Smart Water Heater Switch in Jordan: Control Your Heater from Your Phone with SONOFF
, by Bestways Team, 8 min reading time
Stop leaving the water heater on all day. Here is how to choose the right SONOFF smart switch for your heater, schedule it from your phone and see exactly how much electricity it uses.
When the weather turns cold in Jordan, the electric water heater goes back to work, and it is usually the appliance nobody thinks about. It is switched on in the morning "just in case", forgotten until the evening, or left running while the family is away for the weekend. A smart water heater switch changes that: you decide exactly when the heater runs, you switch it on from your phone before you get home, and you can see how much electricity it really uses.
This guide explains how to choose the right SONOFF device for your heater, how to set it up sensibly, and what to ask your electrician before installation.
Why the water heater deserves its own smart switch
A water heater is a heavy, simple load: when it is on, it draws a large current until the thermostat inside the tank cuts out, then it switches on again whenever the water cools down. That means a heater left on all day keeps reheating water that nobody is going to use. Three everyday situations make this worse in Jordanian homes:
- The "leave it on" habit: the heater stays on from morning to night because nobody wants to wait for hot water.
- Forgotten switches: the heater switch is on the roof, in the bathroom or in a corridor, and nobody remembers to turn it off before travelling.
- Solar heaters with electric backup: on sunny days the electric element is often not needed at all, but it stays switched on anyway.
A smart switch does not change how your heater works. It simply puts a timer, a remote control and an energy meter in front of it.
Choosing a smart water heater switch in Jordan: start with the current rating
The most important step is matching the switch to your heater. Look at the rating plate on the heater for its power in watts, then estimate the current. As an example: a 3,000 W heater on a 230 V supply draws about 3,000 ÷ 230 ≈ 13 A. Always choose a device rated above that value, and let a qualified electrician confirm the cable size, the breaker and the final choice.
SONOFF offers several devices built for heavy loads like this:
- SONOFF POWR3 (25A / 5,500 W): a high-power Wi-Fi switch made for water heaters and HVAC equipment, with live power, voltage and current readings and overload protection.
- SONOFF POW Elite POWR320D (20A): an LCD on the device shows power, voltage, current and total energy, with six months of hourly history you can export to Excel.
- SONOFF POW Origin POWR316 (16A): the same six-month energy history and overload protection at a lower price, for smaller heaters.
- SONOFF BASIC-1GSP (32A / 7,680 W): mounts on a DIN rail inside the distribution box, switches both live and neutral (double-pole), calculates electricity cost and works with Matter ecosystems.
Which model for which need
| Your situation | Suggested SONOFF device | Max load | Price (JOD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard apartment heater, simple schedule and energy readings | POW Origin POWR316 | 16A | 14.000 |
| Larger heater, readings visible on the device itself | POW Elite POWR320D | 20A | 19.500 |
| High-power heater or an extra safety margin | POWR3 | 25A / 5,500 W | 39.000 |
| Neat installation inside the distribution box, double-pole isolation | BASIC-1GSP | 32A / 7,680 W | 28.000 |
| Solar heater with electric backup, temperature-based control | TH Elite THR320D + WTS01 probe | 20A / 4,800 W | 19.500 + 6.000 |
| Building, hotel or office with several heaters on one panel | SPM-Main + SPM-4Relay | 20A per channel | 33.000 + 58.000 |
Prices are current at the time of writing and may change. Please check the product page for the latest price.
Smart schedules that make sense
Once the switch is installed, everything is set up in the eWeLink app. A few practical ideas:
- Morning and evening windows: switch the heater on for a set period before the times your family usually showers, and let it switch off by itself afterwards.
- "On my way home": turn the heater on from your phone as you leave work, so the water is ready when you arrive.
- Weekend and travel mode: disable the daily schedule before you travel and check from anywhere that the heater is off.
- Voice control: POW and TH devices work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and the BASIC-1GSP works with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings through Matter.
The right schedule depends on your heater size and how many people live in the home. Start with generous time windows, then shorten them gradually until the water is still hot when you need it.
See what your heater really uses
All the devices above measure consumption, which turns guesswork into numbers. The POW Elite and POW Origin keep six months of hourly energy history that you can export to Excel, and the BASIC-1GSP calculates electricity cost directly. A simple example of what the readings tell you: if the app shows the heater used 6 kWh on a day it ran from morning to night, and 3 kWh on a day with two scheduled windows, you can see the difference on your own heater instead of relying on estimates.
A sensible approach is to leave your usual habits unchanged for one week while the switch measures, then introduce a schedule and compare the following week.
Solar water heaters: run the electric element only when needed
Many Jordanian homes have a solar water heater with an electric element for cloudy days. The SONOFF TH Elite THR320D switches loads up to 20A according to the reading of a plug-in sensor, with up to 8 smart programs based on temperature and time. Paired with the WTS01 waterproof stainless steel probe (measuring range -40°C to +115°C, 1.5 m cable), it can be programmed to switch the element on only when the water temperature reading drops below the level you choose. Ask your installer where the probe can be placed to give a reliable reading on your system. Note that the THR320D requires a neutral wire.
Safety and installation
- A water heater is a high-power load. Installation must be done by a qualified electrician, with a device, cable and breaker suitable for the heater.
- Use the overload protection settings: the POW Elite, POW Origin and BASIC-1GSP let you set power, voltage or current limits so the output switches off automatically when a limit is exceeded.
- Where the device may face water splashes, the SONOFF Waterproof Box R2 fits POW Elite, POW Origin and TH Elite devices.
- Make sure there is a stable 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal where the switch will be installed.
Why SONOFF
- Built for heavy loads: dedicated 16A, 20A, 25A and 32A options instead of a one-size-fits-all switch.
- Energy monitoring included: see power, voltage, current and consumption, not just on and off.
- Protection you control: configurable overload limits with automatic cut-off.
- One app for the whole home: the same eWeLink app runs your heater, lights, plugs and sensors, so you can grow your system step by step.
Buy from the exclusive SONOFF distributor in Jordan
Bestways (TMAIN Security Systems) is the exclusive distributor of SONOFF in Jordan. SONOFF has one unified price at every authorised dealer, every device is genuine and comes with a 12-month warranty from the official distributor, and our local technical team can help you choose the right model for your heater.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a smart plug for my water heater?
Water heaters are usually wired directly rather than plugged in, and they draw a high current for long periods. A dedicated high-power switch such as the POWR3, POW Elite or BASIC-1GSP, installed by an electrician, is the right choice.
Will my heater still work if the internet goes down?
The heater itself keeps its own thermostat. Without internet, remote control from outside the home is not available until the connection returns, so ask your electrician how to keep a manual way of switching the heater on.
Which is better for a heater: POW Elite or POWR3?
Both measure energy and offer overload protection. The POW Elite POWR320D (20A) adds an LCD screen and exportable six-month history, while the POWR3 handles up to 25A / 5,500 W for higher-power heaters or extra margin.
Does the switch replace the heater's thermostat?
No. The thermostat inside the tank still controls the water temperature. The smart switch decides when the heater is allowed to run.
Ready to take control of your water heater? Browse SONOFF smart home products or contact the Bestways team for help choosing the right switch.