One of our toilets is sometimes proving difficult to flush, sometimes requiring several pulls on the handle to get the siphon working. Its a close coupled system so is going to need to be completely dismantled in order to replace the siphon unit.
I was just going to go with a Thomas Dudley Turbo 88 unit because of the ability to service it without removing the down pipe.
While looking through the Screwfix offerings, I noticed that the push button versions look a lot more compact (I assume the buttons are designed to fit in standard lever holes). e.g.
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Are the push types better (not sure how they work) from a reliability point of view, generally regarded as better or should I just stick with a like for like (ish) replacement?
I've not used that type of push-button, but the one that we have takes considerable finger strength to operate. A lever would be much easier if anyone has any hand weakness, pain or arthritis.
We've 5 few push ones (couple of shops, I don't live in a mansion).
They've been no bother although the oldest of them (a good few years now) has an issue where on a full flush it doesn't close after emptying the cistern. You've to push and release the button again until you hear a 'plunk'.
In message snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com, AlanC snipped-for-privacy@mullen.demon.co.uk> writes
I've been through a very similar exercise. With a close-coupled system replacement can be a pig of a job - especially if nothing has been touched for many years, and the bolts holding the cistern to the bowl have become rusted. [Fortunately. mine were just loosenable.]
The original syphon was a 10" Dudley S9B Hi-Flo - a one-piece unit (hence the necessity to remove the cistern), and I was determined to fit a two-piece unit - where if you need to replace the diaphragm, the cylinder and piston part can be removed in a couple of minutes.
In addition, I wanted to do away with the external overflow pipe (which goes through the bottom of the cistern, on the left). and let the siphon 'spillover' discharge into the bowl (which is what most modern toilets do these days).
Finally, the 'cranking handle' goes through a hole on the right side of the cistern (near the top) - but as it isn't watertight, I had to make sure that siphon spillover was not too high, and yet not too low so that there was insufficient water in the cistern even when it was full.
The three-piece Dudley Turbo 88 (which detachable and also height-adjustable) would have been ideal, but unfortunately it seemed just too large for the cistern. So instead I had to opt for the smaller Turbo 44 - which is available in a range of fixed heights (in half inch steps). After many sessions of careful measurements of the water level, I got an 8" unit - which (surprisingly) turned out to be spot-on.
Just a couple of additional comments:
Looking at the Turbo 44, it seems that it could have easily been made height-adjustable (like the 88).
I found it very difficult (and, in most cases, totally impossible) to find out the dimensions of the various types of toilet siphons. I estimated that the 44 would be very similar to the S9B Hi-Flo - and it actually turned out to be exactly the same. The only manufacturer who gives them is Viva (superb!).
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all of theirs seemed too big. All the other manufacturers' information is minimal at best - and in most cases, virtually non-existent.
Yes. Had a leaky one lately. Looked like the doughnut had never been properly in place and probably leaked since day one. Pain of a job, especially in an enclosed space.
I've 2 close coupled ones now as I bought another a while ago (prior to fixing the above), you don't buy toilets often do you, so in my case at least was unprepared having not given it much thought but knowing what I do now i'd not have another.
I installed the toilet in the early 90s, and (for various reasons) I've had to remove the cistern a couple of times. I've never renewed the doughnut - and this time it was like a well-chewed (large) Licorice Allsort. Despite this, it was only just starting to leak.
After the siphon job was done, I had trouble with leaks from a new doughnut. After several cistern 'offs and ons' (I was getting quite good at it!), I traced the leak to the steel connecting plate not quite being the correct fit for the toilet bowl (fixed after a bit of hacksawing).
In message <rj8u2h$rbb$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me, Jim GM4DHJ ... snipped-for-privacy@ntlworld.com writes
Naw........ It's working fine now - and with luck I'll never have to take the cistern off again (at least not because of a split in a silly bit of flimsy plastic sheet).
It sounds like there isnt really much of an advantage over the lever version so I will stick with my original plan of the Turbo 88 (or 44 - I havent measured anything yet).
It does sound like this could turn into a real pig of a job. Might be worth getting one of these BSP plugs in case its a prolonged outage!
I've been very satisfied with the two Fluidmaster syphon and torbeck combos I fitted. It may have changed, but you got the choice of a plastic or brass bush on the fill valve, may as well get the brass one.
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