Torbeck valve not shutting off. Solved!

I had an annoying problem with my brand new Torbeck loo valves not shutting off. I had two go in as many months. This was what the problem was and my fix. I hope it saves someone from hours of pain!

[@Lucy-rj6ek]

This video quite literally saved me so much stress and trouble. Thank you so much!

[@alfienoakes69]

You are a life saver. I've bought 2 brand new torbeck valves in the last week with neither working. Wasted hours messing about. Every few months the toilet goes wrong and I end up replacing parts and go through the whole rigmarole. It works for a while then fails and then we end up not really using this second toilet, or turning water on/off manually to fill tank. Literally years of problems solved with a 2 minute video. Thank you!

[@gordonlangley]

Never doubt your instinct to share. The world is a better place for it and your fix worked like a dream. Thank you!

[@stuartsart2284]

it seems like EVERYONE has problems with torbeck parts. If I ever buy a new toilet, i'm NOT getting torbeck! Thank you for the video, by the way :) your research has saved many people a lot of time. For me, it turned out that my new Torbeck Valve wasnt installed properly. After taking it out and putting it back in (about 4 or 5 times) eventually the black valve sat properly and caused the correct 'seal' and therefore stopped overflowing.

[@pauldowney6856]

Thank you very ,very much for going to the trouble of posting. You are a star, sir.

[@yvonnemcintosh6729]

Fabulous, thank you so much for posting this these systems have been the torture of my life👊

[@lionelplayford8381]

Thank you James for you clear explanation of how those clever Torbeck valves work. You helped me solve the problem quickly and with confidence.

[@marcuscornall]

THANKYOU SO MUCH ! I had to fit my own last week .It worked fine for a week.This morning it wouldn't stop flowing. I am not a plumber ,but I know I fitted it properly ,and I could not work out what was wrong. Having watched your video ,I went and superglued the stupid plastic bit you highlighted ,and Lo and Behold ! SOLVED .I cannot thank you enough.I cannot get a plumber to come at the moment what with the virus and all, and having spent (too) many hrs replacing the whole valve stalk and top ,it was disappointing to find it not working . You saved the day here .Well played mate.

[@louismac1]

this helped me i wasn't giving the valve enough time to shut off and thought something was wrong

[@SilverMKI]

Thank you; this was killing me trying to figure it out.

[@floydraser4603]

Thank you for showing this. It will save a lot of people a lot of time, trouble and expense if they find it.

[@paulkeenan6430]

Hi James, what I have found, if you have connect to the mains supply, you can get just a little bit of grit , scale, And that will stop the valve from shutting off …

[@jonathansimmonds5784]

Brilliant!! Logged on to try to solve the leak/hissing of water when cistern full and valve closed. Had the thing apart half a dozen times, everything looked as it should..... except now I see the bit that needs to be superglued!! The gods were smiling on me today, the chances of finding your video out of the hundreds on here.....!! I think I'll eventually replace the Torbeck with another design, maybe the old brass one hanging on the shed wall on a nail, same one as in the old outside loo that has worked perfectly for as long as I can remember......

[@abloke7212]

Nice helpful video. The design weakness you have identified is maybe an intentional one. A Torbeck Replacement Fill Valve Diaphragm only costs £2 at Wickes. However, your method for fixing the diaphragm assembly with superglue could keep the show on the road with minimal cost and effort. 👌

[@kylewilkinson2137]

I literally spent an hour trying to fit one of these on a call out ! Gave up in the end and just serviced the old float valve with new washers because I just couldn’t get it to shut off !! Great video 👍🏻

[@liamgf12]

Just had a weekend from hell. Noticed old torbeck valve float under water and cistern overflowing into pan. Went to isolate toilet but isolator seized. Shut off entire house drained tank as nothing would block pipe in tank and then tried fixing old valve, but gave up. Removed cistern from toilet and bought new torbeck. Reassembled toilet, worse than ever. THANKS TO YOU it's now working, at least the new height adjustable torbeck meant I only removed cistern once. Then tackled intermittent overflow on cold water tank in loft. Float valve on inaccessible side of tank in eaves of low pitched roof with central heating tank one side and hot water overflow coming in on the other. Hours in hot loft spent removing old valve as thread was spinning in body of valve, at least the new one went straight in and sealed.

[@TheBreaster]

Horror show.I’m here looking for a remedy as I was doing a tiling job around waste pipe at back of a customer’s toilet. I’m sorry I touched it. I was only trying to disconnect pipe work to run the flexi hose through a hole I had drilled in the tile and then this flimsy cheap piece of junk was just constantly overflowing.What a ball breaker.I’m steering clear of these nasty things

[@trinder54]

Excellent - self same problem except the small disc is in the mechanism - I've now got to get it out!

