Solar I boost or similar.

[goldeneagle]

Hi,
Looking to install a solar I boost or similar into new build house, have a 300l hot water cylinder with 3kwbimmersion heater and 5kw array of panels which I do not get any export tariff on up in Scotland (not commissioned until mid 2020).

looking at the solar I boost but appears the failure rate with them is quite high going by other forums and reviews.
if anyone has something similar or would recommend a different product would be grateful.

 

[snipe]

We have this below. been in for 6 or 7 years with no problems. We have a 200litre tank and it’s not big enough. The heating element only heats the top half of the tank. Either get a big tank or you might be able to get one with the element in the bottom. On a normal summers day our tank would use 4kwh to heat the tank which can usually be done before mid day. But 3 showers in the evening will use all the hot water. If the children are using hot water for the paddling pool it can save 11kwh no problem. The electrician who fitted it is a friend and is a specialit’s in solar project, he fitted the same system in his own house So he must rate it.

 

[steveR]

Immersun here for 6 years. Just works....

We have this below. been in for 6 or 7 years with no problems. We have a 200litre tank and it’s not big enough. The heating element only heats the top half of the tank. Either get a big tank or you might be able to get one with the element in the bottom. On a normal summers day our tank would use 4kwh to heat the tank which can usually be done before mid day. But 3 showers in the evening will use all the hot water. If the children are using hot water for the paddling pool it can save 11kwh no problem. The electrician who fitted it is a friend and is a specialit’s in solar project, he fitted the same system in his own house So he must rate it.

Totally agree with your thoughts.

We have a 300l tank and it is not big enough as a thermal store. Needed to be 500l even for just 2-3 people, so as to make best use of a sunny day.

 

[hollister]

Also useful to tell if the inverter on the panels has tripped when you go to have a shower and no hot water after a sunny day

 

[Gareth J]

Have a couple of iboosts running and a solic200. iboosts have been no trouble (both in use for ~5yrs+) apart from a replacement sender unit in one. They are both the original "iBoost", not "iBoost+"

The solic200 is cheaper, has s lower export threshold (a good thing), a 10yr warranty and now can be had with wireless connectivity. Would be my choice again.

Regarding thermal store size, we upgraded here from 200l to ~450l recently. 200l is enough for two of us for almost a couple days, but you have to store the water at its max (~80C) to make the most if it. With the bigger one, it will bridge a dull day or two with little excess added fairly easily, without topping up boiler heat. Also, as it

There are workarounds, letting you maximise saved energy, that can be useful now it's a bit colder. You can use a simple relay to fire the excess energy into another store. Doesn't have to be a HW cylinder, can be a basic night storage heater or any resistive load. Even an electric UFH system, with a bit of creative wiring. Alternatively, you can use more expensive diverter gadgets that talk to one another and store heat in different places depending on the settings you choose. Immersun is one I think.

If your tank has a top and bottom immersion, it's worth considering wiring it so the too immersion heats the top if the tank first, then the bottom comes on if the too is hot. Helps keep the topest bit usably hot. Nit that hard to do but is probably down to marginal gains at that point!