So I have a dual flush toilet - Page 2

GaryGary · 08-26-11, 06:21 PM

Hi,
You can get performance testing results on a couple thousand toilets here:
MaP Search | MaP Toilet Testing

Just look for ones with a high MAP score.

Gary

sammy green · 09-06-11, 01:03 PM

Hi, I am also looking to reduce the amount of potable water used to flush our toilet. We don't have the money right now to buy all new toilets, and I am leery of low flow toilets for the flushing problems some of you have mentioned. Some San Jose plumbers have recommended putting a brick in the tank to my sisters. Does anyone know how the water savings of doing this would compare to a low flow toilet?

Quest · 09-06-11, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammy green

Some San Jose plumbers have recommended putting a brick in the tank to my sisters. Does anyone know how the water savings of doing this would compare to a low flow toilet?

If you are referring to the standard 13Litre flush toilet bowls, I'm afraid adding a brick (to displace the water in your tank, thus using less water to flush while maintaining same water level) is not going to help much (in saving water, properly rid of waste, keeping the toilet bowl clean, etc.)

Truth is: in order for 13L toilet bowl to work properly, you still need approx. 13L of water to flush. Cutting the total amount of water used per flush will not cause enough swirl to induce that flow for getting rid of the waste. You ended up having to flush a few more times in order to achieve the desired results which also defies your original intention of saving water.

Save the bucks and get a low flush toilet instead. Try the new Cadet-3 if you can get them on-sale.

Q.

MN Renovator · 09-06-11, 06:12 PM

I have an American Standard 6 liter(1.6 gallon)flush from December of 2004 in my house. Instead of using the rubber flapper it uses a tower that lifts and then when the water is down to where it's used the 1.6 gallons the tower drops down to stop the floor. The opening looks to be 3 inches and it works great. If I ever feel the need for a deeper flush, if I don't pull the handle to where it disengages the handle and waits for the 'tower to drop' it will cycle through the whole tank which is about 3 gallons or so. It isn't a dual-flush but it behaves as a triple flush because I can manipulate the handle to have the open all the way without having it engage the part that holds the tower so it doesn't release when you release the handle and as soon as the water starts going down, which is pretty much right away, I release the handle and based on the fill time between 1.6 gallons and when I'm doing this, it seems to be using about half the water and cleans out all the yellow water and has a decent amount of water coming down while its draining to washdown the bowl. I clean my toilet once a month and there is barely anything to clean so it seems to be working fairly well for me, I could probably go to a 2 month toilet cleaning and probably should considering the disposable toilet paper cleaning pad thing and the chemicals in it but it never seemed like much plus they are cheap at ~$4 for a 12 pack and easiest to use.

I figure the cadet 3 might be better and more automatic.

I've got an old school 1985 toilet downstairs and got a dual flush kit so I can replace my leaky rubber flapper, I'll give it a shot but I thought that if you are using the 'full flush' setting that it would use the same amount of water and get all the brown down? Is there an adjustment issue if that was a problem I'd readjust to allow for a full flush and then use whatever setting is needed to take care of the yellow-to-clear water replacement.

munter · 09-30-11, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quest

Victim: Crane 13L flush toilet --standard, run-of-da-mill stuff gets installed in this area during the 70s. Good flush if you use all 13L of water, decent performance(no clogs).

Quest-TD

13L!! Wow.

We installed a small flush throne a couple of years back and it has a near perfect strike rate a 4.5L for a full flush (3L for a half flush). We run it on rainwater anyway so wouldn't feel bad if we occasionally had to press twice.

S-F · 09-30-11, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by munter

13L!! Wow.

We run it on rainwater anyway so wouldn't feel bad if we occasionally had to press twice.

Mind elaborating?

munter · 09-30-11, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S-F

Mind elaborating?

Our toilets are fed via a pump from our rainwater tanks. We re-plumbed the lines so that cistern filling was done with rainwater while we still use mains water for everything else. Actually we also have the option of washing our clothes in rainwater too. Doing this helped us get our mains water consumption down to less than 150L per day for the whole house.

