Caroma Caravelle Installation concern

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I'm strongly considering buying a Caroma Caravelle One Piece Easy Height Round Front Plus toilet model 989668W/BI. However, when I viewed Caroma's installation video it's clear they don't have a method of bolting the toilet to the floor. You're just supposed to bolt a small mounting flange then place the bowl over it and use silicon caulk around the base.

Is this really secure? What's to stop the whole thing from tipping over if you have the misfortune of having an oversized guest?

By comparison, the Toto Aquia Dual Flush models look like they have lots of plastic parts in the trap connections which to me is just asking for trouble in the future.... something plumbers probably don't mind.

Given the cost of these things, they need to last and be trouble free for many years.

Is the Caroma a better fit for the long haul?
 

Terry

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I've had more success with the Toto Aquia then the Caroma when it comes to installation and repairs down the road.
The Aquia is a solid install.

I've sold a few hundred of the Aquia with almost no problems, so your guess turns out to be wrong.

The Caroma is also good, just not quite as good.
What the video does not show are the two holes at the back of the bowl for two screws that go into the floor.
Caroma expects that if there is a tile floor, that the installer will bail out and just Silicone it to the floor.

Since you have never installed a toilet, let me assure you, if you Silicone a bowl to the floor, good luck ever getting it off again.
We won't use Silicone for that reason.
 
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Basement_Lurker

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I've installed a number of caromas, including the 1 piece model you are thinking about. The unifit rough-in flange that caromas install with is better than toto's system in my opinion, and the caromas are the only toilet to use a 3" trapway.
However I like the look of toto units much better than caromas. Especially the Aquia to the caravelle.

As far as your question about stability...toilets (especially one piece units) are very heavy and the risk of them toppling over is negligible, especially once filled with water. And yes, if you do silicone around the base after you set the toilet (like I do), it's not going anywhere.

One thing you should be aware of, is that the caravelle one piece is horrible to work on if you need to tighten the toilet seat bolts. The only access is through the back of the toilet, which means you have to have tiny arms to reach around back while the toilet is installed, or you have to pull the toilet.
 

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Thanks for the feedback!

This has to be the best site ever for helping people make purchase decisions and troubleshoot problems. Maybe this forum should be renamed to "Potty Training".

Regarding the warning about space for installing/changing seats, I thought caroma offers a "detachable" seat that sounded like it should avoid the issue.

Given the volume of posts, I can't imagine Terry finding time to actually sell/install toilets.

Now all I have to do is find a vendor in the southern New Jersey area that can supply these things at a reasonable price.

Thanks!!
 

Terry

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We sell a few thousand toilets a year.
We install about a third of them.

Here's one I installed yesterday

neo_550_right.jpg


Neorest 550
 
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