How to properly flush or flush a toilet bowl. Features of the toilet bowl
It is impossible to imagine a home without a well-equipped bathroom. And the main thing in it is a toilet with a cistern.
A toilet cistern is an integral part of this plumbing device, without which it simply loses the meaning of its purpose. The interior of the toilet cistern allows you to remove human waste products by supplying a metered portion of water and refill the container.
You can fully appreciate the importance of this plumbing equipment in the toilet only if the toilet is broken and it is impossible to use it.
Drain tank - internal structure
In the process of improvement, many designs of these products have been developed and applied. By location, waste tanks can be classified as follows:
- Upper- located at a height of approximately one and a half meters above the toilet bowl, water is supplied through the pipe after exposure to the hanging handle. Pulling on it, the drain valve is opened, and a portion of water enters the bowl.
- Hidden... The capacity is placed in a niche, which is arranged in the wall of the room. With this option, the start button is located on the vertical plane of the partition (door). They are usually made of plastic.
- Compact the cistern is attached directly to the toilet bowl. For this, a special shelf with holes is provided on it. Fastening is done with screw parts; for earthenware products, they are made of plastic.
Toilet cisterns can be made from various materials:
- Cast iron... Castings made from this material are the original methods for the production of toilet cisterns. Currently, their use is not relevant, but the demand still remains, so they are still being produced. Cast iron products are often decorated with decorative castings. The material itself is durable and reliable. (See photo 2.)
- Ceramics... The most popular material for the production of sanitary ware at the present time. The products are durable enough with a clean, smooth surface that is easy to wash and clean. It is not recommended to use powders and pastes with abrasives for this.
- Plastic... These plumbing fixtures are made by stamping from various polymers. The advantage is high manufacturing accuracy, when mechanical reworking is practically not required.
Products made of polymer materials are used, as a rule, for hidden installation, so their width is smaller than that of products made of other materials.
Internal structure of the drain tank
When installing a new toilet with a cistern, the first thing to look out for is this is the completeness of the purchased equipment and its size... If the state of the bowl is determined purely visually in order to establish its integrity, then the drain device is worthy of closer attention. It not only needs to be installed correctly, but also needs to be tuned to work optimally. This can lead to substantial savings in water consumption.
Today the building materials market is filled with a mass of different products in terms of material and internal filling. If desired, you can find plumbing of outdated designs, if needed.
The design of the internal arrangement of the flushing cisterns is practically the same with a slight difference between different suppliers:
- Mechanisms that include a stop button. The water will be drained until it is pressed or the entire volume is drained out. If you release the button earlier as you clean the toilet bowl, the liquid stops flowing into it.
- Drainage devices with two buttons. When one of them is pressed, the entire volume of water is poured, and when using the second, part of the liquid is poured out, depending on the flow rate adjustment. The buttons cannot be confused - they are of different sizes. They appeared on the market relatively recently and this is due to the need to save water resources and, as a result, own money.
- Two-mode drain mechanisms.
The tanks also differ in the nature of the flush:
- straight - while water flows into the bowl directly from the tank, in one direction;
- the opposite - when flushed, water can change the direction of the inflow, which cleans the toilet bowl more efficiently, although this creates noise.
The typical layout of the toilet cistern resembles an ordinary water seal, which includes a float and a system of levers. When using a button or pull rod (for rod mechanisms), water flows from top to bottom, cleaning the toilet bowl.
In this case, the float goes down and, through a system of levers, opens the inlet valve, through which water from the water supply network enters the container, filling it for subsequent use.
The interior for the cistern includes:
- Inlet valve.
- Float.
- Siphon.
- A system of levers for moving parts and components of the mechanism.
Inlet valve
This assembly from various manufacturers is represented by many design solutions, but the essence is the same for all: it is a motorized valve on the water supply system, operating under the influence of force from a float.
When the float is lowered, the piston opens and water enters the tank through the pipe.
As it fills, the float rises up and levers the piston outward, gradually blocking the nozzle. In this case, the water flows more and more slowly and with a complete overlap of the section, its flow into the container stops.
