HotBot

[Snyper564]

@TechFTW never has "just a customer" been so heavily invested in the tech of someone elses company

Good that you are here to defend it!

 

[TechFTW]

@TechFTW never has "just a customer" been so heavily invested in the tech of someone elses company

Good that you are here to defend it!

Very funny!
I learned my lesson not to defend it a while ago, which you will see from the post history. Alas good people like you won't let me forget it and are the only ones still talking about it.

When someone makes blatantly dangerous and illegal recommendations though, I can't help myself but call it out.

 

[Snyper564]

Very funny!
I learned my lesson not to defend it a while ago, which you will see from the post history. Alas good people like you won't let me forget it and are the only ones still talking about it.

When someone makes blatantly dangerous and illegal recommendations though, I can't help myself but call it out.

No worries

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[bettekun]

It's actually a pretty simple concept. If you put your finger on the top of the straw and lift it out of the water, no water will fall out the straw. In the same way, if you shut the inlet to a geyser, no water will exit the leak.

As for the pricing, it seems like a great deal to me. A sonoff costs you R1,000 + R500 - R800 to install. This will cost you R1,400 over 2 years and deliver up to double the savings you get from a Sonoff. Plus you effectively get a lifetime warranty (vs Sonoffs and Geyserwises which are dropping like flies due to the strain caused by surges from loadshedding so you'll be lucky to even get 2 years out of them).

Thankyou. I'm having one installed today and you have given me real comfort.

 

[rh1]

Remove thermostat, insert solid-state temperature sensor into tube with some silicone grease or thermal compound. Its easy folks. No need to make any holes which could come back to bite later when they develop a leak.

Drilling a hole into the cylinder is a no-no. There's a glass lining inside and drilling into that will cause it to shear off in that spot and then that's the place it will develop a hole or decide to go bye-bye and send a torrent of hot water all over your furniture. (I speak from my younger days and my experiences then).

Heating the water to 75 is a bit extreme, the highest temperature for most thermostats is 60. The higher temps will drastically reduce the lifespan.

Also, another thing that eats away at efficiency is the build-up of sedimentary scale, so every 2-3 years, get a plumber to remove the element and suck out all the "corn flakes" at the bottom.

Agree. On my to do list next year, when my geyser is two years old.

 

[rh1]

Thankyou. I'm having one installed today and you have given me real comfort.

Auto Bots assemble.

 

[Sleepyrhino]

I could have sworn the thread was called HotBot and not "Can someone suggest an alternative to HotBot that doesn't require a subscription?"

I do not understand the hate towards this company, especially from @PaulMurkin. It seems like they threaten you in some way. Someone simply showed interest in them and wanted to know more, just like me. I came here to find out more about a product. I want a hassle free solution and so far it seems that this one will pay for itself, and I can set it and forget it. I'm not a tinkerer, and I'm sure there are better, cheaper solutions out there for people willing to put in the time and effort.

Regardless, I found useful information here and quite a few haters. This poor TechFTW guy is just insulted and accused of being a shill, and he is not even rude back. I didn't see anyone who has a HotBot complain, only happy customers and haters. Sad really. Anyway, I'll be reporting back here to say how mine is going. Will make a point of not sounding too happy or run the risk of also being a shill. lol.

 

[ands45]

I could have sworn the thread was called HotBot and not "Can someone suggest an alternative to HotBot that doesn't require a subscription?"

I do not understand the hate towards this company, especially from @PaulMurkin. It seems like they threaten you in some way. Someone simply showed interest in them and wanted to know more, just like me. I came here to find out more about a product. I want a hassle free solution and so far it seems that this one will pay for itself, and I can set it and forget it. I'm not a tinkerer, and I'm sure there are better, cheaper solutions out there for people willing to put in the time and effort.

Regardless, I found useful information here and quite a few haters. This poor TechFTW guy is just insulted and accused of being a shill, and he is not even rude back. I didn't see anyone who has a HotBot complain, only happy customers and haters. Sad really. Anyway, I'll be reporting back here to say how mine is going. Will make a point of not sounding too happy or run the risk of also being a shill. lol.

Honestly, just put in a CBI Astute https://www.builders.co.za/Electric...-Isolator-Switch---White/p/000000000000751913 it takes a few mins to install and setup and if you cant easily get to the isolator of your geyser (if in roof etc) you can just put in this one in your DB https://www.communica.co.za/products/cbi-astute-smart-controller and set up the timer. No need to tinker, can just setup your run times for just before the most common times you use hot water so you only heating water when you going to use it.

 

[Sleepyrhino]

Honestly, just put in a CBI Astute https://www.builders.co.za/Electric...-Isolator-Switch---White/p/000000000000751913 it takes a few mins to install and setup and if you cant easily get to the isolator of your geyser (if in roof etc) you can just put in this one in your DB https://www.communica.co.za/products/cbi-astute-smart-controller and set up the timer. No need to tinker, can just setup your run times for just before the most common times you use hot water so you only heating water when you going to use it.

Don't get me wrong I do appreciate you taking the time to suggest an alternative. I'm not looking for an alternative; I was looking for info on the HotBot because I'm getting the installation and subscription free with my solar/battery backup system.

 

[ands45]

Don't get me wrong I do appreciate you taking the time to suggest an alternative. I'm not looking for an alternative; I was looking for info on the HotBot because I'm getting the installation and subscription free with my solar/battery backup system.

My problem, and I suppose most of the people on this thread, is that you have to keep paying a monthly subscription fee for it. If you are getting the subscription free (I think the install is always free and included as part of the subscription?) then don't see any reason not to go for it. I personally like to tinker (and make the best use of available solar) and adjust to my own liking so for me it isn't something I would be interested in even if free.