Solar Immersion - my experience !

[danesol]

Also funny enough - my PVo accounts states for July;

Total Generated:- 434.790kwh

Total Consumption:- 698.865kwh

Total Exported:- 76.082kwh

Total imported:- 340.300kwh

(*Charged by Utility co for July's reading:- 284kwh)

Export % :- 17.50

Import % :- 48.69

So as I thought, my Envir monitoring isnt correct, which is no surprise, but good enough and I am definitely exporting closer to ZERO as I first thought ( well to be exact'ish.... ~20 kwh which is 4% ) !!!!

:hurray:

 

[Gavin A]

698.865 - 439.790 = 259.075

259.075 + 76.082 = 335.157kWh

so the calculated figure for import requirements would be 335.157kWh, which is within a pretty good tolerance of the actual measured figure of 340.3kWh

depending which model you have you can improve the accuracy by adjusting the voltage setting (if you're using clamps), though it will never be 100% accurate as the voltage will vary and it can't monitor the voltage in the same way an immersion can because it operates through a transformer at something like 17V, so can't actually see the grid voltage.

 

[danesol]

698.865 - 439.790 = 259.075

259.075 + 76.082 = 335.157kWh

so the calculated figure for import requirements would be 335.157kWh, which is within a pretty good tolerance of the actual measured figure of 340.3kWh

depending which model you have you can improve the accuracy by adjusting the voltage setting (if you're using clamps), though it will never be 100% accurate as the voltage will vary and it can't monitor the voltage in the same way an immersion can because it operates through a transformer at something like 17V, so can't actually see the grid voltage.

Well Yes and NO - as per previous post I was charged for 31days electric import - 284kwh so the Envir device is over measuring but I knew that was happening due to the "anomaly" with the two clamps i'm using around the Henley block to get the true total useage around generation time.

 

[Gavin A]

Well Yes and NO - as per previous post I was charged for 31days electric import - 284kwh so the Envir device is over measuring but I knew that was happening due to the "anomaly" with the two clamps i'm using around the Henley block to get the true total useage around generation time.

was the reading on your actual import meter 284kWh, or 340kWh?

 

[danesol]

284 is the DNO meter reading for the whole mth

340 is what PVo states which is the calculation of the Envir metering system

 

[Gavin A]

284 is the DNO meter reading for the whole mth

340 is what PVo states which is the calculation of the Envir metering system

I don't understand how you're trying to get the ENVIR to measure import and export as it has no function to know which direction the electricity is flowing.

What I suspect you've actually got is the combined reading of import + export = 340kWh.

If you then take the actual suppliers meter reading for imports away from that total it will leave you with the calculated level of exports.

ie 340kWh - 284kWh = 56kWh exports.

Unless you actually have an export meter fitted as well?

 

[danesol]

I don't understand how you're trying to get the ENVIR to measure import and export as it has no function to know which direction the electricity is flowing.

Technically it doesnt need to as its measuring the consumption after the Henley Block, but before the CU so only one direction in use !?

What I suspect you've actually got is the combined reading of import + export = 340kWh.

If you then take the actual suppliers meter reading for imports away from that total it will leave you with the calculated level of exports.

ie 340kWh - 284kWh = 56kWh exports.

Unless you actually have an export meter fitted as well?

The Envir monitor is ONLY there every 5mins to measure true and overall useage within the premises and also takes a reading of generation from the SMA Inverter via Bluetooth - PVo does the rest ?

The figures are out due I've been told to how some immersion proportional devices work ie. wave forms effecting primitive CT clamps - I'm currently awaiting a quick fix for this ATM

 

[snowie]

Hi, I'm not an electrician, but have been following this thread after searching for problems with Solarimmersion. Original problems with delivery, i.e. told it had been delivered, but 2 weeks later had not received it. Paid with MasterCard, so after initial delivery problems, used this to try to get money back. Unit arrived just before MasterCard contacted Solarimmersion, so proceeded with installation. Installed by electrician who recommended it, and had installed in his own home. Worked for 2 days, then stopped diverting to immersion heater, so obviously no hot water. Also, all the buttons would not work, so could not do factory reset, use override, or use any of the functions except set time. Contacted Solarimmersion and asked to return the unit. That was almost 3 weeks ago, and have tried to find out what is happening to it. Customer services are appalling, passed from one person to another, and never receive call-back if no one available. Still have option to get money back via MasterCard. Cost of installation was £80. Cost to uninstall it was £50. Cost of p&p was £20. Cost to reinstall it will be £50-£80, which will eat into payback time. So in light of those on here who have problems with the supplier, and of those who have got one installed and it is working well, is it worth continuing, or should I cut my losses and get unit costs back via MasterCard? Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bugsyuk]

I for one will never use them again. I ordered one for installation only to be told 3 days later they had none in stock, by that time I had already paid for it by card and was needed for a pv install which in the end cost more money as the electrician had to go back to install it. Non existant customer service and no one ever answers the phone. Plus I emailed them to say we moved offices so could they change the details on the website and still no one has so in my opinion absolute shoddy company and will never deal with them again.

