Toilets of the world

[MrX]

Flush syphon

Ronhic, I'd associate them with continental Europe because they were popularised there in the 1980s. I did not realise they were an australian design.

Dual flush toilets are now mandatory here in Ireland the building regulations. You cannot fit a single flush one anymore, so the traditional syphone cistern with the flush-handle is vanishing in favour of the push-button variety.

The siphon design had the advantage of having no seals so, there was no risk of having a drip-drip leak into the toilet from the cistern.

Although, I have seen no major issues with the dual-flush valve versions either.

Here's a traditional Irish or British syphon valve :
It's operated by the handle on the outside of the toilet pulling on a metal hook that pulls up that hook device on the top of the syphon. That moves a plunger upwards which starts the syphoning process and the tank empties completely. Once the tank's empty, the syphon action stops, so it can safely refill without risking an accidental flush!

 

[MrX]

Full diagram

Here's the full diagram!

 

[MrX]

One of the dual-flush designs in use

Here's a common diagram of a typical dual-flush now mandatory here.

There are other designs, but this is pretty typical.

The button's connected via a cable like a bike brake cable, but it's fully water and bleach resistant i.e. plastic + stainless steel.

 

[gizmo]

As you can see from the location at the top of my posts, I live and work at one of the country's greatest tourist areas - the Great Ocean Road. The restaurant where I work has buses of Japanese tourists every day. We get people of all nationalities, but this particular business specializes is looking after Japanese.

We have a recurring problem with the Japanese using the ladies' toilet. They often leave footprints on the seat, which causes no great problem. however they also use vast wads of toilet paper which blocks the plumbing for the whole place, not just the toilets. My theory is that, as "squatters", the Japanese are disgusted at the idea of actually sitting on the toilet seat, and use long strips of toilet paper to cover the seat before sitting on it.

At home we have two toilets - a standard "very low flush" Caroma (4.5 litres/3 litres) inside, which empties into a worm-farm composting chamber, set into the hill behind the house. That chamber accepts all waste water from the house. (see link)

When we were building, I constructed a non-flushing composting toilet in an outhouse down the hill. It is a concrete chamber with a sloping floor with a composting pile inside and a six inch vent pipe leading to a "whirly vent" on the roof. We still use it as a "second toilet" and it works great. There is absolutely no smell at any time, as there is a constant draft up the vent pipe which carries any bad smells down into the chamber, then up and away. In fact you can feel the draft on your skin. But you don't want to look inside.

At the emptying hatch at the back, what you get out is unrecognizable. It has no unpleasant odour (it smells like garden soil) and looks like tea leaves. It only needs emptying avery few years, as the composting and ventilating reduces the volume by over 90%.

http://www.biolytix.com/detail.php?ID=69

 

[MrX]

You might consider one of these :

This device might reassure them - the self-cleaning toilet seat, I've seen quite a few of them appearing in Ireland in some pubs and restaurants. But, they seemed quite common in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Youtube demo below!

It just requires an RCD 10mA protected 230V socket outlet or fixed wiring connection (as is required here).

 

[mielabor]

Never seen those self-cleaning seats here, but I wished we had them at work

(and self-cleaning floors too!)

 

[panthera]

actually,

the same trick of a few sheets of paper into the US style bowl solves the icky splashing problem, too.

I like the water saving of European toilets, but find the water saving toilets in the US invariably require two flushes or more.

Sign in an antique store toilet in Larimie, Wyoming:

Our pipes are also antique - laid 1896. Please, flush twice. First, to close the 'business', second to sign off on the paperwork.

 

[spankomatic]

Here is a washingmachine toilet combo. It looks like a slot machine to me. Not sure I want the "Jack Pot"....

Jim

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/washer-toilet.php