Project Smart Geyser is paying the discount on your subscription to get HotBot technology out there in order to prove how it can fix loadshedding and enable more solar. This project brings together partners, including EEP Africa, the City of Cape Town and GIZ, to improve energy reliability and efficiency in South Africa. By getting a HotBot, you’ll be part of a groundbreaking project that shows how Cape Town is at the forefront of creating a clean energy future.

HotBot is compatible with all electric water heaters and solar water heaters where the tank is on the roof (thermosyphon systems). It is not intended for gas, pumped solar thermal (where the tank is typically inside), low-pressure / push-through (typically seen in RDP houses), or heat pump water heaters.

The water heater must be accessible to a technician for installation. In order for leak detection and the optional shut-off valve to work, you must have a drip tray and your water heater must be installed inside.

After you subscribe for HotBot you will receive a link to book a convenient installation time. Our partners at TOD will send a HotBot-accredited technician to do the rest.

HotBot is a small Internet of Things device (17cm x 15xm x 6cm) that is installed adjacent to your existing water heater. The power to your water heater is run through HotBot, and it has several sensors which attach to your hot water system.

Make sure to remove or bypass any timers or other water heater controllers, and rather manage your hot water through the app at my.plentify.io.

HotBot still works with water heaters despite most non-compliance issues. Depending on the nature of the non-compliance, certain features may not work. For example, some hot water systems allow valves to drain into the drip tray instead of being directed outside with a pipe – in these cases it is not possible to distinguish between this and leaks. Our technicians will notify you of any compliance or other issues that they find with your water heater, and can assist in rectifying at your cost.

After you checkout, you will receive an email with a personalised link to book your installation. You simply select a convenient date and time for the installation, and our accredited plumbers will arrive with the device and install it for you. Once HotBot is installed you can register on our Plentify app and start saving! You will be charged the subscription fee each month, starting 1 month after you have ordered your HotBot.

Demand for electricity is not flat, rather it peaks in the mornings and the evenings. Our electricity grid struggles the most during these peak periods, when available electricity supply often falls short of demand and Eskom burns a lot of diesel to try to keep the lights on. Often they simply can’t keep up, or need to save the diesel to serve other times of the day – leading to loadshedding

Solar by itself is not the answer as it produces most energy during the middle of the day, and does very little to address our peak problem.

HotBot solves both of these problems. Your HotBot can coordinate with all other HotBots to intelligently shift energy demand away from times when Eskom is burning diesel or we’re at greatest risk of loadshedding, and towards times when more solar energy is available – while making sure that you have hot water when you want it.