In order to understand the principle of operation of the drain tank, it is necessary to at least superficially familiarize yourself with its device.
The device of the drain tank
A toilet flush tank is a device that consists of a body, a trigger, a guide pipe, a locking device, a bulb, and a saddle. The body is mainly made of ceramic or plastic. Metal tanks are a little less common. The trigger exists in the form of buttons, as well as levers, which are located on top of the lid or are on the side. Drain fittings for the toilet tank depends on the price of the goods, as well as the country of manufacture.
The principle of operation of the drain tank
The tank is actuated by pressing the trigger. This mechanism of the drain tank, in turn, is associated with its internal structure.
Before pressing the button, the device is in standby mode. It has water that is automatically filled to a certain level. All the liquid is held by the pear of the drain tank, which is located at its bottom. It is made of rubber, so it fits snugly against the saddle.
When a person presses a button or pulls a handle, a thrust is activated. She, in turn, acts on the pear, and it begins to rise. As a result, the saddle will not overlap, water will enter the opening of the tank and will flow into the toilet.
After the button of the toilet flush cistern or handle is released, the pear does not return to its original position in the same second. This would make the drain short. The principle of slow lowering the pear is in its structure. Inside, it is completely empty, and there is only air that pushes it up. As the tank fills with water, the lift of the pear decreases. As a result, she is fully pressed to the saddle. Without a guide tube, such an action would be impossible. The thing is that the pear is influenced by a lot of forces that drive it towards the least resistance. If she had not been connected to the guide tube, she would never have returned back to the center, to the saddle.
Water level adjustment
Water level adjustment is carried out using the locking device in the tank. According to the principle of action, piston and membrane devices are distinguished. The most common in our time are the latter. In many ways, the choice is simplicity and high reliability. The disadvantages of such mechanisms include their frequent clogging. This happens because of the small particles that are contained in the water supply system and fall through a flexible supply pipe into the toilet flush tank. The filtering device is fully capable of solving this problem.
How to disassemble the tank?
To repair the drain tank, first you need to figure out the cause of its breakdown. To do this, first of all, you need to look at its internal structure. To get to it, just remove the top cover. For convenience, in many cases it is not fixed on the tank. To remove it, you just need to raise its top. You need to be careful because the lid of the drain tank is not very light. If it has a handle, it will interfere with removal. In such a situation, you must first deal with it, and only then remove the cover. Usually it is located on the thread of the tank guide tube. In order to remove the handle, it is enough to slightly lift it up and grasp the handset. When the handset is locked in one hand, the other must be unscrewed (rotate counterclockwise in the axis). It is much easier to do this if you fix the guide tube with pliers. After that, the handle can be removed fearlessly, since there are no gaskets or any other parts that are associated with it.
The work of modern tanks
Modern manufacturers in recent times began to produce drain tanks, in which the tube passes through the pear along its axis. For greater convenience, there is a float on which there is a special latch. This mechanism works much more efficiently. When the trigger is pressed, the pear rises up, as in the classical model. Further, it does not fall into the water, but remains in the upper part. This is ensured thanks to the latch, which lifted the float. When the water in the tank is completely over, the latch will release the float, and he will return the pear to its original position.
Checking the design of the tank
Before starting work, you need to get rid of all the water in the tank so that you can consider the entire structure. There are two ways to do this. The first is to shut off the water supply and drainage systems in the toilet. The second method consists in fixing the pear in the upper position. In this case, the hole will always be open, and water will be able to freely leave the tank. In order to do this, you must take a float, which is associated with a pear. Then it needs to be fixed in the upper position at the level of the side of the tank. A metal twig is perfect for this purpose. If this is not available, you can use a screwdriver and position it properly.
First of all, it is necessary to inspect the toilet flush tank. The device must be clean and free from dirt. If there is none, you need to turn your attention to the float. Ideally, it should be no more than half in the water. Water should not be higher than the level of the drain pipe. After checking the level, it is necessary to begin the study of the drainage mechanism.
Types of pears and their features
There are two varieties of pears in the drain tanks. The first type is a pear float. On top of it there is a special hole that connects to the stem. This happens using the internal thread, which is located in the hole of the pear. The second type is a pear valve. Like the first, it has a hole in the top middle. However, its difference is that it is cross-cutting. There is also a rod mount inside the hole. When the connection is faulty, water oozes through the bulb and enters the hole in the tank.
