FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the cost difference between putting in an Exeloo toilet and putting in a conventionally built toilet facility?
Most conventionally designed toilets are larger providing two toilet cubicles for women, one for disabled access and a separate cubical and urinal for men. These projects need to go through a lengthy and expensive architectural design process and an engineering design confirmation before being sent to consultants for a costly and time consuming tender process before being let to a contractor who may only construct one toilet block every few years. The area will usually be shutdown with security fencing and signage during the construction process which can take months to complete. During this construction phase, there are ongoing costs of supervision and contract evaluation.
By contrast, the Exeloo toilet facility has a fixed price for the unit itself and a fixed price for any optional extras and most Exeloo distributors will also provide a quote for installation so all of the costs are clearly known before the project is initiated.
As a result, the Exeloo product is significantly less costly and provides many more special cost saving features than a conventionally designed public toilet facility.
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- What environment friendly features does the Exeloo toilet offer compared to a conventional public toilet?
All Exeloo toilet units are designed to provide a sustainable product that offers the maximum comfort to users with the minimum resources required for operation and maintenance. Some of the features included or developed by Exeloo Limited are:
Water Saving Devices
All Exeloo facilities feature timed flow taps or automated sensor operated tap systems which limit the length of time that a water outlet can be turned on. These taps and water supplies also either go through a very small valve or the volume can be adjusted which keeps the amount of water used to a minimum.
Ventilation
The Exeloo III units have an extensive amount of natural ventilation provided which eliminates the need for electric extraction systems. This system not only enhances the healthy environment of the unit but also reduces power consumption.
Locking Systems
Our electromagnetic locking system has been designed to minimise power consumption. Each lock will use less than 200 mA to keep the doors locked during night time hours. We are currently working on a new locking system for the automated doors which will see power consumption for the lock system reduced to zero during the night time lock up.
Electronic Paper Dispensing
All Exeloo units from the manual versions upwards are provided with electronic toilet paper dispensers which dispense a measured quantity of toilet paper at the touch of a button. This prevents the toilet paper being stolen, wet or damaged. These are supplied in a surface mounted version of injection moulded fibreglass or recessed models made of stainless steel.
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- What other features does the Exeloo toilet provide?
Sliding Doors
All Exeloo units have very strong cavity sliding doors that include either a stainless steel surface panel and anti-vandalism bars. These doors are easy to use especially for people with disabilities and are very hard to vandalise.
Concealed Magnetic Locks
The magnetic locks on Exeloo units are concealed in the door head so they cannot be tampered with and they do not suffer from the residual magnetism problems that occur in many surface mounted magnetic locks.
Stainless Steel Toilet Pans
All of our units include stylish stainless steel toilet pans. These are either white coated or polished stainless and are very vandal resistant.
PC Board or PLC Control
All of our units from our standard units through to our fully automated units are controlled by a PC board or PLC so even our most cost effective units provide powerful information on usage and a range of other statistics.
Automatic Night Locking
All of our units can be set to automatically lock up and unlock at preset times either on an every day basis or on an individual day basis.
Voice Messages
All of our units include music and a range of voice messages that assist the user with the operation of the unit.
Concealed Sanitary Disposal (if selected)
Our sanitary disposal is through a wall mounted chute into a fire retardant plastic bin concealed in a stainless steel cabinet in the service area. This eliminates the embarrassment for men in a unisex facility and prevents the bins from being upturned on the floor. It also ensures that bins do not obstruct disabled access to the units.
Interior Wall Lining
Most Exeloo precast units have high gloss tiles on the walls with non slip tiles on the floor. Our fabricated units have enamelled steel interior wall linings which are extremely resistant to damage and abuse and non slip tiles to the floors.
Sensor Operated Basin (not included in all options in this quote)
From our manual units upwards, Exeloo units are fitted with wall mounted sensor operated basins that provide no touch activation of soap, water and hand drying.Automatic WashingAll of our automated units include an automatic wash system which washes the units down with disinfectant and water spray after a set number of uses. This feature is well used currently by many customers where many have been able to halve their normal cleaning visits providing a significant saving in cleaning and maintenance costs.
Automatic Seat Washer
Exeloo Limited have developed a patented automatic seat wash unit which washes and dries the toilet seat after each use. This is available as an option in all of our automated units.
Warm Water
If selected as an option, all Exeloo units can include warm water to the sensor basin for hand washing.
