By Tanya Olckers, with technical input from ECASA, IOPSA, Ariston and ISS Western Cape
In part two of this geyser article series, we delve into the electrical components of geysers and take a deeper look at the disposal of old and broken geysers – the neglecting of which, contributes to the illegal geysers conundrum.
Illegal non-compliant refurbished geysers for sale. Supplied by IOPSA
Understanding the electrical essentials of geyser installation
When it comes to installing a geyser, ensuring proper electrical installation is crucial for both safety and functionality.
Dedicated circuitry:
A geyser requires a dedicated circuit from either the main or a sub-distribution board. This circuit must be safeguarded by an earth leakage unit that does not exceed 30mA and should be wired to a circuit breaker using a conductor of the correct size. This setup helps prevent electrical faults and enhances the overall safety of your electrical system.
Switch and disconnection devices:
It’s important to install a 2-pole switch disconnector or an un-switched socket outlet that is rated at a minimum of 16 amps. This installation facilitates the disconnection of both live conductors in a single-phase supply, which is essential for safety during maintenance or emergencies.
Electrical bonding:
To avoid potential electrical hazards, bond both the hot and cold-water pipes to the earth continuity conductor system. This precaution ensures that any electrical currents are safely grounded.
Testing procedures and compliance checks:
Before energising the geyser circuit, several vital tests must be conducted.
- Insulation resistance:Ensure that insulation resistance is not less than 1MΩ between the live conductors and the earth conductor to verify no damage to the conductors occurred during installation.
- Earth and bonding:Properly earth and bond hot and cold-water pipes to maintain a resistance not exceeding 0.2Ω, keeping electrical potential at zero volts across exposed conductive parts.
- Earth continuity resistance:Ensure that the earth continuity resistance to the geyser terminals aligns with Table 8.1 in SANS 10142-1, ensuring proper earthing and effective circuit breaker operation.
- Voltage Tests:After circuit activation, measure the no-load voltage at the geyser terminals and calculate the full-load voltage to confirm that voltage drop does not exceed 5% at the consumption point.
Certification of Compliance (CoC)If your geyser is part of a new installation, it should be included in the initial Certificate of Compliance (CoC). Should you replace the geyser – or even just parts like the element, thermostat or switch disconnect in an existing installation – a supplementary CoC is required, along with all safety tests conducted at the distribution board. This certification is a crucial step in ensuring your geyser meets all safety and operational standards. Understanding these electrical requirements will not only help in maintaining efficiency and safety in your home’s plumbing but will also ensure compliance with local regulations, giving you peace of mind. |
We know that geysers don’t last forever. As we have reported in this magazine before, there are unscrupulous operators who salvage tanks, refurbish them and sell them on to unsuspecting people. Once the tank has been compromised – meaning there are leaks – the homeowner should know it’s time to scrap the geyser and get a new one.
Robert Williams of Insurance Salvage Services Western Cape (ISS Western Cape) advises that once a geyser has come to the end of its life, it needs to be handled in the correct and appropriate way.
The casing and tank are punctured with at least a 30mm penetration rendering the product unviable to repair and/or the threaded connections are damaged beyond repair or cut off. The flange is removed and scrapped separately. The element is removed and destroyed, as is the thermostat.
Williams offers an independent service through ISS and has been involved in the removal and destruction of geysers, or water heaters.
“Since we conceptualised this service in 2004, some insurers, not all, have been very supportive and have realised the advantages of our service,” he says, “In particular the country’s leading incident manager, Digicall Fogi – right from the outset. Another being ABSA insurance.”
Manufacturers have also seen the benefits of an independent salvage company. “We estimate at least 30–35% of geysers replaced nationally are a target for refurbishing,” says Williams, “The data provided by our subscribers is critical to the success for all legitimate stakeholders in the geyser replacement market. DigiCall have been integral in the prevention of dangerous products re-entering the market. If all stakeholders, manufacturers, insurers, incident managers and insurance brokers supported our offering there would be very little used products available to refurbish.”
Technical manager with IOPSA, Steve van Zyl, agrees that these scrapped geysers need to be dealt with appropriately and safely and should never re-enter the market. “Metal Geysers should go back to smelters and melted and processed into new products,” says van Zyl. “Some insurance companies collect the old geysers via salvage companies such as ISS services for checks and testing and destruction. Some geysers are turned into lovely braais, others not collected by salvage companies or not replaced via insurance claims (PVT) and may end up being sold to scrapyards. Warranty replacements – old warranty geysers – I understand, go back to the manufacture and from what I believe are checked and destroyed and never sold back to market.”
Williams and van Zyl are both passionate about getting these illegal refurbished geysers off the streets. However, it’s a difficult task. As soon as one operator is closed down, it seems as though several more pop up. This is why plumbers are asked to be vigilant and vocal about illegal geysers and to report them to IOPSA via technical@IOPSA.org.
