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paulz
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2022 11:29
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We have a standard flush toilet in the cabin, goes to a holding tank I pay to have pumped. I noticed it filling up more quickly and sure enough the toilet tank was leaking. Fill it up, turn off the water, next morning the tank is empty. I pulled the flapper, red rubber one, did have some sediment on it. The pipe it rests on is fine, smooth with no detectable nicks or anything. Cleaned the flapper, still leaked. Went and bought a new flapper, fit perfectly, still leaking. Only thing out of the ordinary is I have the fill valve set lower so it uses less water to flush. Does the toilet depend on an amount of water to hold the flapper down? My next step is to put a weight on the flatter to see if that helps seal it. It's the only place water can leak into the bowl, right?
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pabear89
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2022 11:55
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yes water weight does hold the flapper down.
Amd you're sure the problem is that the leakdown is
from it, Try putting a fishing weight in the flapper for that extra weight to keep it sealed.
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paulz
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2022 12:26 - Edited by: paulz
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Great idea, thanks! Yeah I'm pretty sure that's where it's coming from because the water, next morning, is drained down to the flapper seat but still up to it.
I don't really have the fill valve adjusted, it's not the kind with the float on a lever. I have 5 cans of beer zip tied down to displace water, and have some cold beer on tap. 
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2022 11:52 - Edited by: paulz
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The new flapper is taylor made to put weight inside. I've gone from a smaller weight, still leaked, to piling weights on top, no leak. Right now one big weight inside. Still testing.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2022 14:24
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Lol, I messed about with one years ago, too.....
Finally just bought a new one, they are cheap, problem solved.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2022 15:35
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That is a new one! This stuff only happens to me..
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Aklogcabin
Member
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2022 10:12
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Paulz thanks for the tip. Hadn't seen that one yet
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1tentman
Member
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2022 10:43
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Paulz are you sure you have the right size flapper for your siphon tube.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2022 08:17 - Edited by: paulz
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Quoting: 1tentman aulz are you sure you have the right size flapper for your siphon tube.
No not sure, the one I bought said something like 'fits most toilets with 3" opening'. Looks the same and fits perfectly.
But, despite repeated attempts I haven't been able to get it to seal. The good news is yesterday I cleaned the old one again and put a weight in it, still holding this morning with only an inch of water over it.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2022 11:27
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Comes to mind that years ago I tried the brick in the tank 'water-saver' trick and had closure issues. Took the brick out and issue resolved. My thought was the water weight above the flapper had something to do with the proper function?
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Atlincabin
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2022 18:20
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Gcrank,
Bricks (or cans of beer...) in the tank should not do anything to change the water pressure at the flapper. It is only the height of the water that matters. Bricks only change the flush volume.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2022 18:47
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And the brick raised the height but reduced the volume.
My new-gen reduced volume fixture didnt do the job well until I raised the height on the overflow tube a bit. Doesnt seem to make much sense to have to flush twice because one flush doesnt do the job....
Actually doesnt seem to make much sense to use fresh, potable water to flush at all. Im hoping for more sensible code acceptance for alternatives to traditional water based septic systems.
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2022 18:54 - Edited by: NorthRick
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Ha! I had a similar problem a few years ago. Could not get the flapper to stop leaking. I could hear it dripping. I had just installed a new valve and the leaking started after that.
After 3 days (after work) I finally realized the leaking sound was coming from the channel molded into the back of the toilet tank that allows water to drain into the bowl so it fills when the tank is filling. Similar to an overflow tube on most toilets.
A small tube runs from the valve to the top of this channel and water runs through it until the valve is cut off from the float. The tube with this new valve was a good bit longer than needed. Being lazy, I simply fed the whole tube down the channel instead of cutting it so it ended near the top.
Turns out, it was siphoning water out of the tank and into the bowl even with the valve off! A pair of scissors solved the problem.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2022 19:42 - Edited by: paulz
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Ha, I've been wondering about that tube. That is until the lid, which has been spending more time leaning against the wall than on, slid over and revealed the secret instructions underneath! Toilet instructions? You bet! My tube has not been clipped in place, but not dipping down into the tank water.
The good news is my old flapper, super cleaned and with a fishing weight inside, held last night and today, so there is hope on the horizon. I'm still turning the valve off after the once a day flush, leaving just enough tank water to test the flapper. As I mentioned, all our flush goes into a 500 gallon holding tank, which luckily has only been costing me $100 to have pumped. But having water run straight from the well tank into the holding tank is like, well, flushing money down the toilet.
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