Bidet Toilet Power Requirements | DIY & Ideas

An average electric bidet toilet requires around 500 to 600 watts of power to run properly, but this may change based on specific requirements. Many users today are not so well-versed in these aspects. As such, they may have trouble using the bidet to its full potential. That is why its power requirements need to be discussed. 

Using a bidet converter kit to transform your existing toilet seat into a bidet is undoubtedly a wise decision. But have you considered the power requirements before doing the same?

If you have installed an electric bidet toilet seat, then the power requirements obviously matter, especially if you want to use all of its electronic features. And since it is an electrical appliance, it will have an impact on your monthly energy bills.

So, if you want to learn more about your bidet power requirements, then dive in!

Why Does Your Bidet Toilet Seat Use Power?

Before we proceed further, let’s address the elephant in the room – why does your bidet seat use power? Well, electrical bidet toilet seats come with a ton of features, such as a water heater, water pressure adjustments, swing and oscillation settings, a heated seat, and more. All of these features require electricity to function, and the more features you use, the greater the power consumption will be.

Even non-electric bidet seats may have power requirements, especially if you want features such as warm water. In that case, you will need to install a water heater separately. However, such features are entirely optional for non-electric bidets, so the power considerations are not mandatory, unlike in electrical bidets.

Factors Affecting Bidet Power Requirements

When talking about the power requirements of a bidet toilet, it’s not just the number of features that you need to consider. There are several other aspects that influence power consumption, and the most common ones are discussed below.

1. Available Features

Obviously, this is the biggest contributor to the overall power requirement. The more features that the bidet comes with, the greater its power consumption will be.

2. Number Of Features Being Used

It goes without saying that if you use only one functionality, the power draw will be way less than if you use multiple features at once. This does not mean that your power consumption will be zero if you do not use any of the features, though. 

That is because the basic electrical circuits of the bidet also require electricity. But since they have a very low power draw, the overall power consumption will be minimal.

3. Feature Settings

The settings with which the features are used can drastically affect power consumption. For instance, if you prefer to use hot water over lukewarm water, you will need to adjust the heater to a higher temperature setting. This, in turn, will significantly increase the power draw of the bidet.

4. Frequency Of Usage

Apart from the features, the power requirements of a bidet toilet will increase if it is used very frequently. This can become a problem if you have a relatively large family, as the bidet seat will be used a lot more in that case. However, for a small family, the power requirements will not be that significant.

5. Type Of Bidets

Another critical factor that determines the power requirements of the bidet is its type. By type, we are referring to the different variants of electrical bidets. Keeping that in mind, there are three types of electrical bidets that exist today, namely entry-level, mid-range, and high-end.

Entry-level bidets are the cheapest options, and they have the lowest power rating. Mid-range bidet seats come at an intermediate price and have a comparatively higher power rating than entry-level bidets. Lastly, high-end luxury bidets are the most expensive, and they have a considerably higher power rating.

How Much Power Does A Bidet Use?

If we are to talk about the power requirements of a bidet, we will need to discuss a little bit about the different units used for measuring power. This will help you to understand the bidet power requirements better.

1. Wattage

The unit of power is Watts (W), which is the amount of electricity that is consumed by a device when it is turned on. Generally, the wattage is measured by running the device at its full power for the given duration. However, in real-life usage scenarios, the device will rarely be used at its full power, and hence the actual power consumption will be lower.

Normally, you can learn more about the wattage of an electronic bidet from its user manual. But based on our own observations, the actual operating wattage of the bidet is usually lower than the maximum wattage listed in manuals.

2. Kilowatt-Hours

Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) is another unit of energy consumption that measures the total electrical energy used by a device in an hour. In essence, this unit tells you how much energy your device is actually using, as opposed to the wattage, which tells you the maximum power usage capacity of the device. That is why it is used in energy bills, as it helps to determine the overall electricity consumption.

Typically, the energy used by a bidet varies based on different factors, such as the number of features used, the duration of usage, and so on. That is why the kilowatt-hour rating is not mentioned in the user manuals. So, if you want to know about the actual energy consumption of your bidet, you can check the monthly energy bills.

3. Power Consumption Of Different Bidets

Keeping in mind the above aspects, we decided to do a bit of experimentation on our own with multiple bidet seats of different types. The results have been mentioned below.

A. Entry-Level Electric Bidets

• Wattage (listed in manuals): 300 to 400 watts
• Daily power usage: Over 5,000 watts
• Monthly energy consumption: Over 150 kWh

B. Mid-Range Electric Bidets

• Wattage (listed in manuals): 500 to 900 watts
• Daily power usage: 1,000 to 2,500 watts
• Monthly energy consumption: 70 to 90 kWh

C. High-End Luxury Bidets

• Wattage (listed in manuals): Over 1,000 watts
• Daily power usage: 400 to 500 watts
• Monthly energy consumption: 10 to 25 kWh

In the observations above, you will notice that the maximum wattage of entry-level bidets is lower than mid-range or high-end bidets. This is to be expected since they do not come with many of the fancy bells and whistles found in a mid-range or luxury bidet. However, their daily power usage and monthly energy consumption are considerably higher than the other two types.

Since the entry-level bidets do not have any extra features to speak of, their actual power consumption is very close to the wattage rating. Due to this aspect, the daily power consumption and the monthly energy usage are higher too.

In contrast, the presence of additional features on a mid-range or luxury bidet drives up its maximum wattage rating considerably. But when you are actually using the bidet, you will not be using all of the features at once. Because of that, the daily power usage and monthly energy consumption are comparatively lower.

You should also keep in mind that such a bidet comes with several power-saving features to boot, which further drive down the overall power consumption. Likewise, it comes with a hybrid heater, which consumes way less power than a tankless water heater used in an entry-level bidet. 

