Caroma Dual Flush watersense toilet review

[Reader Review]

We have now had a Caroma toilet for about 3 years. I am pleased that I am using an environmentally sound product, but agree with a previous post that there is a learning curve to target BM's directly over the small and distant pool of water at the bottom of the bowl. Adults catch on quickly, but my 10 year old daughter either lacks the physical prowess or understanding of the principle involved to achieve 'direct hits' leading to very messy bowls. Unfortunately, it is in the children's bathroom. Guests also are unaware of the technique involved and I do not make it a habit to give out specific instructions, leaving them with some embarrassment and me with more cleaning! I would not have purchased this toilet had I known the drawbacks. Surely Caroma is aware of this problem and is working on a feasible solution. I recently noted my local Supermarket had a Caroma toilet in their public washroom and I can't even begin to imagine the mess - I don't think it will last long.

Meggie
British Columbia, Canada

Caroma toilets in the Seattle area
Environmentally friendly and green building product.

Click here to view Caroma product information and installation

[dirk Vissers]

After a testing period off 3 months and 6 different toilets ,we decided to go with Coroma tasman 270 for 50 suites.
First thing Housekeeping has to be a little more alert.
But no other problems after 2 years with 50 toilets in a busy Hotel, I believe we proved here that they have a good product.
Toto we use in other suites where we have no room for coroma (banjo Top).
Again a good product , but her we have to go and help and do the pluch.
Western and Crane we removed after the test periode.

Caroma toilets in the Seattle area

[Cass]

Can you recall if you have had any Coromas or Totos back up / clog up on you?

[Mike50]

Originally Posted by dirk Vissers

After a testing period off 3 months and 6 different toilets ,we decided to go with Coroma tasman 270 for 50 suites.
First thing Housekeeping has to be a little more alert.
But no other problems after 2 years with 50 toilets in a busy Hotel, I believe we proved here that they have a good product.
Toto we use in other suites where we have no room for coroma (banjo Top).
Again a good product , but her we have to go and help and do the pluch.
Western and Crane we removed after the test periode.

Hi Dirk,
Curious if you can share elaborate any further about the test results.
Caroma & Toto.
Interested in Aquia in particular.

thanks,

Mike

[dirk Vissers]

Mike,
The utility bill in the Hotel whent down big time.
We keep installing them in the other rooms and the newer one piece Caravelle has way less problems with the strike problems and the look is more Classy.
So far we had a maybe two are three clog up problems and this over the so far installed +-65 toilets.Again in a busy family hotel , where cleaness is VERY IMPORTAND.
The ToTo +-25 installed, here we have more problems with Clog up. BUt not like the old AS - Crane 20L.
Both Toilets No Back ups.
A lot of guest even required information,over the coroma.
Ciao
If more question, just ask
D.

[Mike50]

Originally Posted by dirk Vissers

Mike,
The utility bill in the Hotel whent down big time.
We keep installing them in the other rooms and the newer one piece Caravelle has way less problems with the strike problems and the look is more Classy.
So far we had a maybe two are three clog up problems and this over the so far installed +-65 toilets.Again in a busy family hotel , where cleaness is VERY IMPORTAND.
The ToTo +-25 installed, here we have more problems with Clog up. BUt not like the old AS - Crane 20L.
Both Toilets No Back ups.
A lot of guest even required information,over the coroma.
Ciao
If more question, just ask
D.

I think that people like you set an example to begin changing bathroom habits of the public.
As I've said before changing life long behaviour is a more complex problem than simply a technology switch/upgrade.

Human nature is that we want the current generation of dual flushers to work just as efficiently
100% of the time as traditional models.
THAT is a pretty tall order for any New product.

I also have experienced a meaningful water bill decline.
It's a win-win. Saving money and conserving water.

I am still curious about how your guests find out about the dual flush feature and their reactions/comments.

Mike

[dirk Vissers]

Originally Posted by Mike50

I think that people like you set an example to begin changing bathroom habits of the public.
As I've said before changing life long behaviour is a more complex problem than simply a technology switch/upgrade.

