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Hi to all. I have just signed in because of a plumbing problem. I am a DIYer and have no plumbing qualifications but I do have common sense and follow instructions.
I have recently replaced a close coupled toilet which worked fine with a much more modern looking one which seems to clog up if anyone does a number two. The poop always disappears but then the toilet takes a long while for the water to drain when flushed so it is a partial blockage.
When I fitted the pan the spigot did not quite reach the plastic waste outlet which is the one that looks like a periscope. My local plumber sold me a small extension so I could connect the spigot to the plastic waste. All seems to work except it keeps blocking.
1. I am wondering if the poo is not quite passing through the extra pipe or getting caught on the joints?
2.Should I go for a flexible connector?
OR
3.I have found that Macalpine do a connector that is slightly longer at the top which might fit my toilet without the need for the extra joint.
4.None of the above?
By the way the flush mechanism is properly set up (followed instructions)
and the flush appears to be nice and strong.

Any help gratefully accepted.
 
Any photos of install, can’t seem to make much sense from what you’re saying.

Also have you checked soil pipe/manhole for a blockage?
Could be a dislodged pan connector joint.
Is the connection uphill?
Too much toilet roll?
 
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Thanks for reply. The blockages always seem to be in the pipework just beyond the bend I clear them using one of those bendy wire drain clearers though sometimes a toilet plunger will work. As I say the old toilet flushed really well so I am confident the problem is with something I have done rather than further downstream. I will try to get you a pic though space is limited. I will try to be clearer in my description which might be more help than a photo.
When I fitted the toilet the outlet on the toilet was too short to connect to the existing waste pipe so I bought a straight extension made by McAlpine. It all connected fine but I am wondering if this extra bit is causing the blockages? The connection is not uphill it goes out into the periscope style connector then straight down. I will try to post picture.
 
Ok, so I think the periscope connection is an offset. If all is good, I would suggest a dislodged rubber in pan connector
 
Here is a picture. It is the best I can do. You can see the floor so that will help with orientation. The joint seems neat and tidy and there are no leaks. Do you think I could solve the problem either by purchasing a flexible pan connector which would get rid of extra joint OR by purchasing a pan connector with a slightly longer "head" which would also get rid of extra joint.

View attachment 20190720_145400.jpg

View attachment 20190720_145400.jpg
 
What happens if you put a bucket of water down into the pan, as fast as you can get it in?
 
The water whooshes down but part of it remains and drains more slowly. Some of the blockages are worse than others. At its very worst the water level comes within 6 inches of the top but normally it is lower than that. If I could just clear the blockages with a bucket of water it would be a lot less annoying but as it is I am on my knees with either a toilet plunger or bendy drain clearing wire.
 
Looking at the picture, the second of the two circles doesn't seem to be properly aligned as though the joint isn't properly seated. I wonder if that could be part of the problem? At any rate I have no choice but to disconnect everything. I think I will go for a flexible connector because that will reduce the number of joints and I know it will fit. I gather some people are less keen on these types of fittings.
 
Thanks for reply. The blockages always seem to be in the pipework just beyond the bend I clear them using one of those bendy wire drain clearers though sometimes a toilet plunger will work. As I say the old toilet flushed really well so I am confident the problem is with something I have done rather than further downstream. I will try to get you a pic though space is limited. I will try to be clearer in my description which might be more help than a photo.
When I fitted the toilet the outlet on the toilet was too short to connect to the existing waste pipe so I bought a straight extension made by McAlpine. It all connected fine but I am wondering if this extra bit is causing the blockages? The connection is not uphill it goes out into the periscope style connector then straight down. I will try to post picture.
Look just post a general pic of your bog pan, and one with the seat up...some 'designer pans' are ...poo. at getting stuff away. If it worked before we most probably will be able to navigate you to a solution
Rob Foster aka centralheatking
 
