How to Choose the Right Sloan Flushometer

Updated September 2026

That order matters. A Sloan Royal, Regal, G2 or ECOS may all be excellent products, but the right flushometer is the one that matches the plumbing fixture and the installation requirements.

If you are replacing an existing valve, do not order from a family name such as "Royal 111" alone. Flush volume, activation type, power source, rough-in and factory options can vary within the same model family.

The Sloan family name is only part of the selection process. Before comparing Royal, Regal, G2 or another line, establish the basic requirements of the installation.

Sloan offers several flushometer platforms because commercial restrooms do not all have the same priorities. Some projects prioritize simple manual operation, others need touch-free activation, dual flush, concealed plumbing or specialized performance in difficult water conditions.

Sloan Royal and Sloan Regal are two of the most familiar commercial flushometer families.

Royal is Sloan's long-established premium diaphragm platform. Current Royal models use PERMEX synthetic rubber diaphragm technology and a dual filtered fixed bypass. The Royal family is available in an extensive range of manual, sensor, exposed, concealed and specialty configurations.

Regal is also a diaphragm flushometer family and remains a practical option for many standard commercial installations. It is available in water closet and urinal configurations and has extensive service-part support.

Sloan offers multiple sensor-operated flushometer families. They all provide touch-free operation, but they are not identical.

Sloan G2 Optima Plus

G2 Optima Plus is a strong starting point when the primary goal is proven automatic sensor activation. G2 models are available for commercial water closets and urinals.

Sloan ECOS

ECOS combines sensor activation with an increased emphasis on water efficiency. Depending on the model, ECOS includes single-flush and dual-flush water closet configurations as well as urinal models at several flush volumes.

Sloan SOLIS

SOLIS adds solar-assisted power harvesting to Sloan's sensor-operated flushometer platform. It can be especially interesting in frequently used commercial restrooms with consistent indoor lighting.

GPF means gallons per flush, and it is one of the most important specifications when selecting or replacing a flushometer.

A lower flush volume is not automatically an upgrade. The toilet or urinal has to be designed and rated to operate at that volume.

Exposed Flushometers

Exposed flushometers are common in schools, offices, restaurants, stadiums and other commercial buildings. The valve body remains accessible outside the wall, which can simplify inspection, troubleshooting and repair.

Concealed Flushometers

Concealed flushometers hide much of the valve and plumbing behind the wall. This can create a cleaner appearance and may reduce access to components in vandal-prone environments.

The tradeoff is planning. Rough-in dimensions, wall construction, actuator location and future service access all need to be considered before installation.

Replacement jobs can look deceptively simple. Two Sloan flushometers may look nearly identical from across a restroom while having important differences internally or at the fixture connection.

Before ordering a replacement, collect as much of the following information as possible:

Can a Manual Sloan Flushometer Be Converted to Sensor Operation?

In many installations, compatible Sloan sensor retrofit products can add touch-free activation without replacing every part of the existing valve. Compatibility still has to be checked carefully. Verify the valve body, flush volume, fixture requirements, power source and override configuration before ordering.

Water conditions can affect flushometer maintenance. Mineral buildup, suspended debris and treatment chemicals can influence internal components over time.

Sloan GEM-2 uses a fixed-volume piston with a filtered O-ring bypass and is a useful family to consider when piston technology is preferred.

Royal models use PERMEX diaphragm components and a filtered bypass. Regardless of the family, facilities dealing with difficult water should identify the correct repair kits, monitor valve performance and avoid waiting for failures before servicing heavily used fixtures.

One advantage of using a major commercial flushometer platform is long-term access to service parts. Facilities managing multiple restrooms can reduce downtime by knowing exactly which valve families and flush volumes are installed.

Common maintenance items may include:

• Diaphragm kits matched to the valve family and GPF
• GEM-2 piston kits matched to fixture type and GPF
• Handle repair kits
• Vacuum breaker components
• Control-stop repair parts
• Tailpiece O-rings and related hardware
• Sensor, solenoid and power components for compatible electronic models

Browse Sloan replacement parts or contact us with the valve family, model and rated flush volume if you are not sure which part you need.

Before placing an order, work through this checklist.

What is the best Sloan flushometer?

There is no single Sloan flushometer that is correct for every project. Royal and Regal are common diaphragm choices, G2, ECOS and SOLIS cover many sensor applications, UPPERCUT provides a manual dual-flush option, and GEM-2 offers piston operation. The correct model still has to match the fixture and installation.

What is the difference between a Sloan Royal and Sloan Regal flushometer?

Both are established Sloan diaphragm flushometer families. Royal is Sloan's premium traditional diaphragm platform with PERMEX diaphragm technology and a broad range of configurations. Regal is a straightforward commercial diaphragm family with extensive model and repair-part availability.

What is the difference between a flushometer and a flush valve?

"Flush valve" is a broad term for a valve that releases water to flush a fixture. "Flushometer" commonly refers to the commercial tankless style of flush valve used with many toilets and urinals.

Can I replace a 1.6 GPF Sloan flushometer with a 1.28 GPF model?

Only if the toilet fixture is designed and rated to operate properly at 1.28 GPF and the complete installation is compatible. Do not reduce the flush volume based on the flushometer alone.

Can I install a 0.125 GPF Sloan flushometer on any urinal?

No. The urinal must be designed for that flush volume. Sloan offers very low-flow urinal flushometers, but they need to be paired with compatible fixtures.

Which Sloan flushometers are sensor operated?

G2, ECOS and SOLIS are major Sloan sensor-operated families. Sloan also offers sensor configurations and retrofit solutions within other parts of its product line.

Can a manual Sloan flushometer be converted to automatic operation?

Many Sloan installations can be upgraded with compatible sensor retrofit products. The existing valve body, fixture type, GPF, power source and retrofit product all need to be checked for compatibility.

Which Sloan flushometer uses a piston?

GEM-2 is Sloan's familiar commercial piston flushometer family. Sloan also uses piston designs in specialized product families such as Naval.

How do I know which Sloan replacement parts I need?

Identify the valve family, fixture type, complete model information and GPF before selecting internal parts. Diaphragm assemblies, piston kits and electronic components are not universally interchangeable.

About this guide: This Sloan flushometer guide was substantially updated in September 2026 to reflect current Sloan product families and to provide a clearer selection process for new installations, replacements and retrofits. Product configurations and specifications can change, so always confirm the individual model requirements before ordering.

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