Human nature is that we want the current generation of dual flushers to work just as efficiently
100% of the time as traditional models.
THAT is a pretty tall order for any New product.

I also have experienced a meaningful water bill decline.
It's a win-win. Saving money and conserving water.

I am still curious about how your guests find out about the dual flush feature and their reactions/comments.

Mike

Mike,
I have to admid that convincing the owner and General Manager was not easy, (i'm maintenance manager). ones they give me a change to prove that this workes and not only on paper, and from the moment the saw results everyone was/is supportive and very pleased with this.
Guest adapt very quick, we have very rare comments about not finding the flush handle, when they first use the Toilet but they figger it out very quickly,
Habbits do change.
For travellers from Europe it even easer because the are use to it and are happy to see that we do something to help the enviroment.
Another extra is the skirted look : less dirt corners etc.
Ciao
D.

Caroma toilets in the Seattle area

[AL_2007]

I am considering installing one of these dual flush toilets. This is mainly to save water as well as to stop overflooding my drain field.
My question is do I need to install both bowl and tank, or is it possible to install the tank on my existing American Standard 1.6 gpf bowl?
On the Caroma website, they do sell the tank on its own but they say a Caroma bowl is recommended. I am not sure if there is any series compatibility problem.

[Cass]

Get the bowl also as the bowl is designed to work in conjunction with the tank. I have installed many and they are great toilets the 1 draw back is they have a small water spot.

I installed 7 in my church and we haven't had 1 clog in 3 years. You can even flush solids with the 1/2 flush.

[AL_2007]

Originally Posted by Cass

Get the bowl also as the bowl is designed to work in conjunction with the tank. I have installed many and they are great toilets the 1 draw back is they have a small water spot.

I installed 7 in my church and we haven't had 1 clog in 3 years. You can even flush solids with the 1/2 flush.

Thanks for the advise. I would have to do that (if I could get the wife to approve the bill!). I've just been doing some measurement and it looks like the distance between the two connecting bolts of the tank to the seat are not the same when comparing the American Standard with this model. So a complete set of bowl and tank is necessary.

I've just been to the local Home Depot and Lowes and both of them do not have any dual flush toilets! I guess its due to lack of demand for such water saving toilets. What a shame.

[Cass]

Even if they did there are few toilets that flush well.

Click here to view Caroma product information and installation

[dirk Vissers]

Originally Posted by AL_2007

I am considering installing one of these dual flush toilets. This is mainly to save water as well as to stop overflooding my drain field.
My question is do I need to install both bowl and tank, or is it possible to install the tank on my existing American Standard 1.6 gpf bowl?
On the Caroma website, they do sell the tank on its own but they say a Caroma bowl is recommended. I am not sure if there is any series compatibility problem.

Get the whole unit it will really works the best , because there are design that way and the look good at te same time
D

[AL_2007]

Originally Posted by dirk Vissers

Get the whole unit it will really works the best , because there are design that way and the look good at te same time
D

Yeah, I figured that out after seeing the video on the Caroma website. Apparently the bowl is different than the American ones and it has a much bigger diameter trap.

[dirk Vissers]

Originally Posted by AL_2007

Yeah, I figured that out after seeing the video on the Caroma website. Apparently the bowl is different than the American ones and it has a much bigger diameter trap.

Enjoy them , They really work!
D

[dantheman]

We've had a Caravell in our house nearly two years, and my housemates that use it complain about the clunky feel to the flush button. It also doesn't seem to work well on the half-flush often, and they are double flushing. And they are green hippie types ;-).

I'm about ready to have a plumber come look at it to see if there is something wrong with it.. but at $80 an hour, I could get a new Toto for a few hours of a service call.

