Key Takeaways
- “Any electrician’s socket will do” is the myth that causes the most tripping and shock risk; a geyser needs a dedicated, earthed, ELCB-protected point.
- A higher star rating saves you money over years, but it doesn’t heat water any hotter or faster, so don’t overpay for the wrong reason.
- You cannot safely skip the pressure relief valve, no matter how “leak-free” a fitter promises the tank is.
- Bigger isn’t automatically better; an oversized geyser just wastes money standing by and reheating water nobody used.
- Believing these myths costs real rupees, in wasted electricity, premature failures, and avoidable repeat call-outs.
Some of the most confident advice I hear on installation day is simply wrong, and it’s usually passed on with total sincerity by a neighbour, a shopkeeper, or an in-a-hurry fitter. The trouble is that a geyser myth rarely announces itself; it just quietly bleeds money out of your electricity bill or shortens the life of an appliance you paid good money for. In more than ten years of fitting and servicing geysers, I’ve watched the same handful of misconceptions cost families far more than a careful install ever would. By the end of this piece you’ll be able to spot each myth and know the real story behind it. For the correct method throughout, keep our complete water heater installation guide handy.
Myth 1: “Any socket or an existing point will do”
The fact: A storage geyser draws around 2 kW, and it needs its own dedicated point on a correctly rated MCB, with proper earthing and ELCB protection. Running it off a shared socket, an extension board, or an old point wired for a fan is asking for nuisance tripping today and overheated cabling tomorrow.
This is the myth I most want to bury, because in a wet bathroom it’s a safety issue, not just a convenience one. The earth is what protects you if the element ever leaks current. “It worked on this point for the old geyser” is not proof it’s safe, only that you’ve been lucky so far.
Warning: Never accept “the earth is connected somewhere in the box” on trust. Insist a licensed electrician confirms genuine earth continuity back to the building’s main earthing and press-tests the ELCB. This one check is worth more than any feature on the geyser.
Myth 2: “A 5-star geyser gives hotter water”
The fact: A BEE star rating measures standing heat loss, not temperature or speed. A higher-rated geyser holds its heat longer thanks to thicker PUF insulation, so it wastes less electricity between uses. It does not heat water any hotter, and it won’t heat faster.
So the rating absolutely saves you money, but over months and years, through lower standby losses, not through a hotter shower. Buy a good rating for the running-cost saving, which is real, but don’t let a salesperson sell it to you as “more powerful”. You can read the honest version of how ratings work on the Bureau of Energy Efficiency site.
Myth 3: “You can skip the safety valve if the tank is good”
The fact: The pressure relief valve exists precisely for the day something goes wrong, a stuck thermostat that keeps heating. No tank, however well made, is designed to contain runaway pressure. The valve is your last line of defence, and it is never optional.
I’ve had owners tell me a fitter “sealed it up because it was dripping”. That drip was the valve doing exactly its job. Fit it as the maker specifies, never cap or paint over it, and where the wall allows, run a small drain line so any release goes to a drain, not onto the wiring below. A blocked valve on a faulty thermostat is one of the genuinely dangerous situations I encounter.
Myth 4: “Bigger capacity is always safer”
The fact: An oversized geyser doesn’t give you a safety margin; it just heats and holds more water than you use, then loses that heat and reheats it. You pay for that standing loss on every bill, for years.
Right-size it to how you actually use hot water. As a rough guide from the homes I’ve fitted:
| Typical use | Common storage size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single bucket bath, one person | 6–10 L | Instant or small storage is enough |
| Small family, bucket baths | 15–25 L | Covers back-to-back baths |
| Family with a shower/geyser habit | 25 L+ | Sustained hot water for showers |
These are typical starting points, not rules; your water usage and the number of bathrooms matter. But the point stands: match the size to the need, not to a “just in case” instinct that quietly wastes power.
Myth 5: “Installation is free, so it doesn’t matter who does it”
The fact: A “free installation” is usually a basic hang-and-connect. It rarely includes a fresh dedicated circuit, a proper earth run, an ELCB, or a stop valve, the very things that make a geyser safe and serviceable. Who does the work, and how, matters enormously.
