Solar iboost
Re: Solar iboost
Your right Rab, even on poor days most people will be producing at least 100W through most of the daylight hours. Essentially you’re losing about 1kWh per day. The drawback with the Solic 200 is having to feed a physical sensor wire from the meter to the hot water tank, rather than having a radio link.
Re: Solar iboost
Stan.
I would recommend Robin Emley https://mk2pvrouter.co.uk/ I have had his device running for 5 years and diverts every spare watt to immersion or heaters depending on switching.
I would recommend Robin Emley https://mk2pvrouter.co.uk/ I have had his device running for 5 years and diverts every spare watt to immersion or heaters depending on switching.
Re: Solar iboost
Thanks for that little gem Comper. He’s still improving it to this day. However, I really do not want to self build a diverter.
The most convenient diverter to install is the Marlec solar iboost because its ct sensor in the meter box is battery operated to send a radio signal to activate the diverter unit. However I can’t ignore the fact that it has a 100W threshold before starting to divert.
The Solic 200 can now be had in wireless version or the original non-wireless version. Both versions involve threading cable through your wall to the outside meter box. This is because the older version is fix-wired from sensor to main unit but the wireless version requires a 240V feed to your meter box to power the radio signal from the sensor. The Solic has a zero Watt threshold.
Lastly there is the Eddi which probably requires no feeding wires through the wall for my purpose but I can find no details of a threshold. I can see that it’s the future but I’m a one step at a time guy.
The most convenient diverter to install is the Marlec solar iboost because its ct sensor in the meter box is battery operated to send a radio signal to activate the diverter unit. However I can’t ignore the fact that it has a 100W threshold before starting to divert.
The Solic 200 can now be had in wireless version or the original non-wireless version. Both versions involve threading cable through your wall to the outside meter box. This is because the older version is fix-wired from sensor to main unit but the wireless version requires a 240V feed to your meter box to power the radio signal from the sensor. The Solic has a zero Watt threshold.
Lastly there is the Eddi which probably requires no feeding wires through the wall for my purpose but I can find no details of a threshold. I can see that it’s the future but I’m a one step at a time guy.
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Countrypaul
- Posts: 645
- Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:50 am
Re: Solar iboost
If you look on page 21 of the Eddi manual https://myenergi.com/wp-content/uploads ... nglish.pdf it explains there is a settable theshold (default 0W), I believe there are also theshold timers on each relay if you have the optional relay board. I beliee that you need the optional Harvi to have a wireless , I don't think you need the optional Hub but am not sure. I only have the eddi with relay board.Stan wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:22 pm Thanks for that little gem Comper. He’s still improving it to this day. However, I really do not want to self build a diverter.
The most convenient diverter to install is the Marlec solar iboost because its ct sensor in the meter box is battery operated to send a radio signal to activate the diverter unit. However I can’t ignore the fact that it has a 100W threshold before starting to divert.
The Solic 200 can now be had in wireless version or the original non-wireless version. Both versions involve threading cable through your wall to the outside meter box. This is because the older version is fix-wired from sensor to main unit but the wireless version requires a 240V feed to your meter box to power the radio signal from the sensor. The Solic has a zero Watt threshold.
Lastly there is the Eddi which probably requires no feeding wires through the wall for my purpose but I can find no details of a threshold. I can see that it’s the future but I’m a one step at a time guy.
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Oliver90owner
- Posts: 433
- Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:48 pm
Re: Solar iboost
It appears that one can order direct from Earthwise and get a wireless version for £200?
That is how I bought my two - much cheaper than they were being offered elsewhere. I simply bought a 5m extension cable off epay for mine. It runs along the wall from the consumer panel, across the stair at floor level and up to the landing, under the carpet and into the airing cupboard.
I intend enquiring re the difference between the older black box items and the new white ones (non wireless) as the money saving is considerable. The technical fellow at Earthwise is a very helpful person.
That one unit of leccy sent to the grid is now worth about 25p. Obviously gas is far cheaper, but we have not heated the water using the gas boiler since about April. Odd occasions when a quick boost on E7 grid power have been demanded, but that is all. If on electric only, that extra 25p/day would soon pay for the unit!
I think mine cost £70 each when I bought them. Only one was used for 5 years or more (I was going to give one to my brother if he invested in a few panels). At present it avoids any power going to the grid by diverting excess to a storage heater.
That is how I bought my two - much cheaper than they were being offered elsewhere. I simply bought a 5m extension cable off epay for mine. It runs along the wall from the consumer panel, across the stair at floor level and up to the landing, under the carpet and into the airing cupboard.
I intend enquiring re the difference between the older black box items and the new white ones (non wireless) as the money saving is considerable. The technical fellow at Earthwise is a very helpful person.
That one unit of leccy sent to the grid is now worth about 25p. Obviously gas is far cheaper, but we have not heated the water using the gas boiler since about April. Odd occasions when a quick boost on E7 grid power have been demanded, but that is all. If on electric only, that extra 25p/day would soon pay for the unit!
I think mine cost £70 each when I bought them. Only one was used for 5 years or more (I was going to give one to my brother if he invested in a few panels). At present it avoids any power going to the grid by diverting excess to a storage heater.
Re: Solar iboost
Thankyou Paul for that line about the threshold being adjustable on Eddi.
Up to now I had thought that sensors had to go on a tail in the meter cabinet, outside. As Oliver90owner is now saying, with the Solic you could squeeze the sensor onto the same tail where it enters the consumer unit, inside the house, I think. So, all wiring is now internal.
