PV immersion heater proportional control

[danesol]

Or these 3 Immersuns powering 4 x 4.5kW = 18kW of 3 phase immersion mounted above a 2500 ltr thermal store in the basement of biomass heated and PV powered building
View attachment 19341

That looks impressive - wish I had that power available !

 

[danesol]

There appears to be a new member of the proportional control systems brigade to hit the market or should I say another badged up Immersun unit !!

Called the Hot Water Buddy sold & installed by Renewable Solutions, Royal Mail delivered their flyer to me yesterday by brown envelope........


http://www.renewablesolutionsuk.com/home/hot-waterbuddy/

 

[whinmoor]

There appears to be a new member of the proportional control systems brigade to hit the market or should I say another badged up Immersun unit !!

Called the Hot Water Buddy sold & installed by Renewable Solutions, Royal Mail delivered their flyer to me yesterday by brown envelope........


Hot WaterBUDDY | Renewable Solutions UK Ltd. | Solar Panels | Wind Turbines | Biomass | Heat Pumps | Solar Heating

Looks like a re-branded Immersun?

 

[solar warrrior]

So assuming it’s the same Immersun burst fire unit it’s just as non complaint with mandatory electrical specifications in most installations due to its light flicker inducing tendencies.

I can’t understand why people still install these burst fire devices when the problems are well know. Immersuns (and any rebranded ones based on it) are the only burst fire commercial devices as far as I am aware. Others use alternative techniques like phase control to avoid light flicker.

 

[gadgetfadget]

Can anyone out there please respond to CBR600's original question about the solar iBoost? I am also keen to get some information from the experts on this product. :20:

 

[Gavin A]

Can anyone out there please respond to CBR600's original question about the solar iBoost? I am also keen to get some information from the experts on this product. :20:

what specifically would you like to know?

The unit works, seems reasonably reliable, is simple to fit, other than the odd time where the radio range isn't sufficient, but that';s only happened once to us and was simply fixed by moving the transmitter inside from the external meter cupboard we'd originally fitted it in.

they probably still aren't flicker regs compliant in all circumstances, though I think they're significantly better on this score than the original Immersun. We're in the process of switching across to the Elios4U units because they're fully complaint.

I've also just ended up with 2 oscilloscopes, so might try to have a play and test all 3 units next to each other and see what they actually do to the waveforms in different situations, that's if I ever get the time.

 

[SibertSolar]

What's the battery life like on the iboost? And is the casing plastic or metal? Just curious, I haven't had a close look at them yet really

 

[yellowvanman]

What's the battery life like on the iboost? And is the casing plastic or metal? Just curious, I haven't had a close look at them yet really

Casing is plastic, its a bit new to work out battery life at the moment, mines been going since early June.

Can agree with Gavin's impressions.

 

[infinity]

We have installed few and like the fact they are easy to install and have wireless clamps.

I am ordering my first power reducer with elios4you tomorrow for a customer, haven't had any experience with the Elios yet and like the fact the power reducer is the only EMC compliant product so i look forward to checking the products out.

 

[echase]

like the fact the power reducer is the only EMC compliant product so i look forward to checking the products out.

Not actually true as the EMMA is EMC compliant too and so is the Intelligent Immersion I2. And the latter is based just round the corner from you!

 

[SibertSolar]

Just FYI guys but the standalone (hard wired) version of Greenologic's immersion controller (Power Reducer) is now available - comes with a CT clamp assembly. Wireless version is under final test now and should be available around mid-Dec

 

[Worcester]

Thanks to the guys over at 4eco, my new immerSUN II arrived today http://www.immersun.co.uk/528-2/

Initial impressions:
Better retail packaging (bigger box to put the screws in)
Manual Clearer to understand for setting up / commissioning and controlling

Construction
Solidly built powder coated steel chassis and cover
Cable access - more space at the back (spaced off the wall) and
Connections - easier (removable) connections to the PCB
Mounts - two screws, for positioning and location accessible once front cover removed.

