I’m a former residential plumber that is trying to help out my church. Their urinal valve says open. I said I’d give it a shot, hoping that there was some obvious grit in the valve. (This is the first time I worked on a commercial flush valve.) All I found was a semi-thick layer of black grime over the rubber parts. I wiped that off, re-assembled it, and it still runs. Note that the handle does NOT stay pointed down– the water just continues to run at full flush-speed.
Two questions: Any idea what’s wrong? And second, should any part of the valve guts be greased? Most of my plumbing vocation was new construction, so I never actually repaired a valve, so I’m not sure what parts, if any, needed to be greased. The valve/building is only 8 years old.
Thanks,
Mark
Replies
i'd try just getting a o/h kit for the valve. sloan? i think the last one cost me 12-15.for diaphram and some other misc. parts. larry
hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
my guess would be the water is turned up to high try fooling around with the on off valve rotating in small incriments
A Sloan or Zurn flush valve needs to be rebuilt every few years ors, depending on usage. Buy a rebuild kit for the urinal valve. It will contain a new molded disk, diaphragm and flush stem.
Since you were able to shut the water off using the stop valve, I would assume the rubber stop on it hasn't come apart and gotten into the valve body. Look anyway when you remove the diaphragm assembly. Small pieces from the stop valve will sometimes get in a vale body and disrupt the pressure difference that the valve uses to flush. Run a flat screw driver around the inside of the valve body (below where the diaphragm assembly sets) to fish out any stray pieces of the stop valve.
The handle staying down may also be caused by the stop valve rubber getting hung in the valve body, and may clear up if you have that problem. Otherwise, get a handle repair kit.
You mentioned the black grime on the rubber parts. That is a sure sign that they are done. Wiping them off won't fix them. The chlorine, chemicals and erosion have cause them to become fubar.
Expect your flush valve on water closets to go next. They are likely the same age and get the same amount of usage. Seven years is a long time for a Sloan valve to go without being rebuilt. I would guess we rebuild 11-15 a year in a commercial office building,so we roll through all of them every two to three years.
Talk to your supply house and get a couple of kits for urinals and water closets, a couple of stop valve kits, handle kits and some vacuum breaker kits. Maybe $100 worth of insurance on site and you're good for another seven years.
Dave
Thanks for all the advice. My first kid (boy) was just born, so that explains the delay.Yeah, I'm sure all the other valves are deteriating too. I never new that flush valves had vacuum breakers till I took this one apart. Best way to learn...I actually never messed w/ the stop valve part. I new that it controlled the volume, but I didn't know it can cut of off completly. I wasted a lot of time going to the main cut-off, LOL. (I checked but didn't find any stops above the drop ceiling for that bathroom group.)I did notice that the flush stem would stay up, and not slide back down (while I played w/ it disasembled). I assumed that wasn't normal. But it helps that now I know what that part's called! Of course, after I put it back together (the first time), I did get a VERY small leak from a damaged o-ring. Once again, someone who doesn't have a van full of parts ends up making something (temporarily) worse!Mark