Overflow safety valve or temperature relief valve
A geyser's overflow safety valve releases built-up water pressure (steam) from the geyser in hot weather. This is normal and indicates that the geyser is functioning correctly, ensuring your safety by preventing it from exploding due to built-up steam pressure.
This released water will be a slow drip and uses only minimal water. You will not see the consumption of this drip on your water meter so that no numbers will tick over due to it. However, if you see a constant stream of water or hot steam coming from the pipe at the valve point, it may mean that the geyser is under excessive pressure, indicating a possible thermostat fault.
Please contact us at 010 045 9000 or [email protected] if you suspect your geyser's overflow water is excessive.
Warning signs
Some signs that your geyser is broken or may be about to fail include:
- Low water pressure.
- A humming or cracking sound from the geyser.
- Water is flowing from the geyser tray pipe.
If you notice water running down your gutter when it is not raining, check your geyser to see if it is dripping or running.
Solar geyser breaker or solar geyser switch on the DB board
The purpose of the geyser switch on the DB board:
- The geyser switch must always be switched to the ON position on the DB board to function effectively.
- This switch is a safety mechanism. It is a circuit breaker designed to trip to the off position when there is a power surge.
- It breaks the excessive flow of electricity (caused by power surges after load-shedding, lightning storms, faulty appliances, etc.) to appliances and protects them from damage.
Why must the switch remain on?
- Solar geysers heat water with radiation energy from the sun.
- In the winter, there are fewer sunlight hours and less radiation energy to heat the water to the maximum temperature as preset on your geyser's thermostat (the factory setting is 36° Celsius). When there is not enough solar energy, electricity will be used to heat the water the rest of the way until it reaches the set temperature (using units on your electricity keypad).
- Once the set temperature is reached, the unit's electricity usage slows drastically because electricity is now only needed to maintain the maximum temperature and not heat an entire tank of cold water from scratch.
- You do not save money by switching the geyser off. Heating a full geyser that has been switched off for several hours requires significantly more energy (radiation and/or electrical power).
It is therefore crucial to always leave the circuit breaker in the on or up position. This breaker must not be used as an on/off switch. Circuit breakers are not designed to be used as switches. Using it as a switch will cause your geyser to malfunction and could damage the circuit breaker, causing it to trip each time. Once damaged, it will stay in the off position, causing your water to remain lukewarm or cold in the winter months. An electrician is then needed to replace the costly circuit breaker.
Getting warmer water or reducing the heating time
If you want warmer water or more controlled heating times, you could explore the following options, but please note that you, as the homeowner, have to arrange this and carry the extra cost. Cosmopolitan does not offer these options.
TIMER SWITCH:
- You can have a timer switch installed by an electrician. This is an actual on/off switch connected to your geyser's wiring in the DB board, so you do not have to use your geyser circuit breaker to do so.
- The timer switch features a timing mechanism that allows you to set the times for your geyser to switch on and off. For example, you can set it to switch off between 10:00 and 14:00 and then on again between 16:00 and 19:00. However, avoid setting this when you need hot water during the switched-off periods.
- When you use a timer switch, you decide the maximum time you will need hot water, so you choose when your geyser should switch on and off.
HIGHER HEAT:
- The geyser manufacturer sets the thermostat to control the water temperature.
- According to safety requirements to prevent severe burns and to assist in energy saving, the standard factory setting is 36°C.
- You can have the thermostat set to a higher temperature by a qualified plumber, should you wish to do so.
- The disadvantages of doing this include the need for more solar energy and electricity units to warm the water to a higher temperature, which costs more money. You will lose more water through the overflow safety valve because higher temperatures increase the pressure in the valve, resulting in additional water costs on your municipal account.
- It will require additional solar energy and electricity units to raise the water temperature, resulting in higher costs.
- You will lose more water through the overflow safety valve because higher temperatures increase the pressure in the valve, resulting in additional water costs on your municipal account.
Taking care of your solar geyser during water-shedding
If you experience water-shedding in your area for any reason, you must switch off your geyser to prevent damage to the element, such as element burnout due to low water levels in the geyser.
DISCLAIMER:
The recommendations herein are given in good faith and are meant to guide the user. The recommendations imply no guarantee since the conditions of use and method of application are beyond our control.
