Unusual flushing mechanism

[Flummoxed]

Hi folks, a quick question. Today I just saw a lavatory cistern that had a strange flushing mechanism (well it was strange to me anyway, I hadn't seen one before). There was push button to flush the toilet, and I had a peep at it as far as I could, and saw it had a sort of plastic tube that connected to the flushing mechanism somehow. It seems as if pushing the button would just push some air down the tube and start the flush. Any idea how this works?

I wasn't able to see inside the cistern, but I wonder if this type of flushing mechanism is reliable, i.e. do they experience any particular problems compared to the "traditional" syphon flush?

I'm interested because I hope soon to do up our bathroom so I will be looking to replace everything, including the lavatory cistern etc. and I'd be interested in this type of flush if they're any good.

Any experience or advice on this type of flush, vs. the "traditional" type, would be welcome.

TIA

Flummoxed

[Set Square]

A lot of the bathroom suites sold by the sheds have got this type of flush these days. If it's like mine, there is a large vertical tube up the centre of the cistern, the bottom of which is connected to the outlet. When the cistern is full, this tube is surrounded by water. pressing the button opens a valve at the bottom of the tube, allowing the water to enter the tube and flow into the pan. As I see it, this type has advantages and disadvantages compared with conventional syphons.

Advantages

• Cheap

• Doesn't need a separate overflow (if the water overflows it enters the top of the tube and runs into the pan)

Disadvantages

• The flush valve may leak and waste water

• No external evidence of overflowing - again wasting water

I'm sure there are others . . .

[Dave Fawthrop]

| Hi folks, a quick question. Today I just saw a lavatory cistern that | had a strange flushing mechanism (well it was strange to me anyway, I | hadn't seen one before). There was push button to flush the toilet, | and I had a peep at it as far as I could, and saw it had a sort of | plastic tube that connected to the flushing mechanism somehow. It seems | as if pushing the button would just push some air down the tube and | start the flush. Any idea how this works? | | I wasn't able to see inside the cistern, but I wonder if this type of | flushing mechanism is reliable, i.e. do they experience any particular | problems compared to the "traditional" syphon flush? | | I'm interested because I hope soon to do up our bathroom so I will be | looking to replace everything, including the lavatory cistern etc. and | I'd be interested in this type of flush if they're any good. | | Any experience or advice on this type of flush, vs. the "traditional" | type, would be welcome.

Got one of those, and it has worked OK for a year. The insides have a normal siphon, and half volume siphon, and are not drastically different from a normal one.

[Alan]

I had one of those fitted to the bathroom in my previous house - it seemed to be ok, other than it was harder to keep the 'button' clean compared to a traditional handle. The other advantage it had was that by holding the button down until the flush finished you got a 'half' flush - usefull for flushing away non-bodily waste and not having to waste a full cistern of water.

As others have said - not as obvious when you were in an overflow situation, but then again, you don't end up with dribbling water pouring out the external overflow, which as such a low flow usually ends up leaving a nice water mark down the exterior wall.