Europe vs USA - toilet technology teardown

And now for something completely different. As a break from electronic stuff, here's a teardown of a typical modern toilet flushing unit. I bet there are plenty of plumbers who have installed lots of these without knowing how they actually work.
Each part of the world seems to have a slightly different tech in their toilet cisterns, so I thought it would be interesting to show a couple of versions and get feedback about what you use locally.
Something else that I should have shown is that you can just unclip the flapper valve in the simple American unit to replace it.
One system I didn't mention is the terrifying pressure flush systems in Las Vegas. They use mains water pressure to compress a small amount of water into a pressure vessel against the air in it. When you flush, it fires it with a dump valve horizontally at the bottom of the pan with a loud bang. The cisterns are odd inside because they are dry with just the pressure vessel.
That system is used to conserve water so they can use it to fill the Bellagio fountains instead.
Can I just mention that you rarely find an unemployed plumber. It's one of those jobs that is considered "dirty" (it's mostly not) and is a very good career choice that opens up other future work avenues.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of KZbin's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.

[@CamStLouis]

I love that Clive's first inclination is to shove his hand into a hotel toilet that is displaying indications of being haunted.

[@AndrewKidd14145]

That’s the last possibility in each situation lol

[@Dennan]

well not everybody belive in supernatural stuff like ghost and such.

[@joshua43214]

What you didn't mention and probably didn't know, is that the American float costs about $2.00 and you can swap it out with no tools in about 20 seconds. These also do half flush, turning the ball lets air out faster so it falls close sooner (half flush). You just hold the handle down to get a full flush. Simple, cheap, reliable, and extremely robust.

[@ArtemkaPannat]

01:08 "So I took the lid off the hotel toilet and discovered this" ... holds up holiday souvenir

[@phydeux]

Of all the things I ever thought to steal from hotels, the flusher was never on the list. Hmmm... 🤔

[@cardboardboxification]

Jonathan Sherry and then fit one at home

[@curtw8827]

Its late, can't sleep, might as well take the hotel toilet to bits. The British also are fascinated with the variety of tub/shower controls in the US.

[@KirstyTube]

Omg I'm in tears 😂😂😂😂

[@countzero1136]

@@phydeux Most people are happy with a couple of towels, but Clive is way more hardcore than that :)

[@man_eating_monkey]

When the hotel said "complimentary toiletries", I don't think this is what they had in mind!

[@ELREASON44]

At least you can find an ice machine in every American hotel I have ever seen. The lack of ice in Europe drove me a bit crazy. (There is nothing like nice cold water to get refreshed.)

[@alexku8452]

@@ELREASON44 Usually because it seems across Europe almost no one drinks water or any other beverages at close to frozen temperature like the Americans do. Of course I am sure this may vary quite a buit from north to south, east to west or whatever you look at.

[@techtomato6680]

@@alexku8452 ​ @Eric Levine Hot countries vs cold countries. Rarely gets as hot in the EU as it does in the US. The parts of the EU that do get extremely hot will happily serve iced drinks to tourists, but hotel rooms with ice machines are rare there, as south EU tends to be less wealthy than north EU.

[@bowlampar]

''A toilet full of high tech devices that can fascinate your curious mind. ''

[@5roundsrapid263]

@@alexku8452 True. Iced tea is very popular in the Southern US, but almost nonexistent in the Northeastern states and the Midwest.

[@fuzzelf]

The adjustment that is on the flapper valve of the American valve will change how much water will go into the bowl each time you flush. The small hole in the flapper will slowly allow air to escape the void of the flapper, lowering the buoyancy, so at some point it will lose enough air to allow the flapper to close before the tank empties. Because a flush doesn't empty the tank, you could hold the flush handle down, keeping the flapper open longer, making a "stronger" flush.

[@inyobill]

I have never seen the adjustable flapper style. Are they newer?

[@fuzzelf]

@@inyobill it's typically something you rotate on the flapper. Unless you know it's there, you may not even notice it. All they do is move the 'hole' to allow the air to come out faster.

[@inyobill]

@@fuzzelf Yah, on the many flap-type valves I have installed and maintained, none had it. Simple flaps. I lived in California where they're standard issue for 67 reays (or, however "years" is spelt), before retiring here to the continent.

[@GadgetBoy]

Holy crap. This explains the story my dad tells about his friend's "God save the Queen!" toilet. Background, my dad (an American stationed at RAF Upper Heyford), was visiting a local friend, had to use the toilet, had trouble flushing. Dad: "Uh, I'm having trouble flushing...everything......" Friend: "Oh, that's a British toilet, you have to pull the chain, and say 'God save the queen!', then it'll flush." Dad goes back in, pulls the chain, cries out "God Save The Queen!", and sure enough, the toilet flushed.

[@Vokabre]

The technical term for that is "Royal flush"

[@buillioncubes]

@@Vokabre And everyone knows that a royal flush is better than a full house

[@peehandshihtzu]

Nice!

[@Nuts-Bolts]

If it had a chain it would have had a cast iron bell over the down pipe, and non of the above types. The bell is held by a yoke or bifurcated leaver. One has to pull down smartly and release otherwise the water doesn’t rise high enough to start the syphon and it takes a second and a bit to get flowing. They last without maintenance for generations. P.S. One must stand for God Save the Queen if only to avoid a wet bum.

[@samuelfellows6923]

😆

[@cowboyfrankspersonalvideos8869]

Back in the mid 70's, for a couple of years, I was a maintenance mechanic in a low income apartment complex containing about 300 units. The US example you showed was the standard type in most US toilets back then. The biggest problems I had was leaking past the flap due to the rubber (no plastic ones back then) flap rotting. Back then (not sure if still available) you could buy automatic toilet cleaners which consisted of a small bottle of fluid, or a solid block, you hung on the inside of the tank and it would either release a small amount of the liquid, or dissolve a small amount of the solid each time the water got up to the device. Essentially this was an acid or alkaline device supposedly capable of keeping the toilet bowl clean. They seldom worked the way the ads claimed. But they did rot the flush flapper. There was seldom a week that I didn't have to replace at least 2 or 3 flappers. It got to the point that I just carried a flapper with me fastened to my tool belt.

[@vibingwithvinyl]

6:40 "It's gonna look bigger if I zoom down" said no man ever.

[@SpotTiger]

The struggle is real. 😆

[@FuquarProductions]

The adjustment on the flapper changes the amount of air that bleeds out controlling the amount of water in the flush/how fast the flap closes.

[@Phred_Phlintstoner]

I was coming to comment this. You beat me to it.

[@FuquarProductions]

Damn, fixed a typo,...lost hearted comment status.

[@GigsVT]

Some other ones have a cup on the back, works the opposite way, the water leaks out of it to time the flush.