I’m not saying spend for the sake of it. I’m saying know what the free install actually covers, and budget separately for the electrical safety work if it isn’t included. A rushed freebie that skips the earthing is the most expensive install of all, because you pay for it later in call-outs, or worse.
Myth 6: “You can switch it on the moment it’s connected”
The fact: You must fill the tank completely before power ever reaches the element. A heating element relies on surrounding water to carry heat away. Power a dry or half-full tank and the element burns out in minutes, warranty gone.
The “it’s connected, let’s test it” impulse is one of the costliest myths on this list, precisely because it feels harmless. Open a hot tap, wait for a steady, air-free stream, then, and only then, go near the switch.
Tip: Make “water first, power second” your unbreakable rule on any geyser install or refill after servicing. It’s a two-minute wait that protects a brand-new element worth far more than your patience.
Myth 7: “The box screws are fine for mounting”
The fact: A filled 25 L geyser can weigh 40 kg or more, hanging on two bracket points for years. The light screws that ship in the box are frequently not up to a real masonry wall, and they’re useless in a hollow partition or a mortar joint.
I upgrade to heavy-duty plugs and anchor bolts on almost every job, and I always fix into solid masonry, then tug-test the bracket empty before hanging the unit. A geyser that pulls off the wall doesn’t just break the appliance; it can flood a room and hurt whoever’s below.
Myth 8: “Once it’s installed, you can forget about it”
The fact: Especially in hard-water areas, scale builds on the element and inside the tank, eating efficiency and eventually causing failures. A geyser installed with no stop valve and no access, boxed into a false ceiling, turns every future descale into a major job.
Plan for maintenance at install time: fit an inlet stop valve, leave working space, and keep the junction reachable. Then schedule a descale every year or two depending on your water. A little forethought on fitting day saves hours and money down the line.
Myths vs Facts, Side by Side
| The myth | The reality |
|---|---|
| Any socket will do | Dedicated, earthed, ELCB-protected point only |
| 5-star means hotter water | It means lower standby loss, not more heat |
| Skip the safety valve | Never; it prevents a burst tank |
| Bigger is safer | Oversizing just wastes standby energy |
| Switch on when connected | Fill fully first or burn the element |
Every one of these myths costs money in a different way, wasted units, dead elements, repeat call-outs, or a dangerous shortcut. The good news is that the facts are simple and cheap to follow. If you’d like the practical flip side, our list of the most common installation mistakes to avoid shows exactly what goes wrong when these myths win.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a higher star rating mean a geyser heats water hotter?
No. A BEE star rating measures standing heat loss, not temperature or heating speed. A higher-rated geyser holds its heat longer with better insulation, so it wastes less electricity between uses. It saves money over time, but it does not make your water any hotter or heat it faster.
Can I install a geyser on an existing socket?
You shouldn’t. A geyser draws around 2 kW and needs its own dedicated point on a rated MCB, with proper earthing and ELCB protection in a wet bathroom. Reusing an old socket meant for lighter loads invites nuisance tripping, overheated wiring and real shock risk.
Is a bigger geyser always better?
No. An oversized geyser heats and holds more water than you use, then loses that heat and reheats it, wasting power on every bill. Size it to your actual use, roughly 6 to 25 litres for most households, rather than buying big just to be safe.
Can the pressure relief valve be skipped?
Never. The pressure relief valve releases dangerous pressure if the thermostat fails and the tank keeps heating. No tank is designed to contain runaway pressure. Blocking or removing the valve on a faulty geyser is one of the genuinely dangerous mistakes, so always fit it as specified.
Does free installation cover everything I need?
Usually not. A free install is typically a basic hang-and-connect and rarely includes a fresh dedicated circuit, a proper earth run, an ELCB, or a stop valve. Confirm exactly what’s covered, and budget separately for the electrical safety work if it isn’t included.
Final Word
Myths persist because they sound reasonable and they’re free to repeat. But on a geyser, believing them costs real rupees and, in a few cases, real risk. Insist on a dedicated earthed circuit, keep the safety valve, fill before you power on, size sensibly, and plan for servicing. That’s the whole defence.
Still have doubts of your own? Our geyser installation FAQ answers the real questions homeowners ask, and you can browse everything in our installation guides. For a neutral explanation of how water heating actually works, the Wikipedia article on water heating is a good, myth-free read.