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Ok. Please can you explain why as I genuinely don't know about this.
Flexis are thin, often a diy fit without the correct fall throughout their length and are very thin and light gets in...so ratty and his mates come up your drain to pay you a visit at night...see light and eat their way into you gaff...this does not phase big boys I just shoot them ...air pistol is sufficient or the dog but females get spooked
cannot think why
thats why flexies are not the best solution but I have been known to use them in tight situations...centralheatking needs must and the devil drives
 
Does it feed into a manhole

If yes open the closest and re try your test

/ check there isn’t a blockage further down the line
 
Look just post a general pic of your bog pan, and one with the seat up...some 'designer pans' are ...poo. at getting stuff away. If it worked before we most probably will be able to navigate you to a solution
Rob Foster aka centralheatking
Ok here is pic. Nice looking toilet and great no1s.

20190720_160034.jpg
 
A bucket of water or three does not clear the blockage, I have to resort to a toilet plunger or sometimes a drain cleaning wire. I think most of the time they are partial blockages because after the flush or bucket of water there is the little rumbling sound that a bloke on You Tube said was a sign of a partial blockage. The water does go away but more slowly than it should. If someone does a number 2 when a partial blockage is uncleared then a more serious blockage happens with water going down very very slowly. Luckily we have another toilet so everyone now does number 2s in upstairs loo only. A bit annoying to a have a lovely toilet that doesn't do the job it was meant to do.
 
A bucket of water or three does not clear the blockage, I have to resort to a toilet plunger or sometimes a drain cleaning wire. I think most of the time they are partial blockages because after the flush or bucket of water there is the little rumbling sound that a bloke on You Tube said was a sign of a partial blockage. The water does go away but more slowly than it should. If someone does a number 2 when a partial blockage is uncleared then a more serious blockage happens with water going down very very slowly. Luckily we have another toilet so everyone now does number 2s in upstairs loo only. A bit annoying to a have a lovely toilet that doesn't do the job it was meant to do.
Ok, get a traditional mop, not the blue silly things, but the string ones wet the mop head, flush the bog, and put the mop head into the pan and pump it up and down as deep as it will go ..keep adding water, the hydraulic traction you will get is massive almost as good as a machine. make sure the mop head is well fixed..it usually works but my mrs wont use her mops after they have been out with me...cant think why
good luck ..centralheatking
 
Ok, get a traditional mop, not the blue silly things, but the string ones wet the mop head, flush the bog, and put the mop head into the pan and pump it up and down as deep as it will go ..keep adding water, the hydraulic traction you will get is massive almost as good as a machine. make sure the mop head is well fixed..it usually works but my mrs wont use her mops after they have been out with me...cant think why
good luck ..centralheatking
Of course there are many ways to unblock the loo but the issue is, I shouldn't have to do this every flamin' time someone does a number 2.
My missus seems to be blaming me for all this though of course its always me with the rubber gloves, plunger, drain wire, washing up liquid, hot water, bleach etc. I am blumin sick of it. So I guess removing toilet and starting again with the waste pipe work is the only solution.
 
Of course there are many ways to unblock the loo but the issue is, I shouldn't have to do this every flamin' time someone does a number 2.
My missus seems to be blaming me for all this though of course its always me with the rubber gloves, plunger, drain wire, washing up liquid, hot water, bleach etc. I am blumin sick of it. So I guess removing toilet and starting again with the waste pipe work is the only solution.
if you do as I say it might solve your problem altogether chking
of course your mrs blames you, durr thats what they do, man up and solve it ...or retrain your mrs in some other way..apprentice plumber ?
 
No nothing lost down it. Not sure what you mean by "the same run" but no other sinks, toilets, baths or showers in the house get blocked. I am starting to think it is the waste pipe work that is causing the problem.
 
No nothing lost down it. Not sure what you mean by "the same run" but no other sinks, toilets, baths or showers in the house get blocked. I am starting to think it is the waste pipe work that is causing the problem.

