iBoost/Immersun/Powerdiverter/SolarImmersion

[BBE]

Buy a separate 3ph element off a dairy engineer.

Good idea. I'll monitor this one for a while and see if it's worth doing.

 

[curlietailz]

I think the immersun can do 2 devices

I’ve an Immersun and I was told at installation it’ll do 2 devices
It is a diverter switch that diverts any unused solar produced electricity , to an immersion heater ( mines in the hot water house tank) before it goes whizzing off to the Grid

I’m planning on getting the second “lead” connecting to an immersion heater in the heating hot water buffer tank

it’s an amazing bit of kit

 

[Will0]

Plan was to put it on one of the three phases of my Gaia turbine to heat immersion tank. Haven't found anything 3 phase as that would be preferred.

We have an AC Thor 9S - 9kw three phase. No problems, yet!

 

[Doing it for the kids]

We have an AC Thor 9S - 9kw three phase. No problems, yet!

so can you pull 27kw in perfect conditions?

 

[Will0]

It’s 3Kw x 3, didn’t phrase it well originally. It works with a standard 9kw 3 phase immersion

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Ok thanks, sadly no good for me

 

[Landrover]

Quick question I'm going to get one of these installed but I can't get my head around something, if there's not enough power coming from the panels does it use electricity from the grid to warm the water ?

 

[hollister]

No, but you can override to heat it with grid electric

 

[BBE]

Quick question I'm going to get one of these installed but I can't get my head around something, if there's not enough power coming from the panels does it use electricity from the grid to warm the water ?

As above. Mine has a boost button that will pull power from the grid. Think there is also a wifi option available.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

As above. Mine has a boost button that will pull power from the grid. Think there is also a wifi option available.

so if you aren’t there to observe and monitor, how do you know if you have enough hot water?
if there is no sun so it’s doesn’t kick in, if you are out for the day do you get back to cold water?

 

[f0ster]

it will only use surplus elec from the panels, it runs the immersion heater at a reduced temperature/voltage as required, if your panels are only producing a small amount it runs the immersion at the reduced rate, I have seen them using just 200w, you will not get a lot of heat at just 200w but it is something and it is using the surplus,

 

[BBE]

so if you aren’t there to observe and monitor, how do you know if you have enough hot water?
if there is no sun so it’s doesn’t kick in, if you are out for the day do you get back to cold water?

Mine's a pretty basic set up and probably not the most efficient but seems to be working OK. The diverter puts any surplus generation into the immersion, whether or not it's needed (I'm on 50% deemed export anyway). I then have an oil boiler set on a thermostat and timer, if tank drops below 45 degrees at a time I need hot water the oil kicks in.

edit: I guess if you didn't want oil backup the same could be set up to boost immersion instead.

 

[steveR]

Just googles electric diverter switches and there are quite a few to choose from at various price points. Any recommendations? issues to be aware of, reliability etc?

Had an Immersun for 6-7 years here, no issues, other than Immersun Company going pop or something, and the online data gathering setup disappearing. Personally, I would try and find a device that can work offline as well...

The device itself, still works fine... My FiT expires soon, so I am wondering about some more panels (allowed up to 12kw here according to WPD, but dump surplus into batteries, as well as the immersion heater of the thermal store.

I should say, Immersun has relaunched and all the contemporary data stuff is ok again