A toilet with a cistern is a familiar and seemingly simple device. In the event of a breakdown, repair is required urgently, it is not always possible to wait for the master or consult with him. In some cases, you can do it yourself, for example, if the drain mechanism breaks down at a tank with a side water supply. It is quite simple to choose and replace fittings for him, in any plumbing store you can find a huge selection in various designs and variations. This is what will be discussed later.
Kinds
There are several types of waste tanks.
Depending on where the water is supplied from, tanks are distinguished:
- with bottom piping (a hose with underwater water is attached to the bottom of the drain tank);
- with side connection (the hose is attached above the water level of the filled tank).
Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
One of the advantages of tanks with a bottom eyeliner is the quietness of filling. In addition, fittings for such tanks allow you to give it an unusual shape, which makes the design of the bathroom unique. The disadvantages of such a system are the complexity of installation and repair. The dense completeness of fittings requires certain skills in working with it.
The main advantages of barrels with side liner:
- low cost;
- simplicity of design;
- no need to seal the inlet hose connection.
Of the minuses, only the noisy filling of the tank can be noted. Some manufacturers extend the water supply hose to eliminate noise so that water flows from the bottom, not the side. The simplicity of the design of the cistern fittings with side connections allows even a layman to install and repair them. But before starting work, you need to understand how the drain tank itself and its mechanism are arranged.
Flush cistern device
The drain tank is a vessel filled with water, which contains:
- two holes on the sides for fittings installation;
- two holes at the bottom for connection to the toilet;
- armhole for the drain fittings themselves.
The drainage structure is based on the drain and filling fittings. The descent device can be unscrewed. In addition, it can be attached to a hydraulic cord. In the second case, when lifting the tank lid, the button rises. With the help of filling fittings, the tank is collected, the water level in it is set.
A properly working tank should not only drain water, but also dump it in the event of a system breakdown.
Components for lateral actuators
There are several types of fittings:
- rod device (liquid is lowered by lifting the handle on the tank lid);
- push-button mechanism (draining occurs by pressing a button).
Today, the latter option is mainly used. It will be considered in more detail.
Let's analyze the components of the drain structure.
- inlet valve;
- lever with a float;
- trigger device;
- filler tank;
- trigger control lever.
The simplicity of this design guarantees its durability, provided that the parts are of good quality.
Work principles
For correct installation of fittings and repair in case of breakdown, it is important to understand how the drain mechanism itself works.
Let's consider it in more detail:
- When the drain button is pressed, a draft appears, under the action of which the drain valve opens.
- At the same time, the drain into the drain mechanism is blocked, a drain occurs.
- When the water in the tank reaches a minimum, the release mechanism closes, blocking the drain.
- The float opening is then opened.
- The vertical valve snaps into place, blocking the escape passage.
- When the water level decreases, the float is lowered, opening the passage through which the drain tank is filled.
- When the water level reaches its maximum, and with it the float rises, the float valve is closed, restricting the flow of water.
It is quite simple to understand the device of the drain mechanism. For clarity, you can remove the cover of the drain tank.
Rebar selection aspects
In the event of a breakdown, it becomes necessary to replace the drain device. At the same time, a new one should be chosen carefully enough so that the mechanism will serve for many years. The purchase must be made at a trusted store. If you carry out the installation yourself, you must correctly determine the diameter of the tank.
When choosing a manufacturer, preference should be given to domestic brands. These devices are adapted to the properties of the water and its quality. Foreign products (especially European ones) are designed for higher quality water. As a result, they fail faster.
The fittings themselves can be plastic or brass. The service life of the latter is higher, but its cost is also higher. When choosing a plastic structure, preference should be given to polypropylene or made of low pressure polyethylene.
You should also pay attention to several nuances:
- All reinforcement elements must be smooth, without deformation or burrs.
- All seals must have the correct shape, softness, visible cracks during tension are excluded.
- Fasteners should have two or more seals. The elements themselves can be plastic or brass.
- The trigger valve must run smoothly (without jerking).
- Components must be tightly attached to each other, free play is excluded.
- You should carefully check the completeness of the mechanism according to the instructions, you need to make sure that all elements, gaskets and nuts are in place, and the equipment corresponds to that specified in the installation instructions.
- The fittings should be purchased if they meet all of the above requirements. Otherwise, it will not last long.
Self-installation
To begin with, you should carefully study the instructions attached to the fittings. Let's consider in detail the general scheme of its installation.
- The first step is to unscrew the drainage nut.
- Then you need to lay the gasket on the bottom of the tank, fix the drain mechanism with a nut on it.
- After that, you need to remove the retaining nut from the inlet valve located on the side.
- A rubber gasket must be placed on the hole where the fittings are installed.
- A filling valve must be installed inside the tank and secured with a nut. At this stage, the nut should not be tightened too much.
After making sure that the inlet and outlet mechanisms do not touch each other and do not touch the walls of the tank, fix the nuts.
If they touch each other, you should first turn them in different directions from each other:
- Then the water liner is installed. Always be aware of the presence and correct location of the O-rings.
- After this, you should check the operation of the drain mechanism.
- The last step is to install the release button on the tank lid.
When adjusting the drain fittings, it is important to adjust the maximum water level. It should be 5 cm below the edge of the tank. To adjust it, the float moves along the guide. The float must be fixed in such a way that the distance from the upper edge of the float to the edge of the tank is at least 40 mm. Then check the location of the overflow tube.
It should look out from under the water no more than 2 cm with a full tank.
Breakdown and solutions
Not always a small breakdown requires a complete replacement of the drain fittings. Sometimes a small tweak and partial replacement of elements is enough to fix the problem. When partly replacing elements or mechanisms, it is important that the new parts are similar in shape, material and dimensions. Only in this case the reinforcement will function correctly and will last a long time. Let's consider some common problems.
Tank leak
If a murmur is constantly heard in the tank, water leaks, this indicates a leak in the drain tank. To eliminate this problem, first reduce the drainage rate. For this it is necessary to adjust the damper. You can bend the lever a little if its material allows, while controlling the position of the damper. The latest plastic closures have a special regulator that regulates the force of the drain.
If these measures do not work, the cause of the breakage may be the abrasion of the pear. You can try adding the weight of the pear to make it fit more snugly against the locking hole. But it's better to replace it. The general condition of the drainage system should be assessed. Sometimes it is enough to replace the gaskets, remove rust, adjust the position of the drain and exhaust mechanisms. If the above measures did not help, it makes sense to replace the drain mechanism.
Water fills but does not accumulate in the tank
When water enters the drain tank, but is not collected, the cause of the breakdown lies in the float. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to adjust the water level in the tank by moving it along the guide. Alternatively, you can replace the entire assembly, including the lever.
Water overflows the edge of the barrel
This is due to a poorly regulated water level. How to set it up is described in detail above.
Water does not fill
The cause of the problem is a blockage between the pipe and the exhaust mechanism. To eliminate it, it is enough to replace the float valve.
Drain button does not work or does not work
First you should try to tighten the driving arm. If this does not help, then the flap valve is out of order, it must be replaced.
Incomplete overlap of the intake valve
To eliminate it, it is necessary to disassemble the intake mechanism and remove rust or dirt in the valve. If this measure did not help, then it makes sense to replace the rubber gasket blocking the water pressure from the connecting hose.
For information on how to fix the toilet with your own hands, see the next video.