Underfloor Heating
If selected as an option, all Exeloo units can be fitted with underfloor heating although this is usually only required in New Zealand’s South Island and US environments which regularly have temperatures below freezing.
Air Conditioning
If required, most Exeloo units can be fitted with a purpose made air conditioning system.
Remote Monitoring
As an option, all automated Exeloo units can be equipped with a remote monitoring facility which provides direct access to the unit's control system to obtain statistical information, receive and diagnose faults, change variables and settings or allow our specialist programmer to make programme modifications.
Close - What Optional Upgrade Items Can Be Provided In Exeloo Toilets If Required?
· Electrically operated doors
· Wall mounted sensor operated basins: providing touch free sensor dispensing of soap, water and hand drying
· Automatic self washing: which washes down the toilet pan and floors of the toilet unit with disinfectant and water sprays after a preset number of uses.
· Toilet seat washing units: where the toilet seat is retracted into a wash cabinet after each use and is available again at the push of a button
· Remote monitoring: through a PC measuring soap, disinfectant and toilet paper levels along with statistics on usage and access to system variables (not available on Standard units)
· Emergency call system: linked to a monitoring service
· Discrete sanitary disposal facilities
· Discrete sharps disposal facilities
· Warning lights and signage for people with hearing impediments
· Extended occupation time for disabled users with key activation
· Air conditioning can be included in most models
· Warm water to basins
· Automatic toilet paper dispensers that accommodate two jumbo rolls
· Solar panels can be incorporated to power some types of unit Touch free sensor buttons can provide a complete touch free public toilet environment
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Compliance With Building Codes
- Do the Exeloo units comply with the Building Code?
Exeloo has engineering certificates and calculations for each country where the units are installed and, where necessary, modifications are made to ensure compliance with the various code requirements in the countries where the product will be installed. Close
Transport And Installation
- How much work is involved in the transport and installation of the unit?
All Exeloo units are designed to fit within a container dimension so they are easy to ship and transport by road although they are over height and may need to be transported on a low truck or trailer and care should be taken with the route to ensure there are no low bridges or cables overhead.
Exeloo toilet units come with the floor built in so no slab is required under the building. All that is required is a few small concrete foundations which are poured a few days before the unit is delivered to site. The service access hole in the floor of the service bay of the unit must be clear of these foundations so that a small trench can be dug in under the unit after it is installed to make connections of the various services. In most cases, the whole installation can be completed in 3 to 5 days provided the services are nearby and easy to connect to.
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- What does Exeloo provide to assist with the building consent process?
For each Exeloo model, Exeloo or its distributors will supply a building consent pack which includes floor plans, elevations, sections or cut sheets, some structural drawings and engineering calculations and foundation details and services connection details for the purpose of obtaining a building consent.
As each site is different, it would be normal for the site plan and services plans to be undertaken by the customer or its consultants or charged for separately by the distributors after a full site inspection.
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- Are the Exeloo units more costly to maintain than conventionally built toilet blocks?
The basis of the design of the Exeloo product is to reduce cleaning and maintenance costs but this is dependent on the cleaning and maintenance contract being drawn up to recognize and take benefit from the features that the Exeloo product offers.
One major feature offered on all Exeloo products is the automatic lock up and unlock function which can be set to lock up the toilet unit at a preset time in the evening either on a daily basis or on an every day basis and to open it again in the morning. This further reduces costs as you do not need to send a security firm around in the evenings to lock the units up or to have several early morning cleaners available to unlock the toilet facilities.
Repair costs for vandalism are well controlled because all of the operating components in the toilet facility are concealed in the service area so that they are not available to be damaged or broken.
All of the surfaces used on our Exeloo toilet facilities have been proven to be very resilient, hard-wearing and easy to clean which minimizes the need to repaint or refurbish the facility.
To minimize the costs of specialist products, Exeloo has tried to use standard off the shelf product wherever possible although a number of the special features included in the Exeloo require special componentry that has been designed and developed by the Exeloo engineers specifically for the Exeloo product.
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- How do the cleaning costs compare between Exeloo toilets and a conventionally built toilet?
Provided the cleaning contracts are written to take full advantage of the special features that the automated Exeloo toilets offer, the cleaning costs should be reduced by 50%.
Using the automated wash cycle every 30 uses enables the cleaning visits to be reduced by half so, if a conventional toilet was normally cleaned once per day, it can be cleaned three times per week to keep the same level of cleanliness and if the area has very high usage, a conventional toilet would normally be cleaned twice a day, this can be reduced to one visit per day.
