Adding an isolation valve to a copper pipe

glitch

glitch

glitch

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Having a problem with the inlet valve on the toilet in my downstairs cloakroom and need to replace it, but the idiot who installed that bathroom many years prior to my ownership hasn't put any isolation valves in the pipe run to said toilet which makes working on it a PITA.

This is what the current setup looks like and there's a lot going on! What's the best way to sort this out and add an isolation valve and a nice new flexi-hose?

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To be honest, can only see half of the situation - What's at the other end of the flexi?

My bathroom has: straight copper - service valve - straight copper - flexi - inlet. You might be able to insert a valve between the flexi and the elbow there.

You could also get a scrap of solid copper or even plastic pex to bridge the elbow to the valve, and everything should fit nicely I think.
 
LuckyBenski said:
To be honest, can only see half of the situation - What's at the other end of the flexi?
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The inlet valve for the flush. Flexi screws straight on to it.

LuckyBenski said:
My bathroom has: straight copper - service valve - straight copper - flexi - inlet. You might be able to insert a valve between the flexi and the elbow there.

You could also get a scrap of solid copper or even plastic pex to bridge the elbow to the valve, and everything should fit nicely I think.
Click to expand...
Breaking down what I have... is the copper pipe coming out the wall likely to have been threaded for the right-angle connector, or would that be a compression?
 
Not a plumber but
Ditch the plastic push on connector
fit isolator valve
Replace the rubber/metal flexi pipe with a new one or use preferably have copper pipe from the elbow to the WC
 
glitch said:
Breaking down what I have... is the copper pipe coming out the wall likely to have been threaded for the right-angle connector, or would that be a compression?
Click to expand...
It's a compression fitting, threaded 15mm copper pipe isn't a thing.

I'd put an isolation valve before the flexi and for belt and braces approach also use a flexi with a built in isolation valve.
 
Fair enough - threading copper might not be a thing, but given the other bodges in this cloakroom I wouldn't be surprised if they figured out a way!

Is removing the olive likely to be problematic?

Appreciate this is crystal ball time as nobody can see the damn thing IRL other than me, but there ain't much pipe coming out the wall to play with and would likely need to be a removal rather than a cut.
 
You can get 90 degree compression valves, that would be a straight swap with no need to remove the olives... usually. Sometimes reusing the olive it doesn't seal but there are ways around it.

However not sure why the aversion to flexi with valve built in, that's also ideal solution.
 
glitch said:
Fair enough - threading copper might not be a thing, but given the other bodges in this cloakroom I wouldn't be surprised if they figured out a way!

Is removing the olive likely to be problematic?

Appreciate this is crystal ball time as nobody can see the damn thing IRL other than me, but there ain't much pipe coming out the wall to play with and would likely need to be a removal rather than a cut.
Click to expand...
Depends if they over tightened the compression joint it can crush the pipe if over done; do you need to remove it completly you can re use the existing olive and nut if you are fitting a different compression joint. Or leave the 90 degree in place and just add a new olive and piece of copper in place of your push fit connection.

The flexi pipes also come in different lengths so you could get a slightly shorter one and extend the copper pipe a bit which gives you a bit more room to fit an isolating valve without kinking flexi.
 
As it has no isolation valve you are going to have to turn the water main off then open all of the taps which will drain the system down and release the water pressure. Flush the toilet and empty the cistern then get a tray to put under those connections and crack it open. There should be a collar on the quick fit connector which you pull towards the main body and it should come off the copper pipe. If not you are going to have to crack the nuts on that 90 degree angle. I would replace it with a flexi pipe with a built in isolation valve, ours has been like this for many years and we have had no problems.
 
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