Geyser blankets - do they work?

[hj2k_x]

Should use about the same unless the geyser is leaking a significant amount of heat.

You would be surprised by the number of people that swear this has reduced their electricity bills

 

[Borrels]

it seems to work.
Myself and buddy(flatmate) were going through 200bucks every 3 weeks. (partly due to his 20 min showers with his girlfriend, but i digress.) I installed a blanket around the geyser, which was a bugger as it was in the roof and close to a support beam and not to mention the pipes attached to it!! anyway...seems I've scored about 5 days extra out my electricity ....so it does seem to help....now if only I can get him to take shorter showers......

...now if only you can get his girlfriend to take longer showers with you...

 

[Jase]

On the topic of blankets, my geysor is mounted outside. Are there any external geysor blankets and if so, where can I get one?

 

[OhGats]

What bugs me is that the geyser should be insulated anyway from the inside tank and the outside shell. Think about it, if your geyser was running at 80 degrees, then the outside shell should also be 80 degrees which would be very hot to touch, however, it is not, the outside shell is only warm. Thats because in most geysers there is already a layer of insulation between the actual tank and the outside shell anyway!

 

[Frankie]

What bugs me is that the geyser should be insulated anyway from the inside tank and the outside shell. Think about it, if your geyser was running at 80 degrees, then the outside shell should also be 80 degrees which would be very hot to touch, however, it is not, the outside shell is only warm. Thats because in most geysers there is already a layer of insulation between the actual tank and the outside shell anyway!

Economics means that the factory doesn't install the best thermal insulation, and the fact that the outer shell feels warn is an indication that it could do with a little more thermal insulation, but I get your point that improvements in the thermal insulation has it's limits and in many cases any additional insulation is just surplus.

 

[Frankie]

It's a good insulator when used correctly.

I'm curious to know where foil can actually be used as a thermal insulator.

I know that some thermal insulation packages use foil but for properties other than thermal insulation.

 

[Tassidar]

I'm curious to know where foil can actually be used as a thermal insulator.

I know that some thermal insulation packages use foil but for properties other than thermal insulation.

Just to clarify:
There are three (or four) ways of heat transfer (depending on whether you read a biology or physics text book):
1. Conduction
2. Convection
3. Radiation
4. Evaporation

The two that count with a geyser would be (2) and (3).

Foil by its nature is an excellent conductor, however it is also excellent a reflecting radiant heat back. Hence the fact that emergency space blankets are made of foil. Ideally therefore, you would have a blanket or such like that traps air (an excellent insulator) surrounded by foil that reflects radiant heat back.

Hope this clarifies the issue a bit.

 

[Frankie]

Just to clarify:
There are three (or four) ways of heat transfer (depending on whether you read a biology or physics text book):
1. Conduction
2. Convection
3. Radiation
4. Evaporation

The two that count with a geyser would be (2) and (3).

Foil by its nature is an excellent conductor, however it is also excellent a reflecting radiant heat back. Hence the fact that emergency space blankets are made of foil. Ideally therefore, you would have a blanket or such like that traps air (an excellent insulator) surrounded by foil that reflects radiant heat back.

Hope this clarifies the issue a bit.

Your explanation regarding the use of foil, and in the case of my industry (power plant) the use of aluminium cladding, is 100% correct, but it is technically not used a thermal insulator - reflector yes.