Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Cistern taking ages to fill

  • 22-01-2019 1:13pm
    #1
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭


    not sure if spelt right

    anyway , cistern takes ages to fill up , like an 1 or 2 hrs

    also looks like some of the water from the cistern is leaking into the toilet bowl hence slowing the filling anyway

    i'm probably best taking a pic of inside the cistern later to show the type of ball cok etc


Comments

  • #2
    jmBuildExt
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭jmBuildExt


    Is it a new-ish toilet...you prob have a flush valve as apposed to a siphon.
    Yeah take a pic...
    will prob result in the valve having to be replaced.

    If you can replace it within the cistern itself - easy job.
    If youve to release the part under the cistern - not impossible, bit of a pita.
    If its a concealed cistern access can be an issue :)


  • #3
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭Anthonylfc


    jmBuildExt wrote: »
    Is it a new-ish toilet...you prob have a flush valve as apposed to a siphon.
    Yeah take a pic...
    will prob result in the valve having to be replaced.

    If you can replace it within the cistern itself - easy job.
    If youve to release the part under the cistern - not impossible, bit of a pita.
    If its a concealed cistern access can be an issue :)

    pics up now


  • #4
    Purgative
    Registered Users Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭Purgative


    Anthony when the cistern is filling, can you push the ballcok down to increase the flow?


    If yes, that's your problem.



    If no, you may have a slow flow to the cistern.


  • #5
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭Anthonylfc


    Purgative wrote: »
    Anthony when the cistern is filling, can you push the ballcok down to increase the flow?


    If yes, that's your problem.



    If no, you may have a slow flow to the cistern.

    Pushing it down does f all

    Wasnt always like this


  • #6
    Jb1989
    Registered Users Posts: 2,421 ✭✭✭Jb1989


    Anthonylfc wrote: »
    Pushing it down does f all

    Wasnt always like this

    Could it be a spot of dirt blocking the flow to the ball valve
    Maybe switch off water and open it up


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭Anthonylfc


    Jb1989 wrote: »
    Could it be a spot of dirt blocking the flow to the ball valve
    Maybe switch off water and open it up

    that's talking giberish to me

    i'm useless at DIY


  • #8
    Purgative
    Registered Users Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭Purgative


    Anthonylfc wrote: »
    that's talking giberish to me

    i'm useless at DIY


    Then you need a plumber. ;)


  • #9
    jmBuildExt
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭jmBuildExt


    You've described 2 issues here:
    1. takes ages to fill
    2. water leaking into the pan from the cistern.

    That's a siphon type flush. Usually reliable enough in terms of leaks - if water is leaking into the pan, it would usually have to be overflowing the top of it (i.e. water is high up towards the red cap thing in the middle). Meaning the ball valve is not switching off - which means the cistern is overfilled...
    But this would mean it would be easier to flush.
    The two issues nearly contradict eachother

    When you say it takes ages to "fill" - is there any chance you mean it takes ages to "flush" (i.e. its full but wont flush)?
    If so siphon unit (middle column) is broken, usually you would just replace the whole thing. With the type you have there it can be a poxy job. You have a close-couple toilet (cistern sitting directly on top of the pan), cistern would need to come off by undoing the 2 bolts (yours look like they aren't rusted, so it may not be too bad). There's a bit in between called a donut, and a fixing which clamps the the whole lot down.

    When you say water is leaking into the pan, what level is the water at in the cistern when this is happening?
    Usually to fix that in this case, you would be able to adjust the floaty bit in the corner.

    If there's a prob with the inlet valve/ballcock, yours is bottom fed which makes that fix a bit more tricky too.

    To be honest as mentioned above, you probably need someone else to take a look at it eitherway.


  • #10
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭Anthonylfc


    jmBuildExt wrote: »
    You've described 2 issues here:
    1. takes ages to fill
    2. water leaking into the pan from the cistern.

    That's a siphon type flush. Usually reliable enough in terms of leaks - if water is leaking into the pan, it would usually have to be overflowing the top of it (i.e. water is high up towards the red cap thing in the middle). Meaning the ball valve is not switching off - which means the cistern is overfilled...
    But this would mean it would be easier to flush.
    The two issues nearly contradict eachother

    When you say it takes ages to "fill" - is there any chance you mean it takes ages to "flush" (i.e. its full but wont flush)?
    If so siphon unit (middle column) is broken, usually you would just replace the whole thing. With the type you have there it can be a poxy job. You have a close-couple toilet (cistern sitting directly on top of the pan), cistern would need to come off by undoing the 2 bolts (yours look like they aren't rusted, so it may not be too bad). There's a bit in between called a donut, and a fixing which clamps the the whole lot down.

    When you say water is leaking into the pan, what level is the water at in the cistern when this is happening?
    Usually to fix that in this case, you would be able to adjust the floaty bit in the corner.

    If there's a prob with the inlet valve/ballcock, yours is bottom fed which makes that fix a bit more tricky too.

    To be honest as mentioned above, you probably need someone else to take a look at it eitherway.

    appreciate the time for the reply

    when i pull up or push down the ball cok nothing happens , no faster trickle into the cistern .....

    now inside the pan a small trickle of water runs down constantly

    the cistern takes an hr too fill

    and when i flush , it flushes just fine

    will need a plumber , but feckers charge an arm and leg


  • #11
    J.R.
    Registered Users Posts: 2,333 ✭✭✭J.R.


    I had this problem in a downstairs loo.

    I took the ballcock off - inside the fill area where the water comes in was fully of tiny little plastic, black shavings which had gathered and restricted the flow.

    This happened shortly after Irish Water fitted a water meter.

    The bits of plastic looked like bits of black hydro pipe that were ground off with an angle grinder to aid fitting.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    dodzy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,916 ✭✭✭dodzy


    New siphon and filler, although the float looks like it’s sitting on the siphon!


  • #13
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭Anthonylfc


    dodzy wrote: »
    New siphon and filler, although the float looks like it’s sitting on the siphon!

    only installed last year and the cistern filled quickly


  • #14
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,030 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Is there water leaking into the pan while its filling or only when its "full"?

    If its while its filling then it might be that you have some debris between the seal and the opening in the cistern into the pan. I had this before and it was just a bit of crud but it was preventing a seal so water was leaking.

    If the leak is while the cistern is filling then it will fill slowly as half the water coming in is going out again!

    I would also check the fill valve, they are kept open by the water pressure with the rising float/ball cock closing them. I had an issue before where where the water pressure wasnt able to keep the valve open because the valve was sticking, if you take a look while its filling you should be able to play around with it and see if you can manually increase the flow. If this is it then you need a vew valve.

    its not a terribly difficult DIY job and will be way cheaper than getting a plumber out!


  • #15
    Collibosher
    Registered Users Posts: 815 ✭✭✭Collibosher


    Is that a Wirquin Jollyfill ?

    We had one and it was very temperamental, cut losses and bunged a fluidmaster in it's place. Never a problem since.


  • #16
    Anthonylfc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 282 ✭✭Anthonylfc


    Collibosher wrote: »
    Is that a Wirquin Jollyfill ?

    We had one and it was very temperamental, cut losses and bunged a fluidmaster in it's place. Never a problem since.

    no idea


Advertisement