Re: Concealed Cisterns

[Rod Hewitt]

"John" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Are concealed cisterns for WCs the same standard or do they vary > depending upon the WC pan? > By 'standard' - I mean fittings they use for connection to the pan and > sizes. > Reason I ask is I have seen a WC pan I like from a supplier, but their > concealed cistern is a rip off & could probably get one elsewhere. > > John > > >

John,

Every concealed cistern I have seen is a rip off. Best I found was at Grahams - around forty quid (IIRC) - though most seem to be up at seventy or so.

As far as I can tell they all use the same standard flush pipes as any other WC.

I am thinking of using a conventional porcelain cistern instead (as we shall have one available anyway and have enough space for it). For the life of me I cannot see why not. Anyone got any good reasons?

Rod

[IMM]

No. If it fits use it.

[adder]

If it's a low level cistern (not closed coupled) then yes you can buy one from wickes for less than 20 quid. I did this with my Heritage pan. A cistern from them would have been 80 pounds or more. If it's close coupled then I suspect that a cheap cistern would fit. Try it and see!

[Antony Jones]

I've installed a Thomas Dudley "Vantage" in my place. The main reason for choosing this model was the front access panel. If you use a normal ceramic cistern, consider carefully how you'll gain access to its innards when you need to.

Points in its favour:

- Front (and top) access panels

- Light touch push button

- Very fast flush (important when there's only 6 litres)

- Silent, quick Torbeck valve

Points against:

- Cost

- Plastic button (Grohe Dal has much nicer chromed brass)

- Non-standard flush pipe (50mm narrowing down to standard 38mm)

It is expensive when you think that it's just a simple plastic moulding compared to ceramic, but there is a more complex pneumatic flush valve. Cost was about 80 from PlumbCenter IIRC. There was a fault on mine where the button had an air leak. The manufacturers were excellent in resolving this, and I'm completely happy with performance of the cistern. Others on this group have recommended the MultiKwik. Also check out the Grohe Dal if you can afford it (about 100 quid).

BTW I've no connection with Thomas Dudley

-Antony

[Christian McArdle]

They all seem to use the same weird size of pipe for the connection. Not quite 40mm, but close. As you can buy the flush pipe as a separate generic item, I strongly suspect most cisterns would work with most pans.

Christian.

[Mike Barnes]

Fascinating. I've always wondered why people didn't put cisterns in the loft space, because the potential energy should make for a really good flush with not much water.

Questions:

• What's an "F&E" tank? * What bore does the flush pipe need to be? Is it possible to bury it in the wall or do you need to make a "feature" of it? * How much does an electric flush cost and where can they be bought? * What about electrical safety? * Presumably during a power cut you make use of the reserve flush mechanism (plastic bucket).

[Tony Bryer]

High level suites used to have names like "The Thunderer" and "The Niagara" for this reason

[Andy Hall]

... and there are some good examples at

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[PoP]

Hmm, I always imagined that cisterns had a direct relationship in terms of size to what the toilet bowl could handle.

Whenever I've seen a blockage of a toilet it appears to have been the case that the quantity of water in the cistern is roughly equivalent to the quantity that the toilet bowl can handle. That is, flush when at the lowest water level and the cistern empties completely before the bowl overflows.

And I assumed that there must be a calculation which suggests that a certain quantity of water passes thru the toilet outflow so as to guarantee that the waste has been fully pushed thru the system by the incoming flush.

Apart from those mysterious little floaters that sometimes refuse to get flushed away that is..... ;)

PoP

[Rod Hewitt]

antony_j [e-mail] (Antony Jones) wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I have already got a Torbeck valve (excellent) and a Multikwik (also excellent) on the cistern I intend using - so other than access (easy enough in my circumstances) full steam ahead!

Rod