[@timallen6025]

Nice one, they do seem very flimsy 'right out of the box'.. Whereas the old ballcock jobby ran for 40 years!! Progress, by design .. Thx for the insight and pointers, nice vid..

[@kennymcneilly4816]

Thank you for this fantastic video. Worked a treat 👍

[@karencarpenter8275]

Thanks very much!! Fixed the problem in 20 secs! Much appreciated

[@martynangell2390]

Simply the best tip ever. Thank you so simple brill peace at last.

[@angiebowman6072]

Thank you. You've just saved me from calling a plumber!

[@brianappletree]

Thanks for the tip. This problem has done my head in. I got a plumber in and he said their very poor design. He's putting a better alternative in.

[@voybiebutler5723]

I tried everything that was said, but the problem remains , the water is not shutting off . I think the design is complicated

[@TheBreaster]

It’s a piss poor flimsy design

[@GreedyMonkey69]

You're a legend, that was exactly what was wrong! Thank you!!!

[@IMAGENOTEBOOK]

Just had ours replaced yesterday and it was playing up again today! I tried this and it has done the trick.. many thanks.😁👍

[@johncollard6523]

Brilliant, saved me a lot of time and effort, thank you!

[@mykhhh4994]

Thanks I have exactly the same problem that's been driving me nuts. Sorted now

[@johnriggs4929]

I fitted a replacement cistern to my WC today. Should have been a like for like replacement - but due to a deseign flaw with the original cistern, which used a Geberit valve - the top of which obscured the left hand cistern fixing hole - they've changed the valve to this piece of shit. I've never been keen on torbecks: when they fail, they fail full bore. That means if you're out, and the cistern fills faster than the overflow can cope with... you're going to come home to a flood. Nevertherless, I assumed it'd be ok for a couple of years or so. Worked fine - for five hours. Then I happened to pass the bottom of the stairs and heard the cistern filling, at least an hour after it was flushed. took it apart and yes, this had happened. But I'm not superglueing it - tomorrow it goes where it belongs: in the bloody bin. If a brand new valve can fail so spectacularly - due, lets face it, to crap design/manufacture... that's the best place for it.

[@Rustee_Blade_Paul]

you sir are a gentleman thanks very much

[@beetroot_chutney]

Amazing! Mine just stopped working today. Tbf it's pretty old now, but I'll be interested to see if this is the issue when I pull it apart!

[@caratclips]

Thank you for this. It's been very helpful to me.

[@garethrees100]

Brilliant just had this problem and it’s been bugging the hell out of me !

[@andrewyeardley1550]

Top man 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 had exact same problem, worked for a week then failed. Just hope the glue holds with constant water.

[@r52079]

have same problem with brand new valve to solve old leaking one. many many times have i thought i've fixed it only to fill over and over again... next up this check/test. fingers crossed!

[@handsfree1000]

Had the same problem couldn’t understand how it worked or why it failed after two weeks. Thanks for the advice. 😀

[@YoutubeHero666]

Ooo thanks I was just about to replace this brand new one for another make. I'll strip it down in a bit and see if that's tue issue I think it will be. Thanks in advance

[@Lilmonkmonk]

What a lovely man, thank you mate!

[@lukehudson9369]

James, thanks for great video, really helped me out, your a star.

[@caite1595]

What an angel! Thank you!

[@s1914]

You're a good man! 👌

[@TheBreaster]

These have to be the flimsiest toilet filler valves around.One of the tiny nipples that clip the float unit onto the filler mechanism just broke away.The unit is only six months old.Had to unclip it to replace the syphon unit but now I’ll have to replace the filler valve again.I’d expect something more robust than this for my money

[@davidstokes933]

You legend! 👍

[@kevinfitzgerald14]

Cheers sorted

[@Fernandoenf2]

Thanks!!

[@bobflyman]

Just fitted one. They are a pile of crap. Wouldn't stop dripping. Mine hasn't even got the small disc you show!

[@WildlifeObsessed]

Allow a few secs for the Shut-Off to work.

[@futurespacepirate83]

As far as I can tell... That little bit shouldn't come off in the first place! Mine is very much already stuck on with no super glue!

[@AndrewCarnieart]

VERY IMPORTANTLY THEY SEEM TO HIDE THE VERY SMALL SOLID BLACK CYLINDRICAL WASHER YOU NEED FOR THE BUSINESS END OF THE FLOAT ARM IN THE FLOAT CUP UNDER THE VERY LARGE BLACK WASHER. Nothing will work without this washer being in situ.

[@shimmyshanka]

just fit a viva

[@chrisstevens2706]

when fitting a new diaphragm follow instructions on packet precisely or it will fail. The answer given in this film is to be broadly ignored as superglue eventually washes away.

[@ablufcablufc1318]

a

[@deanlake3989]

Torbecks are awful valves

[@AlexRocks24-7]

They always fail 🗯️😞🔫 I just replace them with thomas Dudley or fluidmaster.