[@Shamino0]

@@GigsVT You're thinking of the old American Standard/Moen assembly: www.walmart.com/ip/American-Standard-5-Replacement-Flush-Valve-Actuator-BrassCraft-172-384/46652310 This is a really clever design. There are two cylinders over the flap. Once (the horizontal cylinder) is weighted. The other (the vertical cylinder) is lightweight - open at the top with a smaller hole at the bottom. When the tanks is full, and the valve is closed, all the weight from both cylinders is over the rubber seal, keeping the valve closed. When you pull the chain to flush, the unit rotates so the vertical cylinder is on the other side of the hinge, so its weight (because it's full of water) keeps the valve open. As the water drains, the hole in the vertical cylinder allows the water to drain from it. When enough water drains, the vertical cylinder ends up weighing less than the horizontal cylinder, causing the valve to close.

[@LostDeadSoul]

I was just checking if someone had answered this. I love the simplicity, but it implies that you have soft water.

[@Willam_J]

All of the toilets were stolen at my town’s police department. The police have nothing to go on.

[@simontay4851]

Oh that is bad! haha. Groan. Its the sort of joke your dad would tell you.

[@Graham_Langley]

@@simontay4851 And very, very old.

[@robertbennett9949]

More public money down the drain, I suppose.

[@veloc123]

someone was also siphoning funds from the toilet paper budget.....shit has hit the fan now as the government has cut funding...

[@RawTopShot]

And some sneaky bugger stole from the K9 unit...nobody knows who, and the Police have no leads.

[@man_eating_monkey]

Toiletries that normal people bring back from holiday: shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower caps Toiletries that Big Clive brings back from holiday: toilet flushing mechanism

[@electroshed]

"I'll bring in the... Hopi" Oh no wait that's for electrical videos!

[@marklatimer7333]

I'll bring in the Plopi

[@ProfDvonWigglesworth]

I was hoping for the x-ray...

[@ch4.hayabusa]

If only we could find a way to mix our love of sketchy electronics, tanks of water and novel uses of plumbing... to great effect

[@c0c0asauce]

@@ch4.hayabusa Diy electronic toilet? That's the only thing I can think of that could expose people to electricity, pressure, and heat with zero chance of effective PPE.

[@WarpRadio]

I'll bring in the Hopi" don't you mean "I'll bring in the HopOn"? ;)

[@barney2001]

Living in Canada, we have one flap style (easy, reliable, inexpensive to replace flapper) and one Toto (Japanese) style which I think makes the European style look simple and uncomplicated. Love the flapper. Lasts` about 10 years and takes 5 minutes to replace for under $10 The good thing about the Toto is the amazing seat with heat, wash, dry and I think polish.

[@zachaliles]

Hold up, polish? Does it do the family jewels?

[@MrDuncl]

Ten years doesn't sound good to me. The plus point of the syphon type Clive describes but doesn't show is that as they age (over decades) they just become harder to flush when you want them to, rather than wasting water when you don't.

[@markrainford1219]

Just don't press the 'Automatic tampon extractor' button under any circumstances.

[@jothain]

@@zachaliles It's very, very alarming comment "I _think_ polish" 😁

[@matthewlovibond900]

There's a lot to be said for those siphon valves. The one in my old cistern was at least 40 years old, had never leaked a drop and had never been serviced. Only got rid of it because the cistern itself cracked and the replacement came with a new one. Sure I read somewhere that the dual flush modern valves waste more water through leaks than they save with the dual flush, utter insanity.

[@I967]

That is a serious piece of information, could you possibly locate the article which was about the leaky "green" dual flushers? Thanks!

[@fredjones100]

@@I967 I read it too, it was on the BBC news site a few weeks back IIRC

[@matthewlovibond900]

@@I967 www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54326178 Looks like it was also in the Guardian, Independent, and the Mail. It's not really surprising when you think how quickly even a drip fills a bucket. Also, hard to see how something with that many parts can be green, not when it's replacing something very simple and reliable.

[@I967]

@@matthewlovibond900 Very good, thank you for the article! The more people wake up to this "green" and "eco-friendly" and "save-the-planet" marketing nonsense, the bettter. 99% of the time it is psychopatic virtue-signalling to pull more money out of people's pockets. Rarely there is honest and true information about product's efficient use of materials and energy. And anyway the greenest thing is to buy less or not to buy!

[@matthewlovibond900]

@@I967 I don't want to discourage people from doing stuff that is eco but I think people should be sceptical about green claims and should be very reluctant to rip out stuff that works very well just because there's some new product that claims to be a bit more "eco". The simplest, most effective way to be more eco is, as far as possible, to stop buying new stuff but it's hard for big companies to make a profit out of the second hand market...

[@chriswatson2407]

This channel is going down the toilet.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@william hodge u mean it's a "morning after floater" then?

[@em0_tion]

One minute in and looking for this exact comment. 😁 High five, comedy brother. ✋

[@dromedda6810]

Legend of a man: Breaks nail in a semi violent matter Legend of a man: Oh no, i broke my nail. well these things do happen Legend of a man: Continues as if nothing has happened Me cutting my nail a bit to far down: Cries and cant hold things properly for 3 days

[@dmkays]

Me to you: For heavens sake man, grow a pair!

[@countzero1136]

Does anyone else remember the video on Tested where Adam Savage cut his hand and passed out? I guess living in Glasgow / IOM makes you tougher than living in San Francisco :)

[@mandolinic]

Yes, but Clive has robotic platelets.

[@mickinmerton8053]

If I break my nail like that I superglue it together ;-)

[@GigsVT]

@@countzero1136 savage is anti-gun too.

[@mduvigneaud]

My toilet has the flap valve type and you can vary how much it flushes: you can push the handle part way for a small flush, all the way and release for a medium flush or all the way and hold for a moment for a full flush.

[@Sprchkn]

That's what we had in all our toilets too, though I just replaced them with the type Clive took apart. I like the new technology better, more reliable so far too.

[@YamiOni]

This is how I do mine too. It's basically exploiting physics, raising the flapper either above or below the "balance point" between the weight of the water above it and the water trying to drain into the basin.

[@PBVader]

Sad thing is, US has a true dual stage flapper. Commands a premium not many pay. My half flush is much like yours, except the solid connector allows a 3-count and a manual lift. Simple, Done.

[@knightwolf3511]

​@@PBVader other question is even if people do have duel flesh how many people use it when they just pee for the half flesh

[@PBVader]

@@knightwolf3511 there are plenty of ignoramus out there. It may be time to educate, or develop a wallwart version with electric 1 and 2 buttons, and see how many hospital visits after unsuccessful repair. Wheres my Stainless steel ice cold crapper that will survive a nuke?

[@28YorkshireRose12]

And to think - Someone, somewhere probably spent hours sitting on the toilet, trying to figure out how to come up with yet another way to make it flush!

[@tiefensucht]

the next big thing: adobe flush.

[@Rig0r_M0rtis]

I'd bet my hat the reason there are so many flushing systems is to avoid patents.

