Immersion Heaters: Maximising Your Solar Energy

There are many ways to maximise the efficiency of your solar panel system. Some people choose to install solar batteries to store the energy for later use, while others fit a Smart EV Charger that can be paired with the panels on the roof to charge a car with renewable energy. Both of these are great options and should you wish, we can include them as part of a solar installation or retrofit. However, there is another popular choice which works for a lot of our customers, namely, a solar immersion heater.

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A solar immersion heater can convert electrical energy generated from your solar panels and use it to heat a water tank. In this guide, we’re going to explore solar immersion heaters and how they can be a great way to maximise the efficiency of your solar PV system.

How do Solar Immersion Heaters work?

Technically, the immersion heater used in a solar PV system is no different to any other. It’s the addition of a solar controller, such as a Solar iBoost or an Eddi Immersion Controller, that makes the difference. These devices (we tend to recommend these to our customers as they’re fantastic bits of kit) monitor the amount of power generated by your solar panel system, and when there’s an excess, divert it to the immersion heater to heat water in your tank.

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This water, in effect, serves as a rudimentary battery, staying hot for hours until it needs to be used and means you don’t have to use gas or electrical energy from the grid as often. 

Why choose a solar immersion controller?

Some solar panel owners opt to sell their excess energy back to the grid, and this can be a fantastic way of saving some money and doing your bit for the UK’s overall energy consumption. 

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However, it’s almost certain that the energy you use to heat your water will cost more than the amount you get from selling it to the grid. Essentially, it’s always a better option to use the electricity you’ve generated yourself, and only sell it back to the grid as the last option.

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A solar immersion controller is a fantastic, lower-cost alternative to a solar battery. Also, because they work with almost any immersion heater, they’re incredibly easy to retrofit into an existing solar PV and plumbing system. For commercial premises with large solar installations and/or large hot water and heating requirements, this can represent a significant increase in efficiency and reduction in costs.

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Solar iBoost

We tend to recommend the Solar iBoost to our customers as it’s compatible with most immersion heaters and can be easily installed alongside an existing solar system. Built-in safety features such as overvoltage and overcurrent protection, ensure safety and reliability

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As well as its energy efficiency, the Solar iBoost immersion controller also has a range of features that make convenient and user-friendly device. For example, it can be set to operate at specific times, such as during off-peak hours when electricity prices are lower. It can also be set to operate at specific temperatures, ensuring that the water is heated as you like it.

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For more information about fitting a solar immersion controller as part of your solar PV system, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free quote.

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