Thanks to these aspects, luxury bidets can be considered to be more cost-effective in the long term. This is despite the fact that they have a higher power rating and initial purchase cost than entry-level variants.

Bidet Toilet Seat Electrical Outlet Requirements

Since electrical bidet toilet seats require power, they usually come with electrical cords and power plugs that draw electricity from wall outlets. Because of this, the specifications of the wall outlets need to be considered too.

On that note, a bidet toilet seat requires 3 prong electrical outlets that are properly grounded. The grounding is essential because it can prevent accidents caused by electrical short circuits. However, in some cases, there may be faults in the grounding of the circuit, which can give rise to hazardous situations both for you and the bidet seat.

In that scenario, we recommend using a GFCI outlet, which offers a higher level of safety than regular electrical outlets. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, and it uses a mechanism to break the circuit in cases of grounding faults. That, in turn, protects you and the bidet from electrical damage.

Most electrical bidet seats have a max current draw of 13 to 15 amps, irrespective of their type. So, we recommend getting a 15 amp outlet in your bathroom for your bidet. 

In terms of voltage, most bidet seat models operate on a rating of 110 V. You can find models that have an operating voltage of 220 V as well. But if you do get a 220 V model, you need to make sure that the electrical outlet is compatible with it.

Power Requirements For Non-Electric Bidets

While we are on this topic, let’s talk a bit about the power requirements of non-electric bidets. Typically, a non-electric bidet seat does not come with electronic features such as heated seats, air dryers, and so on. And although some high-end non-electric models may have mechanical adjustments for water pressure and oscillations, they are not as effective or convenient as electric bidets.

Such adjustments are made with the help of non-electric dials that are controlled manually. There are no power requirements for using them, which is why they are so limited in scope. But it also means that you don’t need to worry about wattages and energy consumption. 

In that context, if you want to have hot water with your non-electric bidet, you will need to add a separate heater alongside it. And if it is an electric heater, then you will need to consider the power requirements of the unit. However, the power considerations, in this case, are not for the bidet itself but for the heater unit that you are using with it.

Transforming Your Toilet Into A Bidet

Now that you know all about the power requirements, let’s talk about how to make your toilet a bidet. In this regard, you should know that the process of installing a bidet on your toilet is roughly the same for the different types of bidets.

The process is relatively straightforward, and you won’t need to call in a plumber to do it. Most toilet seat bidets are designed in such a manner that they can be easily installed by anyone.

First, you will need to turn off the water supply to your toilet to avoid making a mess. Then you dislodge the existing toilet seat from the toilet bowl by carefully removing any bolts.

Once that is done, place the toilet seat mounting plate over the toilet bowl. Align the plate along the bolt holes on the toilet seat, and reattach the bolts to secure the mounting plate in place. Then, slide the bidet attachment carefully over the mounting plate until it snaps in place. 

After that, inspect the bidet seat once to ensure it has been installed correctly. Once you are all set, restore the water supply, and you will be good to go.

Bidet Toilet Power Requirements Frequently Asked Questions ?

Have you got some questions at the back of your mind? Then check out this section, where we have provided answers to some of the most common questions asked by consumers.

What should be the distance of the bidet from the power outlet?

The distance between the bidet and the power outlet should not be too much or too little. If the bidet is far away from the outlet, it will be a hassle to plug it in and use it. Conversely, if the distance is minimal, water may splash onto the outlet, which can increase the risk of short circuits.

That being said, the distance depends on the length of the bidet extension cord, which is designed keeping the above factor in mind. It may vary between different brands, but from our experience, most bidets have an extension cord that is around 4 to 5 feet long. 

The distance may be affected by the side from where the cord exits the bidet. For most electric bidets, the cord extends from the right-hand side. However, in some models, they can extend from the left-hand side or even from the rear center. 

Thus, if the bidet cord extends from the right side, it is better to have an electrical outlet on the right wall to maintain the proper distance, and vice versa. 

Do you need a dedicated circuit for your bidet?

In most cases, you won’t need a dedicated circuit for your bidet. It can function well enough on the same circuit that is shared between different bathroom appliances. Compared to other household systems, the overall electrical load of using a bidet is quite low, so getting a dedicated circuit is unnecessary.

Although if your bidet is used frequently throughout the day, the electrical load will be greater, which might justify getting a separate circuit. Furthermore, if the wiring in your bathroom is dated, it may cause lights to flicker when using the tankless heater of the bidet. This is caused due to the old wiring being unable to withstand the heavier load. 

As such, the problem can be resolved if you install a dedicated circuit for it, which will minimize the load on your aging circuits.

Are bidet seats and bidet attachments the same?

Since they have similar functionalities, a large majority of people believe bidet attachments and bidet seats are the same. But, there are certain differences that exist between these two. 

When it comes to the matter of bidet attachment vs. seat, the biggest difference is the mode of installation. A typical bidet attachment can be installed seamlessly to your existing toilet seat, so there is no need for a replacement. 

On the other hand, a bidet seat needs to be installed after removing the existing toilet seat entirely. As such, the installation process is comparatively longer and more complex than with a bidet attachment.

A bidet attachment is generally non-electric in nature, while bidet seats can be either electric or non-electric. There are certain differences in terms of functionality, too, since bidet attachments have limited features compared to a bidet seat.

Bidet Toilet Power Requirements Final Words

A bidet is a nifty toilet appliance that has seen a rapid surge in popularity thanks to its convenience. Unfortunately, a large number of bidet users have admitted that they did not think about the power requirements of the bidet before installing it.

Thankfully, it is not too late, as you can get familiar with this aspect using the information we have provided here. We hope that this guide can help you to fully utilize the features of your bidet without ramping up your energy bills. That way, you can enjoy your toilet experience without going broke.