[@keithtanner2806]

It’s was an EU requirement and not a British one. They fail with monotonous frequency and regularity.

[@Rig0r_M0rtis]

@@keithtanner2806 I doubt that. I am in EU and I've seen many different types of flushing devices sold. Even ones imilar to the USA one

[@Richard-dc5he]

There's a requirement for large and small flush options. Nothing says how to achieve that. This particular design is very cheap to produce and easy to repair - swap the silicone washer, or the entire mechanism in a few minutes. - The one embedded in Clive's thumbnail is £12.99 inc VAT from my local DIY emporium. The dual-flush syphons are more difficult to service and repair, thus less popular in commercial property. Which makes them more expensive, and thus less popular in domestic property.

[@AWriterWandering]

The two level flush has gradually become popular in America. Some of them actually use the exact same two-button mechanism as that, while others use a variation of the classic American system where you can actually control the flush level by how long you hold down the lever.

[@IncertusetNescio]

I'd say the one major disadvantage to our rather simplified flush system with the hinged rubber cap is that it eventually succumbs to degradation and sorta falls apart, gradually working more poorly until it eventually fails. The other one you mentioned where it doesn't seal super well because of grit or grime or, in my case, the chain is just a bit too long and catches under it. The huge upside is, because it's so simple, often times all you need to replace to get it working again is the rubber cap since the plastic sill float doesn't fall apart so easily and that takes all of 60 seconds. I had no idea international toilet flush systems were so complex!

[@nirodper]

I recommend replacing the chain with a copper rod from a solid copper wire (2mm² or more), it works much better

[@iaadsi]

@@nirodper Copper dissolving into water is also disinfecting - you're probably not worried about mosquitto larvæ in your toilet tank but it will reduce the slime buildup considerably.

[@tubastuff]

...then there's the "flushometer" used in commercial toilets--tankless, but requires quite a bit of pressure and volume. US flush systems used to be made exclusively of brass, with a copper float ball. My lowboy toilet has an auxiliary hose coming out of the flush mechanism for "bowl wash". I guess it sort of works. Grandma's toilet, of course, was the old-style elevated tank type with the pull chain. An advantage gained by gravity. By a long shot, the most sophisticated commodes are in Japan.

[@TheOtherBill]

If your chain is too long you move the clip to a lower link.

[@Bubu567]

@@tubastuff Japan loves their hygiene, so they are willing to throw everything at the device to deal with their most unhygienic necessities. Most of it isn't in the tank though, many of them are also quite simple mechanically as far as the tank goes. It is in everything else, like seat warmers, bidet, bidet warmers, music/sounds to mask the splashing and plopping sounds while you do your business, ect.

[@darikdatta]

That dial is to set it to short-flush to save water. It controls the rate at which air is allowed to bleed out, which will cause the flapper to sink and close prematurely. Normal flappers don't bleed the air but there are "low flow" type flappers with mechanisms like that one.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

_"It's going to look bigger if I zoom down"_ - 6:40 What would we do without Clive's great sharing of knowledge? ;-P

[@rolf8064]

That's what she said! Oh wait!

[@happyundertaker6255]

The new British thing looks needlessly complicated.

[@IcecalGamer]

Soooooo much plastic ! Wooow

[@drboze6781]

I imagine German ones have several times as many parts as that, with adjustable threaded rods, gimbals, a gear train, etc. All of which must be calibrated to DIN specs on a weekly basis.

[@calumbaxter9946]

More parts to go wrong, and judging by the build quality I suspect there will be many..

[@thedogsdiddies8421]

Quite fond of the British type! Especially the ones with cistern mounted high up on the wall! That's a proper flush, almost suck you in if you are sitting on it at the time too!

[@k.y.6148]

Isn't that the British way?

[@BURNINGMITAKA]

Having a retired plumber Dad, this is very interesting and nostalgic for me.

[@nyleen]

Husband: So what did you learn about today? Me: T o i l e t

[@stanleydenning]

Living in the US all my life, I have had to replace about five flush valves. I am 59. I would say that what we use is pretty dependable. So, my comment to the British plumming industry. If it ain't broken and if it has worked for years, Don't fu** with it! Complicated is not better.

[@karlharvymarx2650]

I think it depends on the local water. One place I lived, had well water, apparently infested with the Andromeda Strain which meant going though flappers like a WWI seaman still making up for lost time. Another well and the flapper never wore out.

[@CannaCJ]

The chain usually gives up first I’m my experience.

[@jballew2239]

The plastic ones like he showed early on are the most common "replacement" valve I've encountered; that being said i grew up in a house with the tank on the wall atop a standpipe, and it had a magnificent brass valve that I think gave us trouble once in the 20 years I was in that house, and that involved an easily replaced 59 cent washer. The current plastic incarnation of that same valve is nowhere near as durable, but you can buy just about every part for it at a decent hardware store.

[@tncorgi92]

Same here, though I've never seen that dial-adjustment on the flapper. Must be a recent development. Got to be one of the least expensive DIY home repairs, I think the flapper is about 4 bucks, entire valve assy. 10 bucks.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

But californians cry they run out of water

[@pablopicaro7649]

Thomas Crapper (1836-1910) was an English businessman and plumber. He founded Thomas Crapper & Co in London, a sanitary equipment company. Crapper held nine patents, three of them for water closet improvements such as the floating ballcock. He improved the S-bend plumbing trap in 1880 by inventing the U-bend. The firm's lavatorial equipment was manufactured at premises in nearby Marlborough Road. The company owned the world's first bath, toilet and sink showroom in King's Road. Crapper was noted for the quality of his products and received several royal warrants.

[@SpotTiger]

The amount of complexity just for a 2 flush system is unreal. I'm a fan of the simple American solution. Can't get more basic! 😁

[@reinux]

I watched this video with the anticipation of hearing Clive say the word "poo." 8:28 I am now satisfied.

[@LTDunltd]

Just spent 20 minutes watching a guy talk about toilet flush valves. It's a sign the neither of us have a life. 🤣

[@lukasaran45]

*interested in the (at first) seemingly uninteresting things, our daily life is offering us :D

[@decorumlopez9147]

Hold that thought for the next time you find yourself in need for a good flush.

[@LordOfNihil]

idk, this kind of stuff is critical knowledge when your toilet breaks. or you can pay a plumber $80 to wipe down the seals and tighten the chain.

[@twestgard2]

This is a perfect example of things we take for granted. Nobody cares how a toilet works until it stops working. Then they care about little else.

[@JasonTaylor1]

Its the beauty of simple mechanisms that has had its function refined not only for cost but reliability.

[@PurityVendetta]

Do you know, I never realised how much I'd miss skip diving when I moved to the sticks. Honestly, I don't think the people here ever throw anything away!

[@skylined5534]

Ahhh, a great and glorious pastime which can yield some true gems!

