Do you Struggle with Frequent Element Replacements and Excessive Scale Build-up?
Then XTEND Elements are the solution
Ideal for Hard Water
lower operating temperatures (220°C) than resistive elements (500°C), which reduces the precipitation of solids out of the water
PTC elements have a very low watt density, which aids in reducing scale build-up
316-grade stainless steel casing provides long term protection from scale build-up to the ceramic element
XTEND elements use a ceramic core and protect this with stainless steel to provide a long-lasting element that provides an affordable solution for hard water areas. The lower operating temperature also means there is less lime scale build-up. While there are water filtration systems and water softeners, these are often prohibitively expensive. There are also hard water elements and titanium elements available, though they are heavy on electricity and do still corrode in very hard water conditions.
XTEND elements are protected with a large straight stainless-steel tube. Any scale build up is located in the middle around the heating core, however, and most importantly, this scale build up will not affect the performance of the ceramic element inside. Heat is simply transferred around the scale build up.
It is also possible to service your XTEND element to clear away excessive scale build up if you live in an area where elements do not last long at all.
Over Time Hard Water Damages Standard Elements
This can all be caused by limescale build up from heating “hard water” and corroded by a high metal count at certain temperatures. As the limescale builds up the element has to work harder to achieve the same result, costing more to run, and will eventually burnout if the scale build up is excessive.
Right: Limescale build up over time in hard water on a standard resistive element.
Slide centre line for before and after>>
Case Study with XTEND Elements in Hard Water Area
Problem statement: In hard water areas, the limescale build-up is responsible for many element replacements. Limescale build-up also reduces efficiency by up to 50%. This results in high running and replacement costs. Elements are generally replaced every 2-3 months, if not sooner.
Location: South 32 Mine, Mpumulanga
Water Quality: Hard
Proposal: Install an XTEND element
2 months after installation
XTEND element still working and client enjoying savings. XTEND was removed to check lime scale build-up and re-inserted as this was not significant.
12 months – before cleaning
XTEND element still working and client enjoying savings. XTEND was removed to check limescale build-up, which had increased.
12 months after cleaning with CalC Clean
XTEND element looks as good as new and was re-inserted and is still working and saving the client money.
Conclusion
XTEND elements experience significantly less limescale build-up and, most importantly, do not drop in efficiency over time. There is also less limescale in the geyser itself. XTEND elements can also be serviced annually to remove any excessive limescale to ensure optimal performance and longevity over time. XTEND elements are warranted for 3 years but engineered to last much longer.
Think of your Geyser as an Energy Storage Asset, not a Cost.
XTEND Elements have two attributes that allow the geyser to be included with solar PV:
1
Heats the water 25% more efficiently
than a standard element
2
Uses 33% less instantaneous power
than a standard element
You need fewer solar panels to heat the water. Installing an XTEND Element and a separate solar PV system will provide electricity to the geyser and other appliances. The result is higher savings.
Homes use most of their electricity outside of daylight (solar) hours. Hot water accounts for a large portion of this (30-40%). Electricity generated during the day must be used immediately or stored for later use.
It is far cheaper to store your power as hot water, than to store it in a battery and then heat the geyser. Installing XTEND in your geyser is 10x cheaper than buying a battery. It achieves the same result of moving energy from day to night.
Batteries should be sized to manage the night-time electrical load (excluding water heating).
Lithium-ion battery storage is expensive, but your geyser is already paid for. XTEND elements can efficiently store daytime energy for later use. If you need to heat water outside of daylight hours, XTEND elements are 25% more efficient than normal element.
XTEND + Solar PV + Batteries
Geysers are almost always excluded from home battery inverters as they draw 3kW (150L) or 4kW (200L)
XTEND elements use 2kW to achieve a similar rate of heating
A 5kw hybrid/battery inverter easily powers a 2kW XTEND element
A well-sized residential PV system generates extra daytime power (except in winter)
Batteries are typically full, and the house load is low by early to mid-afternoon
Use your geyser as a thermal battery to store spare solar power as heat energy
XTEND elements cost 10x less than heat pumps / solar thermal. Spend this money on PV
Adding a few extra PV panels is simple and cost-effective. (If needed)
Hybrid inverters manage the panels, load, battery charging and geyser to buy the least power from the grid. The homeowner manages the timing of the load to maximise savings
How does the Installation Process Work?
In short, very simply!
Benefits
Minimised Solar PV system cost
No need for specific geyser systems
Maximised generation & self-consumption (power generated and used by home)
Minimised maintenance
Energy resilience
Easy user control
Less pipes and complexity around the geyser
Modular and integrated
With sufficient hot water storage it is now possible to take your geyser ‘off-grid’
Energy Efficient
XTEND elements make your geyser more energy efficient. Over the life of the element, you will save around 25% on hot water costs, significantly reducing your electricity costs and bill.
You can also reduce hot water costs with solar thermal (hot water) systems or heat pumps. However, the costs associated with these systems are often prohibitive, and the payback periods are long.
XTEND elements offer an affordable solution with actual savings and a greater return on investment due to the low cost of installation. Heat water for less and improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Ideal for Hard Water
Limescale build-up around your standard geyser element can reduce its performance by up to 50%. As water is heated, limescale forms around the element, preventing heat transfer to the water. Thus, the element works harder and costs more to achieve the same result. The element eventually burns out as the heat is trapped and overheats.
There are hard water-specific elements available, but they are not protected with stainless steel and are often not able to handle extreme water conditions. You can also consider expensive water filters that may remove some of the salts and particles in the water. Still, you will always experience limescale build-up in your geyser and around your element. Gas and Induction geysers also provide a solution, but the high cost is often not worth the investment.
With XTEND elements, we protected our ceramic chips with a stainless-steel tube and located our heating core in the middle. Limescale will build up around the middle heating core, but it is significantly less. More importantly, performance does not drop as the heat is transferred out through the outer ends of the element. XTEND elements can also be removed, cleaned, and used again, as the stainless steel remains intact despite the build-up, unlike other standard element protection sheaths, which eventually corrode.
Finally, XTEND elements are also protected against dry burnout. They will stop drawing power when a certain temperature is reached, for example, when there is no water in the geyser. This will save on future replacement costs and eliminate the pain of an emergency call-out.
