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Discuss skylo plastic bottom entry valve not filling - type of connection? in the Plumbing Forum | Plumbing Advice area at PlumbersForums.net

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I am doing a DIY job - fitting a new inlet valve - "Viva Skylo Bottom Entry Fill Valve Plastic Shank" 1/2 inch.

The existing pipe to the underside is copper with an olive and nut and fits reasonably well, and is watertight. A dribble of water went in and then stopped.

The inlet pipe on the valve is black plastic (I know some like brass more but that's not the problem here.) I see that there is a white plastic part in the pipe here that is almost level with the end of the pipe, and has a disk that leaves only an annular aperture around the inner circumference of the pipe for water to pass through. Perhaps this is a pressure reducing part? At any rate it seems to me that a copper pipe with an olive might not work, in that the end of the copper pipe will push up into this gap and seal it.

Should the connection to the inlet valve be something with a washer on, which presses against the end of the inlet pipe? That is - the same sort of fitting as a washing machine inlet? If so, should I get a stretch of flexible pipe, I see them at 150,200 and 300mm, some with an on/off isolater too (though there's already an isolater on this?

Any advice gratefully received from you experienced professionals. I think I'd be unwilling to try copper pipe fitting, with a new stretch between the on/off and the inlet valve. I'm not sure either if I understand the 15mm - 1/2" element with these pipes, but that won't be what's causing my problem, so if I can work out what's wrong first I can address the solution.

Thanks all - Abe
 

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Your connection is already a tap connector type, not a nut and olive, which has ptfe tape on - so make sure this isn’t restrictive, maybe change for a fibre washer. The white disc you’re referring to looks like a flow limiter, check the instructions and it should confirm. Was the previous valve filling ok? Also as per water regulations there should be an isolation valve on the pipe to the cistern.
 
Thank you Aquarius - yes you're quite right. I couldn't see very easily, and I put ptfe on because I thought it'd help water tightness, having thought it was an olive. I've taken that off and got my phone closer - it's what you say (see attached photo.)

The previous valve was rather slow, and as it was old I thought I'd just replace it. The new valve is not merely slow, it filled just a little, very slowly, then nothing. I've looked at the Skylo docs - tech data and installation PDFs, but no description of what must be a flow-restricter, or section/diagram of it. I'm sure you're right and that is what it is though.

I understand what you mean by a fibre washer, but by the looks I'd have to pile up two of them, and then the nut would have very little thread for tightening. I could saw off that protruding copper, but somehow that seems very amateurish!

As the old valve filled slowly you make me wonder if I've made an assumption and the isolation valve is part or all of the original problem (slow filling.) It's pretty stiff and I wonder if it's managing a full half turn. I wonder if I should address both problems and replace it and the stretch of pipe to the valve with one of these:


As far as I can see that tap connector entirely seals against the top of the pipe it screws to, and does not protrude into the pipe at all (just like a washing machine connection,) thus it would not intrude between the flow restricter and pipe, completely obstructing the flow (which I think the existing connection must be doing.)

Thank you very much for your answer - if you've any further advice do please let me know.

Regards - Abe
 

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1. The white part is likely to be a pressure reducing insert.
2. If your cold supply to the WC is tank fed, try removing it.
3. As said above, the connector at the end of your copper pipe is a standard tap connector. So:
3a. Remove all the PTFE tape and the remnants of any old fibre washer.
3b. Fit a new 1/2" fibre washer.
4. Many people don't like plastic shanks because they are very easy to cross thread. One aid to avoiding this is to:
4a. Fit the valve loosely into the cistern, with its back nut on but not done right up to the underside of the cistern.
4b. Then, while there is still some movement of the valve, screw the connector nut onto the end of the shank, by hand, for 3 or 4 turns.
4c. Then tighten the back nut to secure the valve to the cistern.
4d. Fully tighten the connector nut onto the end of the shank.
 
Thanks steadyon - then I'll try that approach. To my inexperienced eye the tap connector seemed to have too much above the ribbed part. But I'll get that fibre washer and do that. I see what you mean about the potential thread crossing problem: I'll be sure to try that.
Regards,
Abe
 
If you have a Male end flexi to hand, you could try fixing it onto the tap connector part, or even separate from the top of iso valve and use a femal end flexi, and open iso valve, into a receptacle, this will confirm if it’s goosed, which you may well have then found your issue.
 
Thank you again Aquarius. I was going to try the fibre washer, when I can get one. But I think you have a point - it'd be good to show separately that there is proper flow through the isolation valve. It's not from a tank because there isn't one. The mains pressure isn't very high but it's ok. I can find nothing about being able to remove the flow controller on Skylo docs though. Thanks to both of you, as ever - Abe.
[automerge]1604010007[/automerge]
Interesting - you made me have a little go at it, out of curiosity.

That thing appears to be both to filter and to reduce or control pressure/flow. The two banded bits are each a spring loaded valve, which I suppose would slow high flow down but perhaps not impede modest flow. I'm not sure.
Well - I'm not sure this changes anything but it's interesting, it shows what's in there.
[automerge]1604089443[/automerge]
OK I got it going. The isolator was fine, and the lip of the tap connection was definitely jamming against the filter/flow reducer.
Thank you very much both of you for your excellent help - I'm "flush" with success (I expect that joke's been made a few times here.)
 

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