[@phydeux]

Oh yeah, and to explain the adjustment on the flap flusher, by rotating it you extend the bulb away from the lever arm. This in turn affects how high the bulb floats because you change the amount of buoyancy surface. The farther out it is extended, the higher it floats, and the longer the flush before it seals again. And yeah, the build-up on the flap is generally slime mold. This can easily be remedied by one or two of those 2000 Flushes type tank cakes. The chlorine will kill and dislodge the mold. Just make sure to put the lid down on the tank or it could kill your pets too.

[@rogersmith9808]

And for next week's installment... "The lower colon and how it functions" 😂

[@SodAlmighty]

"All you have to do is wipe the disgusting slimy residue off the inside of someone else's cistern with your hand..." - Big Clive, 2021

[@JUANKERR2000]

Thanks for the teardown of the valve, I fitted one a couple of years back but did not strip it down, much as I wanted to, as returning the loo to usability was a priority over my curiosity. A very clever design.

[@rickyribs8032]

I’ve been a plumber for the best part of 25 years. I’m fully aware of how these valves operate and their drawbacks et cetera. I’ve just spent 20 minutes watching somebody tell me how something works that I’m fully aware of how it works. On this channel I’ve had capacitors, resistors and many other random electronic items explained to me and quite frankly I’m pretty much none the wiser as to how they really work. Clives post with regard to his mothers Alzheimer’s really resonated with me because of very similar experiences, I may have got a little bit of dust in my eye watching that one. I have to say I find this channel hugely interesting thanks so much

[@termitreter6545]

Considering you got experience, how reliable do you think they are, compared to each other?

[@rickyribs8032]

@@termitreter6545 The particular model he was using is pretty much the cheapest base option. Generally the more expensively manufactured ones I find pretty reliable. If I’m given the option I would always use the valves made by fluid master

[@termitreter6545]

@@rickyribs8032 Oh I see, thats just a cheap one. Also, to understand your comment I first had to research, what the naming schemes is xD So left one is flappe, right one is flush valve? Or dual flush valve, no clue. Does make sense tho. Im living in germany, and I cant remember having a valve break. Also, seems like even good ones are pretty cheap, like

[@rickyribs8032]

@@termitreter6545 sorry yes I didn’t make that clear I was just thinking about the flush valve. I have seen the flap type on occasions in the UK but not very often. The type that He dismantled really is the cheapest of the cheap

[@termitreter6545]

@@rickyribs8032 No worries, its just slightly technological terminology combined with language barrier. Then again, I dont even know the german terms. That stuff these days just comes in a full box and requires so little maintenance, that in the rare cases something breaks, you just call the plumber :D

[@texaswatch5136]

Why make it simple and functional , when you can make it out of 40 cheap plastics pieces? Bravo.

[@Unknown-sz8kg]

To save water mr gun shooter.

[@cardboardboxification]

The Truth just piss in the garden and send your turds to the city to save water

[@onekerri1]

@@Unknown-sz8kg It's because 'they' want the item to be unfixable. Got to buy a whole new mechanism.

[@odius94]

Reminds me of my favorite American comedy quiz show: Nevermind the Ballcocks

[@karlharvymarx2650]

We haven't quite worked out how to make a practical bidet yet.

[@tigerseye73]

Hello Clive. I live in the states, and have recently replaced both toilets in our home with Kohler AquaPiston units. So simple a design, no gadgetry. You use quick release of handle for a short water saving flush, hold handle down for a couple of seconds for a longer high volume flush. Works on a tapered funnel design that greatly increases the speed that the tank water flows into the bowl. No flapper valve. No more blocked bowls. You may want to look them up.

[@ewanmurray153]

Big Clive, I’ve been trying to wrap my head around why my toilets been flushing continuously at random - with no knowledge I’d been cautious at exploring - while watching your teardown had a lightbulb moment and I saw the problem - I took a tumble a month ago when flushing... stretching the cable that’s connected to the handle. It’s now been fixed. You’ve really helped Thanks mate!

[@DrFod]

Still prefer the old British syphon system, they were reliable, gave a lot stronger flush than flappers and weren't prone to leaking.

[@Mitch-Hendren]

You are not alone the wras are recommending where possible syphons are used simply because they can't leak unlike the 2 flapper types

[@johnburns4017]

Yes, those that can be be replace by undoing the lever mechanism and undoing a large plastic nut. Easy and simpler being very cheap. A DIY job. The only problem is that they are large.

[@drboze6781]

There's a local plumbing outfit here in Washington State with billboards that say, "A royal flush beats a full house!"

[@worddunlap]

You got to love a fluid-master float valve kit. It may bot be elegant or expensive but it is cheap and upon failure it can be replaced in minutes. It is the #1 toilet parts kit in America. Every hardware and department store sells them.

[@SpotTiger]

I just love this channel. Amidst all the electronics and life lessons there's always time for a toilet break. 😁

[@stridermt2k]

13:34 "You ARE the brute force..."

[@randyab9go188]

It controls how long the flap stays open for the first level flush as when you give the handle a quick push and there's nothing serious to flush down more than urine and a little paper. For bigger jobs you hold the handle down in the tank completely empties. Good for everything else. 😁 For a period of time the only thing you could get for a new toilet was a low flow toilet that you ended up using three times the water of a conventional flush as you had to keep flushing it to clean out the bowl. They were okay if all you had was a little urine in the toilet but otherwise were water wasters. When you have to push the lever three times to get the job done how is that saving any water? There was even a black market for used high flow toilets! A compromise valve was introduced to the market where for a light duty flush you just give it a quick press or hold the lever down for heavier jobs. It still uses the good old simple and cheap flapper valve. On more fancy toilets we are seeing the push button arrangement but they are not extremely common as they cost more and are more prone to failure due to the complexity. Viva Yankee engineering!

[@PINKBOY1006]

IIRC there’s even a King of The Hill episode about that.

[@TofranBohk]

All this time I thought my toilet was faulty somehow. It works as you described though. TIL

[@ELREASON44]

@@PINKBOY1006 would you know the name or season/episode of that King of the Hill? I assume it deals with the anger of those low flow toilets that rightly pissed so many people as they often don't have the necessary power to deal with a larger drop-no matter the amount or lenght of a flush. I think Married with Children had an episode where they stole high flow toilets from schools. Frankly, those low flows fail to handle even a basic single drop before any paper is added. You are right that the original low flow toilets ended up using more water due to their terrible design.

[@cyruscuckler3495]

@@ELREASON44 "Flush with Power" S4E22. You hit the plot dead on!

[@PINKBOY1006]

@@ELREASON44 Flush With Power S. 4 Ep. 22

[@dontfeedthelunatic]

Less than 2 minutes in, and you gave me a tip that helped me fix a leaking toilet that I have been annoyed by for months.

