Modern cistern that leak from the screws

loulou41

This is doing my head in. I have one of the modern dual flush cistern fitted and it is leaking from the screws. Is this a common fault with the push button systerm as I have been reading about it on the internet? The two screws that fix the systern to the pan leak, the plumber has spent all day repositioning it, now sometimes it leaks on the left side from the screw, there is no entry there. I do not know where the leak is coming from. After repositioning it again, it is now leaking from both screws, one is the inlet, it's only drop by drop. Before it was leaking when I only flush the toilet. This is doing all our head in, the plumber does not know what to do. It is a Sandringham closed couple toilet, it seems that that the rubber part that goes into the close couple toilet is not long enough, it looks very short and just about sit on the toilet, I think that's what is causing the leak. I honestly do not want the plumber to remove and reposition the toilet again as I am sure it will eventually damaged it. I am wondering whether anybody has ever encountered this problem and could advice me. I am also thinking may be I should phone Armitage Shanks helpline for advice. Thanks

Canucklehead

Good afternoon: Are the bolts plastic? My OH despises them, very fiddly, pain in the butt design...don't know how he overcomes that particular problem but it involves a fair bit of cursing (but not within hearing range of the client;) ) Just had another thought...some 'donuts' supplied by the manufacturers are substandard.

Canucklehead

t_r

I cant believe someone thought it was a good idea to have two screw holes in the bottom of a cistern. I guess to fix it you will need to replace the rubber washers, maybe you need to use sealant as well.

Bungarm2001

My OH cured this problem in a house he was renovating by chucking out the washers that came with the loo and replacing them with a couple that he cut out himself from neoprene.

Actually, I think the neoprene was a mouse mat that cost 60p, if I remember rightly, from Ikea. It worked a treat.

ormus

had this very problem the other week with my SIL wc cistern.
had to replace the main siphon valve. (the plastic flap was ripped). when we came to replace the cistern it leaked.
got a new doughnut thingy and it still leaked.
so put some sealant all around the 3 main sites where water might leak.
the doughnut and the 2 fixing bolts. then screwed it down evenly.
its ok now.

loulou41

Thanks for your advice, this is a brand new toilet. Will phone Armitage Shanks and see what they advice. I am not sure whether I have explained myself clearly, the best I could describe is, is that part of the cistern that goes into the "donut" is not long enough. I will take the idea of sealing the part that leak with sealant on board. I just do not understand why the left screw leak as there is no hole there, the cistern has an internal overflow. To answer somebody else question, the bolts are metal not plastics. Gosh, this is driving me crazy and is ruining my week-end.

ormus

my bolts were metal with just plain washers/nuts. they had 2 small rubber seals each.

EliteHeat

These sorts of cisterns normally have conical washers and they really cannot fail. If you have flat washers then a liberal dose of LSX should sort it out.

You can get a new doughnut washer from screwfix for a couple of quid - it comes as part of the close-coupled replacement kit.

plumb1_2

It could be that the syphon is not tightened correctly, weeping from the nut and traveling down through the bolt.
Your plumber will need to take the cistern off the pan again to check, i think the Sandringham has a fixing plate and no holes in the cistern.
Has your plumber fixed the cistern to the wall as well.

loulou41

plumb1 wrote: »

It could be that the syphon is not tightened correctly, weeping from the nut and traveling down through the bolt.
Your plumber will need to take the cistern off the pan again to check, i think the Sandringham has a fixing plate and no holes in the cistern.
Has your plumber fixed the cistern to the wall as well.

Yes the cistern is fixed to a wooden piece of wood to the wall. There is pipe which stopped the cistern being fixed directly to the wall, hence the wooden piece. He thinks the problem might be due to the fact that the cistern is not fixed directly to the wall but you cannot do anything about it as there is a round pipe between the two. I am also wondering since I have got home care 400 which cover everything from central heating to plumbing whether I should ask them to check it for me, but hubby does not want me to call them. At the moment, I have got a bowl underneath the cistern where the left screw is and there is no hole there which really is puzzled all of us. I guess, your explanation makes sense. Thanks for your advice.

loulou41

ormus wrote: »

my bolts were metal with just plain washers/nuts. they had 2 small rubber seals each.

Two metal washers & wing nuts came with the cistern,no rubber seals. Are the rubber seals missing, that's what is causing the leak?