2kW vs 3kW Geyser: Heating Speed, Power Use and Installation

A 3kW geyser heats the same water in two thirds of the time a 2kW geyser takes, and it uses the same number of units to do it. The difference that matters is the load on your wiring: a 3000W geyser draws about 13 amps, against about 8.7 amps for a 2000W one. In the Orient Electric range, the pattern is simple. The instant geysers are 3000W, and the storage geysers are 2000W. This guide compares the two wattages on heating speed, power use and installation, so you can choose with the numbers in front of you.

Which Orient Electric geysers use which wattage

The rating plate on every geyser shows its exact wattage. See all instant geysers and storage geysers.

Heating speed: how much faster is 3kW?

Wattage is the rate at which the element adds heat. A 3000W element adds heat 1.5 times as fast as a 2000W one, so the same job takes two thirds of the time. The table shows the time to warm water from 15 degrees C to 40 degrees C with no heat lost, along with the units and cost, which do not change.

Worked example using mass x 4.186 x the rise in temperature, with no heat lost to the room. Real times are a little longer.

For a flowing instant geyser, the same sum gives the rate. At a 25 degree rise, a 3000W element warms about 1.7 litres a minute, and a 2000W element about 1.1 litres a minute. In winter the rise is larger, so both rates fall. For a 15L storage tank heated from a 10 degree tap to 55 degrees C, the time is about 24 minutes at 2000W and about 16 minutes at 3000W. From a 25 degree tap it is about 16 minutes and about 10 minutes.

Does a 3kW geyser use more electricity?

For the same hot water, no. A 3kW geyser draws more power each minute, but it runs for fewer minutes, so the units are the same: 0.58 units for a 20 litre bucket bath at either wattage. What changes your bill is how much hot water you heat, how hot you set it and how long the geyser stays on, not the wattage on the label. Our guide to how geyser power consumption is calculated has the formula for units and bills, and five ways to lower your winter water heating bill shows where the real savings are.

Where the two types differ is standby. A storage geyser keeps a full tank hot and loses a little heat even when no one is bathing, while an instant geyser heats only when you open the tap. Our comparison of instant and storage geysers covers this, and 3 star vs 5 star geysers explains how storage heat loss is rated.

Installation: what the wattage asks of your wiring

This is the real reason to care about 2kW and 3kW. The current a geyser draws is its power divided by the voltage, so at a nominal 230 volts the numbers are:

•      Do not use an ordinary 6 amp socket. Even a 2000W geyser draws more than it can carry. A 3000W geyser needs a socket, plug and wiring rated for its load.

•      Give it its own circuit. A geyser should not share a circuit with other heavy appliances, as the total can trip the MCB or overheat the wiring.

•      Earthing and an RCCB. Make sure the earthing is sound and use an ELCB or RCCB, as our geyser safety guide explains.

•      Ask a qualified electrician. They should check the socket, the MCB and the wire size against the rating plate before the first use.

Older homes are where this matters most. If your bathroom wiring is old, have it checked before you fit any new geyser, whatever its wattage.

Which wattage is right for you

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is a 3kW geyser better than a 2kW geyser?

A: It heats faster, but it is not better for every home. A 3kW geyser warms water one and a half times as fast and draws about 13 amps. A 2kW geyser takes longer and draws about 8.7 amps. If your wiring is fine and you want hot water quickly, 3kW suits a sink or a small bucket. For longer baths, a 2kW storage geyser with a tank gives you more hot water at once.

Q: Does a 3kW geyser use more electricity?

A: Not for the same amount of hot water. A 20 litre bucket bath takes about 0.58 units at 2kW or 3kW, at a 15 degree tap. A 3kW geyser uses more power while it runs but runs for less time.

Q: Can any socket take a 3kW geyser?

A: No. A 3000W geyser draws about 13 amps, which is more than an ordinary 6 amp socket can carry. It needs a socket, plug and wiring built for a heavy load, ideally on its own circuit. Ask a qualified electrician to check before you install.

Q: Which wattage heats faster, 2000W or 3000W?

A: 3000W. It adds heat 1.5 times as fast, so a 20 litre bucket from a 15 degree tap heats in about 12 minutes against about 17 minutes. In winter both take longer because the tap water is colder.

Q: Will a 3000W geyser trip my MCB?

A: Not by itself, if the circuit is rated for its load. It can trip if the MCB is too small, if other heavy appliances share the circuit or if the wiring is old. An electrician can check the MCB against the geyser's rating plate.

Q: Is a 2000W storage geyser enough for winter?

A: Yes. The wattage sets how fast the tank heats, not how much hot water you get, which comes from the tank size. In winter, switch on a little earlier, and consider a larger tank if baths come back to back, as our capacity guide explains.

See all instant geysers and storage geysers, or the 3 litre and 5 litre ranges for small spaces. Our geyser buying guide walks you through every other decision.