Had to repair toilet cistern water feed due to bodged pipe perforation "fix" (by plumber when the bathroom was installed many years ago) giving up the ghost.
As it entailed replacing a section of pipe I thought it worthwhile putting in a 15mm ballofix isolation valve at the same time. I had four of these to hand as, a couple of years ago, I'd intended to put flexible hoses on the basin (if I got round to replacing the vanity unit) and had bought a 4 pack of flexible hoses with isolation valves from B&Q but had never used them. FYI the only identifying mark on the valve bodies is "KX"
So 1st ballofix went in - leaked around the screw slot. So quickly switched to second - leaked as per the 1st one. Noticed that it only leaked when not fully open AND not fully closed - i.e. only leaked when partially open. So have left second one in for now (fully open) and seems OK (for now).
So I thought I'd test the other valves. Fortunately I have a variety of garden hose threaded tap connectors (i.e. a multitude of different sizes) and found one that was the right one (1/2" BSP I guess). So I set up a test "rig" using a length of garden hose with the aforementioned connector plugged into the outlet of the hose and tried connecting the 3 valves to hand in turn (i.e. the 1st valve that I had fitted to the pipework plus the two, as yet, unused valves).
All had the same issue. Were fine when fully open (or very nearly fully open) and also fine when fully closed (or very nearly fully closed). But when otherwise partially open/closed would leak (dribble steadily) from around the screw head.
So, my question is this: Do the sages on this forum consider that the one of these that is currently fitted should be OK and just live with the fact that it dribbles momentarily whenever turned on / off? Or are all these valves (that I have) fundamentally suspect?
As it entailed replacing a section of pipe I thought it worthwhile putting in a 15mm ballofix isolation valve at the same time. I had four of these to hand as, a couple of years ago, I'd intended to put flexible hoses on the basin (if I got round to replacing the vanity unit) and had bought a 4 pack of flexible hoses with isolation valves from B&Q but had never used them. FYI the only identifying mark on the valve bodies is "KX"
So 1st ballofix went in - leaked around the screw slot. So quickly switched to second - leaked as per the 1st one. Noticed that it only leaked when not fully open AND not fully closed - i.e. only leaked when partially open. So have left second one in for now (fully open) and seems OK (for now).
So I thought I'd test the other valves. Fortunately I have a variety of garden hose threaded tap connectors (i.e. a multitude of different sizes) and found one that was the right one (1/2" BSP I guess). So I set up a test "rig" using a length of garden hose with the aforementioned connector plugged into the outlet of the hose and tried connecting the 3 valves to hand in turn (i.e. the 1st valve that I had fitted to the pipework plus the two, as yet, unused valves).
All had the same issue. Were fine when fully open (or very nearly fully open) and also fine when fully closed (or very nearly fully closed). But when otherwise partially open/closed would leak (dribble steadily) from around the screw head.
So, my question is this: Do the sages on this forum consider that the one of these that is currently fitted should be OK and just live with the fact that it dribbles momentarily whenever turned on / off? Or are all these valves (that I have) fundamentally suspect?
