# Fluidmaster Pro 45B



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Other then the brass shank, red cap and different box....what is the difference then the big box version that happy homeowner can get?


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

Nothing that I can see, the reason I use the brass shank ones are because the customer "can't" get them @Blowes/ HomeDepot!


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## Drumma Plumma (Jun 5, 2012)

Plumbergeek said:


> Nothing that I can see, the reason I use the brass shank ones are because the customer "can't" get them @Blowes/ HomeDepot!


I have seen a few broken 45B's at the supply house. It's just a brass shank (nipple) with plastic molded around it. I don't think it's worth the extra few bucks unless you use flexies with brass connector nuts.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

The guy at fergusons asked me why i don't install FM and I told him that I don't like DIY junk and also told him about how the shanks that would split. He said he'd never heard of it and that all the other plumbers install them. A month later, he showed my the new 45B and said they re-tooled a pro version because of the shanks splitting and it was only available to professionals. I laughed and told him that I still wouldn't install them, but I hope all the other plumbers install them, they're good for business. I install Korky, btw.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

I stopped buying the pro-45 b and switched to the WB Hush Valve with brass shank. Seems like a fine unit to me. Not had any problems with them that I can think of.


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## Drumma Plumma (Jun 5, 2012)

Indie said:


> I stopped buying the pro-45 b and switched to the WB Hush Valve with brass shank. Seems like a fine unit to me. Not had any problems with them that I can think of.


I put one of those in an older Kohler toilet in my house last year. "Hush" seems quite ironic as my wife commented that the toilet filling was a lot louder that same day. It was true too. Way louder than the FM it replaced. BTW, the WB Hush is the same as a fill valve that you can buy at Walmart, just with different colors. No thanks.

I've never cared for those Korky valves. You can buy those at HD too.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

We should just start using old school brass fillvalves with float balls.. They last much longer and are sweet:thumbup:

But.. The fluidmaster is the best cheap readily available, reliable fill valve available.. I use the pro 45. I've never liked the idea of plastic molded around brass.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Pro 45B is the same POS you can get at home depot, only a fancier one.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

They used to make a fluidmaster 200 (old brown kind that weren't anti-siphon) that had brass shanks.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

fluidmaster 400 !!!!! ya come on


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> We should just start using old school brass fillvalves with float balls.. They last much longer and are sweet:thumbup:
> 
> But.. The fluidmaster is the best cheap readily available, reliable fill valve available.. I use the pro 45. I've never liked the idea of plastic molded around brass.


I found one in storage and put it in. Thing sounded like freight train!:laughing:

Replaced with Korky.


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## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

Indie said:


> I stopped buying the pro-45 b and switched to the WB Hush Valve with brass shank. Seems like a fine unit to me. Not had any problems with them that I can think of.


I have installed a few hundred Hush Valves with the plastic shank without issue. The same with WB Plastic flush valves and their tank to bowl kits. Works well for me.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Drumma Plumma said:


> I put one of those in an older Kohler toilet in my house last year. "Hush" seems quite ironic as my wife commented that the toilet filling was a lot louder that same day. It was true too. Way louder than the FM it replaced. BTW, the WB Hush is the same as a fill valve that you can buy at Walmart, just with different colors. No thanks.
> 
> I've never cared for those Korky valves. You can buy those at HD too.


But did you switch over the insert?


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

89plumbum said:


> I found one in storage and put it in. Thing sounded like freight train!:laughing:
> 
> Replaced with Korky.


 What noise???


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> What noise???


:laughing:


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## Drumma Plumma (Jun 5, 2012)

JK949 said:


> But did you switch over the insert?


What insert?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Drumma Plumma said:


> What insert?


If the Kohler originally had a Fluidmaster style fill valve, there is an insert in the barb that the tube connects to. You're supposed to swap this to the new valve to keep the fill quiet.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Drumma Plumma said:


> What insert?


If I had to guess, as if it were not easy enough to install a Fluidmaster, some people actually pull the retaining ring on the shaft up and remove the portion attached to the float and leave the old o-rings. How's that for sorry. Owners son was running around doing it.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

JK949 said:


> If the Kohler originally had a Fluidmaster style fill valve, there is an insert in the barb that the tube connects to. You're supposed to swap this to the new valve to keep the fill quiet.


No Kidding? Huh...learned something new.


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## Drumma Plumma (Jun 5, 2012)

JK949 said:


> If the Kohler originally had a Fluidmaster style fill valve, there is an insert in the barb that the tube connects to. You're supposed to swap this to the new valve to keep the fill quiet.


I must be slow, I still don't follow. Are you talking about the barb for the refill tube?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Drumma Plumma said:


> I must be slow, I still don't follow. Are you talking about the barb for the refill tube?


Yes. Where the tube connects to the fill valve is a small imsert. The Kohler branded valves include them, fluidmaster doesn't so you need to swap the old one onto the new one.


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