Ceramic elements are seen as cost-effective alternatives to solar thermal and heat pumps, reducing water heating costs and saving energy.

XTEND ceramic elements have been shown to save up to 25% on water heating costs over the life of the element, compared to standard resistive heating elements. XTEND elements are designed to be extremely efficient at heating water. With the use of positive temperature coefficient (PTC) ceramic heating technology, the in-rush current is higher for a few seconds and then settles to the standard rated power of the element, to provide efficient heating until turned off by the thermostat. The PTC technology also prevents dry burn out when there is no water in the geyser, as the element will automatically cut power and “switch off” when it reaches a certain temperature, to prevent burn-out.  Once the temperature drops, the element restarts.  If there is still no water, the element turns off and on until the water is replenished.  This is known as a dry burn cycle.   

The products are said to be ideal for use in hard water areas, common in a number of regions in South Africa.  Hard water affects the efficiency of elements and XTEND elements are designed with a range of features to mitigate the negative effects of hard water. XTEND ceramic elements have operating temperatures of 270 °C, which is much lower than the 500 °C operating temperatures of resistive elements. This helps to reduce precipitation of solids out of the water. The low watt density of the elements also slows down scale build-up, while the 316 stainless steel casing ensures durability. The heat is dissipated by the areas without scale build-up and the element is able to continue to function optimally.

XTEND elements are also solar photovoltaic- (PV-) ready, with the size of the element reduced to 2 kW in order to combine with future solar PV systems. The elements have a low consistent draw and work well as day loads for solar PV systems, providing more hot water per kWh.  XTEND allows users to include the geyser as part of an energy ecosystem.  By correctly setting the geyser timer, the yield and return on investment of a solar PV system can be maximised. The product is available only in an AC configuration.

The ceramic elements are said to be easy to install, with no additional parts required. The products are SABS tested to SANS514, come with a three-year warranty, and are dry burn tested to 5 000 cycles.

XTEND elements are available from Plumblink.