Toilet Tank Refill Valves - ARGH!!!

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jdjohn
jdjohn Posts: 3,448
in The Clubhouse
I would like to use some stronger language here, but...

It seems like I'm on a constant merry-go-round with these, having to replace one of the three in my house every six months or so. I mean, they're cheap, but still!

We have somewhat hard water here in Middle TN, and I know that can be a factor, but WTH?!?

Does anyone have a suggestion, or certain brand, to help mitigate this constant issue?

Thanks in advance!

"This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited July 2025
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,448
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    Aahh, so THAT'S where your tequila budget has been spent...buying fancy sh!tters :D
    Seriously, good to know that Kohler might be the better choice.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • Unknown
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    edited July 2025
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,448
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    I hear ya, bro. I'm not talking about a leaky flap, though. The situation I've got is the fill valve not cutting off once the tank is full. The 'floater bulb/thingy' rises to the top, which should cut-off the fill valve, but the water continues to flow into the tank, overflowing into the overflow tube, creating a run-on situation. I have to riggle/jiggle, or anything else that works, in order to get the fill valve to cut-off.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,452
    edited July 2025
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    https://www.amazon.com/Korky-Toilet-Plastic-Rubber-Universal/dp/B08YS8C6WD/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1UDXNI9L7ZLBG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8zuuhPf1Fz8t_zuY0gf2y6yYsUQXCo4k9sgLnStwIGLL-41oa3nrCPO8Uw9zGMacoT_Q-H6ebyhnwFLVTgQaUbDP5TFcq-pNxYIEsSHhPIGTpWxbqUOZuQLjP5ROuJPeLrHOAw37i7I5QR2eS2APkcWe0nMy9zFb3cLN37p4aHZwNmw6D_JfUigUxeJk97ewC-W7xHeBzjJmQJAjdOj9lg.uG2SLc4XdDbH2m7IUncbjPv5-iDrtFVAIbUox-Pe2ow&dib_tag=se&keywords=korky+fill+valve&qid=1752722906&sprefix=kork,aps,183&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

    Sorry for the long link. I don’t know how to reduce it.

    Anyway, I’ve had better luck with these than anything else I’ve tried.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • Unknown
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    edited July 2025
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 52,406
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Gotcha.
    Got one of these?
    77tnzu9nkuqx.png

    I use those, they last a very long time.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,448
    edited July 2025
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    Yeah...the Fluidmaster is what I'm needing to replace...it didn't last long.
    I'm not familiar with Korky. Is that brand demonstrably better...longer lasting?

    It's clear that Home Depot (and probably Lowe's) have exclusive distribution rights for brands like Fluidmaster, so choices are limited in these box store environments.

    EDIT: There is a lot of limestone in our water table, so our source water has a naturally higher PH (i.e., harder, more alkaline, with more mineral deposits), so it may just be the nature of the beast.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,452
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    I got the Korky at Home Depot. Are they better/longer lasting than the Fluidmaster? In my limited experience, yes, but it’s a very small sample size…3 units.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,756
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    So this isn't the same brand as what I put in my house but is very similar and has the same style pittdog2 showed up top internally. I also really like that the tank is integrated

    Going on 5 years and they have been absolutely fantastic and super low maintenance because they don't collect dust and grime at the base like a traditional toilet

    https://ebay.us/m/JvnIMy
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 6,079
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    Make sure you are not using toilet tank sanitizers they rapidly deteriorate the valve seals
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    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 12,027
    edited July 2025
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    Do you have a float ball at the end of a rod or a fluidmaster style filler/float?


    I worked for a plumber for 7 years. Fluidmaster replacement fill valves was a MAJOR money-maker for his business. He kept 5+ spares in every truck. They're the BEST!!! He also kept those black washer/seals by the ton. He'd just replace the seal if the toilet if it already had a Fluidmaster fill valve.

    You know the FluidMasters are adjustable, right?
    You should be able to adjust the float to make it shut the "fill flow" off sooner.

    Or is it the needle pin crusting up?

    Fluid master valves also have replaceable seals/washers in them. They're very inexpensive when you buy a contractor's pack of 12, I think it is. Or...just buy one. :D

    8rpnnqlr1vrm.png

    ihrotvyytcrr.png

    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.

    “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
    --Mark Twain.

    “If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.” - Steven Wright
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,370
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    We had ghost flushing from all 3 toilets in the house. they were about 7 yrs old. Replaced with the fluidmaster and seems to have helped. That was bout 2 yrs ago. Now we only get the occasional/to never again ghost flush.
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  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,428
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    Knock wood first; never had to replace a refill valve. But I did swap out the entire terlit this year and unknowingly got one that was 3" taller. I had no idea they came in different heights but we quickly found that taller is much better.
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,865
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    jdjohn wrote: »
    Aahh, so THAT'S where your tequila budget has been spent...buying fancy sh!tters :D
    Seriously, good to know that Kohler might be the better choice.

