Solar Immersion - my experience !

[danesol]

I'm not the sparky, but everything is wired at the CU, not from the spur(s). I take it your system doesn't light the neons as both of ours do?
As a further aside, last night I had the woodburner on, it's tied into my central heating via a neutraliser, so the hot water was hot, hot, hot, well beyond the immersion limit. And the neon came on, so it doesn't just happen when the water is heated by the PV surplus. Curious!

The difference is that if fitted locally in the airing cupboard using the existing spur - the spur will have a constant 240ac supply, the neon stays constantly 24/7 bright RED. This spur then acts as the units constant live and the output live connected to the immersion heater is under proportional control via the unit

What you have is a direct connect at the CU with the SI unit, with the SI unit feeding the "proportional LIVE feed" to the airing cupboard spur with a red neon, who's intensity will glow depending on its supply

IMO, you would need to findout if your existing thermostat on the immersion heater itself, actually works before looking elsewhere....

 

[danesol]

Blimey, i've just noticed these units are now £199 !!!

""LIMITED TIME SPECIAL OFFER - Grab SolarImmersion for just £199 (was £249)"" as of 31 Aug 2013

Then use the discount code - dis2204 for a further discount - bargain !​

 

[Sunstroker]

Yes, the £199 offer was the trigger to buy two!

Re the neon puzzle, I'm as certain as can be that all three of our immersion stats are working properly. The neon intensity certainly varies according to the feed from the SI during daytime with the PV switched on, and both installations are performing according to specification, supplying piping hot water, in my own case to two HW cylinders with the changeover from Heater 1 to Heater 2 running smoothly and rather impressively. These SI units work and we're very happy with them!

But at night, (or in daytime with PV switched off for test purposes) the neon on the immersion switch glows at full intensity when the water temperature is at or in excess of the stat temperature. This is happening on both our installations. Running off hot water to drop the cylinder temp below the stat setting immediately extinguishes the neon, which then stays off until the PV feed via The SI kicks in again in the morning.

To be honest, I'm more curious than concerned. If all that's happening is a feed to the neon overnight I don't think it's going to break the bank, but I would like an explanation, simple enough for a mere layman to understand, of why this should be happening!

 

[danesol]

Yes, the £199 offer was the trigger to buy two!

Re the neon puzzle, I'm as certain as can be that all three of our immersion stats are working properly. The neon intensity certainly varies according to the feed from the SI during daytime with the PV switched on, and both installations are performing according to specification, supplying piping hot water, in my own case to two HW cylinders with the changeover from Heater 1 to Heater 2 running smoothly and rather impressively. These SI units work and we're very happy with them!

But at night, (or in daytime with PV switched off for test purposes) the neon on the immersion switch glows at full intensity when the water temperature is at or in excess of the stat temperature. This is happening on both our installations. Running off hot water to drop the cylinder temp below the stat setting immediately extinguishes the neon, which then stays off until the PV feed via The SI kicks in again in the morning.

To be honest, I'm more curious than concerned. If all that's happening is a feed to the neon overnight I don't think it's going to break the bank, but I would like an explanation, simple enough for a mere layman to understand, of why this should be happening!

Just to confirm - when you state "stats", you are referring to the inbuilt stat of the "immersion element" and NOT the possible additional cylinder stat used for any other heat sources such a GCH boiler ???

 

[Sunstroker]

Yes, I do mean the immersion element stat, they're the only ones that I have on my cylinders.

 

[danesol]

Yes, the £199 offer was the trigger to buy two!

Re the neon puzzle, I'm as certain as can be that all three of our immersion stats are working properly. The neon intensity certainly varies according to the feed from the SI during daytime with the PV switched on, and both installations are performing according to specification, supplying piping hot water, in my own case to two HW cylinders with the changeover from Heater 1 to Heater 2 running smoothly and rather impressively. These SI units work and we're very happy with them!

But at night, (or in daytime with PV switched off for test purposes) the neon on the immersion switch glows at full intensity when the water temperature is at or in excess of the stat temperature. This is happening on both our installations. Running off hot water to drop the cylinder temp below the stat setting immediately extinguishes the neon, which then stays off until the PV feed via The SI kicks in again in the morning.

To be honest, I'm more curious than concerned. If all that's happening is a feed to the neon overnight I don't think it's going to break the bank, but I would like an explanation, simple enough for a mere layman to understand, of why this should be happening!

Can I also assume you have wired exactly how I believe its stated in the installation manual for two SI units to be joined together ?

You also mention three immersion stats but only 2 cylinders or should I say heater 1 and heater 2 - so where's the third stat ??

I assume you did the very basic test for correct direction of CT Clamp, possibly using only one immersion heater for initial setup just in case two jopined together alter the findings or result ??

