Home  5  Books  5  Magazines  5  News  5  GreenPro  5  HelpDesk  5  Your Cart  5  Register  5  Green Living Forum
Not signed in (Sign In)

Categories



Green Building magazine

Green Building magazine

New - Spring 2012 edition.

View the current issue.
Subscribe now.
Magazine homepage.
Browse back issues.




Vanilla 1.0.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome to new Forum Visitors
 Join the forum now and benefit from discussions with thousands of other green building fans and discounts on Green Building Press publications: Apply now.




General: Solar pv immersion controller

Bottom of Page

1 to 13 of 13

  1.  
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeFeb 18th 2012
     
    Sometime ago there was a thread here about a device that would detect the fact that you were exporting electricty and turn on your immersion heater.

    i remember someone mentioned that there was a commercial device to do this but it was expensive?

    can someone remind me of the details?
    • CommentAuthorjamesw
    • CommentTimeFeb 18th 2012
     
    It's called an EMMA (Energy and Micro-Generator Manager) from Coolpower in Ireland: http://www.coolpowerproducts.com/uk/emma.html

    One installer (possibly the exclusive distributor in the UK?) is igloo-eco.com in Stansted: http://www.igloo-eco.com/products.html. I've talked to them about it in the past since I'm interested in adding something with this capability to my 4kWp array. A while ago they mentioned something like £1500, but suggested that if I waited a year or two, it might be £1000.

    See http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/forum114/comments.php?DiscussionID=8456 for links to DIY options. I haven't yet decided which route to go, but it seems to me that the DIY options are quite crude, in that they do not use the excess, but rather use a set amount once generation exceeds a certain threshold. But they are a lot cheaper.
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2012
     
    Posted By: jamesw
    Seehttp://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/forum114/comments.php?DiscussionID=8456" rel="nofollow" >http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/forum114/comments.php?DiscussionID=8456for links to DIY options. I haven't yet decided which route to go, but it seems to me that the DIY options are quite crude, in that they do not use the excess, but rather use a set amount once generation exceeds a certain threshold. But they are a lot cheaper.


    That's one option, but if you go for the more sophisticated system based on an OpenEMON then it will specifically monitor the excess.

    It's worth noting that some inverters have contacts that can be preprogrammed to close at certain levels of output and/or can communicate over open protocols, so you might not need any special kit at all. Have a good trawl through the manual for your inverter and see what it can do for you.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2012
     
    I liked the simple one with a small current balance? linked to a 110V transformer and a 240 3kW immersion heater, allowing it to take juice all the time it was needed so long as there was more than 700W available
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2012
     
    Simple is best. There is an ethical issue though about using these types of devices, not really what grid tied was set up for.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2012
     
    Morals and ethics apart Coilin it is possible to rig up something yourself. I looked into it sometime ago, I can't speak for other inverters but the SMA 4000 and maybe others in that range I think, have the facility to tweak them and then connect the immersions to a dedicated "special", I cant remember the name at the moment,- consumer unit module, Hager make one. This is the cheap option as others have said, how effective I have no idea.
    •  
      CommentAuthorted
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2012
     
    The SMA 4000TL (and some others) have a multi-function relay which can be set to trigger when the PV hits a certain output.
  8.  
    http://chrisrudge.blogspot.com/2011/08/optimised-power-use-with-pv-system-make.html
    some info here.

    Ted , thought you couldn't run thing direct off inverter ? have to come off CU first , or does relay just switch immersion feed ??
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2012
     
    You would just use the relay to control the feed to the immersion, yes. I also quite like the KISS idea of using a site transformer to limit the power, as you can get them in a range of ratings and they're not expensive.
  10.  
    I best get the installer manual out for a read then :bigsmile:
    • CommentAuthorjamesw
    • CommentTimeAug 16th 2012
     
    As an update to this thread, there looks to be a new product just launched that does the same as the EMMA, i.e. tracks excess and diverts only that to the immersion, but rather more cheaply (I have seen £370+VAT).

    It's called ImmerSUN (http://www.immersun.co.uk), and from the pdf of technical info it looks quite flexible. With a 200l cylinder, I like the fact that it can control two immersion coils, giving priority to one - that way I can put one half way up (with priority) and another at the bottom.

    Someone has posted a review of first impressions at http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/photovoltaic-solar-panels-green-energy-forum/56807-pv-immersion-heater-proportional-control-4.html
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeAug 16th 2012
     
    Posted By: SteamyTeaThere is an ethical issue though about using these types of devices, not really what grid tied was set up for.
    That's only true as long as the 'deemed' 50% (or whatever) feed-in is in force - and that's supposed to be only a temporary cludge due to shortage of proper meters. If your actual feed-in is recorded by meter and that's what you're paid your measly 3p on, then no ethical problem. Meanwhile, we shouldn't be bound by 'ethics' arising out of 'their' half-baked temporary system.
    • CommentAuthorjamesw
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2012
     
    In case anyone comes across this thread in the future, I suggest that it be considered closed since there is a later thread that lists available products and you'd do better to continue the discussion there:
    http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/forum114/comments.php?DiscussionID=9487

1 to 13 of 13

  1.  
Add your comments

    Username Password
  • Format comments as
 
Back to Discussions Top of Page
   
The Ecobuilding Buzz
Site Map    |   Home    |   View Cart    |   Pressroom   |   Business   |   Links   
Logout    

© Green Building Press