In April 2024, Sensor Networks hosted a competition on John Maytham’s Rapid Fire radio show, offering participants the opportunity to win a smart geyser device for their homes, along with a year-long subscription to the smart home Sensor Connect mobile app. After using the product and app for several months, winners based in Cape Town were able to confirm the significant cost benefits presented by the adoption of smart technology devices in South Africa.

“The overall sentiment of our Geyser Connect technology was overwhelmingly encouraging, with winners expressing their willingness to recommend this innovative approach to household energy management to friends and neighbours, pointing to the device’s long-term benefits for energy savings and efficiency,” comments Mark Allewell, CEO at Sensor Networks. 

The installation process of the smart geyser device was described by homeowners as "quick and efficient" thanks to knowledgeable installers who ensured a seamless setup. Users found the Sensor Connect app to be user-friendly, allowing them to make adjustments and monitor heat or timing settings effortlessly. One elderly winner stated that “It’s very simple. When I want to check something or change the settings, it just takes a few seconds.”

Respondents noted that lowering the geyser set-point temperature to around 50°C not only maintained comfort – ensuring hot water was available at all times – but that it also contributed to a decrease in their overall electricity consumption. One winner, who recently installed solar panels, acknowledged that although their electricity costs were minimal, they still recognized the value in adjusting their geyser settings for even higher optimal energy efficiency.

Allewell adds that the use of smart geysers in households and businesses across South Africa is being driven by consumers affected by the cost of living crisis, and has been supported by a number of insurers and banks who have found smart geyser devices to be instrumental in decreasing the number of costly insurance claims: “The smart geyser device is able to notify home owners of leaks instanteously, and will automatically shut-off the water supply to a geyser when a leak has been detected. This prevents a significant amount of damage when geysers do burst.”

Feedback on the app’s functionality was positive, with users appreciating the ability to control the geyser temperature directly. One respondent emphasised the benefits of reducing the default temperature settings, stating that many geysers are set too high by manufacturers, leading to unnecessary energy waste.

Winners also provided insight into the user experience and made suggestions as to how to maximise ease of use and improve energy savings: “We remain committed to building and tailoring technological solutions which suit the South African lived experience. These testimonials underscore the potential of smart geyser technology to make a meaningful impact on household energy consumption in our country. As South Africa continues to seek solutions to its energy challenges, innovations like those provided by smart geyser devices represent a proactive step toward greater energy efficiency in an evolving energy landscape,” adds Allewell.