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I am about to replace the ball valve mechanism in our upstairs loo, as it takes about 20 mins to refill (pressure should be OK as the sink next to it runs fine).
However the new mechanism has two options for high or low pressure feeds. How do I know if it is high or low pressure? Without ripping walls apart I can't see where the feed pipe comes up from downstairs - it's well buried in the walls.
This might not help but,
I replaced the valve on my header tank recently, and the washer pack I got came with 'high' and 'low' nozzles. I chose which to use just by looking at the old one and comparing.
Probably the most sensible thing to do Cougar, although there is a tiny weeny little voice nagging me that it is just possible that the wrong valve seat is the problem with the existing.
Turn off your stopcock downstairs.
If the cistern still fills when the stopcock is off, it's fed from a tank in the loft.
If the cistern doesn't fill, it's fed directly from the mains.
Thanks Neal. Presumably mains = high pressure, tank = low pressure?
Goes off to find stopcock.....
Yes that's right.
My guess: you have a Low pressure feed to the cistern, and the valve had a restrictor fitted for high pressure ?
Thanks. Unable to locate stop cock (!) so not actually pulled it apart yet.
Do you have an external stopcock (maybe on the driveway or just outside on the pavement ?)
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No - we have a long front garden and I vaguely remember the seller of the house rummaging around in some plants near the door telling us it was there somewhere. I gave up as it was p**sing down!
A job for a drier day. Thanks for your help, I ended up painting the skirting boards instead!
Thanks for your help, I ended up painting the skirting boards instead!
That might help, but I doubt it 😉
(Have you tried taking the restrictor out if the old inlet valve ? That will more than likely solve your problem)
you should have a 'stop cock' at or near where the water enters the building..
this is usually under the kitchen sink/ in a kitchen cupboard/ in the cellar
the first tap is usually the cold tap in the kitchen so follow the pipework back from that if you can.
when you turn the stop tap off open up the cold tap in the kitchen and leave open until you re open the stop tap. this breaks the vacuum and means no water on the loo floor..
when you do whip out the ball valve slip a compression isolation valve in to the pipework to make it a zillion times easier next time..