TOTO Neorest 500 toilet product review and comments

**Peanut9199** · 11-24-2009, 05:23 AM

Here is the owners manual

Cause - In case of power failure or power cord disconnect.
Solution - It may not function normally on the day of the power outage, but should work normally starting the next day.

Also check to see if the Power is on

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**xucchini** · 11-29-2009, 11:05 PM

Hello, I just put tile in my bathroom and I want to get a neorest 500 but I now have a 10 inch rough-in (well about 10.5 inches).

If I purchased the neorest 500 and a 10" unifit adapter would that allow me to install the neorest 500 with a 10" rough-in?

No, you need at least 11.5" for the adapter that comes with the Neorest500
The other adapters don't work with this model.

The back of this adapter hold the back bolts in the correct location for only the Neorest bowl.

**xucchini** · 11-30-2009, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by xucchini

Hello, I just put tile in my bathroom and I want to get a neorest 500 but I now have a 10 inch rough-in (well about 10.5 inches).

If I purchased the neorest 500 and a 10" unifit adapter would that allow me to install the neorest 500 with a 10" rough-in?

The toilet is going onto tile which is done over a concrete slab.

I believe the existing drain is PVC.

So would an offset flange be my next best bet?

**ChuckS** · 11-30-2009, 09:25 PM

Talk about an electric chair, hate to see it short circuit during a good thought... That might raise the pucker factor.

Seriously, that is some throne. With that heated seat I would have to put the kid out to use it. She turns on the ones in the car during the summer.

**Terry** · 12-01-2009, 08:42 AM

I enjoy the warm seat on a toilet too.
If you want to make your wife happy, then get her a washlet or bidet seat.
It's total luxury.

**xucchini** · 12-01-2009, 06:35 PM

I went ahead and ordered the Neorest 500.

Going to try with an offset flange adapter, hopefully everything will work out...

I'll try to take pictures of the install as it happens.

Hope I am back in a few weeks with a positive story to tell.

**CSW** · 03-02-2010, 02:41 PM

Hi guys,
After I read all the positive reviews and I also ordered 500 to give a try. We realized the installation is a bit too hard for us so we started looking for a right person to do it.
We got quotes from 2 different plumbers and they both gonna charge us over$600 to complete the task. Does this sound right? One plumber told us power allocation is kind of complicated too so it takes extra efforts to do this.
Any advices would be appreciated.

Jason

**Terry** · 03-02-2010, 03:06 PM

$600 plus electrical sounds about right.

You want them to worry abit beforehand before they start.
It's one of those, slow down, read everything, and get it right the first time installations.

**Terry** · 03-04-2010, 05:48 AM

What did they say needs to be done? If they can re-use the existing supply (cold water) and toilet drain (12" rough) then it's just about running an outlet near the toilet.

I charge $499 to install these, and I don't do any electrical.
Until you have installed one yourself, then it's pointless to "wonder" why they take so long.

The existing toilet supply can't be used.
They supply their own shutoff and supply.
Without changing the plumbing for that, you won't be able to install it.
I had one customer that just assumed that his $3500 toilet from Japan would install using the same $5.99 3/8" connector that his other toilets use.
It's not even close.
There is not gravity tank on this.
It depends on water volume at the wall to pump the waste through.
Trying to do that through a tiny straw isn't going to do much for you.
Imagine drinking a milk shake through your coffee stirrer.
And would you want a guy that quoted $179 for the installation doing your $3500 toilet install?
It doesn't take much to turn a $3500 beauty into a big box of parts that need returning.

Installation manual

Owners Manual

The Neorest 600 comes with it's own supply and supply tube. It's a 1/2" female thread on the back of the shutoff. Specs call for the shutoff to be a little higher off the floor, and 11-3/4" to the left of center. If someone knew that before the walls were in, that is where you could put it.
This bathroom was like most homes with the shutoff closer. The top fitting swings, which is good, it allows the connection without kinking the supply.

**Terry** · 03-05-2010, 09:03 PM

BTW - I think this site is great. There's a site about everything on the net. I'd just like to offer the poster a different point of view.

You lost me on your first comment of
"So does the homeowner then just get to do a manual flush?"