[@2down4up]

I live in the mid Atlantic area of the east coast USA in a ten year old house. All the flapper/flush valves that were installed when the house was built have the same sort of adjustable valve on the flapper . I find it elegant in its simple design that it absolutely allows the toilet to be a dual flush toilet with no added complexity. Push and release the handle and it will flush roughly half the tank. Push and hold it, the whole tank. Works quite well for me. I’ve only had to replace one out of all the toilets in my house which is how I learned about it.

[@bergpolarbear]

I've seen here (America) the flap valve style with a smaller flap valve inset in the middle of the larger flap. A split handle can either pull the chain of the small flap or the large one. Also that rotational adjustment on the flap was rotating the position of a small hole in the side of the plug which I presume adjusted its timing somehow.

[@nirodper]

when the hole is pointing towards the front it will be higher when the valve pivots and water will enter sooner inside the cavity

[@quantumleap359]

@@nirodper Exactly correct.

[@Fanakapan222]

Intriguing that the half flush environmentally aware function involves a component that uses a shed load more plastic (bad) than the old, or US stuff. I'd also suggest the half flush function is an open invitation to the lady in your life to ensure you have to unblock things at least three times a year, because of course ladies never leave a full load and never use the full flush :)

[@TakeMeOffYourMailingList]

I'd wager that assuming people did use half flushes properly, over its lifespan, the CO2/energy saved would be greater than the cost of the plastic to manufacture it. Let's assume that a half flush is 3L, and a full flush is 6L, meaning there are 3L saved for each half flush. According to the 2020 ONS Carbon Factors document, 1000L of water in the UK supply generates 334g CO2 equivalent, so ~1g of co2 is saved per half-flush. According to timeforchange.org/plastic-bags-and-plastic-bottles-CO2-emissions, LDPE is about 6kg CO2e/kg of plastic, and the Fluidmaster PRO550UK Top/Side/Front Mounted Dual Flush Valve - White from Amazon weighs 299g, so ~2kg of co2e. So, the system is saving co2 after ~2000 half-flushes. I'd say for a household with a family where most flushes are half-flushes, then it'd be saving energy after around a year.

[@jakeblanton6853]

@@TakeMeOffYourMailingList -- You would need to factor in the increased replacement cycles with that complicated euro system and thus the fuel to get to the home improvement store for the spare parts... You can "half flush" the traditional flapper valve type toilet -- you just have to have the "right touch"... :)

[@quantumleap359]

Holy cow, that thing is quite complex. Pricey too, I would guess. Never have seen this particular one. Interesting, thanks for the explanation and teardown Clive.

[@gunnarsundman6828]

Loved it.Keep up the good work and never give up.

[@ThymeCypher]

Summary of this video: When I went to the states I would stick my hand in toilets

[@1224chrisng]

at least it was the tank, imagine if he stuck his hand in the bowl instead

[@alexku8452]

With the amount of chlorine they usually have in their tap water (at least in the regions I visited) even if beeing stagnant for a week it should be pretty safe. Other than that, its fresh water anyways, unless you stuck your hand in the wrong part of the toilet ;)

[@johnmorgan1629]

Where I lived in Germany it was a simple lever style tap, so you pressed it for as much or little water as you needed. Then of course, if it's real water saving you're after, through choice or necessity; If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down.

[@meckelbu]

Few years ago an older plumber actually cautioned me about "letting it mellow" with modern toilet seats, especially cheaper ones, his comment was that modern ecologically friendly glazing on toilet seats can actually be damaged by urine left to sit in the toilet and cheaper toilet seats tend to have only one layer, leading to him replacing relatively new toilets seats especially for older people who don't want to waste water.

[@tilmanahr]

Druckspüler. Gotta hate those things, for toilets proper at least. They work fine for urinals. But unless you have rather quite high water pressure, they just don’t deliver enough water volume to reliably flush an actual toilet. I had one in my 4th storey flat for years, until I finally broke down and replaced it with a cheap home-centre cistern. Amongst the top five best-spent 20€ of my life, so far…

[@FloydBunsen]

The dual flush ones were briefly popular in new installations here in the US, and is still used in some commercial applications, but it's since been made mostly obsolete by the new very efficient small-cistern siphon toilets. They really flush well, and I'll be replacing my dual-flush eventually.

[@superspak]

As a Mechanical Engineer, I love these videos. Keep it up Clive.

[@bluevanman2008]

I was so wanting you to say you'd liberated that Yank flush mechanism from a hotel toilet in America......

[@jadney]

That version of the US flapper has a weight somewhere, such that when you rotate the flap, you[re moving the center of mass farther or close to the pivot. That changes the amount of time the flapper stays open. There are a lot of different designs used in the US, but I don't think any of them are as complicated as the Euro one you took apart. I'm a fan of dual flush valves, but they aren't common in the US yet. They don't have to be complicated; there are lots of simple designs used in Japan.

[@michaelherbert2982]

Hi Clive... You do make me laugh... brilliant videos... keep them up bud 😊

[@edtheplumber5307]

Hi Big Clive, I was a plumber in the UK for 13 Years. If you look at the old syphon systems, the water had to flow to the TOP of the cistern before entering the pan. The new flush valves just run out of the bottom of the cistern, resulting in a anemic flush. Also, the silicone washers develop water blisters on them so my customers would get £300 water bills and would not realise the water was leaking directly into the pan. Also, the flush wires are a pain as if they have too tight of a bend the flush valve sticks in the open position and leads to a really expensive water bill.

[@bigclivedotcom]

Those little water blisters in the silicone are weird. I guess it's down to a slight porosity and the water pressure.

[@lenjames]

I'm an American...I love my flapper! 24 yrs in my home and all three bathrooms are still flushing strong.!

[@spencerwilton5831]

can't beat a traditional British siphon, because they are an inverted U shape, leakage is eliminated and they are unaffected by grit, limescale etc and have no washers or sealing surfaces to perish or that need keeping clean. I read somewhere that as the newer euro style flush systems installed over the last twenty years or so have aged, more water is now wasted each day than ever before, even accounting for the higher consumption of siphoning flush mechanisms.

[@onometre]

and if something does go wrong the parts are dirt cheap

[@rasmis]

I didn't know any of these types. On the continent I've mainly seen the ones where you push down on a mechanism on the cistern.

[@JasperJanssen]

Those are basically the same as the one clove disassembled here except the button mounts direct, rather than with a Bowden cable.

[@johndododoe1411]

Also on the continent, the one I installed when the original failed has a pull-up knob similar to the lever on the old British type. The column of plastic bits handles both the flushing and filling and is much simpler than the complicated contraption BC tore to bits. Though not as simple as the original mechanism that separated the filling and flushing mechanisms all over the cistern.

[@tinplategeek1058]

The bowden tube ones are useful for where you enclose the cistern behind a panel so can position the flush button where ever it is convenient. If the cistern is on show then the push down button on top of the cistern using a plastic plunger straight onto the valve is more common.

[@dast6915]

Had problems with that exact model of dual flush type bought a new one. Thanks for showing the inside. I can now throw it away without breaking a nail, cable is about the most reusable. Great video!

