Hello there, Plumber2000 since I know you pretty much answer everyone's questions. Thanks should be in order. You and other Mods must see the same questions over and over again. If the person asking the question would just look a few pages back they would probably find their answer. Anyway, I have a question you have probaly already answered at some time. I did not see this one answered anywhere. It is either a stupid question or you can't do anything about it.

I uninstalled an re-installed my first toilet (bows)(thank you). My question is how do you control the level of water in the bowl. Is it proportional to the water in the tank? I filled the tank half way to the water line and toilet would not flush properly. I did this by adjusting the set screw. There is also another screw I am not sure of its function. It is the flow control. Is this fill time or what?

I'm I just to perticular? Don't worry about how much water is in the bowl. It is a 13.3L flush. 3.5 gallons for you americans which is legal in Canada by the way. I had to get rid of the 1.6g what a waste of a toilet. Although I suppose if you spend the right money you could get a good one. ANyway I am rambling now, so any advice or explantion is appreciated. NOt edited for spelling or grammer eh.

 

Congratulations on changing your first toilet! I'm sure your flushed with pride!

I don't think plumber2000 is here right now but I'm sure he'll be along soon with some wisdom on the topic, in the meantime I'll try to answer your question.

All toilets have a trap built into them.
The water level in the toilet bowl is controlled by the design of the fixture, the water level will rise only until it spills over the back of the trap and goes down the drain. There is no way to control this level yourself.
You are right about the two screws on the ballcock in the tank, one adjusts the water level, which should be set to the line in the tank to operate properly, and the other controls how fast the tank fills, there should be adjustment recomendations in your instructions. If you dont have the instructions I would set it to what seems right to you, this is not a critical adjustment.
I do miss the 3.5 gallons toilets, the new 1.6 toilets have improved a lot since the 1st ones came out but they still are not as reliable as the old ones.
Good Luck! Plumber John

[This message has been edited by plumber john (edited September 20, 2000).]

 

What plumber john posted is almost 100% correct. But one staement in your post bothers me -- "I filled the tank halfway to the water line and toilet will not flush properly." You need the tank to fill TO the water line, NOT halfway to it. Otherwise, the toilet will not flush properly (as you now know!) What John said said about the water level in the bowl only getting as high as the trap is true. However, for the toilet to work properly, the water needs to be AT THAT LEVEL. By stopping the water flow when the tank is half full, you haven't totally filled the bowl. So, like john said, adjust the level in the tank TO THE WATER LINE, and your problem will be solved.

And BTW, if that's the ONLY mistake you made in changing your first toilet, you passed the test with flying colors!!

 

The main thing for the toilet the flush good is how much water you have in the tank, the more the water the better the flush you will have.

This should be self explanitory

Next important thing needed for a good flush is that the bowl water must be at operating level.

The way the bowl reaches it's operating level after you flush the toilet, is by the tube that is inside the tank that goes to the overfill tube. If you have very little or no flow from this then you have problems, this is the one most thing I find when working on toilets with low bowl levels.The fix for this is replacing the fillvalve.

Here is a test to find out the fill valve is in good operating condition...

Lift Tank Lid, don't flush toilet but lift the flapper barley to see where the operating level of bowls is suppose to be at after each flush, this will be the point where the water in bowl start to go over the top of the trapway, this is a reference point for this test. now flush the toilet several times and see if the bowl refills back to the same level once the fillvalve stops running, if it don't replace the fillvalve.

I like to install the fluidmaster fillvalve.

Next thing is the proper transfer of water from the tank to the bowl.

If the water does not tranfer fast enough then the toilet acts sluggish, to fix this clean the holes out around the flush ring, also check the blow hole in the bottom of the toilet, if this is totally plugged then the toilet water will just sit and swirl, and never go out.

Hope you now have a better understanding of how a toilet flushes.

Need more help just let us know

Best Regards Plumber2000
www.atozplumbing.com

 

Good morning Plumber 2000

Does more water in the tank always provide a better flush? Many out there, including a plumber at www.terrylove.com say a good 1.6 Gal toilet out performs the 3.5 gal. If that is true more water would not always be better. Of course in the case where it is going half way up to the fill line that is for sure a problem in either type of toilet. Your thought and professional opinion would be apreaciated.

Thanks

 

If the toilet is not a 1.6 gal flusher then yes the more water in the tank the better flush you will have.

I don't like the 1.6 gal flusher, even thou alot flush good, with the old flush toilets the power behide the flush seems alot stonger the today's toilet. Seen lots of 1.6'ers that needed a plunger by, just in case.

Best Regards Plumber2000
www.atozplumbing.com

[This message has been edited by Plumber2000 (edited September 21, 2000).]