There's no financial saving in doing this but it does feel better to be using locally sourced water to wash turds instead of precious drinking water. Our sewerage charge is not linked to mains water consumption so there is no cost reduction there either unfortunately.

S-F · 09-30-11, 09:30 AM

Interesting. Do you have any pictures of the apparatus?

Daox · 09-30-11, 09:34 AM

Very interesting. I'd also love to see more info on this.

munter · 09-30-11, 09:45 AM

Not much to see really. Its just a rainwater tank, grundfos pressure pump, copper pipe, a few valves so we can switch back the supply and a toilet. The toilet itself looks pretty normal to me. Its white like pretty much every other toilet!

I did find this post on my blog about the throne.

Renovations08: The castle has a new throne.

Other posts on the blog cover the tanks, pump and pipework if you're interested.

09-06-11, 01:03 PM	#12
sammy green Lurking Renovator Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA Posts: 7 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi, I am also looking to reduce the amount of potable water used to flush our toilet. We don't have the money right now to buy all new toilets, and I am leery of low flow toilets for the flushing problems some of you have mentioned. Some San Jose plumbers have recommended putting a brick in the tank to my sisters. Does anyone know how the water savings of doing this would compare to a low flow toilet? Last edited by Piwoslaw; 10-14-11 at 05:29 AM.. Reason: Edited out links

09-30-11, 09:34 AM	#19
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Very interesting. I'd also love to see more info on this. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

08-26-11, 06:21 PM	#11
GaryGary Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SW Montana Posts: 139 Thanks: 1 Thanked 21 Times in 15 Posts	Hi, You can get performance testing results on a couple thousand toilets here: MaP Search \| MaP Toilet Testing Just look for ones with a high MAP score. Gary

09-06-11, 06:12 PM	#14
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 940 Thanks: 41 Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts	I have an American Standard 6 liter(1.6 gallon)flush from December of 2004 in my house. Instead of using the rubber flapper it uses a tower that lifts and then when the water is down to where it's used the 1.6 gallons the tower drops down to stop the floor. The opening looks to be 3 inches and it works great. If I ever feel the need for a deeper flush, if I don't pull the handle to where it disengages the handle and waits for the 'tower to drop' it will cycle through the whole tank which is about 3 gallons or so. It isn't a dual-flush but it behaves as a triple flush because I can manipulate the handle to have the open all the way without having it engage the part that holds the tower so it doesn't release when you release the handle and as soon as the water starts going down, which is pretty much right away, I release the handle and based on the fill time between 1.6 gallons and when I'm doing this, it seems to be using about half the water and cleans out all the yellow water and has a decent amount of water coming down while its draining to washdown the bowl. I clean my toilet once a month and there is barely anything to clean so it seems to be working fairly well for me, I could probably go to a 2 month toilet cleaning and probably should considering the disposable toilet paper cleaning pad thing and the chemicals in it but it never seemed like much plus they are cheap at ~$4 for a 12 pack and easiest to use. I figure the cadet 3 might be better and more automatic. I've got an old school 1985 toilet downstairs and got a dual flush kit so I can replace my leaky rubber flapper, I'll give it a shot but I thought that if you are using the 'full flush' setting that it would use the same amount of water and get all the brown down? Is there an adjustment issue if that was a problem I'd readjust to allow for a full flush and then use whatever setting is needed to take care of the yellow-to-clear water replacement.

09-30-11, 09:30 AM	#18
S-F You Ain't Me Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northampton MA Posts: 662 Thanks: 6 Thanked 71 Times in 58 Posts	Interesting. Do you have any pictures of the apparatus?

09-30-11, 09:45 AM	#20
munter Lurking Renovator Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Not much to see really. Its just a rainwater tank, grundfos pressure pump, copper pipe, a few valves so we can switch back the supply and a toilet. The toilet itself looks pretty normal to me. Its white like pretty much every other toilet! I did find this post on my blog about the throne. Renovations08: The castle has a new throne. Other posts on the blog cover the tanks, pump and pipework if you're interested.