Need advice on replacement toilet for restaurant

[Drew Wathey]

My parents own a restaurant and I would like them to replace their current toilets because they use 110 cubic meters of water month. 110 cubic meters of water use per month is a several hundred dollar water bill per month since we live in the Caribbean and water price is based on the price of fuel.

The current toilets we have are 10 year old 1.6gpf American Standard that are constantly breaking down. We need toilets that can handle 100+ flushes a day with reliability. The water supply line is 3/4" and the water pressure is barely 25psi. I believe the rough is a standard 12", but I'm not 100% sure. We, also, have one urinal that is constantly getting clogged and would like to replace that as well.

What toilets and a urinal would you recommend for commercial use?

 

[Standardairconditioner]

There's nothing wrong with a 10 year old American Standard 1.6 Gpf, the problem is that a commercial business should NOT be using residential toilets.

You need a commercial toilet.

One example is the American Standard Madera 1.28 gpf. This toilet would already cut your water usage by 25% and definitely "not break down" since it is tankless.

If you can get electricity wired into the stalls, you can even use a electronic valve, which may produce less wear.

These types of toilets are commonly found in schools, public restroom, any place that is not a private home.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

Kohler makes a 1 gallon pressure assist toilet with a flushmate tank.
That may work too. K-3519
TOTO makes a 1 gallon version of their Drake II, CST454CUFG
Niagara makes a 1 gallon, Stealth.

The 10 YO American Standard was never very good. Their Cadet is much improved over what they had ten years ago.

 

[WJcandee]

At 25psi, forget about the flushometer toilet, with all respect to Standard AC. I think he probably didn't see that.

For what its worth, most automatic flushometers these days will work on a battery and Toto makes one that recharges itself by the water rushing by. But not at 25psi.

Terry is right on about the pressure-assist.

If you don't want it to clog, it's a balance. I think 1.28 might be the right balance. A 1.28gpf Toto Drake CST744E might give you sufficient ruggedness and resistance to clogging, while still using somewhat less water than your horrible American Standard. Terry installed some Drakes at his church.

The 1.0gpf pressure-assist that Terry recommends might be fine. But 100 flushes a day I think require a rugged toilet. You might find the Drake handle needs to be replaced after just a few years at that volume, but it's an easy and relatively-inexpensive replacement.

 

[Jadnashua]

To use a flushometer type toilet valve requires a significant sized water supply line to it, and better water pressure. I think the minimum is around 40psi. They can be used in a home, but your average home does not have that size supply line, and unless designed for it, even if they do, that size line is rarely run into the bathroom, making it a mute point.

 

[Reach4]

What toilets and a urinal would you recommend for commercial use?

http://www.map-testing.com/content/info/menu/urinals-and-heus.html may have some info.

If you wanted to use FlushoMeter urinals, it seems to me that you could use a diaphragm pressure tank, such as are used for wells, to provide the surge to the urinals through a big pipe from that tank.

There are also waterless urinals that you could search out info for.

 

[Drew Wathey]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. Out of the suggestions so far which do you think has the most readily available components for repair because I can guarantee the hardware stores down here don't have the same selection of repair parts available in Canada and the USA.

I was considering a waterless urinal as replacement for their current urinal, but I don't think it would be a good idea because it wouldn't get the proper maintenance needed to keep it running effectively. I'm leaning towards the 0.125gpf Maybrook Urinal from American Standard, but not sure if it's any good.

 

[Reach4]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. Out of the suggestions so far which do you think has the most readily available components for repair

Toto Drake II.