Which uses less water, 1.6 or 1.28?

[jsymon]

I've read in the forums that the 1.28 gpf Eco toilets don't have dual flush (I didn't see this detail in the toilet specs, did I miss it or where do I find it). When I push and release the handle on the 1.6 gpf model the tank only empties about halfway. It empties completely if I hold the handle down. I assume this is what is meant by dual flush.

If most of the flushes are half tank flushes on the 1.6 but all of the flushes on the 1.28 completely empty the tank, might the 1.6 use less water over time?

 

[Terry]

Toto Drake toilet
The dual flush Toto uses two buttons on the top of the tank.

The 1.6 G-Max uses a lever at the side of the tank.
If you flip the lever, the flapper comes up quckly and drops quickly, letting out 1.6 gallons.
If you hold down the lever, you can drain out about 2.5 gallons.
The 1.28 flush works the same, flip the lever, and it drops 1.28 gallons, hold it down, and it drops 2.5 gallons or more.

Toto Aquia with dual flush

The dual flush has a releasing valve that either drops 0.9 gallon, (less than a gallon) or 1.6 gallons.
There is no way to make it use more than 1.6 gallons.

I've used the dual flush, and it has worked very well.
I have the 1.28 gallon Eco flush installed now, and a flip of the lever works fine at 1.28 gallons.
I don't know why you would need to hold the trip lever down unless you like watching all that water whooshing through the bowl.

The 1.28 gallon flush uses less water than the 1.60 gallon flush over time.
The dual flush 0.9/1.6 will use even less over time.
I think that the 1.28 gallon Eco flush is a very good way to go though.

The Toto Drake tank.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

That's a trick question. How much does a 1.6 use if you have to flush it 3 times!

Anyway, the local water authority down here got wise to the fact that they have been giving out $75 rebates since 1992 for 1.6 gallon toilets, and the expected overall water savings just did not materialize, because you could hold the handle down and flush 7 gallons if you were so inclined. And also because the poor performing toilets were being flushed 2 and 3 times. The list of eligible toilets now is much smaller, as the toilet must demontstrate better flush performance, AND must be designed so that holding the handle down will not cause a longer flush.

 

[Terry]

The Toto 1.28 works every time with 1.28 gallons.
There is no double flushing.

Jimbo,
I don't know what toilets you are installing, but they must work like crap.
It might be time to upgrade what you are installing and go with the good stuff.
That argurment that nothing works, only works if you keep buying the stuff that doesn't.

I sell a few thousand toilets a year, and it's mainly repeat business.

 

[hj]

??

I sell a few thousand toilets a year, and it's mainly repeat business

That could be interpreted to mean that the same people are replacing their toilets frequently, because they are trying to find good ones? LOL

 

[Rancher]

Maybe they get dirty and they don't want to clean them

Rancher

 

[Terry]

That could be interpreted to mean that the same people are replacing their toilets frequently, because they are trying to find good ones? LOL

Or that they have found good ones.
I have long time customers that call me every time they move.
I come in with new toilets about the same time the moving vans show up.

There are a lot of good toilets out there that work so well, that nobody even thinks of them as low-flow. I've seen people use them, and then make comments that they don't work, right after using one that did work.
They must think that they don't really exist, yet they are using them when they visit friends and family, and go out to eat and shop.
Last time I went to Canada, I used a Caroma dual flush at Starbucks, and a Toto in my hotel room.
I get customers from Canada that drive down to the Seattle area and buy from me.