Changing 90deg inlet spigot for straight on Lavac Popular toilet

Tradewinds

Tradewinds

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www.laurelberrystudio.com
As per heading. For some reason Blakes Taylor only offer a 90 degree inlet spigot for the Popular toilet (see pic below). All my existing pipework is for a Lavac zenith which has a straight inlet spigot.

Has anybody managed to source a replacement straight spigot? I don't want to have to cut away great chunks of GRP to accommodate this right angle spigot.

PS. I've talked to Spares Marine who have a straight spigot for the Zenith - unfortunately this does not fit the Popular model.

Ideas, information gratefully received.
TIA

listing-480-6-1-280-198.jpg

Edit: I've already bought the Popular so don't want to buy a more expensive Zenith. Anyhow, it's too late to take it back now!
 
Last edited:
I have a very old Lavac where both the inlet and outlet were fitted in by squashing a rubber grommet by tightening the fitting into the lavac

Can you remove the 90 degree elbow and see if you can replace it with a straight fitting.

The outlet fitting I glued in by using sikaflex after cleaning the hole . My lavac does not have the plastic base its incorporated into the base so not separate
 
Apparently the option of a straight inlet spigot has been brought to Lavac Taylor's attention a few times but they don't seem interested. I believe the early Popular had a straight spigot, indeed the accompanying installation leaflet has an exploded diagram which shows it having a straight spigot. They don't even provide a template for the base fixing holes they suggest making your own template. For a toilet (sans pumps) costing over 200 quid I find that incredible. The leaflet is a crude, homemade looking folded A4 job which would easily accommodate the template dimensions required. British manufacturing at its best.
I shall have a closer look over the weekend to see what can be cobbled up.
 
Can’t help I’m afraid but have you tried removing the right angled pipe c/w collar and taking it to a plumber’s merchant? They might have a solution
 
Tradewinds said:
Apparently the option of a straight inlet spigot has been brought to Lavac Taylor's attention a few times but they don't seem interested. I believe the early Popular had a straight spigot, indeed the accompanying installation leaflet has an exploded diagram which shows it having a straight spigot.
Click to expand...

I didn't think I was old!

P1010242 by Roger Gaspar, on Flickr

That was pre-Chinese though and certainly post 1992.

Not really helpful, is it! 🫢
 
Tradewinds said:
As per heading. For some reason Blakes Taylor only offer a 90 degree inlet spigot for the Popular toilet (see pic below). All my existing pipework is for a Lavac zenith which has a straight inlet spigot.

Has anybody managed to source a replacement straight spigot? I don't want to have to cut away great chunks of GRP to accommodate this right angle spigot.

PS. I've talked to Spares Marine who have a straight spigot for the Zenith - unfortunately this does not fit the Popular model.

Ideas, information gratefully received.
TIA

listing-480-6-1-280-198.jpg

Edit: I've already bought the Popular so don't want to buy a more expensive Zenith. Anyhow, it's too late to take it back now!
Click to expand...
I have just bought this toilet and am having the same issue. Did you manage to resolve? What was your solution please?
Thanks
 
nicola mcl said:
I have just bought this toilet and am having the same issue. Did you manage to resolve? What was your solution please?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes I was able to adapt a straight white plastic hull fitting. 100% successful. The flange on the hull fitting has to be pared down/shaped to match the 90deg fitting supplied. I bought 2 hull fittings (they're cheap) so if I messed up I had a spare to play with. As I recall the flange has to have enough thickness to bevel the edge after being cut down. I sealed the whole thing up with sealant and re-assembled. Sorry to be so vague with the details - it was 2 years ago. I think the original plan was to cut & glue the straight barb onto the original threaded part of the fitting - but I abandoned that idea in favour of adapting the straight hull fitting by creatinfg a cone at the end by grinding back the plastic for the rubber flange. The sealant dealt with any imperfections in the rubber to plastic joint. I let the whole Frankenstein piece cure for a couple of days before I fitted it to the toilet - again with plenty of sealant between the porcelain and plastic (I can't remember the name of the sealant but I think it was a Loctite product which I thought would be tougher than CT1 (which is probably good enough). Let the whole lot cure for a couple of days before fitting the toilet bowl to the pipework - you don't want to disturb any of the seal (bodge).
I hope these photos I found help. PS make sure the nut is a secure fit on the thread and a) doesn't strip off when tightened and b) rotates freely on the skin fitting thread (the one on the 90deg spigot didn't & I used the one that came with the skin fitting).

Edit: The sealant was Loctite 5331 which is specifically made for plastic pipework - from BearingsRus(.co.uk). 100ml £19.53+VAT+shipping (2023). I'm pretty sure this was a recommended product by somebody (Lavac??). Anyway, I paid up as I didn't want the plastic to fail somewhere down the line and have to go through the whole malarky again!!
IMG_0431.JPG
IMG_0432.JPG
Below. The black ring is Ct1 which was applied and left to dry to help with the seal as the shaping wasn't perfect.
IMG_0433.JPG
IMG_0434.JPG
IMG_0435 (1).JPG
I hope this helps.
 
Tradewinds said:
Yes I was able to adapt a straight white plastic hull fitting. 100% successful. The flange on the hull fitting has to be pared down/shaped to match the 90deg fitting supplied. I bought 2 hull fittings (they're cheap) so if I messed up I had a spare to play with. As I recall the flange has to have enough thickness to bevel the edge after being cut down. I sealed the whole thing up with sealant and re-assembled. Sorry to be so vague with the details - it was 2 years ago. I think the original plan was to cut & glue the straight barb onto the original threaded part of the fitting - but I abandoned that idea in favour of adapting the straight hull fitting by creatinfg a cone at the end by grinding back the plastic for the rubber flange. The sealant dealt with any imperfections in the rubber to plastic joint. I let the whole Frankenstein piece cure for a couple of days before I fitted it to the toilet - again with plenty of sealant between the porcelain and plastic (I can't remember the name of the sealant but I think it was a Loctite product which I thought would be tougher than CT1 (which is probably good enough). Let the whole lot cure for a couple of days before fitting the toilet bowl to the pipework - you don't want to disturb any of the seal (bodge).
I hope these photos I found help. PS make sure the nut is a secure fit on the thread and a) doesn't strip off when tightened and b) rotates freely on the skin fitting thread (the one on the 90deg spigot didn't & I used the one that came with the skin fitting).

Edit: The sealant was Loctite 5331 which is specifically made for plastic pipework - from BearingsRus(.co.uk). 100ml £19.53+VAT+shipping (2023). I'm pretty sure this was a recommended product by somebody (Lavac??). Anyway, I paid up as I didn't want the plastic to fail somewhere down the line and have to go through the whole malarky again!!
View attachment 194513
View attachment 194514
Below. The black ring is Ct1 which was applied and left to dry to help with the seal as the shaping wasn't perfect.
View attachment 194515
View attachment 194516
View attachment 194517
I hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Fantastic help, thank you so much for your reply!
 
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