Hi, I don't want to spend 500 quid on a solar iboost. I'm currently using homeassistant to control my mixergy hot water tank. I've a pv switch on it, at the moment I either pull 3000w or nothing via electric. I want to wire up something to put 1500w into the hot water tank via a smart plug. Controlled via homeassistant automations. I use givenergy Export sensor to see when to kickoff the automation.
Any ideas when I need?
danerf A 1500W immersion heater? A custom built dual rated immersion heater? Could you add a small tank with a 1500W immersion to feed the big tank? There was a clever design I saw for solar water heating that put a heater exchanger above the cylinder and the water in that was heated thereby keeping the top of the cylinder water hot. I guess it's going to depend on how creative and how much effort you want to put in. Insulation might be key to getting the best return.
Thinking about it there are also low wattage towel rail immersions that could possibly be utilised?
Woodlands That will be perfect for now!!! Thanks
I wanted a solar dump for any excess that my system generates and rather than selling it back to the grid I decided to make my own water heater for the Jacuzzi. I used this as the heater element 1750W
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144130861710
also one of these to vary the power dependant upon the excess PV power
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BP4N2VP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
I used ESPHome and a esp8266 to turn a stepper motor which was connected to the shaft of the SCR. Took knob off and printed a 3D connection shaft. Feed the power to the SCR via a smart plug (with power measurement) and then used NodeRed to map the excess solar PV to SCR power.
All works a treat after a few teaks here and there. So now my system charges the Giv Energy battery first, then my Pylontech batteries, and then dumps the excess PV into the Jacuzzi as heat. Admittedly it will take some time to heat the tub from cold, but it should be great to maintain the temp as the summer is now upon us.
Woodlands That dimmer works a treat, if you know what you're doing. My concern here is that there is no earth connection for the case and it really should be earthed, just in case. That dimmer is also available with digital adjuster, 0-99%. I tried mine with a 2 kW fan heater to see how hot the case got at 75% power- Not too hot to touch ( after turning the power off!!!