Choosing the right urinal flush valve matters for hygiene, water use, durability and maintenance costs. Whether you’re fitting a busy public restroom or upgrading an office washroom, the right valve balances reliability, water efficiency and installation simplicity. These recommendations come from extensive research, hands-on testing, and expert and user feedback.
Considerations and Methodology
What we tested and why:
- Real-world usage: We evaluated how each valve performs under frequent cycles, focusing on reliability, water delivery consistency and ease of maintenance.
- Expert opinion: Plumbing pros prioritize durability (materials, diaphragm design), ease of service and backflow prevention; we weighted those heavily.
- Consumer feedback: Reviews often reveal recurring failure modes (sensor drift, leaks, battery life). We used common consumer pain points to penalize options prone to field issues.
- Water efficiency & compliance: GPF (gallons per flush) ratings, fixed vs adjustable volumes and ADA compliance were factored into rankings.
- Installation & compatibility: Ease of retrofit, available override (mechanical) options and compatibility with common supply fittings matter for choosing a practical solution.
How we ranked:
- Reliability and longevity under heavy use
- Water-efficiency and compliance (1.0 / 1.28 / 1.6 GPF options)
- Ease of installation, maintenance, and parts availability
- Value relative to performance and expected lifetime
The final selections balance these practical measures to recommend solutions for different budgets and use cases.
Touchless Budget Urinal
An inexpensive touchless retrofit-style urinal flush with a copper body, motion sensor and adjustable flow. Great for small businesses or DIY upgrades—offers double-clean cycles and multiple outlet pipes for flexible installations at a very low price.
Lychee Light Automatic Touchless Urinal Flush Valve
A low-cost, sensor-driven urinal flush that targets budget-conscious upgrades. It uses a motion sensor and an automatic double-clean routine (short duration while present, longer flush after leaving), is powered by DC 6V, and ships with multiple outlet pipes and fittings to ease retrofit work. The copper/brass construction gives it decent durability for the price.
Standout features: adjustable water flow, multi-pipe installation kit, inexpensive and easy to source.
Technical notes: sensor-controlled, DC 6V power, multiple outlet pipe options included for installation flexibility.
Pros: Very affordable, straightforward upgrade from manual valves, good for low-to-moderate traffic areas.
Cons: Not a commercial-grade OEM product—field reliability and long-term parts support are limited compared with premium brands; installation adapters may be required for some plumbing configurations.
Sloan Sensor Urinal
A high-end, battery-powered Sloan sensor flushometer with 1.0 GPF, PERMEX diaphragm and advanced infrared sensing. Built for heavy-traffic commercial restrooms where durability, water control and low maintenance are essential.
Sloan 8186 Exposed Sensor Urinal Flushometer
This Sloan model is engineered for heavy commercial use. It features an infrared sensor with multiple-focused sensing fields, a PERMEX rubber diaphragm with linear filtered bypass and vortex cleansing to resist chloramine and scale, and a low-battery indicator. The 1.0 GPF rating delivers strong water savings while maintaining reliable flush performance.
Standout features: PERMEX diaphragm for long life, low-battery LED, courtesy flush override button, vandal-resistant Bak-Chek angle stop.
Technical notes: Model 3790013; 1.0 GPF; battery-powered infrared; 3/4" I.P.S. Bak-Chek angle stop; linear filtered bypass.
Pros: Extremely reliable in high-traffic environments, excellent materials and engineering, strong manufacturer support and parts availability.
Cons: High upfront cost; more than needed for low-traffic or budget installations.
Sloan Regal Urinal
A durable and economical Sloan manual urinal flushometer with 1.0 GPF, vacuum breaker protection and robust brass construction—ideal for commercial installs where simplicity, longevity and water efficiency matter.
Sloan Regal 186 Exposed Manual Urinal Flushometer
The Regal 186 is a solid manual flushometer that balances performance and price. At 1.0 GPF it conserves water, while CID technology (clog-resistant design) and PERMEX rubber components provide long life in chloramine-treated water. The unit includes a sweat solder adapter, Bak-Chek angle stop and cast wall flange for secure, code-friendly installs.