In order to fully inspect it, it is necessary to remove, while disconnecting from the drain mechanism. The pear float is simply unscrewed if the stem is locked. In order to remove it, it is necessary to turn the valve of the toilet flush tank, which is located under the trigger.
The shape of the pear should be free of obvious defects. If cracks and bumps are visible, then it cannot be operated further.
Buying a new pear needs special attention. If its size is larger than the previous one, then it will not be able to reliably block the hole. As a result, it will have to be changed or manually grinded with an emery column.
After installing a new pear, you need to follow its work. There are times when water continues to ooze even after replacement. This may be due to the fact that the edges of the pear did not fully take the shape of a saddle. After a couple of hours of active use of the tank, it will have to finally fall into place and take the desired shape.
Installing the drain tank
Installation takes place in five stages. The first is to collect all the elements. The drain fittings for the toilet bowl must be folded according to the instructions. At the second stage, the tank is attached to the toilet. For this, special fixing screws are used. The third stage is to connect the drain tank to the water supply system. All drain joints must be securely connected. At the fourth stage, the float inside the tank is adjusted. To do this, it is set to the desired level, to which water will be collected. Finally, the fifth stage consists of a trial run after completion of all work. If there are no leaks, and water is collected in the toilet flush tank, then everything works properly.
Causes of damage to the drain tanks
In order to eliminate leakage at home, it is not necessary to invite plumbing. The prices for his services will hit the budget, and all you need is to familiarize yourself with the general principle of work, prepare the necessary tool and buy the necessary parts on the market. The main thing is to understand that the tank mechanism wears out over time, and will always require repair or a complete replacement. Breakage in many cases is accompanied by leakage of water. In some situations, water may leak into the toilet, in others it may suddenly appear on the toilet floor. This type of breakdown is extremely dangerous and requires quick intervention. Otherwise, all the water will get to the neighbors, and there will be even more problems. However, malfunctions of the internal mechanism of the drain tank are not always accompanied by leaks. Sometimes the tank just does not pick up water. Buying a very expensive toilet on the market will not solve the problem, because they have one design. The difference in most cases is only in individual details. Inside the drain tanks are arranged exactly the same. Also, the problem of damage to the tank may be in the trigger. It often happens that it starts to jam and then can no longer be operated normally. This largely depends on its type. Given the characteristics of the trigger, you need to purchase a new button or lever for the toilet flush tank on the market.
Mud in the tank
The second most common cause of damage to the drain tank (after a malfunction of the pear) is the dirt that has accumulated in it. Since the toilet flush tank is a device that is directly connected to the house’s water supply system, all sewage flows into it. Since in most cases the water supply is not very clean, there are many particles that clog the pipes. It can be rust or other small particles. When they get into the tank, part of them is flushed into the toilet during its operation. Another part of the mud settles at the bottom of the tank. When it sticks to the saddle, it prevents the pear from completely closing the hole. As a result, the water does not completely overlap and begins to flow little by little.
Under the cap of the tank you can always notice a large amount of rust. Pollution in moderation does not need to be cleaned. However, if the layer is large, it is necessary to remove it from the surface. To do this, it is not necessary to use cleaning products, just wipe everything with a rag.
Locking device repair
Faults associated with the locking mechanism can be eliminated without plumbing. The prices of new parts for the toilet flush tank are not too high (a pear, for example, costs 15-20 rubles, a stock - from 300 to 800 rubles). The problems of the locking mechanism are visible on the float, which is located in the drain tank. When it is completely immersed in water, this indicates the presence of fluid in it. This is due to the fact that it is connected to a lever. When the water is filled, it falls on the lever and begins to flow down it. If the float is not tight enough, water will enter. In order to get rid of water, the float must be removed, scroll it with the lever lock. Further, the liquid should exit unhindered. If this does not happen, it is necessary to suck it off. To do this, you need to prepare a pear and a straw. The last one is worn on a pear, and the second end is pushed into the float. When you click on it, the water will be sucked off. To avoid further problems with the float, you need to put on the flap on the end of the lever. To do this, you can use any plastic cap of a suitable size.