reclaimed water tank keep empting?

[what..the?]

ok so it's a new build with a reclaimed water tank in the loft the ball cock has broken twice now leading it to overflow outside the property through the overflow pipe each time I turn the supply off to the tank and just use the water up (toilet and washing machine) and then refill and turn off again when needs be. I takes about 2-3 days of flushing the toilets when we are home all day to use the tank full.

Recently when the value broke I was manually filling the tank again, yesterday it ran dry (no flush) so went up and refilled the tank. Then about 1-2 hours later I went to flush and nothing, the cistern was empty, first thought was that there was some trapped air or debris because I had let it run dry. But I went up to find the whole tank empty!! Had only filled up 1-2 hours earlier. Thinking that if the pipes were dry and say 3 toilet cisterns were empty this may account for the water being used so quickly. So I fill again and sure enough this morning it's all gone again???

Any idea's??? the property is rented and there's a regular plumber but I don't think the system is well installed because it keeps 'fluffing' up all the time,

It's just driving me mad where the water could be going???

[alavahalf]

''New build'' ... and fitting old ball valves, sounds as though the landlord is a bit mean to say the least.
Ball valves dont break in my experience ... they either leak or sink or get stuck.
Your overflow is doing it's job in taking the water outside ... I would imagine your problem is your ball valve/float needs adjusting.
To be honest I pay about £4.00 for a ball valve and never ever repair them... I just replace them and adjust it properly.
If you can turn the water off it should take no more than 10 minutes.
Expect to pay about £9.00 for one at the local DIY store.
It sounds as though your landlord will want to adjust it though.

[what..the?]

Both broken in my view (and that of the plumber) in that however you adjusted the ballcock it still never shuts off. The plumber replaced one ballcock with a side filling valve which from the picture on the packet looks to be for toilet cistern (so whether it is sufficient?) this is a more modern float type. But sure enough this has broken to, I think because it is reclaimed water coming from a storage tank under ground and for that reason it has to be pumped the pump is right next to the tank, the pressure seems very high when you open the valve maybe the pressure is causing the valves to break?

[scotman]

Your comment about pumping water probably gets to it. There are 2 types of ball cock + valve assemblies available. One for low pressure and one for high pressure systems. Possibly yours is always being fitted with low pressure ones.

[what..the?]

well I looked at the instructions that came with the last 'modern' valve fitted and it said there was a restrictor (looks like a screw) and a filter (looks like a mini tennis racket) its a all in one plastic piece and it fits inside the valve and they supply two for different pressures one for 1-4 bar one for 4 bar+ I noticed it did't say if its alot more than 4 bar this is not suitable??? so who knows? maybe the whole restrictor and filter needs to left left out on my high pressured system?

[scotman]

You state that this has broken twice already. What did your plumber say had broken in the system?

[what..the?]

well he said the 'old fasioned' metal armed ballcock and valve on the reclaimed water line had broken so replaced with is modern version which is all plastic. This has now broken too, by which I mean what ever you do it doesn't shut off, the action of the float raising if you do it by hand it still doesn't turn off. Maybe the pressure is just too high is breaks the closing mechanism with in the valve itself forcing it open constantly?

[scotman]

Seems to me that pressure is the problem. The pump system should have a pressure relief valve fitted immediately after its outlet. This should be set to open at a value that does not stress the other system components. As your 'plumber' if there is such an item fitted.

[what..the?]

ok will do....

[scotman]

Also, can you explain where the pump is sited. You say it is next to the tank but don't make clear which one! Also, assuming it is electric, how does it know when to start pumping and when to stop?

[what..the?]

there's a big electric box on the wall right next to the tank so there is very little distance pump box - to-valve -to- tank. Two supplies go into the box mains and reclaimed they then come out and got to the tank where there levels are controlled by valves and floats to each. (mains water valve is higher to stop a potental contamination to the mains water system) I think the controlbox/pump creates a constant pressure (can hear it even when the valves are turned off and/or not currently filling) I was told that only when the rain water runs out the mains would take over but the first time the valves broke (the old style ballcock) I witnessed the mains flowing in even though I knew there was lots of reclaimed water in storage (I put the washing machine on to use the water up and get the level down and sure enough with the mains valve off the reclaimed started to flow. So this 'so called' balanced system' is tosh, the pump, valves and floats are not working correctly together.