We like hot showers and we think everyone does. Once winter comes, however, the cost of that creature comfort before most of us trudge off to a job we hate is going to be steep. High gas bills in winters are a stuff of nightmares in households across the country. The reason? Those bulky monstrous gas powered water heaters, or geysers as they are commonly called, hidden from sight at the back of your house.
You’ll be surprised to know that the design of these water heaters has not been tinkered with for over 70 years. It’s an inefficient device and the inconvenience of turning it on and off again before you want to take a shower means most of us keep it running 24/7. That translates into needless natural gas consumption and increased costs. No more!
Meet Jul Bujh. A literal plug and play solution, it aims to improve the efficiency of water heaters to save both gas and money for consumers. It does that by making the thermostat intelligent.
Once you install Jul Bujh on your water heater, which takes five minutes, you can specify a schedule for turning the heater on. Do you usually take a shower in the morning before work and after a gym session in the evenings three days a week? Set that up through your smartphone in the Jul Bujh app (both Android and iOS will be supported) and it will keep the heater off at all times except those. As you might have figured out already, this adds up to a lot of savings.
Just as you would have demanded, the app is capable of setting up a schedule for the water heater to any possible mode, i.e. full capacity, one fourth, three fourth, just pilot mode or any thing that you would like to configure… check a screen grab from the app below:
Another great thing about the device is that the motor in it can last up to a whole winter season on two AA batteries. The batteries that power the process circuitry need not be replaced for up to 18 months. So once you install it, you can pretty much forget about it, which is precisely why we like it so much.
The concept has already been tested and verified through field trials last winter. Now Jul Bujh is looking for support from the crowd-funding community for building dies, moulds and automating the production. The device costs $60 (roughly 6000 PKR) so it is reasonable to assume you’d pay off the investment over the course of one winter season.
The project is being undertaken by veterans in the field who are backing Jul Bujh with their experience. Amongst them are Zia Imran, a Cornell graduate, and Farrukh Kamran, a PhD from Georgia Tech. So truth be told, we can think of no reason why this isn’t as good as it sounds.
If you like the idea as much as we do, you can support the project at their Indiegogo page.
Great contribution to save energy. I want to see it a global successs
what success ? already bill is not crossing 2000 per month and they are telling 2000 month saving in bill lolx..
You sir are a special type of idiot.
Tbh, I agree with Adil. The hight bill I’ve ever reached in Islamabad, is Rs. 1,800 during the peak season in Winters. Usually my bill in summers is around Rs. 400 – 600. I guess that’s cuz we’re a small family, and larger families would naturally have higher bills, but I really doubt ANYONE can save Rs. 2,000 with this tool, unless their bills are over Rs. 10,000.. And this tool won’t be usable, at least in Punjab due to gas load shedding 4 – 5 days a week..
Use your branes. If your bill is 500/month before using this device it will be less after using the device. You are too focussed on the 2,000 figure when you should be looking at percentages. And don’t forget that these numbers (and savings of gas) add up nationwide when using the device.
Secondly, there are parts of Lahore that almost never lose gas pressure in winters and there are parts of lahore where people have to use kerosene stoves or wood for cooking. I am not kidding, I know this because I have relatives in both areas. I suspect it is like that in many different cities in the nation (I don’t know why you focuss only on Punjab).
Thirdly, even if you have low gas pressure, this can still help you save if you programm it to turn on/off at the right times.
Won’t reply you on your first point, as you’re somewhat right. Alright I don’t really care about the ”Rs. 2,000” figure, but was just replying as I disliked the insult. Yes, it would be a nationwide saving, but most ”large” water geysers are also fitted with a thermostat, and water is used throughout the day, washing dishes/clothes/hands, using toilet, and adults taking shower, etc, etc.. but still this could maybe save .. Not for my family though.
Yes, I’ve seen parts of not just Lahore, but several other cities which never lose gas pressure (I don’t know why you’re only focused on Lahore) But 85% of the parts of Islamabad/Rawalpindi (where I live) lose gas pressure entirely. I have family in Gulrez 2, Askari, Lalazar, etc. And I myself live in Islamabad and have several friends there. Yes I am focused on Punjab as I LIVE IN PUNJAB :P And as have several friends in Sindh, Mainly Karachi, never heard these issues from them. Infact my relatives have been living in Karachi since 1966 and not once have they complained such a thing, the issue that all Punjabi’s have been facing since decades.
Lastly, I don’t think this can help if one has low gas pressure. SImply as if you need to go to the geyser to manually light the pilot flame, which always turns off during winter days, how can this thing possibly help at all? If you turn on geyser at 12:30am, just after the pressure is somewhat normal, it’ll take 2 hrs to heat the water, at least, by around 2-2:30am and the pilot turns off automatically at 6am, I don’t think I’d be much interested in saving gas for just 1 hr or something, which won’t be necessary. If someone uses the water to take a shower, it would require the geyser to heat the water AGAIN, which will take 2 – 2.5hrs, and during 12am to 6am, we don’t really have a 100 hrs, ONLY 6 hrs. Criticize all you like, but this is what we actually suffer in almost all of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, and most of Punjab.
Again, I won’t talk about Sindh, as I know a bit about it. I won’t talk about KP, AJK, GB & Balochistan simply as I don’t know anything! Do you expect/want me to say they have issues, without knowing anything?
Hahaha.1 minute silence for both of you.
we have singer geyser at home and it has thermostat installed which turns on and off the main burner when water reaches a certain temperature according to the temperature knob. at night water heats up in an hour and rest of the night only pilot is burning.
Lucky you! We have to light up the geyser every night during winters, as due to gas load shedding in the morning our pilot crashes :(
I think many of us have that. But it is still wasteful compared to this device.
