Pigletjohn or others with plumbing knowledge about?

[Nc4helpneeded]

Regular mner name changer for this

Ongoing minor but annoying issue with toilet.

Slow but persistent leak I think I’ve traced to coming from the top of the inlet pipe where it connects to the tank/cistern I’m afraid I’m not at all sure of the correct words I’m guessing.

Toilet is type or style where the cistern is facing your back when you’re sat on it, button flush, it’s flushing fine, under the cistern there’s a thinnish metal pipe that comes from the wall and into the cistern.

Leak is dripping from somewhere close to the top of the pipe as far as I can tell it’s clean water doesn’t smell or anything.

Been googling and I think it might be possible to fix with ptfe tape or some sort of putty?

Not sure need advice

Would prefer not to get a plumber in if at all possible

Happy to give more info if people are willing to talk by pm?

Really need help with this.

[BluebellsGreenbells]

Get some loo roll wrapped around where you think the leak is. They’ll give you a better idea.

[Nc4helpneeded]

yes I did that and that seemed to confirm it is at the very top as top part of paper gets wet first

[MrsWooster]

Any chance of a picture?

[Nc4helpneeded]

Sorry I can’t manage a picture I’m afraid I have tried but I cant light it well enough

I could maybe find a picture of a similar toilet online and highlight where the issue is? Would that help?

[Nc4helpneeded]

These pics are roughly similar will post pics then explain similarities

[Nc4helpneeded]

The first pic shows the type of pipe. It comes from the wall and bends a couple times to lead into under the tank/cistern but mine has metal not plastic fixtures at the point where it’s joined to the tank

The second pic is I think similar fixings but there’s like nuts and bolts type things against the top of the pipe against the tank

[millymae]

If you want a temporary solution you could try Milliput - it’s a bit like plasticine and comes in 2 strips that you roll together and stick over the problem area. It dries hard and is waterproof. It isn’t expensive to buy and is something we’ve always kept in the cupboard to use in emergencies.
Hopefully Piglet John will be able to suggest something more permanent.

[Nc4helpneeded]

It’s really a drop rather than a proper leak but enough I need to replace the toilet paper every couple of days. I feel stupid for not thinking of using a tape or maybe some kind of putty to seal it but I don’t know if that will work and I’m struggling to find exactly where the drip is coming from cos it’s not happening when I try and watch it even for several minutes and it’s a very awkward position I have to be in to look so can’t stay there for long the paper just absorbs the water and there’s no exact point on it that’s wet it’s all round it’s wet but starts at the top but it’s such a pain to change it I leave it till it’s soaked really then change and wipe the area then put a new wad on

[Nc4helpneeded]

@millymae that sounds like the sorta thing I need where would I get it from?

[PigletJohn]

just a minute

you say it is the joint where the water supply pipe attaches to the bottom of the cistern?

the pipe has a nut on it

is it screwed to a plastic pipe or a brass pipe?

does the water come out where the pipe exits the bottom of the cistern?

Or where the nut screws onto the pipe?

photos will help a lot. Turn the flash on.

Have you got some adjustable wrenches?

[Nc4helpneeded]

I think a brass pipe seems all metal pipe and fixings.

I think that’s where the waters coming out where the pipe exits cistern but not absolutely certain

I have honestly tried to take photos and they’re just no good at all

Don’t think I have adjustable wrenches but could get some but honestly I’d be very happy if I could just put some tape or putty on it and that was it

I could go into more detail on pm if that was ok with you pigletjohn?

[Nc4helpneeded]

Sorry definitely a metal silver coloured pipe metal fixings

[millymae]

I’d definitely listen to Piglet John rather than me but Milliput is readily available.
My local DIY shop sells it. Strangely places like B &Q don’t but Hobbycraft does. It’s readily available on line

[Nc4helpneeded]

Ok had another look today. No pics sorry

I managed to get ptfe tape but it’s proven useless to be honest and was very difficult to use.

The leak/drip is coming from between the cistern body on the underside and the nut that’s in place there I can’t see or feel any plumbing olives in that area indeed I don’t think I could see any along that pipe it was all nuts

Could I fix it myself by simply tightening with a wrench? I’m scared of making things worse

Would putty work? The nut is tight flush against the porcelain of the cistern

I’ll try and find online pics/video as close as possible to what I’m dealing with

The situation is a bit more complex than the leak alone which is why I’d prefer to discuss by pm too outing and detailed to put here

[Nc4helpneeded]

This is closest pic I could find from today’s investigations the water is coming from the tiny gap between the “clamping nut” and the cistern

[PigletJohn]

Tighten it with your large adjustable spanner.

It might need a new rubber washer though.

[Nc4helpneeded]

Thanks for that. I’ll try that.

Would putty help? What would a plumber likely do?

[PigletJohn]

No

Tighten it, and fit a new washer if needed.

[Nc4helpneeded]

Why wouldn’t putty work? Just curious

[PigletJohn]

because, unless you dismantle the joint, you can't use it to seal the joint, you can only smear it round the outside. It will probably not stick well, and it will probably be pushed off by escaping water. So when somebody repairs it properly, they will have to scrape away the filler, which will be rather tiresome, and they will grumble about bodges.

The seal in this joint is the rubber washer that is pressed between the plastic flange on the filling pipe, and the bottom of the cistern. It can probably be tightened up, though the rubber washer may last less than 30 years if chlorine bleach cistern blocks have been used.

BTW, if you ever get a new filling valve, pay a little more and get one with a brass shank. it is sadly easy to put the nut onto a plastic shank cross-threaded, and damage the thread so that it will never tighten correctly.