[@Deepthought-42]

Can’t beat a “Thomas Crapper” cast iron job ( an inverted bell connected to a pivot arm and a chain ) and a traditional brass ball cock set to max refill. Simplicity in design and great for waking the whole house when you get up for a pee in the night. No plastic flap valves for scale to build up on and none of this namby pamby silent flush and refill stuff.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

Those "push button" toilet controls are nothing but *germ collectors* with no easy way to clean them. Look at all the crevasses or gaps then compare it to the simple lever system that is easy to clean. Plus you can use your foot to trip the lever system. ;-) And of course the lever is much easier for young kids to use (closer to reach and not hard to push).

[@eDoc2020]

I would perhaps argue about the "not hard to push" part of flush levers in regards to kids. When I was a wee lad I remember not being able to flush the master bathroom toilet by myself. Fortunately I was able to flush the toilet in the main bathroom so it wasn't really an issue.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

@@eDoc2020 - When you were a "wee lad" taking a wee... ;-) Fortunately a lever is very easy to extend to make it easier. A lot more complex to do that with a "push button". The push buttons just seem to be trying to fix a problem where there was no problem. Trying to be fashionable at the expense of everything else.

[@kippie80]

Flip lever is an option for that euro system. flip up for 1 down for 2

[@gleggett3817]

You can get lever actuators for them too. Down for half, up for full. Much less effort than handle on a syphon mechanism.

[@johnsiders7819]

I like the way my RV toilet works it has a pedal you push with your foot as you press on the pedal a flap slides to the side letting every thing out and you can hold it much as you want letting half way up on it the flap closes and water still flows until you take your foot off it .

[@Rick-vm8bl]

Our UK one looks a bit overengennered for such a simple task. The sound of that nasty cheap plastic also suggests some planned obselence

[@Dragonheng]

From electronics to plumbing. The best move on this Chanel the water installations are our future ^^

[@philipgholland]

Brit living in US, pretty much all the new residential flush mechanisms fitted are the same modular European style. Most commercial buildings have flushometers (no cistern) fitted to toilets, and some older apartment buildings have them too - but they’re considered a bit noisy.

[@iangrice329]

The classic british system is still the best, the other 2 constantly leak water. They were suposed to save water but instead they use at least twice as much .

[@TheOtherBill]

@Just Browsing You guys are funny.

[@iangrice329]

@Just Browsing until you stand on one or try to get it down the back of a cupboard, then there a nightmare.

[@Witheredgoogie]

The one I got from the US was really fast at first but it burnt out quickly - then I realized it was 110 volts.

[@kevinsellsit5584]

Am I the only one that finds this funny?

[@frederickevans4113]

Actually, the residential electrical system voltage here in the USA is actually 240 volts AC at 60 Hz, but with a center-tapped neutral with 120 volt legs on either side. The full 240 volts is used for high-current appliances such as electric clothes driers, battery electric vehicle chargers, and HVAC systems with resistive electric heat. A single leg and the neutral serves up 120 volts to electrical outlets (sockets those of you across the pond), lights, and other lower-current devices. Don't get me started on commercial office buildings with 120, 208, 240, 277, and up to 480 volt circuits in single and triple-phase arrangements. 277 volts is typically used for lighting circuits in commercial office buildings.

[@PilotInCommand777]

A few years ago I purchased several of the dual flush units from our local warehouse club (west coast U.S.) Costco and they look pretty much the same as what you have there. They are from a company called MJSI and the unit is called Hydroright. Now I believe they were bought out by Danco. These valves have been working in our 4 bathrooms flawlessly for years

[@rgarito]

They do have the new design in America, too. I had installed them in my old apartment. I stared at that damn thing for hours trying to figure out how it works. You made it so simple, as usual :)

[@FirstLastOne]

In most new construction I have seen around Vancouver, Canada since 2007, they have all had the 'European' dual flush toilets and NOT the late 1800's flappity flap tank. Edit: One thing I did notice on that red flap of the 'USA' style toilet flap you were holding was the CSA logo which would mean that those are also used in Canada. CSA tends to be in 'some ways' a little more 'rigorous' in its testing methods and requirements then say others mentioning no initialisms of other organisations, Uniform Lima or Uniform Lima Charlie.

[@randycarter2001]

I've seen the complex one at my local hardware store (US) as a water saving dual level flush conversion. For low flush you pushed the lever down. For full flush you pulled the lever up. Only really would work in larger tanks that you could flush using only 50% of the water. My already frugal toilet it wouldn't work well.

[@aaronvienot]

Speaking as a DIY homeowner who has traveled much of the US, we now have numerous types here, many of which have proliferated since the federal government adopted the 1.6L flush standard. The "old" British style you sketched was sometimes used here AFAIK, but without the half-flush option. The modern British single/half-flush option is also available here with variants. The modern US version you identified is common but we also have a couple variations of a central tower with dump valves that pull up vertically and are about 2x the diameter of the older flap valve. And I've seen at least two other variations that I can think of, including one high-efficiency type that relies on a convoluted, self-charging pressure tank system similar to an anti-water-hammer bladder. The latrine's tank and cover are conventional, but pull the cover and your first instinct is to call 911 and report a suspicious device. The best part of all this is trying to find parts for a busted mechanism the hardware store. You had best bring the old mechanism with you, or at least know the vendor name and have some detailed measurements of the part you're trying to repair.

[@docthebiker]

Got an old (maybe 40+) French pressure tank flush and I think you'd love the "kiss" of it. Closed tank fills direct from mains pressure at the bottom compressing trapped air above. Flush is a simple latch inside that lifts a free rubber ball valve out of the base pipe. Flush period is whatever time you hold the lever for. No need of an overflow since it's a sealed system.

[@bigclivedotcom]

I saw pictures of those online. Very simple, and some are quite stylish.

[@hadireg]

In morocco we have similar flush systems used also in France and spain where most of them are imported from, and I do find them quite a complexe solution indeed. Perhaps justified by the need of the half flush mechanism. I had to repair in canada a flapper system that wend dry-old-flapper and had a chance to anlyse that system. I wasn't hard to find a spare flapper and understood how basic it was, but still wondering if it was a more reliable system down the road than ours because the flapper I had to replace had more than 15 yrs longevity.

[@alexmarshall4331]

You have flushing toilets in Morocco??

[@krashd]

@@alexmarshall4331 That was unnecessary.

[@hadireg]

@@krashd haha no worries Rob. But thanks for caring 😉 Guess Alex was kidding.

[@hadireg]

@@alexmarshall4331 unfortunately yes 😄

[@alexmarshall4331]

@@hadireg yes I was kidding 👉🚾👉💎

[@baalzevuv4509]

"European style" flushing units are just broken. After 3 or 4 years my flush (not the cheapest one) started to get stuck. I hate to throw away stuff so I removed it, carefully cleaned with vinegar and soap, checked and mounted again. And yeah, it still kept getting stuck. I guess some plastic elements just got worn off in a specific way to cause this issue. I wasted an hour or so and still had to buy a new one.