Same run, is other outlets connected to the same soil pipe/drain. Eg wash basin, etc. From the sounds of it then yes it could just be the soil pipe it’s connected to. I recommend removing the toilet suite and look down the pipe before making any decisions.
 
Of course there are many ways to unblock the loo but the issue is, I shouldn't have to do this every flamin' time someone does a number 2.
My missus seems to be blaming me for all this though of course its always me with the rubber gloves, plunger, drain wire, washing up liquid, hot water, bleach etc. I am blumin sick of it. So I guess removing toilet and starting again with the waste pipe work is the only solution.

Yes there are many ways to unblock a toilet, but Rob was suggesting this method because it isn't just poking at the blockage, you get a good blast using a mop (I tie a carrier bag round the mop head to help the seal).
When you're poking it with a wire you're probably making a small hole, the springiness of the wire will mean it will only hit a small part of the pipe after a bend no matter what you do with it.
Pouring water and or chemicals down is only using gravity to try and clear it.
Try the mop trick, it has got a lot of plumbers out of the poo a lot of times.
 
This method requires more skill but if you don’t have a string mop this is free.

Stand on a chair and quickly pour an entire bucket of water from ceiling height.

Stop mucking about with a wire. As JC says above, you are at best poking a small hole in blockage - the bucket or mop methods provide a means of moving the whole blockage along.

Lift the nearest manhole and get someone to watch, keep going with whichever method you choose until they report that they have seen said blockage go sailing by.

As you say you shouldn’t have to do this daily - you won’t once you have done it correctly eg as above.
 
I’ve had this problem before. Found it to be where the pan connector fits into the bent pan connector. If you remove these fittings you’ll see the problem. You’ll need to cut off a bit of the pan connector so when inserted into the bent pan connector (periscope) it doesn’t insert so far as to reduce the bore of the pipe. Hope this helps
 
Many thanks to all who have tried to help. Dave Banfield's idea seems very plausible. I have ordered a new waste connector which is slightly longer at the top (where it joins to the toilet outlet) so hopefully the toilet will plug straight into it without the need for the extra joint which I have at the moment which seems to be causing the problem.
 
This method requires more skill but if you don’t have a string mop this is free.

Stand on a chair and quickly pour an entire bucket of water from ceiling height.

Stop mucking about with a wire. As JC says above, you are at best poking a small hole in blockage - the bucket or mop methods provide a means of moving the whole blockage along.

Lift the nearest manhole and get someone to watch, keep going with whichever method you choose until they report that they have seen said blockage go sailing by.

As you say you shouldn’t have to do this daily - you won’t once you have done it correctly eg as above.
Thanks for suggestion, Ben. When using whatever method the blockage eventually gets completely cleared and the toilet drains perfectly with liquid and paper flushing away nicely so all is great until someone does a number two then the toilet becomes partly blocked yet again. It will flush and the water goes away but slower than it should. I think there is a problem in the way the pan connects to the waste so I am going to have to dismantle it and see what is what. I will post with what I find.
 
Ah ok I didn’t realise you got fully correct function each time.

In that case sounds like a connection problem, I had this once and it turned out that the rubber seal from inside the pan connector had come partially away from its correct position, such that half of it was inside the 4” pipe.

The paper then snagged on this and caused a blockage, amazingly it didn’t leak otherwise I would have found it sooner.

As you say next stage is dismantle and inspect.....
 
Ah ok I didn’t realise you got fully correct function each time.

In that case sounds like a connection problem, I had this once and it turned out that the rubber seal from inside the pan connector had come partially away from its correct position, such that half of it was inside the 4” pipe.

The paper then snagged on this and caused a blockage, amazingly it didn’t leak otherwise I would have found it sooner.

As you say next stage is dismantle and inspect...

Cheers Ben. No one is using the loo except for wees and tomorrow I will take it to bits and report back. Really appreciate the support from everyone.:)
 

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