Float
This product is a rubber or plastic container, the purpose of which, as the name suggests, is to float. At the same time, through a metal lever it opens and closes the intake valve.
Siphon
This is a device for the salvo discharge of water from the cistern into the toilet bowl. The siphon for the toilet cistern is activated by pressing the flush button, as a result of which a vacuum is created in the air chamber.
Under its influence, water is actively pumped out of the tank until it is completely empty.
Overflow device - common breakdowns and repairs
It is normal to fill the tank to 80% of the total capacity. This is achieved by adjusting the inlet valve, or rather the position of the float.
However, situations arise when a malfunction occurs in the operation of the locking device and the toilet tank overflows. In this case, the overflow of the container is inevitable and water spills onto the floor.
To avoid such a situation, an overflow pipe is installed in the tank, which goes into the drain. When the liquid level rises above the norm, it flows out through the pipe into the drain, preventing flooding of the room.
Watch the video
However, such a situation, when water flows out of the tank without stopping, is a sign of a malfunction and a reason for immediate intervention to eliminate it. Given the current trends in the production of plumbing, most likely, it is not necessary to restore the functionality of a broken unit, but it is necessary to replace it completely.
But the replaced unit still has to be disassembled in order to understand why it failed and eliminate the cause. For example, install an internal fine (coarse) filter at the inlet to the tank.
Another reason for the constant spillage of water can be a violation of the tightness of the locking mechanism due to wear of the gasket. It just needs to be replaced.
In general, water leakage into the toilet is a typical breakdown of this device. One of the reasons may be damage or wear of the insides of the siphon membrane of the drain tank. With such a malfunction, it will be necessary to replace the siphon membrane, and this can be done in the following sequence:
- Empty the container. To prevent filling the container through the inlet valve, the float must be fixed in the upper position in some way, or it is better to shut off the ball valve on the water pipe outlet.
- Unscrew the nut securing the drain pipe.
- Loosen the siphon nut located at the base at the outlet from the container.
- Disconnect the siphon from the fluid drain lever and remove it.
- Remove the diaphragm and replace it with a similar one.
- Assemble the mechanism in the reverse order.
During work, it is necessary to inspect other insides for the toilet and fix it where necessary. At the end of the work, you need to fill the tank and make several test drains of water to make sure that the malfunction has been eliminated.
It is also necessary to check all joints in the system for leaks. If any are found, take measures to eliminate them. When this fails, it is necessary to invite a qualified plumber to fix the leaks.
What to do if the toilet tank does not fill up
Watch the video - what to do if water is not collected
This is one of the typical faults of the toilet flush system. If it occurs, you should not run to the store for a new tank. Let's try to figure out the situation on our own, using the following algorithm.
- Remove the cover.
- Check the position of the float. In some cases, the cause of the malfunction is its distortion, which prevents movement inside the container. It is necessary to restore the position, fill the tank and make a test drain of the fluid.
- Check for water in the plumbing system on other consoles.
- Turn off the tap at the inlet and unscrew the connection hose. Check to make sure it is not clogged.
- Inspect the hole in the intake valve body, if necessary, clean it from contamination with a nail or elastic wire.
- Check the piston stroke, if it is tight, it is necessary to remove and clean the surface of this part, achieving free movement in the housing.
At the end of these works, it is necessary to assemble the system back and make a test filling of the tank two or three times. Typically, these steps are sufficient to fix the problem. If the container still does not fill, you will have to visit a plumbing store and buy a new valve.
Installation is in the reverse order. At the same time, we advise you to buy and install filters for purifying tap water and install them immediately behind the water tap.
Establishing the fact that the toilet cistern has broken should not shock a person. Most faults can be corrected by hand. If this fails, call the emergency services - for a fee, they can easily fix any problem.
Installation and replacement of fittings
"Nothing lasts forever under the moon", this fully applies to flush devices for toilet bowls. Sooner or later, you have to start replacing the fittings, that is, the internal structure of the tank. When deciding to do the work with your own hands, you need to take into account a number of circumstances:
- The very need for replacement implies a significant service life of your device. Therefore, when going to buy internals, you need to at least roughly know the age of the device.
