Got to be a pourus cistern or hairline crack?

[Phil]

Go on then I'll post in the proper sub forum I suppose..........

Fitted a bathroom suite a few weeks ago and I'm going back to do some other jobs in a week, toilet cistern (Homebase rubbish) dripped very slightly down the thread of one of the fixing bolts, enough to see a small patch on the floorboard the next day.

Cistern off and checked every connection and doughnut, then refitted.........next day dreaded droplet on end of bolt again.

Cistern off and replaced doughnut for better quality type, refitted and filled up cistern but didn't flush.........next day same dreaded droplet.

Cistern off and undid everything to blank cistern and inspected with light, so visible cracks. I carefully refitted everything making sure every rubber seal was perfectly maited and no dodgy ceramic around the holes, refitted and left overnight without flushing..........next day same BS droplet!

Cistern off and stripped everything back and refitted (much to my disapproval) everything with LSX and a smear of silicone around the doughnut. Left a good 18 hours and then filled the cistern and yes of course it leaked.

It also pools slightly on the back of the toilet pan, I really wish it was condensation but it isn't beacause I tried it with warm water overnight and it was still the same, the house it empty and the other toilet is bone dry.

Is there such thing as a pourus cistern?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

does it have trough bolts in the cistern or a fixing plate?

 

[Phil]

Two holes in cistern type, with conned washers. Fitted loads of these and never this problem before.

 

[dancinplumba]

just a thought condensation ?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

does the pan look ok? but i assume this is a constant drip not only a just a problem when flushed?

 

[Phil]

just a thought condensation ?

I suppose there is a slight chance it could be but it my experience water will drip all round the cistern, but this one just makes a single 2p sized watermark on the floorboards in the same place even when the cistern is bone dry outside.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

could possibly be a hairline crack which cannot be seen when everything is taken apart, but when all together and tightened up it is opening very slightly to allow small amount of water to escape.

 

[Phil]

does the pan look ok? but i assume this is a constant drip not only a just a problem when flushed?

Yes, I've left the cistern filling with the flush valve removed for a good 15 mins and the drip dosn't get any worse.

The drip is so slight that (now the lino is fitted) it won't even be noticable, it may only drip twice a day but water is spiraling down the thread of a blot that is smeared in LSX so it must be seeping through the pottery, onto the pan and down the fixing hole as well as around the seat hinges.

 

[tamz]

Yes you can get porous cisterns. Not very often but it does happen.
Your easiest thing as it is an empty house is remove the cistern, fill it and let it stand.
Might be better and cheaper just to swap it.

 

[Phil]

could possibly be a hairline crack which cannot be seen when everything is taken apart, but when all together and tightened up it is opening very slightly to allow small amount of water to escape.

It wouldn't supprise me, this Homebase stuff is a joke. bits missing, defects and marks on basin and cistern lid. I've told customer about it and if it gets worse then claim a new cistern off them.

 

[joelangston]

hi tamz, i have had them leak down the fixing so i use 'plumba' to coat the upper part of the fixing , then a little for the washer and a smear on the inside of the cistern itself, hope this helps, joe

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i agree with tamz +1:santa1::santa1:

 

[BLOD]

Is there such thing as a pourus cistern?

Quite possibly ! - I fitted a Homebase bathroom suite where the pan outlet spigot kept leaking, it had no glaze on it and it wasn't round it was more an oval shape. The customer had supplied the wc so had to deal with them.
Ended up fitting three replacements (all supplied by Homebase) until the last one worked.
Homebase even compensated the customer for my extra charges.

 

[Phil]

Yes you can get porous cisterns. Not very often but it does happen.
Your easiest thing as it is an empty house is remove the cistern, fill it and let it stand.
Might be better and cheaper just to swap it.

I did do that at one point during the day and it appeared dry at hometime, but thinking about it the drip is so small that I wouldn't have felt it, also I was checking the joints and not the ceramic.

 

[tamz]

If you can sit it there all night on a dusty floor leaning slightly back you will see where it is coming from. If it is on the cistern it will have a drip mark somewhere below and if it is seeping through the bolt seal the wet mark will be where the bolt touches the floor as it will spiral down the thread.

hi tamz, i have had them leak down the fixing so i use 'plumba' to coat the upper part of the fixing , then a little for the washer and a smear on the inside of the cistern itself, hope this helps, joe

I use plumbas too but they are expensive :smile:

 

[Phil]

If you can sit it there all night on a dusty floor leaning slightly back you will see where it is coming from. If it is on the cistern it will have a drip mark somewhere below and if it is seeping through the bolt seal the wet mark will be where the bolt touches the floor as it will spiral down the thread.




I use plumbas too but they are expensive :smile:

Better get a sleeping bag and pop corn, it will be a riviting evenings veiwing.

I will have another look when I'm there, its getting on that thread from somewhere. Its probably more likely a dodgy joint there than a porous cistern but that coned washer/bolt assembly was sandwiched in LSX on all the inividual parts.

 

[Guest123]

Some of the cheaper cisterns are packed full of filler to hide the flaws made during firing and they don't all seal. I've had a few like that and took them back for new ones.

 

[Phil]

Some of the cheaper cisterns are packed full of filler to hide the flaws made during firing and they don't all seal. I've had a few like that and took them back for new ones.

I've noticed this system, inside there is a white paste that has been applied to cover flaws, I've seen it on others two.

 

[Paulus]

I had this with a bathstore cistern, it drove me mad. Eventually, after refitting it for the umpteenth time I was wiping the condensation from the outside and suddenly the condensation became red (my blood).

The cistern had 4 straight scratches through the glaze, one at each corner which were almost invisible. The only way to see them was by going over with a pencil.

Although the box it came in didn't have any staples I reckon it must have been the result of the way it had been packaged at some time.

 

[Phil]

How much more blood will need to be shed before these cistern manufactureres improve their quality control? :rifle:

 

[johnnyplumb]

it's a problem nowadays, manufacturers are always looking to cut costs & one way is to cut the quality control or to use cheaper materials. unfortunetly it's us that suffer as time is money.

 

[Guest123]

I reckon that 99% of cisterns and wash basins have filler in them somewhere. The firing process used in pottery is far from perfect and there will always be flaws somewhere. On umpteen basins, I can hear "bits" inside clinking about when lifted. The cheaper imports from the Far East are the worst. Even acrylic baths dont escape filler. I've seen some real suspect ones!

 

[ADM360]

I fitted a cistern all ok, as you say back on site next day, small puddle round the back of pan, when all over no sigh of leak, flushed it pan connector ok, small dribble round back of cistern, assumed it to be doughnut washer, strip apart new doughnut washer, test again still small dribble round the back, so pinched up the bolts holding cistern to pan only 1/4 maybe 1/2 a turn and the cistern split in two, hair line crack!!!

 

[WHPES]

Sometimes the water actually comes from the syphon fitting and tracks along the porcelain to come down the bolt

 

[aido]

put some food dye in to cistern it should show up easier. lots of problems with cisterns lately:angry_smile: