I've got a toilet equipped with a Sloan flushometer, which I found has a known issue regarding the water volume needed for proper flushing. It requires a 1" pipe to supply enough volume for an effective flush. My current setup has a 3/4" pipe from the city supply, reducing to 1/2" going into the meter and then back to 1" leading to the toilet. I'm wondering if switching to a 1" pipe for both in and out of the meter will help with the flushing issue or if the 3/4" city line makes any larger pipe upgrades pointless?
4 Answers
Honestly, swapping toilets might be the easiest solution. Toilets can be pretty affordable, and going for a newer model could save you from the hassle of all this plumbing work. Just a thought!
Changing the pipe diameter can certainly create some headloss due to fittings and meters that might affect flow. While I can't guarantee that switching to a 1" pipe will resolve your toilet flush issue, it’s definitely worth trying since it can't hurt to improve the flow. You might see better results with less restriction!
Just a heads up, if this is a commercial flushometer setup, it might be overkill for residential use which usually relies on tanks. But if you're determined to fix the flush issue, consider adding a tank after the meter to help with that volume!
As a mechanical engineer, I gotta say that these flush valves need a certain pressure to work correctly. It’s not just the pipe size that counts. If the pressure supplied to your flushometer isn't sufficient, even a larger pipe won't solve the problem. Focus on checking your pressure first to see if that's where the issue lies!