can also drop enough water to move the deposit rather than 3 blasts of the flush to do the job. Saving water eh?

Right im off to shout at some clouds.......

I bet you're glad you got that out your cistern..,....

[dirkgently]

rooney1000 said:

Dirk - googled torbec side etc and loads of options and none of them look right (to me !!). Couldn't post a direct link could you ?

A bit late but I have a life