- There are many plumbing manufacturers and each of them brings its own design features to the device. Therefore, you also need to know the author of the product.
- The need to repair and do it yourself requires certain knowledge and skills, as well as the presence of a special tool.
Installing the insides of the cistern is a painstaking work, comparable to assembling a new product, so you need to treat it as carefully and responsibly as possible. Otherwise, leaks may form, the elimination of which is very troublesome.
Video - reinforcement replacement
It should be remembered that the insides of the tank can be quite complex and fragile structures, the breakdown of which, if incorrectly installed, is very likely.
The difference in the internals of fittings from different manufacturers may depend on the way the water is supplied. There are such features.
- Lateral fluid supply provides for the location of the insides in the upper part of the tank, which is typical for domestic products. Such a system is the most economical, but the fluid supply is accompanied by noticeable noise. In the more prestigious models, water is supplied through a tube, the end of which is lowered to the bottom and the filling is done quietly.
- A device for supplying water from below is most often found on models of foreign production, but recently it has also been found on domestic products.
Drainage devices are triggered by pulling the lever up or by pressing the button, of which there can be two for different dosage of water when flushing.
What principles should be adhered to when repairing
Watch the video - internal structure and principle of operation
Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the equipment. This means the implementation of the following activities:
- It is necessary to turn off the tap on the water pipe in front of the inlet valve.
- Remove the cover. You may need to unscrew the button-shaped retainer for this, usually located on the left side of the container. Unscrew the fixing screw and remove the cover, gaining access to the inside of the tank.
- Inspect fittings for worn or broken parts.
Inside the filling fitting is a diaphragm valve or piston plug. Any of these designs are sensitive to finely dispersed contaminants that are always present in tap water.
Deposited on the walls of pipes and any surfaces with which it comes into contact, these contaminants impede the operation of the valve mechanisms. The structure of this deposit is very strong and can only be removed mechanically.
If no filtering devices are installed on the inlet pipe, periodic replacement of the fittings is inevitable. You can abandon the push-button drain mechanism in favor of a rod one.
To install a new mechanism in the tank, you must first remove the old one. This can be done by turning it clockwise until it is completely disengaged. At the same time, excessive efforts should not be used; if the attachment point breaks, it will be problematic to remove it.
New fittings must match the tank in size, you need to pay attention to this when buying.
Watch the video
It is also necessary to pay attention to the correct installation of the sealing elements - gaskets. Their misalignment can lead to additional loads and, over time, to the formation of cracks in the case, which is detrimental to ceramic products.
When installing fasteners, excessive forces should not be applied to it, so as not to create additional loads.
Installing the inside of the tank does not seem like a complicated operation. It is quite possible to do it yourself.
Conclusion
The main requirement for the operation of such plumbing products is constant supervision of their work. Any deviation from the norm indicates certain changes in the filling of the device and you need to clearly understand the consequences of such changes.
The most dangerous phenomena are situations when water overflows above the permissible level. This is fraught with flooding of neighbors from below and real considerable expenses for eliminating the consequences.
Watch the video
Currently, devices for connecting the toilet directly to the water supply have appeared on the plumbing market. This eliminates the need for a tank as such. One should think that the future belongs to products of this kind.
Cisterns became popular 200 years ago, when people began to use sewerage and plumbing. At first it was an ordinary valve-type cistern for the toilet. Then there was a tank equipped with a handle, and it became much easier to remove an unpleasant smell.
It is believed that the tank works on the principle of a water seal.
Nowadays, the classification of flush tanks is much more diverse, and it is useful to look at the toilet flush cistern in advance.
In order to be able to choose from the modern assortment exactly what will suit you best, it is better to get to know this sanitary fixture better.
Varieties of cisterns
Flush cistern scheme.