 

[danesol]

Hi, I'm not an electrician, but have been following this thread after searching for problems with Solarimmersion. Original problems with delivery, i.e. told it had been delivered, but 2 weeks later had not received it. Paid with MasterCard, so after initial delivery problems, used this to try to get money back. Unit arrived just before MasterCard contacted Solarimmersion, so proceeded with installation. Installed by electrician who recommended it, and had installed in his own home. Worked for 2 days, then stopped diverting to immersion heater, so obviously no hot water. Also, all the buttons would not work, so could not do factory reset, use override, or use any of the functions except set time. Contacted Solarimmersion and asked to return the unit. That was almost 3 weeks ago, and have tried to find out what is happening to it. Customer services are appalling, passed from one person to another, and never receive call-back if no one available. Still have option to get money back via MasterCard. Cost of installation was £80. Cost to uninstall it was £50. Cost of p&p was £20. Cost to reinstall it will be £50-£80, which will eat into payback time. So in light of those on here who have problems with the supplier, and of those who have got one installed and it is working well, is it worth continuing, or should I cut my losses and get unit costs back via MasterCard? Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.

I suppose this is the disadvantage of not been an electrician yourself or have friend who is and would install it for you, as using an installer or electrician who is responsible for the while solution - this would become their problem and not yours!

Hope you get sorted as ive never had an issue getting hold of them although they are not always online

All i can say its does the job and i havent had any issues whatsover and so glad I purchased one as it saving us a small fortune !!

Perhaps you need to use the chargeback facility or consider the long distance regulations - should you still get no where with redress ??

 

[snowie]

Update on SolarImmersion energy manager. It is now 2 months since I ordered this device, and it has only worked for 2 days. After numerous phone calls and emails, most of which were ignored, they finally sent back the unit. No word of what was wrong with it, wither this is a new replacement, or a repair job. Just about to call the electrician to have it re-installed, when I thought I would open it up and have a look inside. Originally the CT clip was packed inside the unit, and when I sent it back, I placed it, with some trouble, inside also. Unbelievably, they returned it to me without the CT clip. To say I was fuming would be a gross understatement. Called them, and they claimed I did not sent it back to them, which is wrong. Eventually, after further phone calls, they have agreed to send one to me. I cannot believe how awful this company is, and would never recommend anyone ever buying from them.

 

[solman]

Over the last couple of months especially I've noticed a large increase in popularity of immersion controllers. Web traffic seems to have experienced a strong increase from home owners looking to install.
It's a shame there's been problems, especially considering there is a strong consumer demand.

 

[Sunstroker]

I recently had two SolarImmersion units installed, one in my own house and one in my son’s. Both houses have 3.7kWp PV systems and I have two 3kW immersions while my son has one.


We are very happy with the performance of the SolarImmersions. Even on a relatively dull day, when total PV generation struggles to break 6kWh they divert enough surplus to the immersion heaters to give us an ample supply of hot water. So, it appears, they are doing exactly what it says on the tin.


One thing puzzles me. When the hot water cylinder is up to the immersion limit and the stat has turned it off, the neon indicator on its switch remains lit even when the PV is off, either at night or because it’s been switched off manually. As soon as some hot water is run off and the immersion starts demanding again the neon goes out and doesn’t come back on until the SolarImmersion starts diverting PV power again.
It appears there is some residual current in the system which keeps the neon lit until the immersion switches on again. Could there be some capacitance in the SolarImmersion? As far as I can tell it’s not coming from the mains, although I will admit this hasn’t been proven.


I have run this question past the manufacturer using their ticket system but reply there is none. As others have noted, customer relations and technical support are not their strong point. But hey, the units do work, so we’re happy.


But I would like to know why these neons are lit, Any theories?

 

[danesol]

I recently had two SolarImmersion units installed, one in my own house and one in my son’s. Both houses have 3.7kWp PV systems and I have two 3kW immersions while my son has one.


We are very happy with the performance of the SolarImmersions. Even on a relatively dull day, when total PV generation struggles to break 6kWh they divert enough surplus to the immersion heaters to give us an ample supply of hot water. So, it appears, they are doing exactly what it says on the tin.


One thing puzzles me. When the hot water cylinder is up to the immersion limit and the stat has turned it off, the neon indicator on its switch remains lit even when the PV is off, either at night or because it’s been switched off manually. As soon as some hot water is run off and the immersion starts demanding again the neon goes out and doesn’t come back on until the SolarImmersion starts diverting PV power again.
It appears there is some residual current in the system which keeps the neon lit until the immersion switches on again. Could there be some capacitance in the SolarImmersion? As far as I can tell it’s not coming from the mains, although I will admit this hasn’t been proven.


I have run this question past the manufacturer using their ticket system but reply there is none. As others have noted, customer relations and technical support are not their strong point. But hey, the units do work, so we’re happy.


But I would like to know why these neons are lit, Any theories?

Have you wired in at the CU or local to the immersion heater using the existing spur in your airing cupboard ??

 

[Sunstroker]

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!

 

[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.