Conventionally built toilets usually require a security firm to be contracted to lock up the toilet facilities at night while the cleaner unlocks them in the morning and, with the Exeloo facility, the unit locks itself up in the evening so there is no requirement for a security firm providing an additional cost saving. A further saving can be derived by employing fewer people as the cleaners do not have to complete their cleaning cycle between 5.00a.m. and 7.00a.m. when they unlock the toilets because the Exeloo toilets will unlock themselves so a cleaner can have a full time normal hour job cleaning Exeloo toilets because, as they are not required to open the toilets in the morning, they can undertake the cleaning at any time during the day.
It should be noted that, on each cleaning visit, all surfaces need to be cleaned down thoroughly with a cleaning agent and cloth to remove grime that cannot be removed with the normal cleaning cycle.
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- What services are required for an Exeloo installation?
The services required to install an Exeloo are as follows:
· Underground power supply single phase 220 – 240 volts with a minimum of 40 – 60 amps depending on the model of toilet unit chosen
· Sewer connection minimum 4” (100mm). This can be taken to a main sewer line or put into a septic or biofilm disposal system.
· Sewer connection through an overflow relief gulley (ORG) for floor waste connections. The floor waste sockets in the units are 65mm or 2½ inch fitting which needs to be bushed out to 100mm once in the ground and then connected to an overflow relief gulley before being connected to the sewer line.
· Water supply. To make the flush valves work successfully, the water supply at the connection point at the unit needs to have a minimum flow rate of 100 litres per minute and a minimum dynamic pressure of 300kPa. To protect the flush valve, the maximum water pressure is 500 kPa.
· Remote monitoring. If remote monitoring is required, the site needs to be within range of a GSM mobile network.
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Number Of Toilet Pans Required
- How many toilet pans do you need in any one location?
Exeloo toilet facilities are suited for locations where they will experience random arrivals and departures throughout the day. In parks and similar locations, where the average number of uses is up to 50 people per day, then one toilet pan is more than adequate. Many single Exeloo toilets cater for up to 200 people per day or more but, in these circumstances, there is often some queuing.
In shopping districts, we recommend one toilet pan per 30 shops.
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- What are the support services that Exeloo and its distributors can offer to us?
Most Exeloo distributors can offer a full range of support services from
· Supply and installation of the toilet unit
· Regular cleaning contracts for the toilet facilities
· Regular site inspections and reports on the toilets’ condition and statistical information along with any recommended remedial action
· Repairs and maintenance service as required
· Back up telephone technical support
· Full removal and factory refurbishment of toilet facility
· Sales and service of specialist Exeloo componentry.
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- Are the Exeloo toilets safe to use?
Exeloo toilet facilities have an excellent safety record and this is largely the result of the policy of having the minimal number of moving parts.
In addition to signage and voice messages to assist users, Exeloos also have microwave movement detectors that ensure that any movement within the cubicle is detected.
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- What safety features are incorporated in an Exeloo unit?
Exeloo units include a vandal resistant, well protected microwave movement sensor that detects any movement within the cubicle. This movement detector ensures that the door will remain closed and locked during the occupation and also ensures that no wash cycle will commence during an occupation.
If this detector stops detecting movement while the unit continues to be occupied, a voice message will alert the user to make enough movement to activate the sensor and confirm that the cubicle is still in use.
Occupation of the unit is permitted for a ten minute period (this time is adjustable) and, after this period, a voice message will alert the occupier that their use time has expired giving a one minute warning before the door opens and a loud alarm sounds.
This system ensures that, if somebody for any reason was unable to activate the internal open door push button, the maximum time they could be in the cubicle would be ten minutes. It also ensures the safety of most users by discouraging loitering, drug abuse or other anti-social activities in the toilet facility.
If the inside door push button is pressed to close the door but no movement is detected for three minutes (this time is adjustable), a voice message will alert the occupier that no movement has been detected and asks them to move about enough to be detected. If there is still no movement, the unit will revert to the vacant mode. This ensures that the unit will not remain in the engaged mode while unoccupied if somebody presses the inside close button but then leaves before the door closes into the locked position. It also ensures that, if any person collapses in the cubicle and is immobile, they will be able to be found by the next cubicle user within a few minutes. Other safety features include:
· Grab bars and rails for disabled users
· Slip resistant floor tiles
· Braille and tactile signage for sight impaired users. A flashing light and signage can also be included for hearing impaired users and clear indicator lights are provided both inside and outside the unit identifying if the cubicle is in the vacant, occupied or closed mode.
