Toilet water saver upgrade

[Excella CM]

Finally got around to installing a "water saver" kit on the Thetford toilet. This is a kit from the Thetford factory that adds a spritzer hose to the existing fixture so that it can be flushed with less water. This saves on fresh water and on black water capacity for boondocking. It costs about $40 from Thetford (part#08993). Installation is pretty straightforward: Remove two nuts and the water supply from the toilet, remove and invert; Install the water saver kit using supplied clamps (need spring clamp pliers); and reinstall toilet using the new seal from the kit. The spray head mounts on the wall behind or beside the fixture. Been meaning to do this for several years. Excellas had this as an option, but ours came without. One might consider this as putting a diamond in a goat's a--, but I think it may actually prove useful?!

[nvestysly]

Our '92 Excella has the water saver but I don't understand how to use it. I find the hose useful when I need a little extra water to clean out the bowl. How do I use it to save water? If I push the flush valve to open the drain it seems water just pours on in. Is there some operation / procedure I don't understand? I cannot just press the "open" valve - when I press this (the big pedal) the water automatically presses at the same time. Am I missing something?

[nvestysly]

After giving this some more thought I think I understand but I'm still not sure it's a "water saver." When I depress the large pedal the toilet valve opens to the black tank while simultaneously flushing water into the bowl (via the small pedal). If I simultaneously use the water saver hose the water is diverted to the hose rather than going through the normal flush cycle.

Said in another way, flush water is diverted to the water saver whenever the water saver is in use. Am I right? Or do I still need to be taught how to use this darn thing? I do not have any instructions and I was not able to find any on Thetford.com or Airstream.com

[Auretrvr]

We are shopping for a new loo. Our old Galaxy has the water saver which we haven't really used. If we are boondocking, I plan to capture shower/grey water to flush with. (Found a storage bin that just fits our shower with plenty of room to stand in.) Just wondering if the sprayer is worth it or is it just one more thing to leak?

[Excella CM]

The instructions for the "water saver" say to hold down the button on the spray head held over the bow and then step on the flush pedal. All the water then goes through the spray head to clean the bowl. If you let up on the spray button water diverts to the bowl rim.