Fitting a new water tank ball cock valve, connector terminology

[gizmo1990]

I need to fit a new one of these and stupidly thought that the fixing would be universal. It turns out that I bought one with what I would term a male fixing, whereas the one in situ is a female version. Here's a photo of the present old one.

Looking around the net I can't seem to find ones like the one I have, maybe I'm not using the right terminology. Could someone point me in the right direction where I can purchase a valve with the correct fixing I need.

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Exedon]

That looks like a standard 1/2 in part 2 ball valve that's been taken apart at Union nut.
Replacements easily available just search for
Part 2 ball valve
good idea to change float at same time .

 

[gizmo1990]

@Exedon Thanks for the reply. That's what I thought I'd bought, except the union nut (the big metal nut in the photo?) is built into the main metal part. Hence it can't be joined to my water pipe? Hopefully I've explained it well enough. Here's some photos of the new valve I bought. That metal nut is part of the metal itself. Not at all like my original one.

I don't get it? Here's the amazon link to the valve I bought, 1/2 inch Part 2..? If someone could point me in the right direction of what to buy, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Exedon]

If that is all one casting I've never seen one like that but the market is full of foreign tat!.
Try screwfix they certainly stock correct one.
You could just change the whole thing but that may open up another world of pain.

 

[ChrisJP]

I'm not clear how your existing old valve threads through the tank wall. The bit with threads on in your picture, which presumably connects to the water supply pipe, looks to be too short to go through the tank wall, be secured by a nut on the outside of the tank and then be secured to the water supply pipe.
Or does the water supply pipe itself thread through the tank wall and then just secures to the valve as shown in your picture inside the tank?
If that's the case, you will need to remove the fitting that currently passes through the tank wall and instead thread your new valve through the hole and secure it to the supply pipe. This may by complicated by the existing hole in the tank wall being too large in diameter, and/or the need to have a different connection from the water supply pipe to the new valve.

 

[gizmo1990]

If that is all one casting I've never seen one like that but the market is full of foreign tat!.
Try screwfix they certainly stock correct one.
You could just change the whole thing but that may open up another world of pain.

@Exedon Thanks again for the reply. I'm not sure about screwfix, it seems like their one also doesn't have the seperate nut fixing?
Have a look here

 

[gizmo1990]

@ChrisJP The screw nut is attached to the pipe which runs through the water tank. The ball cock valve has a female connector with a thread (and built in washer) which the water tank's pipe's nut screws into.

I've been searching online and can't seem to find a valve with the female thread and washer. It seems bizarre to me that I can't track this down. Surely these must exist? If any plumbers out there could point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it.

For reference, this guy has the same connection I need.

 

[Stuckinarut]

I think how you removed that, you’ve split it off from the tail nut and just do the same with the new one.

 

[gizmo1990]

I think how you removed that, you’ve split it off from the tail nut and just do the same with the new one.

@Stuckinarut Thanks for the reply. The issue is that on the new one I bought, the metal nut there is not actually a seperate nut at all. It's part of the whole metal assembly. And when I look online, all I can find are other valves that look like the 'nut' is built in too. It's infuriating. Does anyone know somewhre which sells the valves where that nut is actually seperate and can be taken off?

So just to be clear, I need a new ball cock valve which has the nut part actually be a real nut. That can be screwed off to reveal a thread which can then be wedded to the pipe in my water tank which has the nut part itself.

 

[Stuckinarut]

Vast majority I know of can be separated. Post a photo of the incoming supply.

 

[ChrisJP]

@Stuckinarut Thanks for the reply. The issue is that on the new one I bought, the metal nut there is not actually a seperate nut at all. It's part of the whole metal assembly. And when I look online, all I can find are other valves that look like the 'nut' is built in too. It's infuriating. Does anyone know somewhre which sells the valves where that nut is actually seperate and can be taken off?

So just to be clear, I need a new ball cock valve which has the nut part actually be a real nut. That can be screwed off to reveal a thread which can then be wedded to the pipe in my water tank which has the nut part itself.

I suspect you won't find a valve that matches your old one. As I previously said, the new valve you've got is designed to be pushed through the tank wall and secured by a nut outside, so you may have to remove you existing pipe that goes through the tank wall and substitute the new one.

 

[YorkshireMidge]

Looks to me like the Flomaster ones Screwfix flog *might* be able to be taken apart. i.e. that looks like a nut in the photo below rather than being cast as part of the body. The reason they are usually removable is the white thing in your original photo is a cone of plastic that reduces the flow down to a small hole in the end of it, so you'd want to be able to get to it to clean it of any debris that could get trapped.

But as @ChrisJP says, when replacing one of these normally, you'd go for the union outside of the tank and replace the whole thing with your new one. Not sure why the YouTube guy thinks it's easier working inside a tank than outside of it.

 

[gizmo1990]

Looks to me like the Flomaster ones Screwfix flog *might* be able to be taken apart. i.e. that looks like a nut in the photo below rather than being cast as part of the body. The reason they are usually removable is the white thing in your original photo is a cone of plastic that reduces the flow down to a small hole in the end of it, so you'd want to be able to get to it to clean it of any debris that could get trapped.

But as @ChrisJP says, when replacing one of these normally, you'd go for the union outside of the tank and replace the whole thing with your new one. Not sure why the YouTube guy thinks it's easier working inside a tank than outside if it.


View attachment 377668

@YorkshireMidge Thanks for that. If I was to replace the whole thing would the union I've indicated in the photo require anything to provide a water tight seal? One of the main reasons I thought this would be an easy job is that the washer is already attached with the inner method. The way you're suggesting looks like it might require some kind of additional washer or sealant lubricant?

 

[YorkshireMidge]

@gizmo1990 Correct - that union also has a washer but it's a fibre one - the exact same size/type as you find on individual hot/cold basin tap unions so very widely used and available. I would always replace that washer as one that has been in place for years can sometimes pull apart when the joint is disturbed.

 

[Stuckinarut]

@YorkshireMidge Thanks for that. If I was to replace the whole thing would the union I've indicated in the photo require anything to provide a water tight seal? One of the main reasons I thought this would be an easy job is that the washer is already attached with the inner method. The way you're suggesting looks like it might require some kind of additional washer or sealant lubricant?View attachment 377685

Yep, can just replace the whole thing and yes, use a new 1/2” fibre washer. Also, you don’t have anything special, you have split it from the union, so same as before split a new one and join or replace whole valve.