Gas huge tu chalay ga na . . . mostly buj mode main he rahay ga :-P
how will it get ignition?
Pilot will keep burning.
In Punjab pilot flame is gone during winters, between 6am – 12am each day. You have to MANUALLY light the pilot flame each night after 12am, when you have somewhat gas pressure to use the geyser. This tool is only useful if the pilot remains lit.
Depends where you are. I lose pilot light maybe 1-2 mornings a month in winters, but I have low pressure when I need to heat up water for shower.
Yes, it does depend where you are.
Chey banana ki machine :P
Instant Water Heater is best option. Connection between the Geyser and Phone via Bluetooth or WiFi or What ?
Instant water heater works on what? Electricity? Gas? There can be load shedding of electricity and zero or no gas pressure. So what now???
It uses Bluetooth LE.
Ok. Good achievement. I really support this. But can someone explain me it’s use in Pakistan? We have gas loadshedding here in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and almost all of Punjab. Our water geysers can only work during nights (from 12am – 6am) and they turn off automatically due to gas not being there!. 3 days during a week we have no gas loadshedding, somewhat… rest everyday there’s no gas, apart from nights. Even if want this thing, we can’t use it as we would need to travel ourelf to the water heater to light it and we’d need to stand there for 10 mins or more, every night, so it remains lit for just 6 hrs. Nothing any tool can do about that…
How about having this tool auto-detect whether the Pilot is on/off? If it’s off then it should give us an option of trying (again and again) through a button? This will really make it worth it.
Completely agree.
I have installed a solution that costs 7000 PKR and its keeps my geyser from turning off whenever sufficient gas pressure is available so whenever the gas load shedding is over, the geyser lights itself up automatically. Also in the same solution I have the option of shifting to an 11 kg propane gas cylinder (complete cylinder + gas price included in the cost) for turning on the geyser during gas load shedding all with a turn of a value. I’m an engineer by profession and I came up with this idea and implemented it in few hrs. For maintaining a single geyser it takes me a month before I even think of refilling the propane gas cylinder. Its not rocket science. Warm water for me atleast
excuse typos
Bhai jinkay ghar gas nahe aati wo kia karen…. ?
Join dharna.
Good concept. Public contribution is hard to achieve so I think the govt. should step in and support these guys. If these guys get success with it then govt. can offer free devices to poor people and the devices should be made available at electronics/electric shops throughout the country.
Free devices offered by Government????????
Your brane is full of holes.
NOTHING IS FREE.
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PAID FOR.
Anything you think is “free” by government is paid by tax money. and we all know the situation of tax collection in Pakistan. So when you get services for “free” from government, they are not paid by tax revenue but by interest bearing loans taken by the government.
OK Professor.
Not free. But at least they can subsidize these devices to keep the price low and attract common people.Otherwise it will become a luxury item.
Fazool device hai with no purpose.
Bhai jaan aaj kal thermostat laga hota hai and geyser certain temprature pay pilot pay ajata.
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Itni product hoti to main firdous ki lawn na deta program main
You are as knowledgable about the gas situation in Pakistani homes as you are about religion.
I know morethan you atleast
Unlikely.
That temperature which you are talking about always has to be maintained through out day and night. If you catch my drift.
Ye technology purani hai lekin smart phone se scheduling krne wali functionality new hai.
I think Sui Gas should take a step forward to support this Great idea/product!
Instant water heaters are better option to consider.
Which will instantly not work when there is no gas or electricity WHEN YOU NEED IT. At least the other kind of heaters retain more hot water for longer.
hahahhahaahhahahah:D………………………….had ha yar ham ne canada main sikhon ko cold calls kar k yh chiz bechi or aj hamaray apnay pakistan main a gai:D:D…..simple si device hoti hai jis main kuch b kaam ka nhi hota consumer ko choona lagatay thy hm market main yh 30 40 dollrs ki bikti the or ham log is ko call py 45 50 ki bechtay thy:D………….sikh log becharay bht khareedtay thy:P
Its indeed an innovation if we think otherwise the makers are bunch of idiots and belong to a society where we are still looking for gas pressure solutions. But globally its a hit.
A very good option indeed, though it will take some time to market this product and see the results. I would like to congratulate the inventors for doing efforts to save the Gas as well as money on its usage specially in winter season. After reading the comments a different people I think 2nd version of this device might come with an ignition in the app as well because the most painful job is to light up the geyser in winter season during the gas load shedding :) I have a Heater which uses electricity for ignition (pilot) and it lights up the gas with a press of a button. So I would suggest the inventor of this device to further work on this device which can even light up the geyser’s pilot remotely. Thanks.
Yar aik baat btao geyser to sara din chahye hota hai sirf nahanay k time to nahi.Hath moo dhona, bartan kapray, washroom…..Phir off krne ka faida???
I have installed a solution that costs 7000 PKR and its keeps my geyser from turning off whenever sufficient gas pressure is not available so whenever the gas load shedding is over, the geyser lights itself up automatically. Also in the same solution I have the option of shifting to an 11 kg propane gas cylinder for turning on the geyser during gas load shedding all with a turn of a valve. The self crafted solution costed me 7500 PKR including cost of complete cylinder and gas price (136 PKR per kg). I’m an engineer by profession and I came up with this idea and implemented it in few hrs. For maintaining a single geyser it takes me a month before I even think of refilling the propane gas cylinder. If I do not run geyser on propane gas during zero pressure hours, the solution can last for the whole season (4 months) with out any gas refill. Its not rocket science. Warm water for me at least.
Job well done! Use this device along with conical baffle. For maximum savings