Large hard stools (spinal cord injury) (parkinson's) current toilet clogs.

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Terry

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caroma_305_horn.jpg


Super large 3" trapway on the Caroma 305 bowl, an inch larger then everything else.
 

Toilet Quest

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A few Questions Regarding The Caroma 4'' Trapway Toilets.

Hey Guys,

Like a few of the other members, I also suffer from a medical condition which causes me to have very thick, long, and dry bowel movements that often clog the toilet. Going through the forum I've noticed that the most recommended toilet for such problems is the Caroma with the 4'' trapway. I've read a few reviews which mentioned that there is very heavy splashing on butt cheeks, seat, and surrounding floor and I wanted to ask someone who has experience with this toilet if the splashing is something that can be minimized/eliminated thorough some sort of an adjustment or if it's something that cannot be controlled? I also noticed a couple people complain about the water level being too low but I found an official video tutorial which shows how to make it higher. One review states:

"Caroma touts its big 4 inch trapway, but if you actually measure the outlet it is only 3 3/8 inches inside diameter (which is certainly bigger than the normal, but not quite as big as they claim). Furthermore, after you plug the toilet into the Caroma trap adaptor, the functional outlet size is further reduced in one dimension, becoming more of an eye-shaped oval, roughly 3 3/8 inches in the long side and maybe 2 1/2 inches in the reduced side."

Now, it's one thing to make something fit into the 4'' trapway and another thing for it to go cleanly into the adapter and 3'' pipe (especially since the person mentioned it narrows down to 2 1/2'' on one side). So I am wondering if anyone has experienced situations where they were able to fit large stools into the 4'' trapway only for them to get clogged at the trap adapter or the 3'' pipe? Perhaps the force of the water is able to push it through hard enough so it's a non-issue?

I would also like to ask, how is the bowl rinse on these toilets and how does the flushing power compare to let's say a Cadet 3 or a Champion 4 which both have a MaP score of 1000?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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Terry

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In your situation, I would NOT get the American Standard Cadet, or the Champion. These trapways are too small.
Their trapways are about 2", which for 99% would be fine, but you're a one percenter.

Your best bet is a Caroma bowl, and if you can't get that, you can try the Kohler Highline with a Flushmate pressure assist.
 
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Toilet Quest

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In your situation, I would NOT get the American Standard Cadet, or the Champion. These trapways are too small.
Their trapways are about 2", which for 99% would be fine, but you're a one percenter.

Your best bet is a Caroma bowl, and if you can't get that, you can try the Kohler Highline with pressure assist.

Thanks for the advice. Do you by any chance know if the splashing is still a big problem and if it can be minimized/eliminated? Also, do you think that very thick and dry stool will have any problems going through the smaller trap adapter (3 3/8'' by 2 1/2'') or into the 3'' pipe after it initially goes into the 4'' opening or will it have built up enough force by then to go through smoothly?
 
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Terry

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You really don't have much choice.

Yes, there can be a little splash back onto the seat, though most don't seem to notice.
We have been recommending the Caroma bowl for just this situation, and if you are asking if it has been working for them, the answer is yes.
I had one maintenance guy complain that at the college where he works, WSU, he's had to fish tennis shoes out of the main sewer line. Kids were flushing shoes down the toilet.
 
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Toilet Quest

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You really don't have much choice.

Yes, there can be a little splash back onto the seat, though most don't seem to notice.
We have been recommending the Caroma bowl for just this situation, and if you are asking if it has been working for them, the answer is yes.
I had one maintenance guy complain that the college where he works, WSU, he's had to fish tennis shoes out of the main sewer line. Kids were flushing shoes down the toilet.

LOL @ tennis shoes. Anytime I see that the stool is too big to flush I just pour a little bit of drain opener into the bowl and fairly quickly it softens and melts it down and then flushes without a problem. It's definitely easier and much more pleasant than struggling with a plunger. I was really hoping to find a toilet that can just flush the larger pieces right away and from what I've read on the forum the Caroma was the most recommended for these situations. I was just a little bit concerned because some reviews mentioned a lot of splashing and the bowl not rinsing all that well. So basically I'm still trying to decide weather to go with a standard toilet with a powerful flush that doesn't splash water and has a good bowl rinse but requires some extra work sometimes or something that requires no work but splashes and leaves the bowl less clean. Anyways, the forum and your advice has been very helpful. Thanks again.
 

Gary Swart

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Drain openers that are caustic and not good to put in a toilet. Yes, you may get some splashing with the Caroma, but they will flat flush. It's a trade off. We all look to find perfection, but darn it, it just isn't always possible. Floating around somewhere, probably on You Tube, there is a video demonstrating the Caroma flushing a load of large Russet potatoes! It's almost unbelievable. If I had the problem you describe, I'd get the Caroma and then put the lid down before I flushed. I don't like the pressure assist toilets, they are too loud and they splash too. Moreover, when the pressure unit go bad, it can cost quite a bit to repair.
 

