What are water coolers? Water coolers = Water dispensers! However, in Singapore, we typically refer water coolers to water dispensers that are stainless steel type in exterior that usually has only chilled water function (so no hot water). You get the idea. It’s the type of water dispensers we use since our primary school days to secondary to tertiary, in our canteens, along corridors, at study areas, in factories and work sites.
There. This is how it looks:
Wall Mount
Floor Standing
Yes, water coolers can be any water dispensers that has the chilled water function. Different countires and places term it differently Over here we are going to talk about this type of stainless steel EXTERIOR water dispensers (don't worry, ALL of our water coolers & office-type water dispensers have STAINLESS STEEL water tanks). This type of stainless steel water dispensers has the ones that can dispense hot water too.
If you have not bought or installed one before, you might not know a thing or 2 about it though. I mean, who gives the water cooler much thought, even if you use it daily. But if you are reading this article you must be keen to find out more about water coolers, maybe to source for one or many, & perhaps wonder what REQUIREMENTS there are, to install at the preferred locations.
2 types of dispensing outlets
There are 2 types of dispensing outlets typically, at a water cooler, the BUBBLER and the GOOSE-NECK Spout. However, some water fountains (like what we see at like the Singapore Changi airport, etc,) only comes with the bubbler.
Bubbler:
Bubbler is the basic dispensing option at all water coolers and water fountains since it offers the ability to drink water without a cup, all you need is to put your mouth near it, press the button on the bubbler and you get a stream of chilled water shooting out in an arch. However, due to Covid-19 experience, we do get some customers we does not want a bubbler anymore, for a more precuatious approach towards hygiene practices. This can be removed and still look nice (see image below).
Goose Neck Spout:
Goose neck spout offers the height, which makes it easy for you to refill your water bottle with the nice chilled water to cool down in our hot Singapore weather. It also makes getting hot water in a cup easier for your fix of coffee or even cup noodles. However the ones you see in public rarely comes with hot water function (which makes sense).
Hot & Cold Water Coolers
Yes, there is the Hot function ones if you need the hot water. Typically, there be 2 spouts, one for hot and one for cold. And of course for safety’s sake, the bubbler is only for the cold water.
Drainage is required
Because water coolers are used for outdoor (likely with shelter) and the masses, there is no one to clear the drip tray often enough, it is designed with requirement of the drainage. So you should plan to install the water cooler near to a drainage point.
Planning for location of water cooler
Near WATER POINT
A water cooler of the type we have been discussing is a piped-in type. That is, it is installed by connecting to a water point directly so water is fed into water cooler uninterrupted. If no water point is nearby then perhaps some plumber works is required for piping.
Near POWER SOCKET (1M PREFERRED)
Having a chilled water cooler means you require electricity so that the compressor could work. So having a power point nearby definitely helps. If otherwise, an electrician’s work is required to install the power point.
Near DRAINAGE POINT
This drainage point will dispose of the water from the basin of the water cooler to the drainage so least maintenance is required.
Water Filter for water dispenser
Some purchase of water coolers come with filter. In Singapore, our government says that water is safe for drinking without any Point of use treatment. However, if you are like me, I definitely do not like to taste chlorine in my drinking water, & prefer filtered water JUST before drinking. If you have the option to get water filters at POINT-OF-USE and CHANGE your filters fairly regularly, I bet it improves the water quality. Water after all, also travel through pipes which we have no control of. If your organization is the type that could leave the filters in for a long long time without changing, then go WITHOUT a filter.
For FLOOR STANDING water coolers, the water filters are usually installed inside the the water cooler body since there is space inside the body. However, for WALL-MOUNTED ones, the water filters may have to be installed INSIDE or OUTSIDE the water cooler, depending on the make of your water cooler. It is definitely neater to have the water filters inside the machine. But if you are going to have in-house handy man or facility co-worker change the filter, it may be easier to have it outside if you do not want him to open the panel on the water cooler body (it is not difficult to do so though). Some wall mount water coolers are made such that the filtration system is inside the body while some are made such they may not have space for the 10" filtration housing.
Why Wall Mount?
Wall mount water coolers are great where you need the CUSTOMIZED HEIGHT. So this comes in handy in schools where there are small kids and children who might not be able to reach if it’s the floor standing. It is also HANDICAP FRIENDLY, so people sitting in wheelchair will have no problem accessing water. It is especially so when the BODY of the wall mount is short, so partial of the wheelchair could go under, thus providing a better angle to access water for one sitting in a wheelchair.
If you require water filter change and is using the universal 10” type of water filter element, do check with us, we sell that! Usually water cooler filters come in 1 or 2 –stages water filtration, 1st stage sediment element and 2nd stage carbon element. We also have a 2-in-1 type of Sedi-Carbon filter replacement for the 10" type of water filter housing.
If there is anything you would like to add on to make this resource more complete, please let us know at [email protected]
