A ballcock is a device used to fill water tanks without overflow, commonly found in modern toilets. It consists of a floating ball attached to a lever and valve connected to the water inlet. Malfunctioning ballcocks can cause leaks or wasted water. Adjusting the float can make a toilet more efficient. Ball valves are also used in automatic cattle feeders.
A ballcock is a device designed to allow water tanks to be filled without overflow. You may also hear ball valves referred to as fill faucets or valves, and the best known example of a ball valve is the assembly used in most modern toilets. The invention of the ballcock is generally credited to Thomas Crapper, an inventor who devised a variety of toilet-related devices to ensure toilets flushed smoothly and reliably.
There are several parts in a ballcock assembly; for a visual aid, you can open the bathroom to see the various parts of a ball faucet described in this article. The “ball” in the ballcock is a floating ball attached to a lever. The lever, in turn, is connected to a valve that connects to the water inlet. In a toilet, the ballcock is connected to a long tube known as a fill valve, which fills the toilet’s storage tank after the toilet has been flushed.
When the toilet is flushed, a flap opens at the base of the tank, allowing water to flood the toilet. When the water level in the tank drops, so does the ball attached to the ball valve assembly, tripping the lever and opening the water inlet to allow water to flow into the tank. After the wash cycle is complete, the flap drops, creating a seal, and the tank begins to fill. As the tank fills up, the sphere rises with the water level and when it reaches a certain height it actuates the lever again, interrupting the water flow.
A malfunctioning ballcock assembly can cause a toilet to overflow or leak. More classically, a thin stream of water will continuously flow into the bowl, wasting a great deal of water until the ballcock is secured. Most hardware stores sell ball valve assemblies that can be used to replace malfunctioning equipment, and these assemblies are made from a variety of materials, including plastic and metal. As a general rule, metal ballcock assemblies are sturdier, but they are also prone to oxidation.
Since a ballcock assembly is used to regulate the flow of water in a toilet, a toilet can be made more efficient by adjusting the float. Typically a small screw is used to adjust where the flow of water will be stopped; people looking to conserve water can create a lower set point for a full toilet tank, thus reducing the amount of water used to flush. Conversely, a toilet that doesn’t produce enough water with each flush may need a small ball valve adjustment to raise the fill level.
In addition to being used in toilets, ball valves are also used in automatic cattle feeders, among other things.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
