Toilet Float problems

[lipskidder]

So my mom had this installed about a year and a half ago:



Above is a Fluidmaster which everywhere I read is a problematic float. I found this more old-fashioned type:



Anyone go back to this kind that is more simple? I can't see how this can go wrong where the first one has a complicated float with more parts to fail. I tried flushing this one out in case there was debris in it. I removed the top and a bit of gray/black water came through. Just a bit. I thought that solved my problem ( water not leaving the float through the tube). It worked a few times but then stopped releasing water. So I removed the tube to look for obstructions. Nothing. Turned the water valve on and off then it worked again. Once. Then stopped again. I figure a part inside went wrong. I think I will go to Home Depot tomorrow and get the second one. Or maybe the Korky from Lowes? Heard a few good things about that one. Still looks more complicated like the first one but the reviews aren't as harsh.

[Speedy]

Yup, stinks when it doesn't suck.

[Grateful11]

Yeah the top one I tore out of the FIL's house, got tired of dealing with it, put in a Korky.

[M>B>]

Among other things I manage a commercial building with 8 bathrooms, all have fluidmasters installed. 90% of the time the problem is in the "cap" and I just twist it off and replace it with a new one that I always carry in my plumbing kit. Fixed!

http://www.fluidmaster.com/index.asp?bhcp=1

Not a direct link, but the home page. Go to...

Products > Toilet Repair > Fill.

[lipskidder]

M>B>, a lot of things are pointing to the cap. I think I will shoot for that first. Thanks! Have you figured out why the cap fails? When it stops pouring water through the tube it still leaks through the bottom of the cap, and along that vertical adjusting pole and down, so eventually it will fill up the tank - in about 45 minutes.

[GGD]

Just replace the entire top section, about $7 and 5 minutes. Leave the old bottom plastic pipe in there and just swap in a new top half.

[Plumbking]

GGD wrote:
Just replace the entire top section, about $7 and 5 minutes. Leave the old bottom plastic pipe in there and just swap in a new top half.

:agree:

The replacement parts are so cheap and the installation time is so little I just swap out the whole fill valve assembly rather than diagnose the problem.

What exactly is the problem? Not filling all the way or leaking (not stopping).

[M>B>]

lipskidder. Not certain on how they fail. But the bathrooms are on well water and I think debris and minerals in the water system gets into the valve gasket and causes premature failure?

[lipskidder]

After the flush the water does not come through the tube (from the float) to fill the tank. It leaks slightly under the cap and runs down the vertical adjuster and eventually fills it up after a while.

* I removed the cap and flushed it out.

* I removed the rubber tube and checked for blockage. None.

* Before total failure we were able to jiggle the float and it started up. Not anymore. So I know it isn't the plastic fill valve tube that needs cleaning because even manually lifting it up and down it isn't working.


That aside, we had to hold down the lever for several seconds for the flushing to take. At my old house it was a single push and let go and it all flushed fine. This is a secondary issue I was going to deal with as well.

[lipskidder]

Pinpointed it a little more. When I turn off the water and turn it back on the water flows in the rubber tube. And only then. I can try and wiggle parts but nothing happens otherwise.

It's as if there is a new buildup of pressure of water running through it, it works fine, but if it rests for even a time between two flushes it stops flowing again.