Automatic cleaner options for Toto Aquia II Dual Flush

[sandybox]

Hi there, I have been looking for automatic cleaners for our Toto Aquia II Dual Flush toilet. I know using a tablet in the tank would ruin the rubber parts, so I'm looking at the cartridge systems that inject the cleaning agent into the overflow tube.

Question is: does the cartridge system work with dual flush toilets? The reason I ask is I don't see the overflow tube accessible any where...

Any other dual-flush toilet cleaning ideas/tips would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Sandy

[wjcandee]

The Aquia II uses a washdown flush, but there is some refill. There is a refill tube that runs from the fill valve to the flush mechanism. Presumably, you could interconnect the automatic bowl cleaner thingy between the fill valve and flush mechanism. However, I really don't know how "safe" this is, because I'm not clear what the water path is from the input to the flush mechanism through it, and down to the bowl. The reason the auto-clean works on a traditional flush valve is that the overflow riser (into which you dump the chemical water) bypasses the flapper completely, so that you typically don't get the bowl cleaner on the rubber when it goes down the overflow riser. Because the Aquia uses this mechanism-thing, I don't know whether the refill water (and thus the chemicals) go through it and bypass all the rubber, or whether they come into contact with rubber at any point. If they do contact the rubber or any internal gaskets in the mechansim, the chemicals won't be good for it. You might be able to examine the mechanism and it might be obvious from looking at it how the refill water flows, but it might not be. You might try calling Toto customer service and asking them this question. They are often pretty helpful. Let us know what they say. They are toll-free at 888-295-8134. Friendly folks in Georgia, USA.

[sandybox]

Thanks wjcandee! I finally got around to calling Toto customer service (you're right, they are very friendly). The rep said others have asked them this same question.You can in fact connect it as you have described- fill valve to the flush mechanism. I specifically asked about whether this would damage any part of the system, and he said no. I ended up purchasing the Kaboom system and fit it into the tank. It's not a easy fit- if I hang the cartridge over the rim, the lid doesn't sit flush. After some fidgeting around, the attached photo seems to be the best way to fit it. I hope this reduces the amount of manual cleaning that needs to be done in the future for these dual-flush systems!

[wjcandee]

Aren't they nice, knowledgeable folks? I have always thought that every customer-service call is an opportunity to generate positive word-of-mouth for your product, and staffing your call centers with friendly, smart people costs more, but it makes such a difference. The offshore call centers really can't deliver what a well-staffed, culturally-attuned group of native speakers can deliver. Similarly, Toto would be insane to have its Japanese customers deal with an American call center, even one staffed with good Japanese speakers. Japanese natives expect and receive an incredibly-high level of customer service, delivered within a set of very-specific rules of interaction -- lots of apologizing, lots of meaningful and knowledgeable action. What would be a great call-center experience to us would be average to them. Likewise, what would be a terrific job to many offshore consumers is not sufficient to us here in the US. I know it is expensive to do what Toto does, but I really think it is worth it -- I can confidently recommend to any participant here that he or she call the Toto folks, and I know they will know the answer or find it out, and that they are empowered to do their very best to make the customer happy (i.e. by sending free parts, suggesting a warranty replacement, etc.)

I'm glad they came through for you, and I am doubly-glad to know the official answer to this question. Thanks for the photo and the description as well.

Nice job figuring out how to install it...it looks like the Kaboom is hugging the flush valve.

It is interesting to me that Toto has never stopped using only the US-made Korky 528 valve in the Aquia; they have split the suppliers on most of their other toilets between the Korky 528 and a valve made by a Toto joint-venture in China (which I frankly think is a mistake). (Hmmm...looking at that tank, maybe it's for the simple reason that the other valve won't fit...)