[@lewis72]

Yes, they're shite. I have 3 toilets in my house and all 3 have failed. Massive pain in the arse to fix too.

[@knightwolf3511]

plastic on plastic will do that, they wear and tear by grinding on each other. 19:37 that thing he moves is most likely plastic inside a plastic clip but I could be wrong the thing with the wire hooked to we had a nicer version in America but went back to the flapper because of the reliability which uses less parts :32 which would be the seal or chain can sometimes break for the fill i have this $ 9.98 / £ 7.17 www.menards.com/main/plumbing/plumbing-installation-repair/toilet-repair/korky-reg-quietfill-reg-platinum-fill-valve/528mbm/p-1444437520208-c-1525700042005.htm the float is in the box and you can just raise or lower the whole stick basically depending on how much water you want in the tank we do have a duel flesh system $ 28.49 / £ 20.48 www.menards.com/main/toilet-repair/tuscany-reg-michigan-replacement-toilet-dual-flush-valve/men830-05172/p-1499409332934-c-1525700042005.htm?tid=2719172763738505633&ipos=2 that rubber flapper cost $ 4.97 / £ 3.57 www.menards.com/main/plumbing/plumbing-installation-repair/toilet-repair/fluidmaster-reg-performax-reg-universal-toilet-flapper/502p4/p-1444430542858-c-1525700042005.htm?tid=-4102027870440158760&ipos=140 but like your problem it's why don't really like duel system, more parts = more problems

[@baalzevuv4509]

@@knightwolf3511 Actually I have a simplified version, something like that: imgur.com/aVnC7Fb it costs about 13$ (with minimal wage ~500$ monthly, so without a good job you need to work ~4 hours to buy a new flushing mechanism, just an Eastern Europe stuff). There are two parts moving like a cylinder and piston and it seems that they were grinding each other sometimes. The worst thing is that it worked flawlessly without water and after I cleaned it, but when mounted again it started getting stuck and there wasn't any way to figure out what exactly is wrong, it might have been just .1 mm plastic worn off somewhere out there.

[@krashd]

The traditional floating ballcock in my shitter is the same one that was installed in the 1980's when I was a nipper, it works still after 30+ years so my only guess at why they were phased out and replaced by something much more complex and likely to break is that the old style have a tendency to dribble. If you look in the pan of any old toilet you'll see a tiny stream of runoff from the cistern into the pan and I'll bet that tiny as it may seem it can add up to a swimming pool over a decade. That's one wasted swimming pool per home, per decade. That has to be costly for the water faeries.

[@tilmanahr]

The ones we have here in Germany tend to last for decades, even the cheap ones. The ones I’ve actually seen taken apart were of somewhat less involved construction, though… Mine (the cheapest the local home centre carried back then) just appears to have a plug with an overflow pipe through the middle, a styrofoam float around that, a plastic pipe with holes at the bottom around that as a guide, and a simple plastic lever attached to the top. Push one side of the button/plate to start a full flush, the other side to stop the flush before the cistern is empty… There are slightly more complicated versions around, to implement separate buttons for full and half flush, but AFAIK, the relatively simple mechanism in mine is one of the more widespread constructions around here.

[@Birdman_in_CLE]

I've been using these plastic dual flush valves for about 8 years in the Cleveland, OH area. They are readily available at any Home Depot. They seem reliable, 8 years and counting on my three toilets.

[@shaneleary6259]

A combined fill/flush valve would be an interesting concept, it would have positive pressure from the mains to carry out some of the mechanical tasks in the unit

[@KeanM]

Not only a diversion from electronics, but also presented in full Blood-Vision(TM) * ** * with actual blood not that simulated rubbish ** it would have been more graphic if BC didn't keep sucking his thumb!

[@brianargo4595]

Electrical tape works better, has a bit more give and flex to it

[@ryanroberts1104]

I thought the "traditional British toilet" was the streets in London.

[@Deepthought-42]

The traditional toilet used to be red phone box which have given way to portable phones in many places. It’s always good idea to check the features when you buy your portable phone.

[@Asdayasman]

You're confusing us with India.

[@RS-Amsterdam]

@@Asdayasman which was a colony of ..... ?

[@Asdayasman]

@@RS-Amsterdam _was_ There wasn't a designated shitting street when we had an empire.

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@Asdayasman Indians tend to have a lot of similar habits to the british. ;)

[@GaryHayward]

You've reminded me I'm after a vintage penny-in-the-slot public toilet cubicle door lock to fit on my bathroom door as a novelty.

[@pshq]

Poland had some funny flushing systems in the past. The most basic one was a knob on the top of the low-hanging tank, simply connected with a plunger sitting in the outlet hole. You controlled the size of flush by how long you kept the plunger up. You can find photos googling "zawór flet". Another was used universally for both high-hanging tanks with a chain/rope and low-hanging tanks. The plunger mechanism was a bit more complicated, constructed such way it emptied the tank. The tank had a lever on the side. When you pulled it down, it raised the plunger. On low-hanging tanks you could pull the lever up and stop the water. This was later modified to use a big button on the top of the tank, that says START and STOP on opposite sides. All mechanisms I've seen have overflow built in the plunger mechanism, as a big hole in the middle of it. Even the two above did it this way.

[@bolton368]

The ones and twos of going to the toilet

[@whitcwa]

In America we have handgun storage behind the tank to revenge the attempted assassination of The Godfather. Nighty-night Sollozzo and Capt. McClusky .

[@quantumleap359]

The hidden handgun is also a lifesaver when you are attacked by a turd-burgler.

[@nitroxylictv]

theres a company that makes waterproof boxes to keep your gun in your shower

[@ChrisHolt1]

The best ones I've ever used are Kohler's canister flush models. They have a open ended cylinder (it doubles as an overflow tube!) and the diameter allows for a lot of water flow which gives a powerful flush. I'm sure you've been told, we call the lower part a bowl here in the US. Think I'd be hard pressed to identify anything that looks like a pan. Fun video! Best seat in the house!

[@spvillano]

The half flush/full flush units are available in the US now. My father told me of one design for outhouses, which were still fairly common in Philadelphia row homes in the 1930's. The wall tank remained empty until one sat on the seat, once weight was on the seat, the water began to fill the tank. Once weight was removed from the seat, it flushed. Ostensibly, it was to prevent water in the tank from freezing, which makes little sense, as water in the pipe would've frozen and ruptured the pipe. During that era, one purchased natural gas via a coin receiving gas meter. He managed to anger the gas company by having a coin that had a small hole drilled for a string, which allowed the coin to be removed from the meter...

