Water Leak From Concealed Cistern

[davidk65]

We have a walk-in shower room. It is fitted with Roper Rhodes furniture in particular with a BTW WC unit with concealed cistern and BTW pan.
I have just noticed that there is a collection of clear/clean water on the floor around the base of the pan where it sits on the floor. I have a feeling that it is coming from inside the white paneling that contains the cistern, dropping down on to the floor and coming out of the lower edge of the back panel against which the BTW pan sits (there is a gap between the panel and the floor). The back panel is split in two with the top section containing the push buttons for the cistern flush.
Question: How do I remove this panel and when it's off, would I be able to deal with the leak without removing the pan

[malagabob]

Before trying to gain access to the cistern, try and ascertain its not the pan connector or flush pipe connector leaking first. Flush a few times, see if the pool of water increases.

[The Builder]

Bob's right there. The flushpipe is the first I'd go for.

Impossible to say how to remove the panel. There are so many ways it can be fitted in the first place. If there are no obvious screws, then it may be that the pan would have to be removed first... to uncover the fixings.
Not normally a big job to take out the pan.

With everything out of the way, having a look around will identify the leak easily.

[davidk65]

Hi Thanks to both for your response. Have tried the "flush test" without any obvious increase in the amount of water . The leakage is more of the order drips rather than a full flow,that appears to have built up overtime. Having dried the floor I placed toilet paper along the bottom of the back panel and the floor, this was quickly wet.
Because the toilet bowl is fitted flush to this panel I can't see anything of the pipe work i.e. the sewage outlet or flush pipe. Not sure what to do next.

[The Builder]

It all depends on how the cistern has been enclosed. It's sometimes possible to go in from the top... through a detachable cover. That isn't likely to give you access to the back of the pan though (flushpipe and soil connection.)

I have usually found that a combination of the two is needed. Top access plus front access.

The pan may be screwed to the floor. It may have a silicone bead sealing it to the floor (which would have to be cut with a Stanley knife.)

Any chance of putting up a pic on Photobucket or similar?

[davidk65]

Thank you. I can take the pictures of the fittings but have never posted them before. How easy is it to do that and what is "Photobucket"?
But here is a description of the toilet set up.
The unit stands off the wall 230 mm. This is "capped" with a work top running a cross the toilet unit wall to wall.
The underside of the top and the floor is filled with a panel in two parts behind which is the cistern and the plumbing. The top panel section is some 200 mm deep which houses the flush controls. Below this top section is a longer panel reaching the floor against which the toilet pan butts up against. Having looked at a brochure showing concealed cistern, the back panel has a hole through which the soil pipe from the pan passes. I wonder if the installers cut a hole or just slotted the the panel so that the panel slid down over the pipes? The pan sits directly on the floor and on each side of the pan there are two chrome capped covers which presumably cover the fixing screws.
At the moment we have visitors and I don't want to start dismantling things until they have gone. Fortunately we have another toilet which can be used whilst the other has towels around the pan to soak up the clean water that appears which does not seem to be related to the flushing side of things.

[buildersmate]

Unless the top of the unit has an obvious hinge or removal panel, access is effected through the front. The top panel is detachable, often on clips. The bottom one is also detachable if necessary, and is cut to shape to allow the soil pipe to emerge at the bottom. Often silicone is used to seal less than perfect cutting. It sounds like both panels will have to come off to give you decent visibility of what is behind.

[malagabob]

All depends on whether the cistern is fixed to the inside face of the top panel or is fixed to the wall behind the panel. Have a look for where the lid joins. any good plumber would have left means of access for maintenance.(Plumbing quote. Always install for maintenance .You might be the one who comes to maintain it) . 1 or 2 of those suction pullers applied to the highest front panel . Dont try and lever with screwdriver, it may chip the surface.

[davidk65]

Our visitors have departed and I have been able to make progress. I had to remove the worktop to enable me to remove a sliding panel that slid down the front of the unit and the rear of the toilet pan. With this removed I was able to get to the cistern and the flush pipe. The cistern is secured to the back of the unit and is not on a metal support frame. The leak is from the joint on the base of the cistern, where the flush pipe enters the cistern. can't any form of a water tight gland/nut that attaches the flush pipe to the cistern, all I can see is a circular boss, part of the cistern, through which the pipe enters and the water flows out. I assume that inside this boss there must be some sort of seal that goes around the pipe to prevent a leak, but I can't see any. The leak is constant does not increase or decrease when the toilet is flushed
The cistern is fitted with a Geberit dual flush valve, the type which is also has an internal overflow to the toilet pan. Presumably to repair the leak I will have to drain the cistern and remove this valve to fit the seal (when I find what type it is), but looking into the cistern I can't see how the valve is fitted to the base and how the flush pipe is accommodated.

[davidk65]

Just to round thing off here. First thanks to those who posted answers/advice.
The cistern is a Geberit cistern fitted with their fill and dual flush valves. The cistern is fitted inside of Roper Rhodes bathroom floor standing units, the cistern being fixed to the back panel with wood screws (no metal Frame). On removing the cistern completely I found that a rubber seal was fitted inside the bottom boss through which the flush pipe passes. The seal is held in place by a large plastic cir-clip. I contacted Roper Rhodes described the cistern and they sent me a new seal free of charge. Fitted this and re installed everything and all is well. no leak.