Water taps and showers

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Xmas

Porous
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I just came back from a trip across France and Germany, staying with several families, and the different kinds of taps/showers made me wonder what kind of tap is the most popular, and whether there are regional differences.

The kinds of taps I've seen so far:
- one tap for hot and one for cold water (this one I've come across in Ireland, and it seems quite common there - I *hated* it)
- one tap with two knobs for hot and cold water
- a lever that can move left/right for temperature and up/down for amount of water
- one knob for temperature and one for amount of water (for showers).

I really don't like the ones where you control hot and cold water separately. It's just so impractical. I can understand that it's probably technically easier and therefore cheaper, but it takes so long to find the right temperature, and everytime you stop the water, you have to try again. And you need both hands.
The single lever style has always been the most common where I lived. What kind of tap do you have in your bathroom?
 
1 knob for temp and 1 for volume.

i used to have two knobs, one each for volume of cold or hot. i like it better.
 
_xxx_ said:
- a lever that can move left/right for temperature and up/down for amount of water
Click to expand...

That's the winner. 99% are those around here.
Click to expand...

I've never even seen one of those...

edit:
waitwaitwaitwait, i think i had something kind like that at one of the houses i lived in
 
All twist taps:

Dual Shower:
Head 1] 1 tap for temp (LvsR), always the same amount (don't like that last part)
Head 2] 1 tap for temp (LvsR), always the same amount (don't like that last part)

Shower/Garden (larger) Bath:
1 tap for temp (LvsR), same tap for amount (UpvDown)

I just love the 2 heads in one shower. My Honey and I always take a shower together and we both get to stay warm! =)
 
We have all of those types here, depending on the age of the house usually. In my house, I have two taps -- one for cold water, and another for more cold water. Must call the plumber and get my boiler fixed! :D
 
For washbasin:
Realy, realy old: two taps
Rather old: one tap, cold knob + hot knob
Modern (most common): lever

For bathtub/shower:
Realy, realy old: two taps (bathtub only)
Rather old: cold knob + hot knob
Modern (low-end): lever
Modern: thermostat regulated with temp knob + flow knob

Btw, I've seen some (IMO) strange models in USA. Like the washbasin tap with two knobs, where one mostly changed the temp, and the other mostly changed the flow. Kind of like a failed attempt to make a temp knob+flow knob.
And then a similar thingy for showers. But it was combined into one knob that you could turn and tilt.


Now when we're into bathroom stuff, how about WCs?

I've seen three major styles.
The Swedish version (most of Europe?), the USA version, and the German poop shelf.
Now can anyone give a good reason for the design of the poop shelf?
 
Basic said:
Now when we're into bathroom stuff, how about WCs?

I've seen three major styles.
The Swedish version (most of Europe?), the USA version, and the German poop shelf.
Now can anyone give a good reason for the design of the poop shelf?
Click to expand...
Maybe you could find some pics? (clean, please! ;)) I'm not sure what you mean.
 
Basic said:
:D
I tried to find som pictures, but couldn't think of a good search string. So I was just about to respond that "german poop shelf" wasn't likely to get many hits on google. But then I thought it was best to try it, and got 50000 hits!

http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000212.html
Click to expand...
Ah, that one. I don't like it, and neither me nor my parents have such a toilet. But the comments section in the link mentions one reason, and I can think of another one: the possible water splash from the "back-hole toilet".
Which are the Swedish and US versions?


Some more searching resulted in a few other "interesting" designs:
http://www.elseware.to/products/rocking_horse.htm
http://www.bathroom-mania.com/urinoir/kisses.html
Click to expand...
I like that flower design :LOL:
 
US version:
Pretty much the whole bowl is filled with water in idle mode, the exit tube is rather narrow. When you flush, the water level is first raised to get the exit siphon started, then it's all emptied with the help of a siphon jet. Finally the bowl is filled to idle level again.

Swedish version:
The exit tube is a lot wider, and it's filled with water, but the rest of the bowl isn't. There's no siphon function and no siphon jet, just a drain trap. When you flush, all flushing water flows quickly from the top (around the rim). The water level is pretty constant throughout the flush.


And yes, I saw the medical reason for the poo shelf. But I'd say that the drawback is bigger than the benefit.
The first time I saw one of those, it took some time before I got enough confidence that it actually was a toilet. And even when finished, I was somewhat scared that some angry person would say that some idiot had put a load in the <word-with-lots-of-ü-and-ß>. ;)
 
IN my shower (not a tub /shower ) I have a wooden lever for cold , one for hot . ONe for water volume . But my shower has the shower head in the celling :0) Cause i'm a tall bastard and i have a really messed up back and bending under a normal shower head is annoying . Thats what i hate hotels
 
Basic said:
US version:
Pretty much the whole bowl is filled with water in idle mode, the exit tube is rather narrow. When you flush, the water level is first raised to get the exit siphon started, then it's all emptied with the help of a siphon jet. Finally the bowl is filled to idle level again.
Click to expand...
I think I've seen something similar in France lately, but the bowl wasn't filled in idle mode.

Swedish version:
The exit tube is a lot wider, and it's filled with water, but the rest of the bowl isn't. There's no siphon function and no siphon jet, just a drain trap. When you flush, all flushing water flows quickly from the top (around the rim). The water level is pretty constant throughout the flush.
Click to expand...
This is also the most common around here from my experience, and most likely over the rest of Europe, too.

And yes, I saw the medical reason for the poo shelf. But I'd say that the drawback is bigger than the benefit.
The first time I saw one of those, it took some time before I got enough confidence that it actually was a toilet. And even when finished, I was somewhat scared that some angry person would say that some idiot had put a load in the <word-with-lots-of-ü-and-ß>. ;)
Click to expand...
:LOL: :LOL:
 
Xmas said:
I just came back from a trip across France and Germany, staying with several families, and the different kinds of taps/showers made me wonder what kind of tap is the most popular, and whether there are regional differences.
Click to expand...

There's a regional difference with showers that I have gotten used to by now, but still find incredibly stupid. Everywhere in Canada and the US where I've been, and in my own shower as well, the shower is controlled with a single knob. You can't control heat and flow independently. For anything that's a showerable heat, you must have full flow. It's impossible to have low flow and warm water, something I in general prefer and really would be nice for a guy like me that prefers to take long showers (15+ minutes) in order to not waste too much energy.
 
Humus said:
Xmas said:
I just came back from a trip across France and Germany, staying with several families, and the different kinds of taps/showers made me wonder what kind of tap is the most popular, and whether there are regional differences.
Click to expand...

There's a regional difference with showers that I have gotten used to by now, but still find incredibly stupid. Everywhere in Canada and the US where I've been, and in my own shower as well, the shower is controlled with a single knob. You can't control heat and flow independently. For anything that's a showerable heat, you must have full flow. It's impossible to have low flow and warm water, something I in general prefer and really would be nice for a guy like me that prefers to take long showers (15+ minutes) in order to not waste too much energy.
Click to expand...
I think most people simply turn on the shower to its highest setting, so its being used as an on/off anyways.

W/regards to energy savings: the US mandates shower heads that have a flow rate of "3 gallons per minute". Most people seem to think this is too low.
 
Some japanese showers got buttons. I used one, where you could set the exact temperature on a LED panel and various modes for the 6 shower heads .... not bad for a dorm.
 
RussSchultz said:
...the US mandates shower heads that have a flow rate of "3 gallons per minute". Most people seem to think this is too low.
Click to expand...

The 3 gal per minute isn't too much of an issue for me...

...It's the 1 gallon per flush that pisses me off. ("Honey...the toilet's clogged up again...") :devilish:
 
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