Automatic flushing

[Bain]

Okay, so I'm wondering if someone can satisfy my curiosity. I went out for dinner last night, and was later in the restroom, where there were a bunch of self-flushing urinals.

How do they work?

There was a plate on the photo-electric sensor housing, behind which I assume there's a battery that operates the sensor and some sort of solenoid that trips the flush mechanism. But what kind of battery would generate enough power to keep working a gazillion times in a busy airport or restaurant?

Or . . . do I have the whole set-up figured wrong?

And yes, you're right. I do need to get a life.

[ghentjr]

Low voltage power supply through a transformer from the 120v system.

[Chad Fabry]

I've found that I have automatic flushing at my house. Even when I don't flush flush the toilet it's always flushed the next time I use it. I suspect the mechanism is powered by bitching and it's the closet thing to perpetual motion yet found. Maybe the airport hires wives to power the system.

[Erby]

Well, at least you weren't in one of the dives. They don't have self flushing.

[Inspectorjoe]

The Sloan 180-SMO is powered by four C batteries. The rated battery life is 72,000 flushes. That's amazing.

Joe

[gtblum]

Hey Joe,

Get a hobby!

[Bain]

Thanks, everyone. I s'pose the battery operated gizmos are primarily retrofits, and the the AC systems are typically installed before the walls are finished.

And leave Joe alone. I'm the one who started this.

[Inspectorjoe]

Get a hobby? Urinals ARE my hobby.

[asihi]

Originally posted by Bain

Okay, so I'm wondering if someone can satisfy my curiosity. I went out for dinner last night, and was later in the restroom, where there were a bunch of self-flushing urinals.

How do they work?

There was a plate on the photo-electric sensor housing, behind which I assume there's a battery that operates the sensor and some sort of solenoid that trips the flush mechanism. But what kind of battery would generate enough power to keep working a gazillion times in a busy airport or restaurant?

Or . . . do I have the whole set-up figured wrong?

And yes, you're right. I do need to get a life.

Out to dinner last week, my son and I made a trip to the bathroom and he asked me the same question. Being a dad, I didn't want to look like I didn't know and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to mess with him, so I told him it was a camera. I said that there's a person in another room that's watching him go and when you finish, they press a button to flush the toilet. His eyes got as big a silver dollar pancakes. I let him off the hook after a couple of minutes, but I think the damage has already been done.

[Tom Raymond]

Out to dinner last week, my son and I made a trip to the bathroom and he asked me the same question. Being a dad, I didn't want to look like I didn't know and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to mess with him, so I told him it was a camera. I said that there's a person in another room that's watching him go and when you finish, they press a button to flush the toilet. His eyes got as big a silver dollar pancakes. I let him off the hook after a couple of minutes, but I think the damage has already been done.

I bet you told him there is a little man who lives in the fridge to turn the light on when he opens the door, too.

Tom

[Jesse]

Originally posted by Tom Raymond

I bet you told him there is a little man who lives in the fridge to turn the light on when he opens the door, too.

Tom

There isn't?

[gtblum]

Nobody has work right now, right?

[hausdok]

Originally posted by gtblum

Nobody has work right now, right?

Dunno about you, but I'm busier now than I've been at any time over the past 5 years.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Phillip]

I am the slowest I have been in 5 years myself. Some around here has been busy, some have not.

[Richard Stanley]

Article in todays local rag related to Denmarks energy conservation. Automatic toilets with 2 speed flushing - depends on what is in there. How could that work? Sensors that smell or weigh contents?? Maybe there is a little man or Mrs Fabry????

edit: Think about how you would inspect those - both speeds!! That might exceed the SOP.

[hausdok]

Not really related but...

A few years ago, Seattle installed fancy self-cleaning toilets downtown on Pioneer Square. These things cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars and had cost them millions to operate since they were installed. The trouble was, they became shooting galleries and places for hookers to hook up, so they decided to yank them. I just saw a blurb in the Seattle paper sometime within the past week that said they'd put them on Craig's list or Ebay to try and sell them and hadn't gotten any offers and have now dropped the reserve to $1000 each.

That's efficiency for you!

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[NewInspector]

Aussie Toilet has dual flush, one button for #1 and one for #2. I think it's called the Caroma. It's huge in Europe. I read it in a highly recommended book called "flushed, a history of plumbing".

Roger H