making an old toilet low flow - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

canuckguy · 09-16-2005, 05:55 AM

I have an old toilet in my laundry room that I would like to make run on less water. The toilet is barely used and I would like to make it run on less water for the savings in cost and its just a waste of water. Its an older style toilet so I tried adjusting the float so it was allow the lowest rise of water in the tank. It still fills up a ton of water in the bowl. So next I tried adding filler to the tank, bags of sand. That worked in one sense, the water now is very low in the toilet, but when you go to flush the crapper it takes two flushes to empty the bowl.
When you flush the first time it fills up the bowl but does not empty, the second time you flush it then empties the bowl. Kinda defeats the purpose of low flow.
Is it possible that the toilet just needs a high level of water to operate or does anyone know of any tips for this? thanks again.

JStrider · 09-16-2005, 06:09 AM

try less sand... so theres more water...

or you could use glass bottles or rocks or pretty much anything that will displace the water...

and if it doesnt have a powerful enough flush take some of the displacing material out of the tank...

Charlatan · 09-16-2005, 06:11 AM

If you buy some toilet dams you should find the fix you are looking for:

You can adjust them so they hold back just the right amount of water.

canuckguy · 09-16-2005, 07:22 AM

thanks for the ideas! gonna give it another shot.

shakran · 09-16-2005, 08:35 AM

the reason you have to flush it twice is because you did what you wanted to - converted it to a low-flow toilet. There's a reason the better low flow toilets have all sorts of crazy systems in them to increase the power of their flushes. I even saw one that forces the water down with compressed air. Low flow toilets use more water than the old style toilets because the average user ends up flushing at least twice instead of the one time the old way used. It's another example of a bullshit environmental movement that took hold and ended up being worse for the environment than the thing it replaced. Kinda like ethanol, hydrogen cars, etc etc etc.

In other words, enjoy your old-style toilet. Not many of us have them anymore, but we sure do miss them!

canuckguy · 09-16-2005, 09:28 AM

my main bathroom has a low flow toilet, it barely has any water in the bowl and it only takes 1 flush to empty it. I still might try the damn thing. or i'm gonna start to piss in the laundry sink....kidding of course!

j8ear · 09-16-2005, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakran

awesome, sage, and poignant words.

Agreed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakran

being worse for the environment than the thing it replaced. Kinda like ethanol, hydrogen cars...

And recycling, believe it or not!

-bear

kazoo · 09-16-2005, 05:32 PM

As a contractor, I've been selling toilets for a number of years. When the low flow mandate was passed, manufacturers loosely fell into two groups: those with the $ for R & D, and the ones who wished they did. Kohler, American Standard, and Toto produced good products that function well. The others came up with a pile of modifications to their existing china that would make Rube Goldberg blush. Increasing the diameter of the flush waterway, changes to the surface space of bowl water and other engineering changes enable quality 1.6 toilets to work. You can fuss with lots of "fixes" for the older flow toilets, but they're about as likely to be effective as the fine-print ads in the back of Popular Science promising 100 MPG on regular gas with the Platinum plated Optimizer™ that attaches to your air filter and a vacuum hose.

canuckguy · 09-17-2005, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazoo

As a contractor, I've been selling toilets for a number of years. When the low flow mandate was passed, manufacturers loosely fell into two groups: those with the $ for R & D, and the ones who wished they did. Kohler, American Standard, and Toto produced good products that function well. The others came up with a pile of modifications to their existing china that would make Rube Goldberg blush. Increasing the diameter of the flush waterway, changes to the surface space of bowl water and other engineering changes enable quality 1.6 toilets to work. You can fuss with lots of "fixes" for the older flow toilets, but they're about as likely to be effective as the fine-print ads in the back of Popular Science promising 100 MPG on regular gas with the Platinum plated Optimizer™ that attaches to your air filter and a vacuum hose.

understood. I think it will have to go with "if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown send it down" mantra. I might replace the toilet as well, but since its only in the "guy" area of the house, yes i do the laundry then it might just stay. thanks again everyone.

noblejr · 09-18-2005, 07:40 AM

You could install a flapper with an adjustable float on the chain. You can adjust the float up and down the chain and it will cut off the water flow after the water level in the tank drops to a certain amount. But when you need that "power flush" you just hold the lever down as long as you need, up to a full flush.