Compliance:
Uses 4eco's proprietary 'trusine™' PWM control trusine PWM Control | Immersun
from the installation manual:
Power Control Method: PWM
Control Resolution: 1%
Response Time: 1 second
Measurement Accuracy: +/- 1%
Compliance:
EN 60730-1:2011 Automatic electrical controls for household and similar use.
EN 60730-2-11:2008 Particular requirements for energy regulators.
EN 61000-6-3:2007+A1:2011 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Generic standards.
EN 61000-3-2:2006+A1:2009+A2:2009 Limits for harmonic current emissions.
EN 61000-3-3:2008 Limitation of voltage changes, voltage fluctuations and flicker.

Functionality - seems impressive, I've been through the options menu and have yet to work out some innovative ideas of how to use all of the advanced features, it does seem as though anytime someone has said 'can it do xxyy' they've now added that functionality it.

Key things:
Wireless CT (sensor) optional extra
Wirelessly daisy-chain up to 5 immerSUNs so manage up to 15kW of power per phase.
Multiple loads - 2 Resistive (heaters) PLUS the Multifunction Relay (MF Relay)
Fixed or proportional load switching
Remote Boost / Thermostat control
Manual Boost control on any of the loads
Timed Boost control - Up to 6 different boost times across 7 days
MF relay can control multiple functions and be triggered by by multiple different input triggers.
Can use Night/Dual Tarif Supplies (single or dual meters)
Works with Electric UFH (even allowing for dual tariff aka Economy 7)

On-Screen Reporting
Numerical and Graphical reporting of
Day, Week, Month, Year


Conclusion:
An impressive array of functionality.

Plus in simple terms instead of as previously one input and two outputs, you've now got:
One power input, one (optional) control input, 2 proportionally controlled outputs and one multifunction output.

As a minimum you can now cascade up to 3 heating devices (resistive loads). Optionally the MF relay can also control fixed loads.

Installation scheduled for tomorrow or Friday (depends if we have a couple of minutes tom morrow), shouldn't taken more than a few minutes to swap over, though as always for the first time with a new device I will treble check everything.

We've got a nice little oscilloscope here, If I can remember how to work it, I'll try to do a before and after comparison of the power to heater and 'upstream'

 

[jason121]

Sorry Worcester, I have converted to the power reducer. From what I have heard the Immersun MK1 could cause some problems for them.
I have a few to install with the Elios monitor. Perfect set up.

 

[Gavin A]

Cheers for that Worcester. Particularly interesting about the MF relay, didn't know about that function.

Also the thermostat controlled remote boost sounds interesting.

 

[Worcester]

@GavinA, I know that you were particularly concerned about the old Mk1's possible EMF interference and flicker. I'll see if I can get the waveform of the oscilloscope (it has a screen capture function if I can remember how to use it!) might be a wekk though, we're pretty maxed out at the moment.

 

[jason121]

What's the point they have copied the Power reducer

 

[Gavin A]

@GavinA, I know that you were particularly concerned about the old Mk1's possible EMF interference and flicker. I'll see if I can get the waveform of the oscilloscope (it has a screen capture function if I can remember how to use it!) might be a wekk though, we're pretty maxed out at the moment.

I'm pretty relaxed about that with this version, no reason why it shouldn't comply - we've just had a couple of oscilliscopes donated to us as well, so am interested in checking various units out, but we're also maxed out right now as well.

Do you know if the unit is able to assign priority to the relay, and is the relay settable to switch at a user defined export level? ie it switches the relay at 500W export, with the immersion feed taking second preference to that?

That's a feature the elios doesn't yet have, it has the relay, but not that functionality, which is pretty stupid. I think they're working on it, but I have live projects for this functionality.

 

[jason121]

The elios has two alarm contacts and one output contact which can be triggered to switch at a set level export

 

[Gavin A]

The elios has two alarm contacts and one output contact which can be triggered to switch at a set level export

but it can't currently prioritise these relays over the immersion control.

so if you want to switch the relay at 500W, you'd have to have 3500W available before it will switch, until the immersion cuts out. It won't run the immersion up to 500W, then trigger the relay and reduce power to the immersion.

This is something I've been round the houses with for 2 months with Sibert and Greenologic, hopefully there's a firmware upgrade in the offing, but as things stand it doesn't have this functionality.

 

[Gavin A]

ps the elios unit is great for what it does, just not that function as yet.