While most units that incorporate an electrically operated door, safety beams are also included that will stop the door from operating if the beam is broken by a person or object in the doorway.
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- Can a person become trapped in an Exeloo unit?
The main entry door to the Exeloo itself is held in the closed position by a concealed magnetic lock and the push buttons both inside and outside the unit are robust switches that are difficult to vandalise.
In the rare event of damage to the push buttons, the maximum time a person could be unable to open the door is ten minutes.Close
- What features does the Exeloo washroom have to discourage homeless people from taking up residence inside?
The Exeloo facility is equipped with a wash down facility that washes the cubicle down on a regular basis after a preset number of uses and it is also timed to wash down after the cubicle closes up at night. This wash cycle will only occur if the unit is locked up and the movement detector does not detect any movement within the cubicle.
In addition, there is a maximum occupation time of ten minutes and, after a voice message to warn the occupier, the door will open and a loud alarm will sound. These features are generally sufficient to discourage people from spending long periods of time in the cubicle and using it for purposes that it was not intended for.
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- What features does the Exeloo toilet facility have to prevent or discourage vandalism damage?
The structure of the Exeloo toilet facility is very sturdy and resistant to damage and graffiti can be easily removed with a solvent from the stainless steel and epoxy painted concrete surfaces on the outside of the cubicle.
The graffiti can also be removed easily from the ceramic tiles or enameled steel internal panels.
All of the fixtures, including the Exeloo sensor basin unit, paper dispensers, toilet pans, grab bars and, on more recent units, the light fittings are all stainless steel and these fittings are very robust and able to withstand extreme vandalism.
The designers of the Exeloo product have specifically worked to ensure the minimum of moving parts which also minimizes the opportunities for any vandalism damage to occur.
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- Is the Exeloo unit manufactured with a lot of specialist spare parts and how can we be sure that replacement parts will be available over the long term?
The original philosophy for an Exeloo facility was to purchase as much off-the-shelf product as possible to ensure that customers would have the confidence to purchase an Exeloo and know that they would be able to obtain spare parts over the long term.
As Exeloo has expanded its operation, we found that, in order to meet the stringent disabled access codes in Australia and the ADA requirements in the USA, we had to develop a number of specialist products such as our recessed electronic paper dispensers, our recessed sensor operated basins and our discrete sanitary disposal facility that we believe is most suitable for a unisex or neutral gender facility.
As a result of this, there are now a wide range of specialist Exeloo componentry in the toilet facility but most of these are constructed from heavy duty stainless steel or chromed brass so they are unlikely to need replacement over the life of the unit.
Many of the electronic components like movement sensors, basin controllers and voice module have also been designed and developed specifically for the Exeloo product but the company does have a large stock of spare part componentry available at any time for repairs. Often parts are upgraded or superceded and, in these instances, every attempt has been made to ensure that an alternative better engineered product is available to be installed in the same location.
Please make contact with your local distributor if you require any spare parts.
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- Are Exeloo toilets able to be returned to the factory or distributor’s base for refurbishment?
After approximately ten years of operation in the field, some Exeloo units will need to be refurbished with repairs, repainting and new late model fittings. In many cases, the unit can be removed from site as outlined under Moving An Exeloo, and returned to base for a complete refurbishment before being shipped back to the customer for relocation on the original site or for installation on a new site. Close
- How often should an Exeloo toilet unit be refurbished?
This depends a lot on the environment that the unit is in and the amount of use it gets.
It is recommended that heavily used units that regularly sustain damage should be refurbished every eight to ten years while units located where they are not frequently used and not exposed to much vandalism, will retain their good appearance for fifteen to twenty years before refurbishment is required.
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- What type of location is best suited for an Exeloo toilet facility?
Exeloo self contained toilet facilities are designed specifically for comfortable use for all members of the community including adults of either sex, children and people with disabilities. They are most suitable for locations where users would arrive and depart randomly over the course of the day. They are frequently used in parks, cemeteries and main street retail environments in city, suburbs or in larger towns.
We strongly recommend that any Exeloo installation should be located in a very visible site preferably with the doors facing a well travelled road way. This approach usually eliminates vandalism and anti-social behavior in the toilet facilities.
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