[sidd.tech]

Originally Posted by kvsneela

We always had problems with geysers whereever we went all around India ( electric shock, heater failure etc ,). For sometime used immersion heater which only heats the top layers. But when we were in Bangalore , we needed hot water 365 days ( due to weather). So we found LPG water heater which produces instant hot water

Electric heaters if maintained properly can be fairly reliable and last 15-20 years easily. So you can buy 15Ltr. Storage water heater and get it installed and if you move, just take it with you to the new location and get it installed there.
LPG water heaters are more practical but there is an inherent risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and I have read many instances in news about people falling unconscious in the bathroom while taking shower due to CO poisoning and in some cases even dying. So I would never recommend anyone to use LPG water heaters.
By the way, a water heater repair thread in TeamBHP is a welcome change. We are DIY'ers and we love everything that has screws, nuts and bolts in it. Would love to see more such threads in the future.

[YK85]

Great thread. Very timely too

I wonder if there's any recommended procedure for storage geysers when not in use for long durations.
In NCR, the weather is boiling hot for almost 8 to 9 months a year anyways so geysers are not required during that time.
Is there some best practice for maintaining storage geysers that are not being used for such long periods?

I have also noticed that leaving the geysers as is for long periods leads to really horrible smelling water, obviously due to stagnation. Although, running fresh water for an hour or two fixes this but I am not sure of any efficient way to prevent this problem and also avoid wasting water.

Any guidance on these points would be highly appreciated.

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by YK85

Great thread. Very timely too

I wonder if there's any recommended procedure for storage geysers when not in use for long durations.
In NCR, the weather is boiling hot for almost 8 to 9 months a year anyways so geysers are not required during that time.

I am in NCR (New Delhi) and use the Geyser throughout the year.
In Winters - For the purpose they are built. Hot Water.
In Summer - For cool water, as the Water from Water Tank is scorching hot.

[ais]

This is a new product being introduced by Havells. Inline heater. Rs.16-18000. No issue of building water pressure etc

Awaiting more details.

[sidd.tech]

Originally Posted by YK85

Is there some best practice for maintaining storage geysers that are not being used for such long periods?

Yes, all geysers have a drain valve on the inlet side. Just switch off the geyser and shut off inlet valve then open the drain valve and output tap (hot water tap) the water will drain out of geyser thus preventing stagnant water and heating element rusting. Just remember to refill water before you switch on your geyser again otherwise the element will burn out.

[srini1785]

We have a Bajaj New Shatkti water heater and it started leaking water from the inlet end some days back. The leaking water has rust mixed with it. So we stopped using it and over the last week end, i opened it and cleaned it. In addition to the white salty deposits on the heating element, one full length of the inlet pipe had broken clean off. So after removing the dirt and broken pipe, I put it back on the wall and it is still leaking. Electrically nothing wrong with it.

The local repair man says that the pipes are brazed to the water tank and replacing the pipes would be not a very viable option. Anyone have any experience replacing the pipes?. The water heater is around 8 years old.

[Mr. Nobody]

Very useful thread. I have a near 20 year old geyser that was having rusty water coming out and a few leaks. The electrician told me no point trying to save it and to junk it and get a new one. Using this thread managed to full open it and it seems after the rusty water is thrown the inner tank walls look fairly clean and rust free. Only surface rust on 1 area is seen and the bolts had all rusted which were causing the leaks. Will remove that and repaint it. I will also replace the heating element so is there any brand to go for?

[SiddVish]

So can a geyser fall off the wall? I didn’t know this was possible till two nights ago.

Let’s start with some context. Moved to a new house around March. Had geysers from AO Smith installed (by AO Smith themselves of course) above the false ceiling as marked out by the architect and is the case in every other apartment in the building.

Been using one bathroom this whole time but used the other one for the first time two nights ago.

Geyser turned on around 6:30/7:00 and off by 8:30/9:00. Didn’t get very hot water, luke warm at best.

Heard a crash around 11pm and found the geyser on the floor. Managed to shut off the water and returned to bed (nothing you can do in the middle of the night anyway)

Called AO Smith in the morning, took a while to get them to understand the gravity of the situation but finally had a technician came by around noon.

Not sure if this is relevant but when he released the water out, it was boiling hot. Almost felt like I was in a steam room! Also, the hooks on the wall appear to be undamaged so, did the geyser jump off?

Skip to 24 hours later, the technician is willing to reinstall the same geyser if I pay for new harnesses and pipes. I’m assuming this is the official AO Smith line.

So far nobody wants to identify the problem, they haven’t even opened up the geyser.
1. Is this a manufacturing fault?
2. Is it a design flaw?
3. Was there a lapse in the installation process?

