A solar geyser uses the sun's radiation energy to heat your water, with electricity as backup when there isn't enough sunlight to reach the thermostat's set temperature (usually 36°C). This is why most homes have a solar and electric geyser hybrid system rather than a purely solar-powered unit. The geyser switch on your DB board must always stay in the on position, it's a safety breaker, not an on/off switch, and turning it off doesn't save electricity.
A solar powered geyser captures radiation energy from the sun to heat the water stored in your geyser tank. Because sunlight hours and radiation intensity vary by season, most residential solar geysers are actually solar geysers with electric backup: when solar energy alone isn't enough to reach the preset thermostat temperature, electricity tops up the heating.
Here's what that means for your usage:
Your geyser's overflow safety valve releases built-up water pressure (steam) during hot weather. This is normal, expected behaviour. The valve is doing its job to stop the geyser from over-pressurising.
What's normal:
What's not normal:
Log an emergency request so it can be inspected if you notice a constant stream rather than an occasional drip.
Find out more about the emergency repair services for our new developments.
Keep an eye out for:
The geyser breaker on your DB board is a safety mechanism, not a convenience switch. It's designed to trip off automatically during a power surge, from load-shedding recovery, lightning, or a faulty appliance, protecting your geyser from damage.
Why you shouldn't switch it off to "save power":
Keep the breaker in the ON/UP position at all times.
If the standard setup doesn't suit your household, there are two homeowner-arranged options, at your own cost and arrangement with a qualified electrician or plumber.
A timer switch is a genuine on/off switch wired into your geyser circuit by an electrician, separate from the safety breaker. You set specific hours for the geyser to switch off and on, for example, off from 10:00–14:00 and back on from 16:00–19:00.
Only do this if you're confident you won't need hot water during the switched-off window.
A qualified plumber can raise your thermostat above the factory-set 36°C (set low by default for burn safety and energy efficiency).
Trade-offs to weigh:
Switch your geyser off for the duration if your area experiences water-shedding. Heating an element with insufficient water in the tank can burn it out, an easily preventable and costly repair.
Visit our The Complete First-Time Home Buyer's Guide South Africa for more practical maintenance tips.
A solar geyser heats water using radiation energy captured from the sun. When solar energy isn't sufficient, such as during winter or on overcast days, electricity is used to bring the water up to the thermostat's set temperature, which is why most systems are solar geysers with electric backup rather than solar-only.
No. Switching your geyser off doesn't save money because reheating a full tank of cold water uses more energy than maintaining an already-heated tank. The DB board switch is a safety breaker, not designed for regular on/off use, and cycling it can damage the breaker.
A slow, occasional drip from the overflow safety valve is normal, especially in hot weather, and won't show up on your water meter. A constant stream of water or steam suggests excessive pressure, possibly from a thermostat fault, and should be reported for inspection.
Solar geysers typically come from the manufacturer set to 36°C, which is the standard safety setting to help prevent burns and reduce energy use. A qualified plumber can adjust this, though higher settings increase both energy and water costs.
Yes. Switch your geyser off during water-shedding to prevent the element from burning out due to low water levels in the tank.
Yes, by having an electrician install a separate timer switch on the geyser circuit. This lets you set specific off and on hours without using the safety breaker as a switch. This is arranged and paid for by the homeowner.