I'm a plumber.
So when the customer calls up, I tell him to have the electrical installed in the wall before I get there.
If they don't know an electrician, there are a few numbers I can give him.

For the toilet to flush properly using the pump, it needs the non restricted supply that comes with the bowl.
A 3/8" will be too small.
So I think it's nice to be up front with people, if they are spending that kind of money, they should follow the recommend steps and be able to enjoy all the functions.
It's not a bargain to save a buck here and there, and then not get what you have already paid for.
If the supply is not the original, then it may not rinse the bowl as well.

It also doesn't make sense to tell these people with the investment, that is is like installing their TOTO Drake.

As far as pricing goes, most plumbers in the Seattle area are charging double my rates.
I charge $179 for a standard toilet installation.
Lowes Hardware charges $219.00 plus $10.00 in parts, plus $45.00 more if you bring the toilet out with you.

I come highly recommended on the Microsoft website.
They like bargains too, which is maybe why I get so many referrals from Microsoft.
They know that I will include all the factory parts, things like a shutoff with water filter and the full size water connection.

Moving the shutoff for the Neorest 550
The job was for one of my neighbors.

**pixie** · 04-02-2010, 12:31 AM

Hi, I'm new to this forum and appreciate all the great information! I do have a question about the supply line. The Neorest 500 installation instructions specifically call for the line as follows: Please make sure that the water supply from the water shutoff valve faces downward at a 60 degree angle and toward the side of the toilet. Is this just to prevent the line from kinking/twisting? For the 600 model, it looks like you have angled it upward away from th toilet in the picture above, but the 600 manual specifies that it should be parallel to the floor. Just trying to see how we can make this work. As long as the supply line is not kinked, does it matter which direction the line is going (i.e., pointing away from the toilet or towards the toilet, angled downward vs. angled upward)? Our supply line is very close to the toilet as well so we're just trying to find a solution without having to move the supply line if we don't have to. Thanks in advance!

**Terry** · 04-02-2010, 04:46 AM

In a perfect world, you would have bought the Neorest first.
Then the plumber would have read the rough-in instructions and installed the water supply exactly where TOTO likes it to be before the room was drywalled.

The important thing, is that the large braided hose does not kink.
That is why the installation photo's look so different.
As an installer on a retrofit installation, do you cut the wall, move the supply, and then have the homeowner bring in a drywall repair and painter?
With the 550, you are kind of stuck, the supply has to be in just one spot, but at least you can hide a lot of that with the "wings" that cover toward the back.

So the option is:
1) Install right to spec, and then do a drywall patch and paint
2) Set the bowl down, and see what you can get by with without kinking.
Sometimes adding a few inches of pipe and a 90 el is enough for the connection.

But you must use the Toto supplied shutoff, with the large thread and the water screen that can be removed and cleaned.
And the Large braided Toto supplied water supply.
It needs these two parts to function correctly.

**Terry** · 06-02-2010, 02:52 PM

Most plumbers are roughing water at 6" to the left.
If you are installing a Neorest 500, the water needs to be moved over.

The Neorest comes with it's own shutoff with filter screen. The large braided hose is needed or it won't flush right.
You can't use a 3/8" hose on these, no tank, so you need more volume.

Terry

**Sinjinn** · 10-07-2010, 08:54 AM

Just to show it can be done if you are handy with tools and understand electrical and plumbing supply lines: below is my self-installed Neorest 500. The job took a total of 15 hours from start to finish and that included running an electrical line from the attic, down through the bathroom cabinet and installing a GFI outlet; removing the old toilet, drilling and cutting bathroom tiles, using Shark plumbing fittings to extend the existing water supply far enough to the side of the toilet for a kinkless supply connection, and...well you can see the rest. The water supply line was a close fit!

We love this unit! Although our supply pressure is on the low side and a double flush is necessary from time to time, that was the same with our old toilet, so not a big deal.

**jadnashua** · 10-07-2010, 01:04 PM

Humm, if the supply line before the new stuff was copper, if you'd used copper, it might have worked better. CPVC ID is smaller, closer to 3/8" copper, and is restricting the max flow.