These 2 electricians earlier put Harvi inside the meter box to sense when to divert power to a Zappi. They were told off by viewers because the meter box space is the property of the dno. So Harvi ended up being mounted on the consumer unit.
This episode tells what happened when they asked the dno and above.
Up to now I had thought that sensors had to go on a tail in the meter cabinet, outside. As Oliver90owner is now saying, with the Solic you could squeeze the sensor onto the same tail where it enters the consumer unit, inside the house, I think. So, all wiring is now internal.
These 2 electricians earlier put Harvi inside the meter box to sense when to divert power to a Zappi. They were told off by viewers because the meter box space is the property of the dno. So Harvi ended up being mounted on the consumer unit.
This episode tells what happened when they asked the dno and above.
Re: Solar iboost
This is one of those “grey areas”. There are whole housing estates near me with the CU in the meter cabinet, solar installers are frequently putting mini-CUs in meter cabinets, a Harvi or other similar device is trivial by comparison.
Many DNO employees like to thrown their weight around but I’ve never heard of any consequences for the above.
Many DNO employees like to thrown their weight around but I’ve never heard of any consequences for the above.
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
6x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (14.4kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
6x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (14.4kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
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Oliver90owner
- Posts: 433
- Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:48 pm
Re: Solar iboost
I don’t see it as a grey area at all.
The board supplied and fixed to the wall by and for the supply company’s use - nobody else's.
The meter box can be as large as you wish. Mine is inside the house, so as to speak about 7’ tall and about 3’ square constructed mainly of plastered blockwork. Alongside (well underneath), there is a gas meter and isolation valve.
The board is simply affixed to the wall in the cloak-cupboard (the ‘meter cupboard’) at the bottom of the stairs adjacent to the front door. However, the supply company cannot add bits around that board, just as they wish. They are limited to that area only. That seems, to me, to be a fair and equitable agreement between myself and the companies supplying my energy.
Of course, most external meter boxes are sized to the minimum practical depth, so a very large box could have a consumer unit affixed beside the meter board or on the side of the box - not too practical, but possible.
There is now the problem of consumer units. For years they were allowed to be made of cheap plastic but new ones need to be metal because of the real fire risks - which have unsurprisingly become apparent with the plastic ones. If your consumer unit damages the board or any of the components, expect a hefty bill for repair from the supply company!
The board supplied and fixed to the wall by and for the supply company’s use - nobody else's.
The meter box can be as large as you wish. Mine is inside the house, so as to speak about 7’ tall and about 3’ square constructed mainly of plastered blockwork. Alongside (well underneath), there is a gas meter and isolation valve.
The board is simply affixed to the wall in the cloak-cupboard (the ‘meter cupboard’) at the bottom of the stairs adjacent to the front door. However, the supply company cannot add bits around that board, just as they wish. They are limited to that area only. That seems, to me, to be a fair and equitable agreement between myself and the companies supplying my energy.
Of course, most external meter boxes are sized to the minimum practical depth, so a very large box could have a consumer unit affixed beside the meter board or on the side of the box - not too practical, but possible.
There is now the problem of consumer units. For years they were allowed to be made of cheap plastic but new ones need to be metal because of the real fire risks - which have unsurprisingly become apparent with the plastic ones. If your consumer unit damages the board or any of the components, expect a hefty bill for repair from the supply company!
Re: Solar iboost
The Eddie works fine and coordinates with the charger. There is a setting which is set to zero. However I find that depending on how much is being diverted up to 100w seems to be exported. Ie whilst diverting 3kw a 100w is exported. Almost proportional depending on export.
With 6.4 kW of panels I’ve diverted 1100 kWh this year. 130 kWh into car and approx 550kWh to grid when the tank is full or the panels are producing more than can be diverted.
Re: Solar iboost
Thanks for that observation Andy.
One drawback that I discovered with the Eddi is that it requires a dedicated circuit from which to draw power.
Anyway I’ve made my decision and ordered a Solic 200 with hard wiring to the sensor from Earthwise Products(£199). After moving furniture and unscrewing floorboards I was able to pull a mains tail an inch, above the consumer unit, enough to fit the sensor clamp when it arrives. Then I’ll probably need an extension for the sensor lead to reach the site in the airing cupboard. I learned more from Oliver90owner’s post than from the sales data. It is an odd company in that respect. It has very green credentials but left me estimating the size of the sensor clamp, the length of sensor wire, the size of plug on the sensor wire, do they offer extension wires and so on. If they had specified more it would be here by now.
A quick sum shows that, on the poorest of winter generation, that extra 100W would raise 50L of water from 40C to 50C in under 5 hours. I already have 40 solar tubes but they just don’t get up to start temperature in winter.
One drawback that I discovered with the Eddi is that it requires a dedicated circuit from which to draw power.
Anyway I’ve made my decision and ordered a Solic 200 with hard wiring to the sensor from Earthwise Products(£199). After moving furniture and unscrewing floorboards I was able to pull a mains tail an inch, above the consumer unit, enough to fit the sensor clamp when it arrives. Then I’ll probably need an extension for the sensor lead to reach the site in the airing cupboard. I learned more from Oliver90owner’s post than from the sales data. It is an odd company in that respect. It has very green credentials but left me estimating the size of the sensor clamp, the length of sensor wire, the size of plug on the sensor wire, do they offer extension wires and so on. If they had specified more it would be here by now.
A quick sum shows that, on the poorest of winter generation, that extra 100W would raise 50L of water from 40C to 50C in under 5 hours. I already have 40 solar tubes but they just don’t get up to start temperature in winter.