Suggest a 3L Instant Water Geyser / Heater

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raksrules

raksrules

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We have a spearhot geyser which is probably 20 Years Old. Below is image I found on internet to show what kind of geyser it is.



Seems this geyser is having issues. As in, after turning it on, we have good hot water coming (actually more hot than required) and after around 7-8 minutes the MCB switch will trip. We have a 32A switch connected to this geyser and this switch has burnt twice before and we had to replace it. It appears that geyser is at fault and not the wiring (wiring was replaced 6 months back) or switch as the first switch that got burnt was in use with same geyser since almost 2003.

So now we need to buy a new geyser. Due to space constraints, we need something similar to current size which we think is 3L.
My dad says current one is great quality due to it having copper coil so we may need new one to be of copper coil too (any other statements for or against this most welcome). I guess this is not storage geyser and what we call instant geyser.

Can anyone suggest which geyser to buy which provides nice flow and hot water.

I am located in Mumbai and we do not have any issues of Hard Water.
 
You can check out racold instant heaters, they have options from 3kw to 4.5kw with the latter giving hot water faster, I used to have the 3 liter 3kw version of racold which is 30 + years old and it takes about 5 min to get hot water and the flow rate will have to be kept low to get hot water.

Now your MCB may trip because it may be less then 15amp rated, if there is a fault in the heating element inside, then your ELCB should trip.
In order to check whether your wiring is ready, you to know whether the wire from the mcb is of 4sq.mm or higher. MCB should be rated at 15 amp for 3kw or 20amp for 4.5kw geyser(assuming no other devices are connected to the mcb). If you have more devices connected to the mcb then you should uprate the mcb accordingly.

Your current geyser may need a thermostat replacement, if you don't have a elcb in your house get one fixed immediately
 
I have the same one and got the same problems you faced. It's 3.5KW heater I think. It burned 2-3 fuses till we replaced almost everything to the meter. Stopped using it because of the huge monthly bills using it. Best to use a single pole mcb with 15Amp socket as switch for such direct heating geysers. That way your whole house light won't go out and just the geyser MCB will trip.

I'm planning to go the lpg heater method after this corona virus goes away and life returns to normal. It's faster and cheaper. Just need for ventilation in bathroom or if there is space outside the bathroom wall where you can install it and pipe the hot water from LPG geyser through wall inside the bathroom.
 
adder said:
You can check out racold instant heaters, they have options from 3kw to 4.5kw with the latter giving hot water faster, I used to have the 3 liter 3kw version of racold which is 30 + years old and it takes about 5 min to get hot water and the flow rate will have to be kept low to get hot water.

Now your MCB may trip because it may be less then 15amp rated, if there is a fault in the heating element inside, then your ELCB should trip.
In order to check whether your wiring is ready, you to know whether the wire from the mcb is of 4sq.mm or higher. MCB should be rated at 15 amp for 3kw or 20amp for 4.5kw geyser(assuming no other devices are connected to the mcb). If you have more devices connected to the mcb then you should uprate the mcb accordingly.

Your current geyser may need a thermostat replacement, if you don't have a elcb in your house get one fixed immediately
Click to expand...


The geyser is connected to this socket which trips frequently.

IMG_0977.jpg



In fact say someone goes for a bath, takes bath and It trips in say 10 minutes then next person cannot immediately go for bath as we cannot turn on switch. We usually wait for 5-10 minutes and then we can switch it on and use.

Now I don't know what ELCB is. This is what we have in home which controls electricity for entire home. Is this ELCB?

IMG_0978.jpg



This never trips when using geyser. We have 2 sets of such ELCBs because ours is Two 1BHKs side by side and connected via a torn down wall. So we kept the connections separate for both flats. We get 2 bills, one for each of the flats.
 
Yes the one on the left is elcb, so if it doesnt trip that means the heating element is good, thermostat is suspect.

The fact that your 32A C curve rated mcb trips, means something is really bad on the heater because it needs over 6000w to trip.

Any particular reason why you are looking only at instant geysers, why not a 25l storage geyser which mostly comes with a 2kw heating element, they typically have a higher BEE star rating and its easier on your EB bills and wiring. It takes longer to heat the water about 15 to 20min but I guess that would be time one takes to have a bath. So by the time one finishes bathing, the water should in theory be hot for the next person.

But if the bathing time is less, then a instant geyser will make sense but will have high energy bills.
 
adder said:
Yes the one on the left is elcb, so if it doesnt trip that means the heating element is good, thermostat is suspect.

The fact that your 32A C curve rated mcb trips, means something is really bad on the heater because it needs over 6000w to trip.

Any particular reason why you are looking only at instant geysers, why not a 25l storage geyser which mostly comes with a 2kw heating element, they typically have a higher BEE star rating and its easier on your EB bills and wiring. It takes longer to heat the water about 15 to 20min but I guess that would be time one takes to have a bath. So by the time one finishes bathing, the water should in theory be hot for the next person.

But if the bathing time is less, then a instant geyser will make sense but will have high energy bills.
Click to expand...

