New solar PV and proportional controller

[oldspark]

Hi people,
Been lurking on this sight for a few months now and Just signed up tonight. Hope its not too checky to jump right in with a question but here goes.
I am looking for some of you experienced people to empart some of your wisdom to assist me in making a decision.
I am in the process of having a 2.75KW system installed on my roof. Here is my dilemma, family is out most of the day(apart from my uni son) and our base load is approx 200-300W. Would a solar I boost or immersun be useful to me as I appreciate my system is not the largest. Do any of you have (or has installed) a similar system and if so do you find it generates enough ?
Thanks in advance for any information

 

[whinmoor]

We fitted an iBoost at a customer's request to a 2kW system. We weren't sure if it was a good idea as there wouldn't be a lot of export after covering the baseload but the customer was keen so we ran with it. There's a 200w "buffer" before the device kicks in so most days it doesn't completely heat the water but it does contribute so displaces some gas. Some cloudy days I'm pretty certain it doesn't work at all.

A Solic 200 might be a better choice as it keeps checking to ensure that there's zero export.

 

[oldspark]

Thanks for taking the time to reply whinmoor, I hadn't even considered the solic but I will give it a check to see how it performs. I would hope that the extra 750W would help it along

 

[SibertSolar]

I'll throw my hat in the ring....OP - do your research, decide what's important to you, check out the 4-Noks "Power Reducer" (head-wired or wireless proportional immersion controller) as a fit-and-forget device or, if you want a 360degree monitoring platform to view all your data (and control the Power Reducer ) on a free APP (iOS or Android) then have a look at 4-Noks' Elios4You.

I'll not paste a link to these products on our website but I'm sure that Google will prove useful.

Btw, 4-Noks have just released the Red-Cap control add-on for the Elios4You - allows you to control up to 4 wireless sockets or switches from the App - in or outside the home.

Lastly, a 2.75kWp system with low occupancy is very likely to yield enough excess energy to heat a 3kW immersion before midday on a good day

 

[whinmoor]

Best investment (if you haven't already) would be an additional jacket for your cylinder. About a tenner from B&Q or Wickes.

 

[SibertSolar]

(Hard-Wired....not head-wired.....lol)

 

[oldspark]

Had a look at the solic and it looks like a solid basic function piece of kit.the 4-noks is a gadget lovers dream if you go for the full system. I'm only looking for something that will heat my water for me the most reliable way. Ideally I would like to know the amount that is being diverted to the tank (which unfortunately discounts the solic unit) so I'm leaning towards the I boost purely on cost v function basis. I wonder why most of the other units have a 150-200W buffer before operation but the solic is set at zero.
My house is relatively new so has a nice big cozy jacket on the hot tank. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Worcester]

Based on our experiences of the quality of the various products on the market and the size of the companies behind them as well as the effort put in to to support the installers - we are looking for zero call backs which = 100% satisfied customers, we would only install the 4-Noks / Elios, Apollo Gem and ImmerSun II units.

Pays ya money makes ya choice.

 

[jmagla]

I'll throw my hat in the ring....OP - do your research, decide what's important to you, check out the 4-Noks "Power Reducer" (head-wired or wireless proportional immersion controller) as a fit-and-forget device or, if you want a 360degree monitoring platform to view all your data (and control the Power Reducer ) on a free APP (iOS or Android) then have a look at 4-Noks' Elios4You.

I'll not paste a link to these products on our website but I'm sure that Google will prove useful.

Btw, 4-Noks have just released the Red-Cap control add-on for the Elios4You - allows you to control up to 4 wireless sockets or switches from the App - in or outside the home.

Lastly, a 2.75kWp system with low occupancy is very likely to yield enough excess energy to heat a 3kW immersion before midday on a good day

Hi SilbertSolar, I have an Elios4you, and am interested in the red cap unit that I think is an add onto my existing system, have they released a price for the red cap units and the associated sockets? if so any idea of a rough cost? Thanks Michael

 

[SibertSolar]

Hi Michael,

I don't really want to post links to a commercial/sales web page on here but if you visit our website and click in Renewables you'll see the first product shown in the main section as being the "public" Red-Cap pricing. Feel free to direct your PV installer to the Trade section if you would prefer to do it that way, at trade pricing,

Andy

 

[jmagla]

Thanks Andy, will have a look.

Cheers Michael

Hi Michael,

I don't really want to post links to a commercial/sales web page on here but if you visit our website and click in Renewables you'll see the first product shown in the main section as being the "public" Red-Cap pricing. Feel free to direct your PV installer to the Trade section if you would prefer to do it that way, at trade pricing,

Andy