HEAT WATER FOR LESS

HEAT WATER FOR LESS

HEAT WATER

FOR LESS

 Water in your geyser is heated by an element. Standard elements use coiled resistive wire, covered by a soft metal coating. XTEND elements are fundamentally different. They use a self-limiting ceramic called PTC, protected by a marine-grade stainless-steel outer casing.
The properties of PTC, coupled with the design of XTEND elements reduce energy use by 25%.  They also make XTEND elements hard-wearing and perfect for hard water problems. XTEND elements switch your geyser from a problem to an asset on a solar PV (photovoltaic – electricity) system due to the high efficiency and reduced power draw.

Saves the average family around 1000 units of electricity per year

High electricity billsreduce spend red
Replacing elements cause of hard waterInconvenient replacements red
Thinking od installing solarthermal battery red

  Energy Efficient

The design of a standard heating element has not changed for around 100 years. Until now. XTEND elements use positive temperature co-efficient (PTC) ceramic, instead of coiled wire.
The efficiency and reliability of PTC is well known and accepted. PTC is used in fancy kettles, heated car seats and many industrial processes. And now in geyser elements.  
By reducing the current drawn by the element to suit the environment, PTC elements maintain efficiency. The losses in converting electricity to heat are minimised. The large surface area and low watt-density of the XTEND element improve heat transfer efficiency.
XTEND elements are simply a better design, using newer technology and deliver more heat for less money. 
read more about saving money with XTEND

 Ideal for Hard Water

A standard element is covered in a soft metal allow. XTEND elements are covered in marine grade stainless steel. There is really no comparison.
In hard water areas, lime-scale and other deposits build up on the element. Over time a standard elements efficiency will drop significantly (up to 50%), before the element burst out due to internal overheating or breaks in the alloy layer.
A PTC element will reduce the current that it draws as the limescale slows heat transfer. As limescale builds the rate of heating will slow, but the efficiency will not drop much.
The cylindrical design of an XTEND element means that cleaning it is easy. Cleaning is required if the water is not heating up as fast as it used to.
Finally, an XTEND element will not burn out, even if the geyser bursts and the element is burning in dry air. The XTEND element will stop drawing power when the internal temperature of the PTC reaches 270°C. It will draw power again for a short time in cycles when enough heat has transferred to the air. XTEND elements are tested to over 5000 of these dry-burn cycles. This means that the XTEND element in your old geyser can safely be removed and installed in the new one. 
Frequent element replacements? here is the solution...

 Solar PV Ready

As Eskom costs rise and reliability drops, more and more people are installing inverters and solar panels to make their own power.
It is always cheaper to reduce power consumption, that to generate more power. XTEND elements are the perfect solution for the geysers. By installing only an XTEND element you keep the geyser simple and the maintenance low.
Power generated in the day that is not needed for the house load, or batteries can be stored in the geyser as heat energy for after-hours use.
Reducing the power from 3kWh to 2kW and increasing heating efficiency by 25% is a big deal for solar PV.
  • The inverters can handle the geyser load more easily
  • Less power is needed to heat the water, leaving more for the rest of the house
By installing a timer, you can ensure that the geysers are on during peak daylight hours. You can install more sophisticated equipment to control day and night water temperatures and communicate with the inverter. 
Read more on how to include a geyser into a Solar PV system...

ABOUT US

XTEND elements came about through the efforts of many people. The goal was to reduce geyser complexity, and maintenance issues and increase heating efficiency. Our backgrounds are technical, financial, sales and general business admin, and many years of field experience with domestic water and energy efficiency products.
With Eskom failing and electricity prices increasing, solar PV (electricity) systems have become more affordable and desirable. XTEND elements was designed to reduce the energy demand of a geyser, changing it from a challenge that requires a separate, expensive system, to an energy storage asset, absorbing additional day time energy from the PV system, and storing it as hot water for later use.  
Installing an XTEND element avoids 1,000 kWh of electricity purchase for the average family. This is equivalent to 1,000 Kg of coal saved or 1,000 CO2 not released.
Geyser heating systems are expensive. The energy they produce can only ever be used in the geyser. By linking the panels to the whole house, not just the geyser, the power can be directed where needed. Simple. Effective. Low Maintenance.
If you have solar PV, storing the spare daylight power as hot water for later use makes total sense. Needing 25% less by installing an XTEND element leaves more power for the rest of the house.
We are passionate about South Africa. We are quite partial to the rest of the earth too. XTEND elements can play a small, but valuable role, in addressing the issues we face with costs, infrastructure and the climate.
We are truly grateful for all the support we have received from so very many people. Thank you. To all new customers, please let us know how we can help. All current customers, we would love to hear your story. So would other people who are considering installing an XTEND element.
#Heatwaterforless with XTEND elements.