Of course, I’m glad nobody was in the shower when this happened but if the problem isn’t identified, someone somewhere definitely could be when it happens next!

Another concern would be purely architectural - why do they locate geysers above shower areas? Having 40-50 kilos hanging over your head does not feel safe anymore!

Could someone please help me figure out how this happened, AO Smith doesn’t seem interested so I’ve got to decide if I want to put a geyser over my head again

[condor]

Like you said, glad that no one was injured in the incident.

Two possibilities:

1. The wall is made of hollow-bricks, and hence not able to hold the weight.
2. The screws used were not long enough, and hence the hold was not deep enough.

The pics are not clear enough to check further about #2 above.

Regarding fixing the same again - what would have been the impact to the internals of the geyser due to that fall ? What is the guarantee that there will not be any short circuiting once the same unit is fixed without further checking ? While a check now may not show any problems, but what if a possible fault is like hanging by a thread inside and fails in some time

*

These are fixed above false ceiling to hide them from view in case of false ceilings. And geysers have been fixed at a high level for ages now, so that the water can also be supplied water thru the shower head. Actually, today's geysers are smaller and lighter than the old ones.

[libranof1987]

Those seem pretty lame hooks for a geyser tbh. Even the 1 litre geyser in my kitchen has better hooks, rather bolts, on which it rests. The technician should have used proper bolt-screws, video call his boss and ask if what he's installed is appropriate.

Secondly, as condor said, what is the material of the wall. Unlikely that it just can't bear the weight of a geyser (unless it isn't made of bricks but some membrane). Check with others in your society.

Next, and perhaps most importantly, has the installation been done correctly. Since you say you got only lukewarm water but when he let the water, it was boiling. Perhaps, the installation of the control valve was incorrect. Same, with the inlet / outlet pipes being blocked / not fit properly.

Lastly, do check the floor tiles for damage. If the geyser fell on them, there's a good chance, it chipped off tiles. If they're cracked / broken, you could have leakage issues.

This seems to be 100% (installer) technician fault IMO.

[deathwalkr]

That is a scary scene. Those hooks look like picture hangers! What capacity heater is it?

[SiddVish]

So the interesting thing is, the hooks are still in the wall … undamaged and unmoved

[Rodie09]

That is pretty scary. Gives me shivers to imagine this happening while someone under the shower - could get electrocuted, burnt and physically injured all at same time. I'd surely check all my geysers to be sure.

Fastening has clearly been done in the most lame way possible. Typically these are hung using fasteners and not ordinary screw/bolts. These fasteners are wedged and expanded into the bore in wall to actually claw the wall surface.

Glad to know no one was injured.

On a side note but similar, I always wonder can the ceiling fan just fall off while in operation? Can be catastrophic and never heard of. But of course, it is actually hung on a cheap metal pipe and hook which is usually non branded. A material failure in a long life of a ceiling fan can potentially happen. Any thoughts?

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by SiddVish

So the interesting thing is, the hooks are still in the wall … undamaged and unmoved

The right side hook has definitely moved (notice it's cut and slipped out of its plastic retainer). The installer likely drilled the RHS hole larger, but installed the same sized retainer. Giving it a shake when unloaded, it probably looked tight enough, but gave way slowly over time when carrying the loaded geyser.

Please get a competent installer.

Originally Posted by Rodie09

...
On a side note but similar, I always wonder can the ceiling fan just fall off while in operation? Can be catastrophic and never heard of. But of course, it is actually hung on a cheap metal pipe and hook which is usually non branded. A material failure in a long life of a ceiling fan can potentially happen. Any thoughts?

They can, and sometimes do. Even with a small imbalance on its rotating axis, the hook chews through the top pipe the fan is hung from.

Prudent to inspect ceiling fans once every couple years (or sooner if they start making knocking sounds from the mount side).

[NomadSK]

Originally Posted by SiddVish

So can a geyser fall off the wall? I didn’t know this was possible till two nights ago.

Good to know that no one was injured.

As others have pointed out, It clearly looks like a substandard/cheap installation. Even The penetration of the hooks looks dicey. Tell the same guys to install it properly with standard nut/bolts depending on the capacity/weight of the geyser.

Check yourself if those hooks are loose or moving with your fingers. I bet they would be.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

They can, and sometimes do. Even with a small imbalance on its rotating axis, the hook chews through the top pipe the fan is hung from.

Prudent to inspect ceiling fans once every couple years (or sooner if they start making knocking sounds from the mount side).

Nowadays the ceiling fans come with metallic strand/wires holding it in addition to the nut/bolt mechanism, just to avoid such eventuality. If it’s not there, then one can just get it installed