    I replaced all 3 toilets in my home with Kohler toilets, as we remodeled the bathrooms.

    I seem to get about 10 years from the flush valves before we start getting "ghost flushing".

    I'll spend about $35 to replace the flush valve and filler valve (while I'm in there) and it takes about 1/2 an hour to replace them.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,703
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    I've been using the korky units. I also live in Tennessee. Nothing lasts a long time.
    These units are easy to set up.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,562
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    I'd recommend the nuclear option, FWIW.
    dqzvirl0qn66.png
    We have these pressure-assisted flush valves and they're excellent.
    The first time our (adult) daughter, who is pretty unshakable, flushed one of the toilets at this house, she screamed.
    The whole experience reminds one of a depth charge.

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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 20,366
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    Daggum, Doc. How big are your....awe, nevermind.

    Most of the time, the toilet floats don't go bad, they just need adjustment. Some are.way more finicky than others. 80 percent of repairs I have done on them is due to the chain from the toilet lever being too long and getting caught up between the seal and the flapper.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,448
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    Thanks for all the input.

    To clarify:
    - I currently have a Fluidmaster in-place
    - The flap does not leak
    - The float on the stem moves freely, and will rise all the way to the top
    - Even with the float all the way up, and the tank filled, the valve does not shut-off; water continues to flow into the tank, and spills over into the overflow tube

    The issue might be the seal that Tony referenced; there may be mineral deposits on or around it.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 20,366
    edited July 2025
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    Yeah, if that part gets contaminated with mineral buildup or debris and cannot be sealed by adjustment, then replacement is the preferred option. I have read that repair/flushing out that stop is possible by removing the top cap and inspecting the rubber diaphragm, removing any debris. Fluidmaster sells a replacement cap assembly but I have never bothered, as replacing the whole thing only costs 5 bucks more.

    Avoid over tightening or stressing the adjustment screws and knobs when you adjust. Don't force anything or it tends to exacerbate the issue.

    One alternative, if it is sediment blocking the seal and it's not just an old one (7 to 10 years old), is to add a sediment filter or check your whole home filter to see that it is sealed and up to date. Usually, in my experience only, they will last a very long time (even if you are on a well) with minimal repairs or replacement. In the past 30 years within my own dwellings, I think I have only replaced one.

    FYI, the Fluidmaster 400AKR Universal All in One Toilet Repair Kit is usually what the maintenance division installs at work when these toilet shut offs fail, but I have read that the Korky kit is known for its proprietary "Chlorazone II rubber", which provides excellent resistance to chlorine, bacteria, hard water, and well water. FWIW. Both are within 3 to 4 dollars in cost. FWIW.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,756
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    Off topic, but I bought a few of those magnet things that go in the tank and if you have excess iron in your water... It truly does work. No more yellow rings in the bowl
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 12,027
    edited July 2025
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    Sounds like that rubber washer seat thingy needs replacing.

    Buy one, pop that blue or black cap off, replace the seal, then snap the cap back on.

    Hope that does it.

    2.00 repair. ;)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.

    “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
    --Mark Twain.

    “If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.” - Steven Wright
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,448
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    Yeah, it's probably debris causing the problem. I've done that procedure before, so I guess time to do it again. I just wish there was a better mousetrap for this, if you get my drift.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
    · Share on Facebook
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,370
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    jdjohn wrote: »
    Yeah, it's probably debris causing the problem. I've done that procedure before, so I guess time to do it again. I just wish there was a better mousetrap for this, if you get my drift.

    Use a bucket and stop using the toilet. Problem solved.
    These types of issues are so annoying. Hope you fix it soon and lasts a long time
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,865
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    Willow wrote: »
    jdjohn wrote: »
    Yeah, it's probably debris causing the problem. I've done that procedure before, so I guess time to do it again. I just wish there was a better mousetrap for this, if you get my drift.

    Use a bucket and stop using the toilet. Problem solved.
    These types of issues are so annoying. Hope you fix it soon and lasts a long time

    At my cabin, I upgraded from the outhouse, to one of these:

    It's honestly pretty freaking awesome!

    i7d0mgfb1xbm.jpg


    https://tinyhomeequipment.com/products/laveo-dry-flush-toilet?currency=USD&variant=41709070418052&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&stkn=c3634f908088&tw_source=google&tw_adid=638705241765&tw_campaign=19108118550&tw_kwdid=pla-2288237887881&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19108118550&gbraid=0AAAAAo8CK52_tY1v-akuAeKKzswGJsbfQ&gclid=CjwKCAjw4efDBhATEiwAaDBpbs3-bw7QX75s1Es6eiTc_dXyF_j2iqquZaKsjGon5yYnMydZupkkZxoCOPUQAvD_BwE
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 52,406
    edited July 2025
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    Does it have p o o p powder too?
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