# sloan flushmate exploded!



## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Customer used it then hopped in shower and kaboom!!!! Sending back to sloan they want to inspect it. Blew lid off and broke tank. Made me nervous to fix it and turn it back on.


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Plumbbum0203 said:


> Customer used it then hopped in shower and kaboom!!!! Sending back to sloan they want to inspect it. Blew lid off and broke tank. Made me nervous to fix it and turn it back on.


Thought there was a major recall on them..


----------



## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

The first thing sloan probably already asked you, what was the water pressure at the house?


----------



## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Yea they did ask. All good customer had prv. Yea we have done a lot of the straps that go around the tank and some sort of regulator. I dont know how a strap would help this.


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Bet they had to rinse off twice after it went off...


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> Thought there was a major recall on them..


:yes:

https://www.flushmate.com/recall/


----------



## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

How old was it?
We have a lot of wall hung residential toilets around here. The only toilet I recommend for a replacement is the American Standard power flush. I have not found anything else that will flush as good with low water consumption. Now with the 1.28 not sure if there is another option. 
We have the same issue with a lot of floor mount rear discharge toilets. Hard to find one that flushes well.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

I just one in the other day. How old is that recall?


----------



## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Now, that's cool.
Flush, and KAAABOOOMMM!!!!


----------



## tims007 (Aug 31, 2013)

and this is one good reason not to use those toilets .. dont get me wrong they are good for certain situations that might be beneficial but ill stick to other types


----------



## SCT (Jun 4, 2010)

I work for Flushmate and our company continues to work with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on a voluntary recall of the Flushmate III, which appears in this thread. Please let us know if we can provide any further assistance to you or your customer. 

The best way to find out if your Flushmate unit is within the scope of the recall is to go to http://www.flushmate.com/recall/ or call 1-800-303-5123. Our call center and customer service representatives will work to serve each individual customer. 

- Scott R.


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I have replaced dozens of water closets with the flushmate tanks with good old gravity flush. What prompted this was having 4 water closets split at the seams, and 2 blow up.

The so called repair that Sloan gives you for the recall is a joke. They give you a strap to keep it from separating violently, and a pressure regulator to install on the supply of the water closet. The pressure regulator makes it impossible to install if the angle stop is directly below the supply. 

When you can use the pressure regulator the water closet no longer flushes with the same force it had when there was no regulator. People call complaining the flush is now weak after installing the recall kit. 

I think there should be a class action lawsuit by the homeowners that have gotten hurt by these exploding flushmates, as well as by us contractors for putting us in the sights of future lawsuits for installing a dangerous product.

http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/ov...hing-systems-exploding-toilet-recall-lawsuits scroll down to see pictures of the injuries.

And her is a picture of the leaker I had which I contacted Sloan back then and what did they send me, the recall kit (a strap and a pressure regulator)


----------



## younger-plumber (Sep 12, 2008)

holy hell that is insane. i know porcelain is sharp as hell ...i cant imagine having it projected at me at a high rate of speed!


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

younger-plumber said:


> holy hell that is insane. i know porcelain is sharp as hell ...i cant imagine having it projected at me at a high rate of speed!


Projected at you?

Lol

You and RJ kin?


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Plumberman said:


> Projected at you?
> 
> Lol
> 
> You and RJ kin?


Moi??


----------



## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

We will not install or work on one anymore. Once I touch it you know it's my fault if anything happens. I just tell the customer that they have a recall but the fix is a joke. I can install a gravity toilet and if they want to take it up with Sloan it's between them. But I will not touch one again.


----------



## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

I wont touch them either. 

That "repair kit" is a disgrace. 

First one I did, It was mailed to the homeowner. I showed up, expecting to see a tank. When I opened the box, and saw that junky regulator, that would have been exposed, right on top of the $60.00 brushed nickel supply riser and valve, I about shiot.

We sell them Toto's.


----------



## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I've seen it first hand. I won't install them ever


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

younger-plumber said:


> holy hell that is insane. i know porcelain is sharp as hell ...i cant imagine having it projected at me at a high rate of speed!



I wonder if anyone has gotten cut up from one of these yet,...?? Maybe not like a projectile but I could see someone stepping out of the shower 
barefoot into a bunch of shards which would cut them up pretty badly....


I have one ready to blow up right now in some high fashioned Victorias Secret store in a mall on the west side of town,,, the seams are already cracked and leaking but they dont believe me about the problem.. and it takes about 3 weeks to get a complete tank sent out..
.. 

I guess They think I just want to come back out and sniff the panties and underwear in the place:laughing:


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> I wonder if anyone has gotten cut up from one of these yet,...?? Maybe not like a projectile but I could see someone stepping out of the shower
> barefoot into a bunch of shards which would cut them up pretty badly....
> 
> 
> ...


Click the link I provided in my post and scroll down. There is a pic of a guy with a bunch of stiches.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

SewerRatz said:


> Click the link I provided in my post and scroll down. There is a pic of a guy with a bunch of stiches.


 I'm gonna take that toilet out tomorrow. I can't sleep knowing I installed a time bomb


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I've pretty much avoided installing the Sloan Flushmates...

Seeing the Exploding Kohlers then a few of the early Flushmate tanks with the metal ends as pictured below crack in the plastic webbing had me thinking material fatigue from pressure cycles...

I just figure the Sloan Flushmate was a compensation for a poorly designed bowl kinda like putting a supercharger on a Yugo...

Why do that why you can get a Toto Drake or, if pain meds are involved a Caroma that will flush an elephant turd?:whistling2:


----------



## tims007 (Aug 31, 2013)

Redwood said:


> I just figure the Sloan Flushmate was a compensation for a poorly designed bowl kinda like putting a supercharger on a Yugo...
> 
> Why do that why you can get a Toto Drake or,


toto forever !!!!! .. and wow i thought i was the only one the remembers what a yugo is ( granted my uncle drove one)


----------



## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

So no courtesy flush?


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

SewerRatz said:


> Click the link I provided in my post and scroll down. There is a pic of a guy with a bunch of stiches.


 
thanks,, 

 that cut looks pretty nasty , he must have been sitting on the john cause this looks like a cut right along his kidney.... ....


----------



## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Staying in Disney world this week. They have a flushmate in our bathroom. Wouldn't it be magical if it blew up on me. Oh well I will go back to vacation you guys get back to work!


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

...


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Couple more from the interwebz...


----------



## Nlindbert (Sep 10, 2010)

Didn't know these tanks were exploding! I've changed two last month that had holes in them and were leaking! Is it possible to just put a common fill valve, flush valve and handle into most of the tanks they came in? Or would you all replace the whole toilet?


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Nlindbert said:


> Didn't know these tanks were exploding! I've changed two last month that had holes in them and were leaking! Is it possible to just put a common fill valve, flush valve and handle into most of the tanks they came in? Or would you all replace the whole toilet?


The bowls were designed to be flushed with the pressure. So if you want a gravity flush you will have to replace the whole water closet.


----------



## ASUPERTECH (Jun 22, 2008)

Check for recalls.. They have put out retro fit kits to prevent this..


----------



## ASUPERTECH (Jun 22, 2008)

ASUPERTECH said:


> Check for recalls.. They have put out retro fit kits to prevent this..


Sorry didn't read the other posts.... Plz disregard..


----------



## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

I have a 2013 Gerber model in my home. I don't intend to stop selling them. I also will point out the recall to any customer that has the defective model before making any repairs. How many times do you use the public restroom and not realize its a pressure assist toilet before you flush it. No need to panic, majority of us will never witness it firsthand. I haven't in 21 years.


----------

