Posts Tagged ‘leak’

Fluidmaster inlet valve leak - Email help

Friday, November 14th, 2008

Thought I might post an email I received recently asking for some advice. He emailed me a couple of photo’s with the email. (Read on)

“Dear Peter - Can you help or advise me what is wrong?

I am fairly handy around the house, can fix the odd electrical socket,
tune the TV but I have no idea about plumbing issues.

My toilet has been leaking for a long time, it make a little hissing
noise and leaks ever so slightly, just enough to annoy me. I have taken
some photos cause I don’t know plumbing terminology. The second photo
you can see the water leaking, I put an arrow on it for you - just in case.

Do I need some sort of rubber seal or something, do I need to get a
plumber out to fix it? I don’t want water, sewage for that matter
everywhere! Do you know any plumbing suppliers in the northern beaches?

Thanks

Gareth”

I was able to reply to him wth a bit of advice, & a name of the part to fix the problem.

Reply
Yep you need a fluidmaster inlet valve. A bit tricky but can be done yourself. You change the complete valve & reconnect to water line under the cistern. Gainforts Darley Rd, Monavale (Plumbing & electrical suppliers)
The fluidmaster is the most commonly used inlet valve in Australia (possibly worldwide). They are reasonably easy to install, & only cost about $20.00. For those not keen to have a go, I can install one for as little as $70.00 so long as it fits into my schedule without making a special trip
To John
Sounds like you have a leak not on the fluidmaster itself, but on the connection from the copper pipe to the inlet of the valve. It can be very easy to cross thread the brass kinco nut screwing onto a plastic thread. If this is the case, remove the valve, clean the thread on the inlet section of the valve with a hacksaw blade or similar & reinstall avoiding the cross thread.
(HINT) When the valve is back in the cistern, before doing the back nut up tight, connect the inlet pipe & kinco nut almost tight BY HAND & if your happy its not cross threaded then tighten the backnut & the nip up the kinko nut. Sometimes its also necessary to replace the nylon olive before proceeding. 
(HOPE THIS HELPS)

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