Anyone able to help me with (one of) my plumbing problems…

It’s a leaking joint – the end of the metal pipe as it joins the plastic pipe into my toilet cistern i.e. this is the water inlet. (should be a picture or link to one at the end of this post)

I loosened the nut and bits of washer (I assume) came out…only I’m not sure where the washer came from…i.e. should it above ‘the bulge’ …below…somewhere else.
I’ve got 3 sizes of leather (?well that’s what B&Q had) washers and some PFTE tape…

So where should the washers go…do I need something else…where, if anywhere, for the tape ? ?

and yes I’m close to giving up and finding a plumber (anyone know a good one in the Rochdale area)

Thanks

one of these should work …

A Photo

Thats a tap connector I think – so the washer goes over the pipe above the bulge and is crushed to form the seal- it does not act like an olive in a normal joint but more like a gasket.

Should be a red fibre ring tho I think

*caveat* – I ain’t a plumber but a DIYer

What do you reckon with the PFTE tape…on the plastic thread ?…any point in any around the ‘buldge’ or is that likely to make things worse…

The “bulge” is called an olive – a brass ring that fits round the pipe. The red ring referred to by TJ is for tap connectors – not cisterns. You may find if you clean off the corrosion it will seal if properly tightened, otherwise I’d winkle off the olive and replace it with a new one after gently cleaning the pipe. I’m sceptical about PTFE tape.

I wouldn’t bother with the ptfe tape – the seal should be between the bulge on the copper and the end of the plastic pipe – thats where the washer goes. If that doesn’t seal water will come out between the nut and the copper pipe.

Simon – is that not a tap connector? I don’t think it will be a compression fitting onto a cistern
http://www.genesis7.co.uk/images/tap%20connector.jpg

YOu can just see the red washer in this pic.

That doesn’t look like a tap connector to me from that photo, as mentioned it looks like an olive compressed onto a pipe. The olive is unlikely to come off without a fight.

I’d clean up whatever is there and put a few wraps of PTFE tap around the olive to bulk it up a bit the screw the fitting back together. that should do it.

tj is correct
conventionally the cistern has a 1/2″ plastic male threaded connection
the inlet pipe probably has a tap conn fitting – a flanged fitting with a captive 1/2″ nut
fit a new fibre washer on tap conn and tighten carefully plastic is prone to cross threading
no ptfe required a bit of clear silicone mastic can help if the plastic face is damaged

You need a 1/2″ washer.

You get both connections into cisterns Usually plastic is a tap connection type though.

OP’s picture is a tap connector. Little washer sits above the ‘bulge’

Push it into the connection on the toilet, you’ll see where that face touches the bottom of the toilet connection. The washer is the seal between the two.

I’d agree with the above that convention has a tap connector onto a plastic 1/2″ male but it’s suprising what gets bodged up over the years!

The fitting in fubars photo looks like a bulged olive rather than the flat of a tap connector.

BTW silicone won’t stick to anything wet so tricky to use once water is present (a la photo)

having said all that what appears to be a bulge may well be what remains of the fibre washer, clean it up with a screw driver to see if it has a flat mating surface, if yes then bash a new fibre washer in, if no go with the PTFE.

I am certain I have used tap connectors with a rounded surface like that

just noticed photo link (bit slow on the uptake)
definitely a tap conn not an olive – does look a bit gunky clean it up dry it up and put a washer on it

It’s the nut for me, looks too long for a compression fitting. As well as the elbow being on soldered on one side, although it could be a 15mm street elbow. Agreed it’s hard to tell on the photo though

hmmm…can you take a picture of what the nut threads onto? that would probably help clarify what type of connection you’ve got and thus the solution required…

bulge isn’t remains of a washer…it is metal…

will get another photo..10 or 15 mins…

Oh I love these 🙂 The 90* connector is indeed a tap connector, it needs either a rubber, leather or fibre seal to slip over the pipe and butt up to the “bulge” as you call it. However when sealing onto plastic ballcocks (like the one that you have) it can sometimes be better to wind PTFE tape around the pipe above the bulge to create a soft washer to seal onto the plastic ball cock. PTFE tape on the plastic thread won’t help you at all. What you do want to do is put a good bead of silicone sealant onto the black washer on your ball cock when you re- assemble it to the cistern. Hope that helps.

personally i would only put silicone on a rubber washer as a last resort

edit i’m funny like that

new improved photo for anybody still interested…
New Improved Photo

Note the plastic thread into cistern is new (that was another problem)

Thanks everyone…10 minutes and I’m off to connect it back together and turn the water on….

It’s looking good…I had a choice of 2 washers, one approx 2mm thick, the other approx 4mm…went with the 2mm thickness.
Tightened the nut by hand-tight then a half-turn with spanner…but that still dripped. A couple of extra full turns with the spanner and it is staying dry so far…I’ll be leaving a drip container underneath for the night!

Thanks again.

well done fella

??