We don't have enough space for such a big heater and instant works just fine. Bathing time per person is under 10 min.
 
How about these 15l storage heaters - both are around 40cms in wxhxd cube shape

Buy Crompton Solarium Qube 15LTR, 2KW, 5 Star-Rated Storage Water Heater (White & Black) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

Amazon.in: Buy Crompton Solarium Qube 15LTR, 2KW, 5 Star-Rated Storage Water Heater (White & Black) online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery
www.amazon.in

Buy American Micronic AMI-WHM3-15LDx 3 Power mode 15-Litres Imported Water Heater (White) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

Amazon.in: Buy American Micronic AMI-WHM3-15LDx 3 Power mode 15-Litres Imported Water Heater (White) online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery
www.amazon.in

The American micronics one has variable power usage according to temp settings too. 800W/1200W/2000W

Edit: I checked the measurements in my bathroom and 40 cms is huge. Enough to bang my head on it. Compared to the Racold instant geyser size these are about twice the depth. Really fat. Not for tiny bathroom spaces.

I think the only ones which come close to your needs are similar instant heaters or LPG/ PNG instant heaters. My late uncle had a lpg geyser and it gave nice hot water even in winter. Cylinder used to last about 2 months plus a few day for family of 3.
Another relative has the PNG one and even it works very well. You need permission from the png gas people to install it I think. Has to do with using copper pipes and what not to reduce gas leak.
 
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6pack said:
How about these 15l storage heaters - both are around 40cms in wxhxd cube shape

Buy Crompton Solarium Qube 15LTR, 2KW, 5 Star-Rated Storage Water Heater (White & Black) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

Amazon.in: Buy Crompton Solarium Qube 15LTR, 2KW, 5 Star-Rated Storage Water Heater (White & Black) online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery
www.amazon.in

Buy American Micronic AMI-WHM3-15LDx 3 Power mode 15-Litres Imported Water Heater (White) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

Amazon.in: Buy American Micronic AMI-WHM3-15LDx 3 Power mode 15-Litres Imported Water Heater (White) online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery
www.amazon.in

The American micronics one has variable power usage according to temp settings too. 800W/1200W/2000W

Edit: I checked the measurements in my bathroom and 40 cms is huge. Enough to bang my head on it. Compared to the Racold instant geyser size these are about twice the depth. Really fat. Not for tiny bathroom spaces.

I think the only ones which come close to your needs are similar instant heaters or LPG/ PNG instant heaters. My late uncle had a lpg geyser and it gave nice hot water even in winter. Cylinder used to last about 2 months plus a few day for family of 3.
Another relative has the PNG one and even it works very well. You need permission from the png gas people to install it I think. Has to do with using copper pipes and what not to reduce gas leak.
Click to expand...

LPG I am not sure if we can do as this bathroom is on a different side of building and kitchen is on another side wherein we have Mahanagar Gas Pipeline coming into the house for LPG. We do not have cylinders. We may have to ask the Mahanagar guys if they can install another meter and gas line on this side where the bathroom is but that might be too much work so 99% chance we will go with Instant water heaters only.
 
raksrules said:
We may have to ask the Mahanagar guys if they can install another meter and gas line on this side where the bathroom is but that might be too much work
Click to expand...

Generally it should be only one meter and pipeline routing to geyser. Consider it like electricity or water where you would have only 1 meter but wiring or piping done to use it at multiple points.
 
raksrules said:
LPG I am not sure if we can do as this bathroom is on a different side of building and kitchen is on another side wherein we have Mahanagar Gas Pipeline coming into the house for LPG. We do not have cylinders. We may have to ask the Mahanagar guys if they can install another meter and gas line on this side where the bathroom is but that might be too much work so 99% chance we will go with Instant water heaters only.
Click to expand...
Never use a LPG/PNG geyser in a bathroom or any room without proper ventilation.The danger is Carbon Monoxide that is produced due to the combustion is a silent killer indeed.
Many lives have been lost due to this in the last decade. Check on google for further information.
Post automatically merged:

We have been using instant water heaters since a long time in our house in Bangalore where we have an issue with hard water.
The longest lasting one was a Usha Lexus one which lasted for more than 11 years.The other that we had is another one from Usha & Venus.The one A.O.Smith heater didn't last a year.
Do pick up a heater with a SS or Copper tank they will serve you well.
 
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jtd3 said:
Never use a LPG/PNG geyser in a bathroom or any room without proper ventilation.The danger is Carbon Monoxide that is produced due to the combustion is a silent killer indeed.
Many lives have been lost due to this in the last decade. Check on google for further information.
Post automatically merged:

We have been using instant water heaters since a long time in our house in Bangalore where we have an issue with hard water.
The longest lasting one was a Usha Lexus one which lasted for more than 11 years.The other that we had is another one from Usha & Venus.The one A.O.Smith heater didn't last a year.
Do pick up a heater with a SS or Copper tank they will serve you well.
Click to expand...

