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I was replacing a toilet fill valve last night, and after it was all done, I noticed the following item sitting in the basin I had placed underneath:

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It looks unused, so I'm assuming it fell out of the new fill valve, but I can't figure out what it is. Presumably it's some kind of aerator, but why would a fill valve need one? Everything seems to be working fine without it. Can someone here identify what this thing is?

Tester101
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Dave
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1 Answers1

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Looks like an aerator or flow restrictor. My guess is flow restrictor. Probably was a handy place to toss it, or keep it for later use if need be, by whomever removed it. Or maybe it just fell in after removal and nobody could spot it to throw it away properly.

Jack
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    Might reduce the shower-scald <-> toilet flush connection, if it fits on the new toilet valve somewhere. – Ecnerwal Mar 08 '14 at 03:49
  • Never seen one for a toilet, that is adjusted by a screw on the float mechanism. Shower anti-scald is set by the mixer valve, at least the ones I seen. I installed two myself in the past 6 months. I will bet if the aerator for the sink in the same bath is taken apart, Dave will find it fits. But it is still a guess – Jack Mar 08 '14 at 05:14
  • Now knowing it is about 1/2 inch in diameter, I think it is an inline flow restrictor that was installed in the base of the ballcock assembly. The purpose would be to slow the flow of water in areas of high pressure that could act like a water hammer on the shut off valve at the top of the unit. I bit of a guess without the make and model of the unit installed so we could look it up. – shirlock homes Mar 09 '14 at 11:17
  • @shirlockhomes - The brand name is "Aqua Plumb" - here is a description: http://imgur.com/6dcjEGR – Dave Mar 09 '14 at 12:51
  • Never heard of an inline restrictor for a toilet, won't need one for gallon restriction, and code may now need one for toilets, but according to what I understood hammer arrestors were only needed on fixtures and appliances that shut the water off quickly, like washing machines and dishwashers that have a solenoid. Anything that shut the water off gradually, did not need it. The shape of it is what makes me think it belongs in a faucet. It is not completely cylindrical. Typically, the part this fit into in a faucet has the same slightly rounded profile, although the aerator usually sets there. – Jack Mar 09 '14 at 13:00
  • @Jack: you may absolutely correct. Just a strange place to find this part right under the valve. I cannot find any specs on this part number that might give is a clue. You are right in that A separate flow restrictor on a toilet valve is probably unlikely, but anything is possible. I think it would be fun to look at a new one in the box and see if this part belongs to the valve set. – shirlock homes Mar 09 '14 at 13:58
  • @shirlock: Yes indeed it would. I tried to find a parts list online, but no good. Bottom line, I bet the part in question is a non-essential part. That is, if his sink and toilet are working with no curious "side effects" (leaks, water shooting out of places it shouldn't) of a possible part missing. – Jack Mar 09 '14 at 16:24
  • The only reason I can think of that the valve would have a flow restrictor like this thing is to keep the valve from squirting water out wildly during the fill. design flaw???? – shirlock homes Mar 09 '14 at 16:59
  • You know, I need to read a little more carefully. I have done this before on Stack. @Dave, I just realized you found this in the bucket you used to catch the water on removal of the old valve?? This is a DUH moment on my part. I was going on the wrong premise. Please disregard all comments. It is fun quizzing about this stuff though. – Jack Mar 09 '14 at 17:19
  • @Jack - you were nice enough to respond, so I decided to give you a pass on the reading comprehension. :) – Dave Mar 09 '14 at 18:04
  • @shirlockhomes - now that you mention it, I did notice that a small amount of water was coming out of the top of the valve as it was filling the tank. I didn't make much of it, as the water anyhow ends up in the right place. But it could be that the manufacturer added a flow restrictor to compensate for a poorly designed (or cheap!) valve. – Dave Mar 09 '14 at 18:07
  • @shirlockhomes - check this out! http://diy.stackexchange.com/a/14267/20324 – Dave Mar 09 '14 at 18:22
  • Yep, that was so long ago, I had forgotten all that banter on that question. Looks like some valves do us a flow restrictor. Lucky guess, huh? lol – shirlock homes Mar 09 '14 at 19:02
  • Yes indeed, that was definitely news to me. – Jack Mar 09 '14 at 21:11