Toilet Clunk

[Brantlaker]

So in the middle of the nite the DW goes to the Head flushes the commode releases the lever and there is a loud clunk, we have had the 5er 2 years now and the noise now bothers her. Is there anything that can be done? or is it one of lifes little pleasures that we have to endure?

[JRTJH]

The clunk you hear is the valve closing when releasing the toilet foot pedal. When it closes "abruptly" it causes the water supply pipe to vibrate and it's probably hitting a bulkhead somewhere. Even if you can find the place it's hitting, it will still "clunk", just not as loud. Even though it's a hassle, you could consider installing an "air hammer" on the supply line. That will help some. Of course, it depends on how much it really bothers you......

The abrupt closing is a "necessary evil" of the spring loaded valve.

[Fishhawk]

This noise is water hammer caused by the rapid close toilet valve abruptly stopping the flowing water and causing the water to back up in the line until it hits something else
Making the hammer like clunking sound

I had the same issue with our Cougar

Google "water hammer arrestors" and several products will come up.

I made a simple, but effective arrestor out of a short piece of 1 1/2" pvc pipe and a couple of fittings (less than $8.00 total)
I plumbed this devise in series with the water pipe feeding the toilet and installed it in a vertical position
Now when the valve closes, the toilet water flow has a temp place to go and the noise causing energy is depleted because it is compressing the residual air trapped in the devise instead of backing up in the line and clunking


Before making the connection from arrestor to water line, I added a small amount of air to the devise to augment the air that was already there and help absorb the energy

Or maybe just buy the arrestor already made, install and no more clunk

Hope this helps

Originally Posted by Brantlaker

So in the middle of the nite the DW goes to the Head flushes the commode releases the lever and there is a loud clunk, we have had the 5er 2 years now and the noise now bothers her. Is there anything that can be done? or is it one of lifes little pleasures that we have to endure?

[Brantlaker]

Thanks will try one of the store bought ones.
Gary

[Sherwood]

I bought the Sharkbite brand water hammer arrestor from Amazon for $30. Works perfect and very easy to install.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[suza]

Can anyone answer this:

If we choose to live with the "clunking" can the hammering of the water lines do serious damage? I'm willing to put up with the clunk, but not if there could be serious consequences.

[Fishhawk]

Water hammer , severe enough, can certainly cause damage.
When I was in the water industry, I was often called out to job sites
To design a "fix" where large water lines had water hammered the fixtures
Off the wall or blew apart pumping stations

Murphy's law also says
when something is making an unusual noise.... Bad Things are
Gonna happen sooner or later....


In the case of camper water lines, the pipe is normally only 1/2"-5/8" in diameter so there shouldnt be enough back flow water volumn to wreck to much havoc on fixtures

The main thing I would watch for is for those little sneaky leaks due to the fittings becoming loosen by the water hammer

Eliminating Water hammer in a camper is
Easy to do and inexpensive

Hope this helps

Originally Posted by suza

Can anyone answer this:

If we choose to live with the "clunking" can the hammering of the water lines do serious damage? I'm willing to put up with the clunk, but not if there could be serious consequences.

[suza]

Thanks. "An Ounce of Prevention . . . . . . "