Demeter · 09-18-2005, 08:24 AM

Even if you were only able to displace a little water each time you flush, by using a bottle or a brick or two, at least it is some water saved.

09-16-2005, 05:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
canuckguy I read your emails. Location: earth	making an old toilet low flow I have an old toilet in my laundry room that I would like to make run on less water. The toilet is barely used and I would like to make it run on less water for the savings in cost and its just a waste of water. Its an older style toilet so I tried adjusting the float so it was allow the lowest rise of water in the tank. It still fills up a ton of water in the bowl. So next I tried adding filler to the tank, bags of sand. That worked in one sense, the water now is very low in the toilet, but when you go to flush the crapper it takes two flushes to empty the bowl. When you flush the first time it fills up the bowl but does not empty, the second time you flush it then empties the bowl. Kinda defeats the purpose of low flow. Is it possible that the toilet just needs a high level of water to operate or does anyone know of any tips for this? thanks again.

09-16-2005, 06:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
JStrider Poo-tee-weet? Location: The Woodlands, TX	try less sand... so theres more water... or you could use glass bottles or rocks or pretty much anything that will displace the water... and if it doesnt have a powerful enough flush take some of the displacing material out of the tank... __________________ -=JStrider=- ~Clatto Verata Nicto

09-16-2005, 06:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	If you buy some toilet dams you should find the fix you are looking for: You can adjust them so they hold back just the right amount of water. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

09-16-2005, 05:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
kazoo Psycho Location: Where the night things are	As a contractor, I've been selling toilets for a number of years. When the low flow mandate was passed, manufacturers loosely fell into two groups: those with the $ for R & D, and the ones who wished they did. Kohler, American Standard, and Toto produced good products that function well. The others came up with a pile of modifications to their existing china that would make Rube Goldberg blush. Increasing the diameter of the flush waterway, changes to the surface space of bowl water and other engineering changes enable quality 1.6 toilets to work. You can fuss with lots of "fixes" for the older flow toilets, but they're about as likely to be effective as the fine-print ads in the back of Popular Science promising 100 MPG on regular gas with the Platinum plated Optimizer™ that attaches to your air filter and a vacuum hose. __________________ There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity -Big Daddy

09-18-2005, 08:24 AM	#11 (permalink)
Demeter Psycho	Even if you were only able to displace a little water each time you flush, by using a bottle or a brick or two, at least it is some water saved. __________________ I am not bound to please thee with my answers. William Shakespeare

09-16-2005, 07:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
canuckguy I read your emails. Location: earth	thanks for the ideas! gonna give it another shot.

09-16-2005, 08:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	the reason you have to flush it twice is because you did what you wanted to - converted it to a low-flow toilet. There's a reason the better low flow toilets have all sorts of crazy systems in them to increase the power of their flushes. I even saw one that forces the water down with compressed air. Low flow toilets use more water than the old style toilets because the average user ends up flushing at least twice instead of the one time the old way used. It's another example of a bullshit environmental movement that took hold and ended up being worse for the environment than the thing it replaced. Kinda like ethanol, hydrogen cars, etc etc etc. In other words, enjoy your old-style toilet. Not many of us have them anymore, but we sure do miss them!

09-16-2005, 09:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
canuckguy I read your emails. Location: earth	my main bathroom has a low flow toilet, it barely has any water in the bowl and it only takes 1 flush to empty it. I still might try the damn thing. or i'm gonna start to piss in the laundry sink....kidding of course!

09-18-2005, 07:40 AM	#10 (permalink)
noblejr Crazy Location: Atlanta	You could install a flapper with an adjustable float on the chain. You can adjust the float up and down the chain and it will cut off the water flow after the water level in the tank drops to a certain amount. But when you need that "power flush" you just hold the lever down as long as you need, up to a full flush.