[@Vokabre]

In Japan it's common to not have a tank altogether, but instead rely on a "flushometer" or a "flush valve" (フラッシュバルブ for a very detailed Japanese wikipedia article with tons of examples and diagrams). As a handle is pushed, the valve is opens for about ten seconds and then closes. A very neat arrangement, but it requires decent pressure in the water system. In continental Europe those kind of valves are used for pissoirs. When tanks are used in Japan, i think it's usually of the "American" "system", although the handle that pulls the chain has some sort of mechanical interlock, that allows for a small flush when pulled up, and big flash when pulled down. ("Washlets" or "electronic bidet" have a small water tank independent of flushing system, the filling of which is controlled electronically, this is necessary for the water to be heated before commencing the bottom-washing). "Soviet" "system" seems to be somewhat of a mix of both "systems" one you showed, but probably more like an "American" one. Instead of a flap like in "American" one there is a plunger connected to a plastic stick that is pulled up by hand. In tanks mounted on the wall, not as a single unit with the bowl, the plunger shaft is connected to a chain pulling down via a lever. The "UK" "system" you showed seems to be fairly similar to what can be seen nowadays around continental Europe and ex-USSR, only not necessarily that fancy with detached buttons. The buttons on the Roca unit i have installed are mounted above the assembly and are directly mechanically connected. Can't informedly comment on the issue in general as i tend not to disassemble toilets unless necessary.

[@thatsunpossible312]

Oddly, the "Toto" brand of Japanese toilets available in the US seem to have bog-standard American flushing mechanisms. I bought an officially branded rebuild kit for mine and it was even manufactured by Korky - a company based in Wisconsin.

[@fillg]

The toilets in a lot of (most?) businesses in the US don't have tanks and use flushometers or metered flush valves. As you said, they rely on higher water pressure or flow rates. The tank system probably originated before anyone had that much pressure available.

[@Vokabre]

The advantage of a tank also comes in possibility of having one flush (or maybe a few small ones) during water outages.

[@stridermt2k]

Awesome nothing like a side trip along our route... :D Rock and roll Big Clive!

[@SusanAmberBruce]

I like the first one you showed, simple and easy to fix, and if it had a rudimentary water filter, it seems likely that it could work flawlessly for quite some time. Life seems to be a long journey of overcoming flaws in the design of toilets, kettles, cookers, I could go on, the list is exhausting just to think about.

[@MrChaosBones]

Clive, you're like one of the dozen brits I honest-to-god like, but every time you snap things apart with a crack, my heart dies a little.

[@bigclivedotcom]

This did go back together again.

[@JamesAllmond]

one of our toilets is the old flapper style. rarely gives any problems, cheap to fix, gets the job done. The other is the "Euro" one in your hands. Failed a a rate of 2 to 1 to our traditional, does a rather shitty job of water delivery and not only do you have to clean your butt, but the toilet too. Basically PITA...IMHO any way... however, both the large pieces as advertised, almost as well as a politician...

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Well a shitty job in this context would not be all to bad ;-)

[@BenCos2018]

@@RS-Amsterdam haha

[@daviddavidson2357]

The drawing of the British toilet cistern looks like a child drew a toilet monster. It looks like it has a long neck, nose, eyes and big wide mouth.

[@GaryHayward]

When I was a little kid, I used to visit my grandma who lived in a terraced two-up-two-down with a little toilet outhouse at the end of the back yard. It used to scare the crap out of me (which might have been a good thing, given it was a toilet, except I was too scared to use it for that). I used to imagine it was a monster, the rusty, high-level cistern its head, the long flush pipe its neck and the pan, oddly enough, its mouth. The dingy building itself had just a back-yard-type wood-planked door, bare concrete floor, plastered (how posh!) walls and a bare light bulb on the ceiling. Cobwebs everywhere. When I'd had a wee, I'd open the door, hold the end of the flush chain at arms length, pull the chain and run like hell back into the house in case the 'monster' came after me. I 'poo-pooed' the idea (XD) of sitting on the thing in case one of several scenarios resulted, such as: the cistern toppling forward (or down), discharging icy water on (or killing) me; getting locked in and the place filling to the ceiling with water, drowning me; or getting swallowed by the pan and into the drains. Now I'm all grown up, I wonder if this early fear has contributed to my kind-of fascination with old, high-level-cistern toilets with their clanky bell syphon flushes.

[@JosefTD]

This may sound like a strange question but does anyone know what the valve is called at the bottom of water tanks in coffee machines. It's sealed when not coupled together (or one-way) and when it's pressed with another part, it when it's put in the coffe machine, the valve opens and lets water through? Would be a great help!

[@campbellmorrison8540]

I love clever designs like these, obviously you do too. What we probably don't see is the years of development to get to this point, the simpler it is probably the longer it took to work it out :)

[@buillioncubes]

The terrifying pressure flush systems are even more so with automatic sensor flushing. Every time you move or even shift slightly on the throne it sets off and splashes your unmentionables.

[@bigclivedotcom]

Being tall and broad shouldered, I hate airport toilets for that reason. They just flush continuously when you use them.

[@djsmeguk]

There's nothing quite like the ball washing you get from repeated pressure washings..

[@KBilt92]

Drape some TP over the sensor head as you walk in... no more phantom flushes. Although I wish foot-pedal operated bathroom fixtures were more common. I feel like a chain linking simple floor mounted pedals to the toilet and sink valves would be fairly economical and quite reliable.

[@Xiph1980]

@@bigclivedotcom oh man, American airports... Where you can just casually see the people waiting outside your stall when you do your thing....

[@jools5000]

Yes, I always thought the 'wave' style ones were the optium between automation and no-touch points. Can I complain about the height of the toilet and toilet paper holder in the US? US toilets are very weird!

[@dustysparks]

I object to the "buy a spare" comment as I had one that I bought for a second toilet that I didn't use, but had to use on the same toilet that I fixed the first time (this was some years later). The valve in the "spare" dry rotted over time, and I had to replace that one almost immediately. The up side was I took the opportunity to replace the flapper (which was a bit similar to the simple red one that you showed but moved vertically along a shaft that is lifted instead of being attached to (and pivoting on) the overflow pipe as that pipe was molded into the back of the tank in my case), and the handle that had corroded away a bit.

[@davidprice875]

Fascinating, thank you. Had a plumber replace the old plastic valve version with the new modular euro style so I wouldn't need to get a plumber for that again. The euro style is also much quieter and I could get rid of the external drip pipes. The other cistern change is the ball valve being replaced by a float valve, again easier to maintain and replace if needed.

[@DoctoreE644]

Going "green" is mostly all in the eyes of the beholder. The amount of plastic in the modem dual flush valves, along with the number of moving, and not necessarily replaceable, parts makes them highly susceptible to leaks and malfunction. The biggest water saver hint here in the USA back before the turn of the last century was to put a brick in the cistern. It displaced a finite amount of water, making them more efficient. Yes, the old flapper types are still available here, and with the adjustable flapper that you showed does regulate the amount of water per flush. Almost as simple as a brick!