Toilet Quest

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Drain openers that are caustic and not good to put in a toilet. Yes, you may get some splashing with the Caroma, but they will flat flush. It's a trade off. We all look to find perfection, but darn it, it just isn't always possible. Floating around somewhere, probably on You Tube, there is a video demonstrating the Caroma flushing a load of large Russet potatoes! It's almost unbelievable. If I had the problem you describe, I'd get the Caroma and then put the lid down before I flushed. I don't like the pressure assist toilets, they are too loud and they splash too. Moreover, when the pressure unit go bad, it can cost quite a bit to repair.

The stuff I use is supposed to be safe for plastic pipes but I always flush several times afterwards just in case to make sure it doesn't sit in the pipes and cause damage. I have seen two videos of potatoes being flush down Caroma toilets but they weren't connected to real pipes and someone mentioned that once the trap adapter is installed the opening gets more narrow "becoming more of an eye-shaped oval, roughly 3 3/8 inches in the long side and maybe 2 1/2 inches in the reduced side" so I wonder if the potatoes would go down properly into a real pipe. Due to a mobility problem, getting off the toilet and putting the lid down every time I have to flush would be very difficult for me especially since I often have to flush many times as it takes a long time to fully go. I was at a hotel recently which had pressure assisted units and they did flush well but like you mentioned they were loud and splashed a bit plus I noticed that particular unit did not have good bowl rinse. I'm considering the Caroma Sydney model since it has the highest MaP score of 1000.
 

Terry

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A MaP higher then 500 is a pretty much useless stat.

The old toilets moved 150 - 175 grams.

Watersense gives their rating on 350 grams.
 

Toilet Quest

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Terry, in your opinion is the Kohler Highline with pressure assist better than the Gerber Ultraflush for my situation?
 

Terry

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Terry, in your opinion is the Kohler Highline with pressure assist better than the Gerber Ultraflush for my situation?

Yes.
The Gerber has only a 1-7/8 opening as the trapway exits the bowl.
The Kohler has a larger trapway.

And don't tell me that the Gerber specs mention an average of 3". Someone was smoking pot when they wrote that. You can't fool a plumber. We carry tape measures.

ultraflush_outlet.jpg


The Gerber's 1-7/8" trapway exit.

caroma_305_horn.jpg


Super large 3" trapway on the Caroma 305 bowl, an inch larger then everything else.
 
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Toilet Quest

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Thanks Terry,
Sorry to bother you with so many questions but I just wanted to ask you a couple more things. In the Caromas, is the exit hole in the bowl as big as the trapway? Also, a few people mentioned having to drill holes in their bathroom floor in order to install their Caroma and I was wondering what that's all about?
 
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Jerome2877

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Also, a few people mentioned having to drill holes in their bathroom floor in order to install their Caroma and I was wondering what that's all about?

Caroma's usually use a flange adapter that you set the toilet onto then fasten it down with 2 screw holes at the back. I always silicone them as well as the screws don't hold it in place that well. The 305 doesn't use that adapter so if you go with it you will be fine.
 
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Terry

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If you have a problem with the Caroma trapway, it will be the first. I would be amazed.
Do you think you are that amazing?

270 bowl uses an adapter that mounts with standard closet bolts, and two screws at the back of the bowl.
305 uses the standard closet bolts at the flange.
I caulk the bowls to the floor when I'm done installing.
 

Spta97

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The advantage of a larger diameter trapway is that a stick can go around the curves better. I doubt there is any human that could create a stool large enough in diameter to not make it through a typical toilet...but, when you add in the fact it is long and hard, you need that extra diameter for it to navigate through.

A pressure assist was discussed...I'm not sure that would make much of any difference except add costs and maintenance (not counting the noiser flush). If the trapway isn't big enough, until the stool has a chance to soften by sitting in the water, it's not going anywhere.

I know everyone on this forum seems to hate pressure assisted models but I love my Kohler pressure assisted model and it puts my g/f's Toto to shame. I have learned with the Toto I often have to flush 1/2 way through or risk a clog (it is the model with the two "power jets" on the rim).

I agree that there is more that could go wrong and I had an issue with my pressure assisted model last week that prevented it from working. After a toll free call to Sloan (they make the pressure tank) they sent me the replacement part (actuator) along with instructions on how to install it. The part arrived on Saturday (2 days later) and I was up and running in 10 minutes. To my surprise I found out that the pressure tank has a 10 year warranty. I have not found other companies that stand behind their product as long.

So, it was a 2-day inconvienence but it was no additional money. Not to mention the bowl rinses much cleaner than the Toto.

Point is, if you can put up with the noise it is worth a look.
 

Terry

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If you have this guys problem, I don't recommend a gravity except the Caroma. A medical condition means that most products aren't going to cut it. The Kohler pressure assist is also a good option if you have medical issues. It's about $450
 
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Toilet Quest

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Thanks Terry, I'm really thinking of giving the Caroma a try. Do you know if the hole in the Caroma bowl where the waste initially passes through before it enters the trapway is the same size as the trapway or is it smaller?
 

Terry

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They work just fine the way there are.
They all come as a dual flush, but of course you are free to monkey around with it. I've never modified one before though. Never needed to.

The one pictured is the 270 bowl. The 305 is more like a standard installation.
The 270 has an adapter that mounts to the flange, and then the bowl drops over it. Two screws through the floor secure it at the back.
 
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