Absurd points on why not to use LPG or gas heaters. I can say the same about electrical water heaters. Look at how many have died due to electrocution. Just Google it! ಠ_ಠ
 
6pack said:
How about these 15l storage heaters - both are around 40cms in wxhxd cube shape

Buy Crompton Solarium Qube 15LTR, 2KW, 5 Star-Rated Storage Water Heater (White & Black) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

Amazon.in: Buy Crompton Solarium Qube 15LTR, 2KW, 5 Star-Rated Storage Water Heater (White & Black) online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery
www.amazon.in

Buy American Micronic AMI-WHM3-15LDx 3 Power mode 15-Litres Imported Water Heater (White) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

Amazon.in: Buy American Micronic AMI-WHM3-15LDx 3 Power mode 15-Litres Imported Water Heater (White) online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery
www.amazon.in

The American micronics one has variable power usage according to temp settings too. 800W/1200W/2000W

Edit: I checked the measurements in my bathroom and 40 cms is huge. Enough to bang my head on it. Compared to the Racold instant geyser size these are about twice the depth. Really fat. Not for tiny bathroom spaces.

I think the only ones which come close to your needs are similar instant heaters or LPG/ PNG instant heaters. My late uncle had a lpg geyser and it gave nice hot water even in winter. Cylinder used to last about 2 months plus a few day for family of 3.
Another relative has the PNG one and even it works very well. You need permission from the png gas people to install it I think. Has to do with using copper pipes and what not to reduce gas leak.
Click to expand...
Go with American Micronics as their after market service is also good according to reviews in Amazon.
 
Googled a few things and I see many review sites putting Bajaj Flora at top. Is it good? I was planning to go with 4.5Kw one. Price is 3.5K.
 
Ok so we finally got the Bajaj Flora 3 liter 4.5Kw geyser.
But....the issue persists which means it is not geyser but something else. Have called electrician tomorrow but anyone has any insights on where the fault may lie?

Edit: the issue is at after turning on the geyser and using it for 10 minutes, the MCB trips. Then we cannot turn on switch for some time. It would immediately trip. Then after 10 min it is usable again for sometime.
 
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I have the exact same issue and we havent been able to resolve it as well.
The Racold geyser has survived but it trips like crazy and we have to shut it down in 5 - 10 mins.
Electrician has visited atleast a few times but too much hassle to get wiring checked as everything is internal
 
puns said:
I have the exact same issue and we havent been able to resolve it as well.
The Racold geyser has survived but it trips like crazy and we have to shut it down in 5 - 10 mins.
Electrician has visited atleast a few times but too much hassle to get wiring checked as everything is internal
Click to expand...

Same here. All the wiring in my house is concealed. Also the wiring is 16 years old. But we had got the wiring to this geyser switch changed just 6 month back when we lost 2 MCB switches and the socket itself burned once (this is when we got entire wiring to the geyser switch changed).
 
4.5kw means 20amps of continuous current, the wires coming to MCB will have to be atleast 4sq mm of genuine wire. The input wire coming to distribution box from the meter will atleast need to be 6sqmm genuine wire.
If you use sub standard wire which is not pure copper or of lower sq mm, then you risk burning wires internally. MCB amp rating should always be lower then the rating of wires, some people just put a higher amp rated MCB which is not the solution, since you again risk burning the wires and potential fire hazard.
Also Anchor MCB is not exactly a quality product, they are one of the cheapest priced brands. Good brands to get are legrand, scheinder, ABB, Hager.
 
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Ever since they became the de-facto, major and most popular brand in India, maybe for the last 20-25 years, anchor switchgear is the absolute worst of all. Especially the Roma models. I had penta switches at one point and they were pretty decent. Not modular, but very nice and clean cover plates. I can't count the number of failed Roma switches i've seen at various places, and not just high-amp switches due to high current load. Even normal switches mechanical parts are failing.
 
adder said:
4.5kw means 20amps of continuous current, the wires coming to MCB will have to be atleast 4sq mm of genuine wire. The input wire coming to distribution box from the meter will atleast need to be 6sqmm genuine wire.
If you use sub standard wire which is not pure copper or of lower sq mm, then you risk burning wires internally. MCB amp rating should always be lower then the rating of wires, some people just put a higher amp rated MCB which is not the solution, since you again risk burning the wires and potential fire hazard.
Also Anchor MCB is not exactly a quality product, they are one of the cheapest priced brands. Good brands to get are legrand, scheinder, ABB, Hager.
Click to expand...

But then how come the same geyser + wiring + switch + 3 pin socket male plug + female socket work for like 15 years without any hiccups and now continuous back to back fails. I know we have previously used geyser continuously for 30-40 minutes and never has this trip thing happen.
What all things I should change in an attempt to make it working.
I am already planning to change the 3 pin anchor male plug. The new geyser does not come with one so we just used the old one. Do I need to also change the female 3 pin socket besides the MCB? I don't remember that the MCB came separate or we bought the female socket + switch together.
Also about using the lower rated MCB than wires rating, what rating MCB should I buy ?
 
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