 

[Sunstroker]

Now hold on there! Who mentioned two SI units joined together? I thought my initial post made clear we are dealing with two separate installations in two different properties.
My own house has two HW cylinders, each with a 3kW immersion, My son has one cylinder and one 3kW immersion. Both properties have 3.7 kWp PV systems, and both have central heating systems powered by a combination of woodburners and either LPG or oil-fired boilers. All of which is irrelevant to my initial query re the immersion switch neons, apart from the fact that we both have the ability to heat the water in our HW cylinders up to a temperature in excess of the setting on the immersion thermostat.

I find it difficult to believe that our two SolarImmersion installations are the only ones exhibiting the neon-lighting peculiarities which I have described. The fact that they both do it suggests to me that this must be a feature common to all installations. Has nobody else noticed it?

Of course, the obvious people to answer my query should be the manufacturers, but they remain totally unresponsive.

Unlike their SI units, which thankfully continue to perform immaculately!

 

[Worcester]

If the neons are light they MUST be receiving power from some source. Do the SolarImmersion units have a boost / override timer function? If so has this been set?

 

[Sunstroker]

I agree, we have not achieved the holy grail of spontaneous generation so the power to light the neons must come from somewhere. Presumably from the mains via the SolarImmersion unit, since that is now the only connection which exists.

The SI units do have a manual boost function, they also have an Economy 7 setting, and my first thought when I noticed the lit neons was that one or other of these had been enabled, but they are definitely both set to off. It appears that only the neon is lit, the immersion is not consuming any power, indeed how could it when its thermostat has cut out? And, as previously stated, as soon the water cools and there is demand from the immersion the neon goes off and stays off until the SI starts to supply PV surplus power next morning.

 

[danesol]

If the neons are light they MUST be receiving power from some source. Do the SolarImmersion units have a boost / override timer function? If so has this been set?

They do and thats a possible too - good thinking.... although I would expect bright neon on activation of overide ??

 

[danesol]

Now hold on there! Who mentioned two SI units joined together? I thought my initial post made clear we are dealing with two separate installations in two different properties.
My own house has two HW cylinders, each with a 3kW immersion, My son has one cylinder and one 3kW immersion. Both properties have 3.7 kWp PV systems, and both have central heating systems powered by a combination of woodburners and either LPG or oil-fired boilers. All of which is irrelevant to my initial query re the immersion switch neons, apart from the fact that we both have the ability to heat the water in our HW cylinders up to a temperature in excess of the setting on the immersion thermostat.

I find it difficult to believe that our two SolarImmersion installations are the only ones exhibiting the neon-lighting peculiarities which I have described. The fact that they both do it suggests to me that this must be a feature common to all installations. Has nobody else noticed it?

Of course, the obvious people to answer my query should be the manufacturers, but they remain totally unresponsive.

Unlike their SI units, which thankfully continue to perform immaculately!

LOL

Anyway - I cant notice this on my installation as mine is wired directly from the existing spur and given that both your units operate correctly and efficiently I can only assume its down to how the units sensor the mains using their own wave form technology, if it is I doubt you will get the company to reveal this ...... ??

I do however notice occasional spikes during the night but as the monitoring device wont work properly now since SI fitment I have not investigated this further as the unit appears to be working fine and my bills dynamically reduced the last few mths, especially GAS

But I agree - if part of how the device works, it would be interesting to know why.......

 

[Sunstroker]

Breaking news!


Yesterday I was curious regarding an unexpectedly lit neon. Today I see no neon lights at all. The SI unit has failed! The LCD still indicates power diversion to Heater 1 or Heater 2 but the immersion switch neons remain unlit, and the water cold.


I have contacted the manufacturers who confirm that the unit has definitely failed, and no on-site repair is possible. So the SI unit has been removed and will be despatched tomorrow. They say that it will be replaced by an updated unit, so it would seem that development is still ongoing.


Watch this space!

 

[Mulgrave]

Hi
contacted solarimmersion few months ago because my mark ii was not working.Never managed to get hold of the concerned staff, online chat help told me , he has no experience with mark II, the one knowing abt mark II was travelling to china to order units ( supposed to be made in the UK) they never reply to messages. I just gave up with them, lost over 300 pounds for mark II + power reducer+ all tel calls.

 

[danesol]

Hi
contacted solarimmersion few months ago because my mark ii was not working.Never managed to get hold of the concerned staff, online chat help told me , he has no experience with mark II, the one knowing abt mark II was travelling to china to order units ( supposed to be made in the UK) they never reply to messages. I just gave up with them, lost over 300 pounds for mark II + power reducer+ all tel calls.

To be blunt, I wont lose £300 for no-one, you used your well earned and probably already "taxed" money on a product which you have issue with, why would you give up chasing this so easily ??

 

[Mulgrave]

To be blunt, I wont lose £300 for no-one, you used your well earned and probably already "taxed" money on a product which you have issue with, why would you give up chasing this so easily ??

Hi

i gave us using their product but I am still chasing them for a refund. I contacted them for a refund but they have not replied. I contacted their main office , sent many emails but still no replies.
Tushar is always travelling and never answers his phone.

thanks.