Most modern bidets on the market today use electricity to offer luxury features and enhanced cleaning. This often requires an electrical outlets within 4 feet of the toilet.  Here are some things to think about when it comes to bathroom outlets and electric bidets.

How close does the electrical outlet need to be to the toilet?

While the length of cords may vary slightly from model to model, most electric bidet seats have power cords around four feet in length. So you will want your outlet to be within this range. Whether the power cord extends from the left or right side of the unit, will depend on the model. Often times the stock images for a product will not show this cord, but a diagram can typically be found on the spec sheet for the product.

If you will be installing a new outlet in your bathroom, it is generally recommended to install it at least 12″ from the floor.

What is a GFI or GFCI outlet, and should I have one to plug my electrical bidet toilet seat into?

GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter, often this is also referred to as GFI, but both are the same.  These outlets have a built in mini circuit breaker, and are highly recommended in areas with high moisture. Most modern houses already have these installed in bathrooms and near sinks.

If you do not have a GFCI outlet, your bidet toilet seat will still work.  However, for safety reasons we do strongly encourage you to consider updating your bathroom outlets.

Do you sell bidet toilet seats that operate on 110V or 220V?

At this time all of the seats we sell are 110V. If you are purchasing a seat for use the US or Canada, the 110V version is the one for you!

How many AMPs are required to run bidet seats?

Most electric bidet seats have a max pull of around 13 amps at top pull. If using a 15 amp circuit, it’s recommended that the seat be on a dedicated line. If you are running the seat without anything else running at the same time however, you can often get by without a dedicated circuit.

How many watts does a bidet seat normally draw?

The amount of power drawn by a bidet seat really depends on what kind of a bidet seat you purchase. Bidet seats that use a tank water heating system typically draw less power since they heat water gradually and retain it for future use. These seats normally draw about 600W at their peak. Of course, the drawback to tank water heating systems is that you will have limited warm water and the seats themselves are often bulkier in the back to accomidate this tank.

Tankless and hybrid water heating systems on the other hand work very differently. They heat water in real time as it’s being used. Because of this they will require more power when starting the wash to heat the water quickly. After this initial startup however, the power consumption drops dramatically. Instant water heating systems draw around a maximum of 1400W at their peak, before quickly dropping down to around 600w after a few seconds.

What does it mean if my lights flicker when I use my electrical bidet toilet seat?

It’s rare to see the use of an electric bidet seat cause lights to flicker, but it does happen. This is often due to out of date electrical wiring or having multiple items drawing power from one circuit.  If you are running into this issue, don’t worry, it typically is not hamful, even if it is a little annoying. In order to fix this issue, you’d want to have a dedicated circuit for your bidet installed.