For all you DIY plumbers. Within the last couple of years I've renewed syphon units in all the family toilets, except those in my daughter's house down south, because the silly flimsy plastic foil syphon diaphragm valve had failed. Three of these were on close coupled cisterns, the other two on higher level cisterns with flush pipes but one of these was a real pain as the cistern was a concealed design being built into the bathroom wall vanity unit which meant the unit had to be partially dismantled before I could get at the cistern, which was a bit of a pain.
Even once you have access to the cistern this job is a bit of a drag because you first have to turn the water off and drain the cistern. With the higher level types you then have to remove the flush pipe and unscrew the syphon unit securing nut from underneath the cistern so the syphon unit can be withdrawn so you can either fit a new syphon unit (my preferred choice) or renew the diaphragm valve sheet. On the close coupled units, which the ones in my house are, the entire cistern has to be removed from the wall and toilet base unit to gain access to this nut.
None of this rates as "difficult" compared to fixing cars but there's always a bit of water to be spilt and some uncomfortable wriggling around to gain access to fixings on the close coupled units or, especially, the one installed in the vanity unit.
So when our downstairs loo:
Which you can see is of the close coupled type - Natty colour eh? Very "trendy" some 40 years ago I can assure you - started being difficult to flush I was very pleased when our plumber (also now a friend) noticed this when he was servicing our boiler and offered to do it for me.
What I didn't know was that he was going to fit a Dudley 88 Duo Flush to rectify the problem. At first sight it looks just like any other syphon unit: https://www.screwfix.com/p/thomas-dudley-ltd-turbo-88-duo-flush-9-siphon-205mm/8461f and indeed to fit it the old unit:
has to be removed and the Dudley unit fitted in it's place. The difference comes if you ever need to renew a diaphragm valve in the future because the new Dudley unit's syphon - the blue bit - can be split away from the delivery pipe - the white bit -and removed from the cistern simply by removing the yellow securing plug:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sulSsMJl5c
This turns a nuisance job into a couple of minutes of relative pleasure! If I ever have to do another one I'll definitely be using one of these.
The old unit's diaphragm can be seen here and was in quite a sorry state:
I have to say our plumber put me to shame regarding the time he took. I think I'd be doing pretty well to get the job completed in an hour. When I'd got a tarp spread out on the hall floor and he'd brought his tool bag in I asked him if he'd like a cuppaccino which he accepted. It's just a Lidl instant powder so I went into the kitchen, boiled the kettle and put the sachet into a cup. When the kettle had boiled I realized I hadn't asked him if he liked it sweetened. I went back into the hall and was astonished to see he already had the water isolated, supply and overflow pipes disconnected, the close couple flange disconnected and the cistern on it's side on the tarp in the hall where he was unscrewing the big syphon nut on the bottom! By the time I'd brought his cuppa through to him he had the new syphon installed and was lifting the cistern back onto the toilet base. He paused for a sip at the cuppaccino before reconnecting the pipes and tightening the close couple wing nuts. He was testing the flush less than half an hour after he'd walked through the front door!
Oh, and by the way, it does a clever half flush if you hold the flush lever down when flushing to save water. If you just work the lever and release it you get a full flush. I have to say it works very well indeed.
Here's the finished installation and you can just see the wee yellow plug that has to be levered out to allow the unit to be split.
We've talked before about my car "hobby" and he said "come on then, let's see your workshop while I finish this coffee". He seemed quite surprised at my setup, I don't think he realized quite how seriously I'm into it. Anyway he knows I'm up for helping him out with keeping his wee van or car running if I can. He's a very practically minded chap and definitely the sort of chap who seems to approach the world with the same attitude I do, I'll be surprised if we don't become even better friends as time goes by. Best of all though was that he said he'd be embarrassed to take any more than £25 for doing the job. Mrs J actually handed the "readies" over while I was clearing up the tarp and old bits and pieces so I hope she included a "wee drink" but, regardless, I won't be charging him for any help he may ask for on his vehicles.
I'm sure some of you will know about these syphon units being the practical sort of people you are, but for those who don't I hope this has been useful.
Even once you have access to the cistern this job is a bit of a drag because you first have to turn the water off and drain the cistern. With the higher level types you then have to remove the flush pipe and unscrew the syphon unit securing nut from underneath the cistern so the syphon unit can be withdrawn so you can either fit a new syphon unit (my preferred choice) or renew the diaphragm valve sheet. On the close coupled units, which the ones in my house are, the entire cistern has to be removed from the wall and toilet base unit to gain access to this nut.
None of this rates as "difficult" compared to fixing cars but there's always a bit of water to be spilt and some uncomfortable wriggling around to gain access to fixings on the close coupled units or, especially, the one installed in the vanity unit.
So when our downstairs loo:
Which you can see is of the close coupled type - Natty colour eh? Very "trendy" some 40 years ago I can assure you - started being difficult to flush I was very pleased when our plumber (also now a friend) noticed this when he was servicing our boiler and offered to do it for me.
What I didn't know was that he was going to fit a Dudley 88 Duo Flush to rectify the problem. At first sight it looks just like any other syphon unit: https://www.screwfix.com/p/thomas-dudley-ltd-turbo-88-duo-flush-9-siphon-205mm/8461f and indeed to fit it the old unit:
has to be removed and the Dudley unit fitted in it's place. The difference comes if you ever need to renew a diaphragm valve in the future because the new Dudley unit's syphon - the blue bit - can be split away from the delivery pipe - the white bit -and removed from the cistern simply by removing the yellow securing plug:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sulSsMJl5c
This turns a nuisance job into a couple of minutes of relative pleasure! If I ever have to do another one I'll definitely be using one of these.
The old unit's diaphragm can be seen here and was in quite a sorry state:
I have to say our plumber put me to shame regarding the time he took. I think I'd be doing pretty well to get the job completed in an hour. When I'd got a tarp spread out on the hall floor and he'd brought his tool bag in I asked him if he'd like a cuppaccino which he accepted. It's just a Lidl instant powder so I went into the kitchen, boiled the kettle and put the sachet into a cup. When the kettle had boiled I realized I hadn't asked him if he liked it sweetened. I went back into the hall and was astonished to see he already had the water isolated, supply and overflow pipes disconnected, the close couple flange disconnected and the cistern on it's side on the tarp in the hall where he was unscrewing the big syphon nut on the bottom! By the time I'd brought his cuppa through to him he had the new syphon installed and was lifting the cistern back onto the toilet base. He paused for a sip at the cuppaccino before reconnecting the pipes and tightening the close couple wing nuts. He was testing the flush less than half an hour after he'd walked through the front door!
Oh, and by the way, it does a clever half flush if you hold the flush lever down when flushing to save water. If you just work the lever and release it you get a full flush. I have to say it works very well indeed.
Here's the finished installation and you can just see the wee yellow plug that has to be levered out to allow the unit to be split.
We've talked before about my car "hobby" and he said "come on then, let's see your workshop while I finish this coffee". He seemed quite surprised at my setup, I don't think he realized quite how seriously I'm into it. Anyway he knows I'm up for helping him out with keeping his wee van or car running if I can. He's a very practically minded chap and definitely the sort of chap who seems to approach the world with the same attitude I do, I'll be surprised if we don't become even better friends as time goes by. Best of all though was that he said he'd be embarrassed to take any more than £25 for doing the job. Mrs J actually handed the "readies" over while I was clearing up the tarp and old bits and pieces so I hope she included a "wee drink" but, regardless, I won't be charging him for any help he may ask for on his vehicles.
I'm sure some of you will know about these syphon units being the practical sort of people you are, but for those who don't I hope this has been useful.
