Toilet cisterns
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Following the blockage for the 2nd time, of the pipework into our newly installed 4 years ago, fosse septique, I’m wondering if, because of the lay of the land meaning we haven’t got a huge amount of fall on our pipework, we need to install a larger cistern so that it sends the waste down in more of a rush. The one we have is quite a small cheapie close-coupled toilet & cistern from Brico .
Any ideas on the subject?
Anonymous15th May 2021 at 10:14 am #550794Do you have an air vent in the system , to stop the forming of a vacuum ?
Firstly, I think you will have a hard time finding a cistern with a larger capacity due to the latest regs. on water conservation.
Secondly, a larger amount of water in the cistern will not appreciably increase the flow down the waste pipe because it all has to pass through the tiny holes around the top of the pan. These have a restricting effect on the flow rate.
15th May 2021 at 11:12 am #550796There are several reasons why the pipework to the fosse can get blocked
1.Washing powder-This contains a large amount of animal fat which very often does not get dissolved properly due to the lower temperatures now used in washing machines This fat then hardens in the cooler pipework especially if it is a long run Use liquid only
2.Fats from cooking especially “roast dinner” type meals being put down the kitchen sink
3.Luxury toilet paper not flushing down the pipe properly Use cheaper type
4.Visitors putting everything they can think of down the toilet as in the UK although that would not apply now
But to be fair 2 blockages in 4 years is not too bad
Thank you for taking the time to reply guys I’ll answer the questions-
How about if you flush twice f/ c ?
Nearly always need to anyway PJ
Do you have an air vent in the system , to stop the forming of a vacuum ?
Yes we have Deboer
There are several reasons why the pipework to the fosse can get blocked 1.Washing powder-This contains a large amount of animal fat which very often does not get dissolved properly due to the lower temperatures now used in washing machines This fat then hardens in the cooler pipework especially if it is a long run Use liquid only 2.Fats from cooking especially “roast dinner” type meals being put down the kitchen sink 3.Luxury toilet paper not flushing down the pipe properly Use cheaper type 4.Visitors putting everything they can think of down the toilet as in the UK although that would not apply now But to be fair 2 blockages in 4 years is not too bad
I never use washing powder and the washing water still goes into the old fosse
I don’t use a lot of fat but if I do have a surplus of oil in a pan it gets tipped into a jug on the draining board and buried in the garden, the pan then wiped out with kitchen roll before washing
I only ever buy toilet paper that says ‘convient des fosses septiques’
We don’t get any visitors much (well obviously none at all at the moment) if we do they are always given strict instructions about fosse etiquette
I’m really fairly paranoid about what goes into the fosse, still, at least we know where and how to unblock it
Thanks for all the input and the advice about the water SH-SH
But to be fair 2 blockages in 4 years is not too bad
One blockage is more than enough! I had my fosse installed many years ago, and have never had a problem.
I don’t know about problems caused by washing powders – I use a liquid. However kitchen grease could be a problem. I always wipe frying pans with kitchen paper before washing them to minimise the potential problem. If there is more grease in the pan than I can wipe out easily I leave it for the fat to set, then scrape it out into a bag and bin it.
If I have a particularly dirty wash (eg work clothes) I put a handful of washing soda in the machine. It is not harmful to your fosse.
Flushing more water down the toilet is not the answer. We already use far too much of this valuable ressource.
Finally, only put down the toilet what it was intended for. I know that in the UK millions of non-biodegradable wipes are flushed away every year, and inevitably find their way on river banks or down to the sea. You only have to look at the double-decker bus size blockages in sewers caused by wipes and grease to see the size of the problem.
I’m not saying that FC is guilty any of these things, but the cause of her blockages should be investigated.
Anonymous15th May 2021 at 2:27 pm #550807Following the blockage for the 2nd time, of the pipework into our newly installed 4 years ago, fosse septique, I’m wondering if, because of the lay of the land meaning we haven’t got a huge amount of fall on our pipework, we need to install a larger cistern so that it sends the waste down in more of a rush. The one we have is quite a small cheapie close-coupled toilet & cistern from Brico . Any ideas on the subject?
With more fall , you wouldn’t solve the problem , in fact it could make it worse .
Where is the blockage ? Is all the pipe into the fosse from the toilet the same size and how long is it ? If it is fair length is there a ” regard ” half way down ? Is the exit from the fosse to the epandage free ?
As already said , if you need to flush more water each time , then there must be a bottleneck somewhere . You should have a guarantee , have you informed the installer that there is a problem ?
I used to put in fosses
Okay, I’ll reply in order of postings
With more fall , you wouldn’t solve the problem , in fact it could make it worse . Where is the blockage ? Is all the pipe into the fosse from the toilet the same size and how long is it ? If it is fair length is there a ” regard ” half way down ? Is the exit from the fosse to the epandage free ? As already said , if you need to flush more water each time , then there must be a bottleneck somewhere . You should have a guarantee , have you informed the installer that there is a problem ?
The blockage both times was in the pipe just before it enters the fosse
Yes there is a regard and the pipes were all approved by SPANC
All is now free & all moved freely into the fosse once the blockage was cleared (Quatermass came to my mind for some reason)
Yes we have got a guarantee and yes I have contacted the installer who is coming out
Just a note we only have to flush twice when paper doesn’t always all go, I think that is more to do with paper usage than anything to do with the fosse (my reply to PJ was more tongue in cheek than technical)
Just popped I between gardening to read about Fruitcakes blockage…got very worried until I read the posts… i,m sure the helpful suggestions will solve it….I hope .
Thank you Marmite
FC, I started writing before you replied, and was interrupted before I finished, so I didn’t see your reply. You seem to be doing everything right. How have you cleared the blockage?
We cleared the blockage both times by rodding the pipe
Anonymous15th May 2021 at 3:52 pm #550819Then we can all sleep well , the specialist will solve the problem , probably the connection pipe/fosse?
Yes, and your combined answers have told me that we can keep the cistern we have, which is an expense spared, thankfully. All we need to do now is stop it dripping condensation. I read sticking a yoga mat on the inside of a ceramic cistern helps but we’d have even less water in it then!!!
Thank you one and all for taking the time to give me your thoughts.
15th May 2021 at 4:49 pm #550825The problem could be at the other end -especially as you say the blockage is near the fosse -assuming that you have a classic fosse with a filter bed these are often fitted with a filter in the second part of the tank This is normally a plastic net with plastic pieces in that stops solids and paper entering the filter bed This should be taken out and hosed through so that the liquid part can leave the fosse easily Is there a regard between the fosse and filter bed that you can check to see if liquid is running freely?
Yes, we’ve had two like that in the past OC, with the bag of volcanic rock type things and, yes, as you say we used to take it out and hose it down (BBQ coals Mr F used to call them!!) this one is an EcoFlo, coconut filter, totally different to what we’ve had before, very compact, every three months Mr. F. has to take one of the lids off and hose water in while at the same time lifting up and down a lever, all to ensure the pump runs smoothly, this only activated when it needs to.
We had not much choice in the system we could have as it was (as is now I believe always the case) designated by SPANC, deciding that the perfectly good and working very well concrete existing system was not viable as it had no filter bed as such.
We have another regard at the end of the run that we systematically check for the clear water and is where the water company could have access, should they need, to check the quality of the water.
On the whole, it is a very good system so we will see what the installer comes up with for the reason for the blockages. I will post his response for those interested.
Again, if anyone is interested here is the link for the system, Ours is the ‘version pack’
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