Help needed!! Toilet cistern tank leaking

**woody123**

Hi,

Our upstairs toilet is leaking from the supply pipe that meets the cistern tank.. We have turned the screw so that there is no water in the tank and tried placing a new washer in but it is still leaking, we are sure the leak is coming from the part where the copper tube meets the bottom entry cistern plastic valve...

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this, we do have a downstairs toilet so we are lucky in that sense but will be a pain to walk downstairs the night to the toilet.

Thanks in advance!!!

amarg

These are normally just 1/2 inch bsp tap connectors.

They have a fibre washer in them and it may of perished.

It is similar to replacing a tap, so if you look at page two of this you will see the washer- http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/diy_plumbing_replacing_basin_taps.htm

You will probably need a new washer.


There is a section on replacing the water inlet valve, but it does not go into enough detail to show the washer-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/ball_valves/fitting_replacing.htm

**woody123**

Thanks for those links amarg, they will be useful..

We have tried a new washer but is still leaking..

It seems to be leaking from where the plastic meets the copper piping.

TimBuckTeeth

Check the threaded plastic pipe on the cistern valve is not split or damaged.
Also check the copper pipe is lined up correctly. A new washer should stop leaks if every thing else is OK. A fibre washer should be fine, maybe try soaking it in water to soften it up first, or try a rubber washer.

Since it is a bottom entry valve the other possibility is that it is leaking from where the valve enters the cistern, tightening up the plastic back nut should stop any leaks.

I fitted a flexible connector, avoids any misalignment and reduced water hammer noise. Just need to cut the copper pipe back and fit a flexible connector :

http://www.screwfix.co.uk/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=13143
or with isolation valve
http://www.screwfix.co.uk/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=18417

ben500

Also try applying ptf tape to the joint to ensure watertightness.

**woody123**

Thanks for the advice,

My dad's just gone to get another plastic bottom entry cistern valve,,

a&akay

My experience with these is that if there is even a slight misalignment between the rigid copper tap connector and the plastic threads then a leak is far more likely. A flexible 15mm connector with compression fitting at one end and tap connector at the other can remove this. They even come with an integral ball valve to cut off the flow for any future work where you need to cut off the water to the cistern (Screwfix stock them).