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ballcock

A ballcock (also balltap or float valve) is a mechanism or machine for filling water tanks, such as those found in flush toilets, while avoiding overflow and (in the event of low water pressure) backflow. The modern ballcock was invented by José Antonio de Alzate y Ramírez, a Mexican priest and scientist, who described the device in 1790 in the Gaceta de Literatura Méxicana. The ballcock device was patented in 1797 for use in steam engines by Edmund Cartwright.It consists of a valve connected to a hollow, sealed float by means of a lever mounted near the top of the tank. The float is often ball-shaped, hence the name ballcock. The valve is connected to the incoming water supply, and is opened and closed by the lever which has the float mounted on the end. When the water level rises, the float rises with it; once it rises to a pre-set level, the mechanism forces the lever to close the valve and shut off the water flow. This is an example of negative feedback and of proportional control.

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  1. P

    Fortic tank is overflowing

    Fortic tank is overflowing,plumber replaced ballcock, no change. Came back and says immersion heater thermostat needs replacing? Water appears to be re-entering cold section via pipe from cold tank to hot cylinder, not through vent pipe. Water is warm in cold section. Any advice welcome
  2. N

    Can the ballcock valve 'stick' shut due to hot weather?

    Our attic water tank (which is boarded in and not easily accessible) decided to stop filling up today... (we couldn't hear it filling up) and with the temperature outside reaching 32+ I am wondering if this might have caused a problem. The temp this evening outside has gone down to 21 degrees...
  3. K

    Dripping overflow not ballcock

    Hi hopefully someone can advide me on this matter . I got new complete new bathroom refurbished ths next day overflow outside started dripping. As usual company said not there problem to check ballcock which i have by plumber nothing wrong with this . I am really looking for a different answer...
  4. Y

    Water Hammer+Bouncing Watertank Ballcock

    Hello everyone. Minor issue I'd like to try and adjust before I call a plumber back out. I have mains water to the kitchen and to the water tank in the loft. 3 weeks following having a kitchen tap fitted by a plumber I was running a bath suddenly there was this loud pipe/plumbing noise and the...
  5. S

    ID markings on a type 1 ballcock valve

    Hi. looking to replace or repair a type 1 ballcock valve. on one side embossed in the brass is BS1212 (i understand what this is) On the other it has what appears to be KX with a frame round it embossed on the side. Anyone shed any light on what KX is? manufacturer maybe? if so who so i can...
    • Steve Day
    • Thread
    • america ballcock usa valve
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: USA
  6. R

    Modern ballcock parts for old cistern

    Hi All - I’m trying to temporarily retrofit the broken ballcock mechanism for my (very) old toilet cistern (needed for 3 months before sufficient money is available to revamp the entire bathroom). The vertical inlet pip can be seen in the attached (the white pipe on the right hand side. Does...
  7. DripsnDropsBognor

    Ballcock now driving me nuts

    So i fitted new combi cylinder last year and replaced ballcock in tiny cold water storage tank at same time. Bank holiday weekend went over and changed both ballcocks both tanks share 1 overflow. Both shut off happy days. Phone call day to say water is Soding out of overflow... Been over tested...
  8. J

    Dripping overflow pipe

    Dripping overflow from small header thank so i changed the ballcock valve but kept dripping so i tied up the ballcock and drained the tank.Water was dripping in slowly from the bottom outlet.The heating has not been on for over a week,so what pushing the water back through the pipe into the...
  9. P

    Old type cistern ballcock float valve

    Hi, I have a old style handle type toilet. Noticed that when it fills up it never fully depresses the plastic piston seems to be stiff and even after filling it still drips and finally overflows Is it best to replace with another old style ball cock valve or can you use a fliudmaster in these...
  10. A

    overflow leaking yet again

    Hi to you all, I only registered last night and this is my first post. I hope someone can come up with a solution as I'm at a loss with my leaking overflow from the larger water tank in my loft. It started a year or so ago, I renewed the rubber washer in the ballcock valve of the larger tank...
  11. M

    Replacing a water tank ballcock

    Hi All. I have a fast dripping overflow. Apparently the ballcock in the cold water tank is rusty and 'on it's last legs'. How easy a job is it to replace DIY or how much should I expect to pay a plumber to come out and do it? Thanks :)
  12. W

    Cold water tank overflowing after changing ballcock

    Hi peeps new to this forum and the world of plumbing. I've got a issue that two plumbers have so far failed to resolve and is driving me round the bend. I currently have a cold water tank that feeds my upstairs toilet recently it started overflowing and even though I could not find anything...
    • Willowandmikey
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    • Replies: 9
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  13. L

    central heating stopped working after changing ballcock

    hi hope you can help sunday we had to change flush button on toilet - water turned off monday got up to see water running out of overflow pipe on outside wall - turned water off changed ballcock and all seemed well tuesday unsure if heating was working but i had hot water wednesday heating on...
    • lucyjay
    • Thread
    • after ballcock central central heating changing drain heating stopped system turned water working
    • Replies: 19
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  14. O

    Ballcock float height

    Hi, I would be grateful for your advice. I've got to replace an old ballcock on the cwsc. I will be fitting a Pegler part 2 valve and a new float. I just wondered how high or low to set the float because there is only a 2 metre head above the bathroom taps. Thanks in advance.
  15. J

    Combined ballcock valve and electrical switch

    Hello, I currently have a water supply to a shed that is pumped from a well some distance away. At present, I have a manual switch to send power to the pump and the water just comes out of a tap ie when I open the tap, nothing happens until I flick the switch for the pump. I want to put in a...
  16. M

    How much to change a ballcock!

    Went to a client of mine in my village today to sort out a small leak. While there the lady told me a few weeks ago she came back from holiday and the cold water tank overflow was running. She couldn't find my number (she looked under 'P' for plumber but she had filed me under 'B' for Brown) so...
  17. S

    Vibrating/loud banging from pipes when hot water taps are used

    Hi all, Last autumn/winter whenever I used the kitchen or bathroom hot water taps the pipework would gently hum for a few seconds and then disappear. As the weather got warmer the problem went away. This also coincided with me turning the central heating off. However, now that it's getting...
    • silvaplumb
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    • Replies: 9
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  18. R

    Need a plumber to do a quick attic ballcock job - Liverpool

    Hi. Hope its okay to sign up just to look for a plumber. I have a dripping overflow - I've been in the attic and identified the problem as the valve not shutting off properly. I've bent the arm and it has slowed it but not stopped - I suspect its a perished washer or some such. I'm smart enough...
  19. M

    Toilet Flushing problem

    Custard has a low level suite with boxed in cistern. Toilet not flushing properly. Removed siphon and checked flapper valve, all okay so changed siphon. Toilet still not fushing properly. Toilet only filling just over half full, if I hold down the ballcock so it fills to about 3/4 then it...
  20. S

    fitted ballcock in attic water tank but still overflowing

    Hi there, I have just fitted a new ballcock in water tank in loft but tank is filling too full and overflowing (reason for repalcing old ballcock). Have I done something wrong? Have tried bending arm down but to no avail. Can anyone help me? Thanks in advance.
    • Sun4
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    • attic ballcock cylinder fault fitted level overflowing still tank valve water water tank
    • Replies: 13
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
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