Had some fun the other day with an elderly relative's single trap
siphonic / syphonic toilet / wc - a search here brings up no
information so thought I'd post.

Couldn't figure out how it worked at first and the trap comes towards
you before doubling back underneath itself - picture he
http://tinyurl.com/m4sfz4 . Toilet was original from when the
bungalow was built in around 1955.

From the (straight) spigot at the back the soil pipe immediately goes
90 degrees into the (solid) floor, vertically down about 4 ft then 90
degrees back to horizontal and another 4ft into the gulley.

The toilet was draining slowly - hopeless as the siphonic action
wasn't being set up.

Drains seemed clear so decided as there seemed no way of getting
anything into the base of the toilet from either end, so, with time
pressing and it being the only toilet in the old lady's house, to call
someone in. Rang Age Concern and they gave me the name of a few
local plumbers. Second one answered and arrived, with colleague, an
hour or so later. They couldn't get into the toilet either and jet
washing from either end made no difference. Decided only thing to do
was remove the pan, with huge risk of breaking it.

The guys hacked away around and then underneath the pan and eventually
removed it. Cistern separated easily - wing nuts just undid straight
off. Turned out the old lady had dropped a small glass into the pan.
All that remained was the thick base and that had wedged into where
the "pipe" narrows to encourage the siphonic action. Once released by
pushing towards the front it dropped out.

The 2 guys spent 6 hrs until 10PM doing this (refitting was difficult
as the cistern wouldn't seal and of course the donut washer was an odd
size which they didn't have anything quite like it). I was astonished
when they asked for £160 cash although we needed a proper receipt due
to being responsible for the old lady's money so they took a cheque
for £195. I'd been bracing myself for them to ask for £500.


Now I know what was stuck and where it was, I keep agonising over
whether it ought to have been possible to release it without
dismantling the bog, especially as it's not impossible that she could
do a similar thing again. I did wonder if one of those spiral snakes
would have made it there from the gully. From the pan end the plumbers
were reluctant to be aggressive for fear of damaging the initial china
lip and the way that glass was stuck that wouldn't have helped
anyway. I also wonder if one of those pressure washer powered drain
cleaners could have negotiated the two 90 degree bends from the gully
and made its way into the base of the toilet - does anyone have any
experience of using them?

One other question - the flush was pretty weak and the cistern siphon
was raised off the base of the cistern, but otherwise seemed normal.
I know the dual siphon pans are a bit "special" but I was wondering if
the siphon in the this one could be replaced with a flapper valve
which she wood find much easier to operate.

"Rory" wrote in message
...
Had some fun the other day with an elderly relative's single trap
siphonic / syphonic toilet / wc - a search here brings up no
information so thought I'd post.

Couldn't figure out how it worked at first and the trap comes towards
you before doubling back underneath itself - picture he
http://tinyurl.com/m4sfz4 . Toilet was original from when the
bungalow was built in around 1955.

From the (straight) spigot at the back the soil pipe immediately goes
90 degrees into the (solid) floor, vertically down about 4 ft then 90
degrees back to horizontal and another 4ft into the gulley.

The toilet was draining slowly - hopeless as the siphonic action
wasn't being set up.

Drains seemed clear so decided as there seemed no way of getting
anything into the base of the toilet from either end, so, with time
pressing and it being the only toilet in the old lady's house, to call
someone in. Rang Age Concern and they gave me the name of a few
local plumbers. Second one answered and arrived, with colleague, an
hour or so later. They couldn't get into the toilet either and jet
washing from either end made no difference. Decided only thing to do
was remove the pan, with huge risk of breaking it.

The guys hacked away around and then underneath the pan and eventually
removed it. Cistern separated easily - wing nuts just undid straight
off. Turned out the old lady had dropped a small glass into the pan.
All that remained was the thick base and that had wedged into where
the "pipe" narrows to encourage the siphonic action. Once released by
pushing towards the front it dropped out.

The 2 guys spent 6 hrs until 10PM doing this (refitting was difficult
as the cistern wouldn't seal and of course the donut washer was an odd
size which they didn't have anything quite like it). I was astonished
when they asked for £160 cash although we needed a proper receipt due
to being responsible for the old lady's money so they took a cheque
for £195. I'd been bracing myself for them to ask for £500.


Now I know what was stuck and where it was, I keep agonising over
whether it ought to have been possible to release it without
dismantling the bog, especially as it's not impossible that she could
do a similar thing again. I did wonder if one of those spiral snakes
would have made it there from the gully. From the pan end the plumbers
were reluctant to be aggressive for fear of damaging the initial china
lip and the way that glass was stuck that wouldn't have helped
anyway. I also wonder if one of those pressure washer powered drain
cleaners could have negotiated the two 90 degree bends from the gully
and made its way into the base of the toilet - does anyone have any
experience of using them?

One other question - the flush was pretty weak and the cistern siphon
was raised off the base of the cistern, but otherwise seemed normal.
I know the dual siphon pans are a bit "special" but I was wondering if
the siphon in the this one could be replaced with a flapper valve
which she wood find much easier to operate.


Video camera inspection thingy?

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 2 Sep, 16:27, "Graham." wrote:

Video camera inspection thingy?

I guess that would be as hard to wiggle into the base of the toilet as
anything else?