[tonykarns]

I think the idea of low volume flush toilets, 1.6 or less is a good idea for water conservation purposes but in our neck of the woods (milwaukee wisconsin) they create nothing but trouble on lake front homes built before 1960. Drainage systems were designed with low pitch 5" clay and or cast iron piping which were built for 3.5 gallon or higher flush toilets. Sure the new toilets may force the solids out of the bowl quickly and reliably but when it comes to getting the solids to the street with one, two, or three flushes on the long runs forget it. The solids, on a steady basis, build up in the pipe and cause back up problems because the new toilets just dont produce enough water to move the solids at a steady enough rate to keep the systems from backing up on occasion. Even though this produces a steady income for me, snaking out drain systems, it is a nightmare for many home owners. Old 3.5 gallon flush toilets are worth their weight in gold in this area even though they are illegal to install and I wont install them. The homeowners dont care about the cost of their water in this area compared to the cost of having me come out to unclog drain systems. Point is: low water volume may be good if you have alot of people using many toilets on the same drainage system but when it comes to older homes they can cause more problems than they are worth. When people have to flush the toilet 3 times just to keep things moving where does the water conservation factor come in? Be careful on older homes and dont be so quick to change out older 3.5 gallon flush toilets unless the homeowner is aware of the potential results. Add one tampax to the equation and the lack of forceful volume of water creates an even better income for me.

[Cass]

There must be other factors as 3.5 probably isn't going to get it to the street on a long run anyway.

The showers / tub, kitchen sink and laundry water will.

I live in an area where there are plenty of 6, 5, and 4" clay lines and there are no problems with low volume toilets clogging the lines unless they were installed wrong, roots or broken.

[Ec5]

Gotta love those Aussies. Hardly any water in the bowl. How weird!

I now line the bowl with about 9 squares of T.P.(3 vertical rows of 3 squares each-covering the hole and sides), and haven't had to clean since (maybe I just have good targeting powers).

I love the way the low flush only takes about 15 seconds for the water noise to stop (about 30 seconds for full flush). However, I need to be a little more forceful when pressing the low flush button, so that it goes down far enough to flush properly, although I'm used to it now (height of flush buttons can also be adjusted with a screwdriver, from inside the tank, if needed).

Also, I found the regular seat very uncomfortable (it also didn't sit flat on the bowl, on the front underside feet; unless I loosened the wingnuts fully). Either way, it's the worst seat I've ever used and can't believe it's not flatter! Ouch!!

I got tired of having the oddly angled edges of the seat dig into my legs (causing red lines), and simply changed to a flat oak seat. No more pain now!

Other than occasionally not pushing the low flush button, far enough down, (causing no paper to be flushed-even the installer failed to push it down far enough, at first), the awful seat and the extra lining of the bowl with T.P., I have no other complaints.

[Reader Review]

We've had our Caroma for over a year now and have sporadically had problems with the valve not seating after both half- and full-flushes. We have jiggled the innards to try to realign them and end up most times removing the tank lid and pushing the center piece down so the valve seats. Sometimes the problem will resolve itself, for a while, then reoccur. At one point we sprayed vegetable oil on the sliding mechanisms and that worked for a while, but then mold grew on the plastic parts. No one else seems to have this problem. What is the solution?
M. Wall

Click here to view Caroma product information and installation


Inside the Caroma Sydney tank

[Reader Review]

Hi Terry,
I have a question about purchasing a new toilet. Our existing toilet constantly needs plunging. Our daughters BM is rather large in diameter and doesn't seem to go down. I'm tossed between the Toto drake, Gerber ultra flush, and the Kohler cemmaron. The toilet that I want to replace is on the second floor of our home and I'm not sure what model I currently have. Probably just your basic toilet from when they built the home. I would like a toilet that would never need plunging again. I went to a Toto distributor and watched how the G-Max system works. I'm wondering if it has enough power to suck down my daughters BM. What are your thoughts? Does it make a difference if the BM is larger than the trap?
Please help, I'm tired of plunging! Although, I have become quite good at it, It is getting old.
Thank you,
Catherine
March 24 2008

For your daughter, I would get a Caroma
www.caromausa.com

The Kohler would be worthless, and the Gerber and the Toto better.
But for larger than normal, go with Caroma.
www.terrylove.com/crtoilet.htm

Terry,
Thank you for the recommendation. I purchased the Caroma and we are very pleased. I have not had to plunge since.

Thank you,
Catherine
June 22 2008