Latest blog article

Water in your geyser is heated by an element. Standard elements use coiled resistive wire, covered by a soft metal coating. XTEND elements are fundamentally different. They use a self-limiting ceramic called PTC, protected by a marine-grade stainless-steel outer casing.
The properties of PTC, coupled with the design of XTEND elements reduce energy use by 25%.  They also make XTEND elements hard-wearing and perfect for hard water problems. XTEND elements switch your geyser from a problem to an asset on a solar PV (photovoltaic – electricity) system due to the high efficiency and reduced power draw.
Water in your geyser is heated by an element. Standard elements use coiled resistive wire, covered by a soft metal coating. XTEND elements are fundamentally different. They use a self-limiting ceramic called PTC, protected by a marine-grade stainless-steel outer casing.
The properties of PTC, coupled with the design of XTEND elements reduce energy use by 25%.  They also make XTEND elements hard-wearing and perfect for hard water problems. XTEND elements switch your geyser from a problem to an asset on a solar PV (photovoltaic – electricity) system due to the high efficiency and reduced power draw.
 
XTEND elements are simple to install, need no extra parts and save money every time you heat water.
  • SABS tested to SANS-514
  • Approved for installation by all major geyser manufacturers
  • Energy savings independently verified by manufacturers and other 3rd parties
 
XTEND elements are simple to install, need no extra parts and save money every time you heat water.
  • SABS tested to SANS-514
  • Approved for installation by all major geyser manufacturers
  • Energy savings independently verified by manufacturers and other 3rd parties
No matter where your geyser is located, XTEND elements can reduce your water heating costs. If you have a geyser, XTEND elements will save you money.
Rising electricity prices and recurring load-shedding have increased interest in energy efficiency, battery backup and generating your own electricity (Solar PV). How do XTEND elements help?
A geyser is expensive to heat. Installing solar thermal systems or heat pumps (connected directly to your geyser) is also expensive. XTEND elements are affordable and use 25% less electricity than a standard resistive element.
By reducing heat losses, XTEND elements heat water at a similar rate as traditional elements, including hard water and titanium elements, but use 1-2kW less power to do so.
This lower power requirement turns your geyser into an efficient, and manageable, energy store for solar PV. Spare electricity generated can heat your water for free.
XTEND elements will also use less grid or battery power at night if the water needs heating for the morning showers.
XTEND elements design and construction address many of the problems in hard water areas, including reducing the rate of scale build-up. This reduces the inconvenience and replacement costs of emergency element call-outs.
No matter where your geyser is located, XTEND elements can reduce your water heating costs. If you have a geyser, XTEND elements will save you money.
Rising electricity prices and recurring load-shedding have increased interest in energy efficiency, battery backup and generating your own electricity (Solar PV). How do XTEND elements help?
A geyser is expensive to heat. Installing solar thermal systems or heat pumps (connected directly to your geyser) is also expensive. XTEND elements are affordable and use 25% less electricity than a standard resistive element.
By reducing heat losses, XTEND elements heat water at a similar rate as traditional elements, including hard water and titanium elements, but use 1-2kW less power to do so.
This lower power requirement turns your geyser into an efficient, and manageable, energy store for solar PV. Spare electricity generated can heat your water for free.
XTEND elements will also use less grid or battery power at night if the water needs heating for the morning showers.
XTEND elements design and construction address many of the problems in hard water areas, including reducing the rate of scale build-up. This reduces the inconvenience and replacement costs of emergency element call-outs.

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