By the type of material, toilet cisterns are divided as follows:
- metal (mostly cast iron) - they will last a very long time, but in appearance they are not particularly good;
- ceramic - such a tank works quite reliably, installation is simple, you can choose from a huge number of shapes and colors;
- plastic - they are lightweight and very easy to install, but they also have a significant drawback: they are easy to damage, break.
By the type of trigger mechanism:
- manual type - the tank valve can be opened depending on the wishes of the user, and the amount of liquids used can be adjusted independently;
- mechanical type - the adjustment is carried out correctly without any intervention.
Diagram of the device and the principle of operation of a floatless tank.
By the type of trigger, the tanks are subdivided as follows:
- Side - a chain is attached to the cistern, and the cistern itself is at a certain height from the toilet. The drain mechanism works like this: when the rope is pulled, the lever is activated - at the opposite end, a plug with a gasket rises, which allows water to enter the drain pipe.
- Top - on the top of the lid (usually in the center) there is a button or knob. Water enters the drain pipe after the button is pressed or the rod, that is, the rod, is raised up. The rubber bulb rises at the moment of pressing and allows water to pass through.
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By installation method:
- the first option is when the tank is almost under the ceiling, and is connected to the toilet using a long armature. This option provides a high water pressure during descent, but in modern design it does not look very nice;
- the second option - the tank is mounted on the toilet. It is very convenient for carrying out any repair work;
- the third option is to build a drain tank into the wall. This saves a little space in the room and looks neat. The disadvantage is that it is quite difficult to carry out repair and installation work correctly.
Tank device - where does the water come from?
Flush tank with shelf, side start: 1 - tank cover, 2 - overflow, 3 - float, 4 - pull rod, 5 - lever, b - float valve, 7- drain lever, 8 - tank body, 9- overflow nut, THAT - shelf, 11 - stud, 12 - saddle gasket, 13 - pear, 14 - nut, 15 - gasket, 16 - shaped gasket, 17 - saddle, 18 - arc, 19 - bushing.
A toilet cistern is a ceramic, plastic or metal container that comes in a variety of shapes, and a variety of flush mechanisms can be used as equipment. But the purpose of the tank is to collect and drain water. This action is possible due to the fact that there is a structure inside the tank, which is a simple mechanism of two elements: a drain device and a water supply device.
Having examined the tank in more detail, you can see the float and float valve, bulb, levers and overflow. They can be made of different materials: the float, for example, can be made of brass or plastic, the pear can be made of plastic or rubber. They may differ in form or method of connection, but their principle of operation remains unchanged.
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The device for supplying water to the tank is quite simple: it operates with the help of fittings, which are responsible for the collection of water into the tank. The system of its filing can be performed in one of the following ways:
- The fittings are located at the top of the toilet cistern, the water intake goes through the side channel. In this embodiment, the float is located at the tip of the lever. When a certain level is reached, the opposite end of the lever begins to exert pressure on the stem, and the water supply is shut off with the help of the membrane. This system is quite noisy, but it is quite common among the domestic plumbing industry.
- Bottom feed - fittings are located at the bottom of the tank. In this system, the float moves along the vertical rod. Energy is transferred to the closing membrane when the float moves by means of a special rod that limits the level of liquid in the tank. Compared to the previous one, this version of the water intake is quieter.
The mechanism that supplies water, by its principle, is a simple design, which is based on all known physical laws. But any system, even the most elementary one, can fail. The following breakdowns may occur in the float mechanism:
- Slow water supply. The most common cause is clogging of the overlapping membrane. To fix this, it is enough to clear the debris from the water supply hole. The membrane mechanism must be carefully disassembled, and then assembled, taking care not to leave unnecessary parts. Tools in order to assemble the mechanism back, you will need the simplest: wire cutters, pliers.
- Excessive amount of water in the tank. Its level must be correctly adjusted - the solution depends on the type of float. With side feeding, the level is adjusted by unscrewing the lever nut, which lowers the float side. At the bottom feed, the level is set by rotating the plastic screw rod. Rotate so that the float goes down and the water level goes down.
- If the float levers are broken, then the entire float mechanism of the tank must be replaced.
How the drain mechanism works
Diagram of the design of the cistern.