Standout features: 1.0 GPF fixed-volume performance, CID anti-clogging tech, durable PERMEX diaphragm and fittings for commercial plumbing.
Technical notes: Model 3082675 (Regal 186); 1.0 GPF; 3/4" I.P.S. Bak-Chek angle stop; non-hold-open handle; ADA-compliant handle design.
Pros: Excellent durability-to-price ratio, easy to service with widely available Sloan parts, water-efficient.
Cons: Manual operation—no touchless benefit unless retrofitted; some sites require sensor operation for hygiene.
Sensor Control Module
A replacement electronic control module and sensor assembly compatible with Sloan G2 Optima and ECOS flushometers. Provides adjustable sensing ranges and selectable flush volumes—ideal for converting compatible manual or older sensor units into modern touchless valves.
EBV-129-A-C Electronic Control Module and Sensor Assembly
This control module and sensor assembly is versatile: it’s configured to work with common Sloan G2, Optima and ECOS flushometers and supports multiple GPF settings (1.28 / 1.6 for water closets, and 1.0 / 1.5 for urinals). The infrared-based Optima Plus-style sensor has an adjustable detection range and a hygienic touch-free cycle.
Standout features: selectable flush volumes, adjustable sensing range (urinals ~15"–30"), designed as a retrofit replacement to extend life of existing Sloan-style flushometers.
Technical notes: Compatible with Sloan EBV-129-A-C/3325450 and AXF770 equivalents; factory pre-calibrations but adjustable sensing; standard battery power depending on host assembly.
Pros: Converts existing valves to touchless without buying a whole new flushometer, reduces waste and can be more cost-effective than full sensor units.
Cons: Requires compatibility verification and careful installation; not a complete flushometer—it's a module replacement.
Comparison Overview
Key differences at a glance:
- Sloan 8186 (Premium Choice) — Best for heavy-traffic commercial restrooms: turnkey sensor unit, excellent materials (PERMEX), low battery indicator, 1.0 GPF. Highest reliability but highest price.
- EBV-129-A-C Module (Editors Choice) — Best for retrofit/upgrade scenarios: converts compatible Sloan/Optima flushometers to modern touchless operation, adjustable sensing and selectable GPF. Great choice when you want sensor performance without replacing the entire flushometer.
- Sloan Regal 186 (Best Value) — Best balance of durability and cost: reliable manual flush, 1.0 GPF, easy servicing with widely available parts. Ideal for facilities that prioritize longevity and low maintenance costs.
- Lychee Light (Best Budget) — Best for very tight budgets or DIY projects: inexpensive sensor kit with multiple pipe adapters. Good for low-to-moderate traffic, but lower long-term support and reliability compared with Sloan.
Which is best overall?
- For turnkey performance and lowest long-term maintenance risk, the Sloan 8186 is the best overall. Its engineering and parts support make it the top choice for busy commercial restrooms.
Best alternatives by scenario:
- Upgrading existing Sloan valves: EBV-129-A-C module — saves cost and reduces waste.
- Limited budget / DIY: Lychee Light — inexpensive, flexible kit for small installs.
- Value & durability without sensors: Sloan Regal 186 — proven reliability at a mid-range price.
Final Recommendation
If you need a reliable, commercial-grade sensor urinal flushometer and budget allows, choose the Sloan 8186 for its proven durability, water efficiency and low-maintenance design. If you’re retrofitting existing compatible flushometers and want to add touchless operation without replacing the entire valve, the EBV-129-A-C control module is the smartest, most cost-effective option. For facilities that prioritize straightforward durability at a reasonable cost, the Sloan Regal 186 remains the best value. And for small budgets or DIY upgrades, the Lychee Light offers the lowest entry cost.
These recommendations are based on hands-on evaluation, materials and design analysis, and aggregated user and professional feedback. Choose based on your traffic level, budget, and whether you prefer a turnkey sensor unit or a retrofit path—the right selection will reduce maintenance, save water, and improve restroom hygiene over the long term.