*Double Check Your Work*
By: John1lt
27 February 2022

I have some high-tech toilets that I really like. Besides the no mist flush it has a motion sensor flush handle, no touch. I began having problems with the sensor not consistently flushing the toilet so I decided that after 2 ½ years it was probably time to change the batteries. I pulled the battery case out of the tank and put in new AA batteries. To my surprise the toilet wouldn't flush at all with new batteries and the lights on the motion sensor wouldn't even light. I had noticed some corrision in the battery holder. This model uses a 4 AA battery to 9V connector battery holder. Something easy enough to buy online or at a local electronics or hardware store. I was a little confused how it went from inconsistently flushing to completely broken. I figured maybe the corrosion had been worse than I thought and it could be one of the springs had lost contact. I figured I could just use the manual override button on the sensor until I ordered the new part.

In my laziness I used the push button for about a month and then decided that the push button would last for a long time if the SHTF and I was unable to obtain AA batteries. I ordered the part online and it arrived about a week later.

Still feeling aptly lazy I waited another 4 days before installing 4 new AA batteries in the new adapter and swapped it out with the old "broken" one. The motion sensor instantly lit up and a wave of my hand activated the flush function. Success! I patted myself on the back and picked up the old part. It still had the "new" batteries in it and I was debating with myself as to if I should pull the batteries out since these are technically new and unused. While wondering if the corrosion on the battery holder could have begun corroding the batteries I noticed a very important detail that would prevent the functioning of the motion sensor even with new batteries. See the picture below.

See it? If not, one of the batteries is installed upside down! Useless repairmen! Any idiot can install batteries correctly, there are even pictures on the device showing the proper orientation of the battery in each spot!

What kind of repairman doesn't double check his work and check for simple solutions before resorting to buying new parts? Oh well, that will be the last time I call that guy to fix anything.

I pulled the offending battery, flipped it over and reinserted the battery. I was going to be mad if this thing still worked. I put the old battery adapter back in the toilet and wouldn't you know the darned thing worked instantly, lights lit immediately and a wave of the hand flushed the toilet.

Double check your work, even if you think you know whats wrong.

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