Next to leaking, problems with the fill valve (also known as the ballcock) are the most common issue with toilets. There are several different types of fill valves commonly found in toilets, and you will need to be able to identify your type in order to make adjustments or replacements to yours. Here’s more information about each of the five fill valve types. The de facto standard in early plunger style fill valve was the Mansfield 09, many of which are still in service today. In 2007, Mansfield’s brass division was purchased by Prier, an excellent-quality brass plumbing and industrial products manufacturer. The Mansfield 09 is still manufactured by Prier but the ballcock is not listed as anti-siphon by the manufacturer. Wolverine Brass makes a similarly styled anti-siphon ballcock called the Wolverine Model 50568 (10”) or the Model 50569 (12”) They also make an adjustable height anti-siphon plunger ballcock, Model 56568. Cesco Brass also makes a similar style anti-siphon plunger ballcock called the Burlington 20A. If you have one of these old-style fill valves they should be replaced, because they do not meet current plumbing codes calling for anti-siphon protection. One such difference is that these ballcocks are anti-siphon. They can come in a cast brass body or plastic body construction. Rather than a plunger stem with a washer that seals against the water inlet port, this type of ballcock has a diaphragm seal that opens and closes to control water flow. Plastic body construction is what you find on most newer model anti-siphon diaphragm ballcocks and is probably what you will buy if you are choosing to replace a ballcock type valve with another ballcock. Note that this all-plastic type still qualifies as a true ballcock, since its operating mechanism makes use of a float ball. This type is identified by a plastic floating O-shaped cup that moves up and down around the fill valve shaft. The floating cup is attached using a metal spring clipped to a metal actuating rod. Water level in the tank is controlled by adjusting where the actuating rod connects to the float cup. This is a very popular and easy to maintain fill-valve style. This design accounts for the vast majority of toilet fill valves sold, and it is often the replacement of choice when it comes time to replace an older plunger- or diaphragm-style ballcock unit. Many styles have adjustable shafts, allowing the fill valve to be adjusted up or down to fit different toilet tank depths. At this stage in the evolution of toilet fill valves, the device no longer qualifies as a true ballcock, since the floating ball has now been replaced by a different mechanism. To this day, though, toilet fill valves of all types are often referred to as “ballcocks.” You will find these valves attached to the bottom of the tank, since they operate underwater.
