Solar Immersion - my experience !

[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!

Can I also assume you have wired exactly how I believe its stated in the installation manual for two SI units to be joined together ?

You also mention three immersion stats but only 2 cylinders or should I say heater 1 and heater 2 - so where's the third stat ??

I assume you did the very basic test for correct direction of CT Clamp, possibly using only one immersion heater for initial setup just in case two jopined together alter the findings or result ??

 

[Sunstroker]

Now hold on there! Who mentioned two SI units joined together? I thought my initial post made clear we are dealing with two separate installations in two different properties.
My own house has two HW cylinders, each with a 3kW immersion, My son has one cylinder and one 3kW immersion. Both properties have 3.7 kWp PV systems, and both have central heating systems powered by a combination of woodburners and either LPG or oil-fired boilers. All of which is irrelevant to my initial query re the immersion switch neons, apart from the fact that we both have the ability to heat the water in our HW cylinders up to a temperature in excess of the setting on the immersion thermostat.

I find it difficult to believe that our two SolarImmersion installations are the only ones exhibiting the neon-lighting peculiarities which I have described. The fact that they both do it suggests to me that this must be a feature common to all installations. Has nobody else noticed it?

Of course, the obvious people to answer my query should be the manufacturers, but they remain totally unresponsive.

Unlike their SI units, which thankfully continue to perform immaculately!

 

[Worcester]

If the neons are light they MUST be receiving power from some source. Do the SolarImmersion units have a boost / override timer function? If so has this been set?

 

[Sunstroker]

I agree, we have not achieved the holy grail of spontaneous generation so the power to light the neons must come from somewhere. Presumably from the mains via the SolarImmersion unit, since that is now the only connection which exists.

The SI units do have a manual boost function, they also have an Economy 7 setting, and my first thought when I noticed the lit neons was that one or other of these had been enabled, but they are definitely both set to off. It appears that only the neon is lit, the immersion is not consuming any power, indeed how could it when its thermostat has cut out? And, as previously stated, as soon the water cools and there is demand from the immersion the neon goes off and stays off until the SI starts to supply PV surplus power next morning.

 

[danesol]

If the neons are light they MUST be receiving power from some source. Do the SolarImmersion units have a boost / override timer function? If so has this been set?

They do and thats a possible too - good thinking.... although I would expect bright neon on activation of overide ??

 

[danesol]

Now hold on there! Who mentioned two SI units joined together? I thought my initial post made clear we are dealing with two separate installations in two different properties.
My own house has two HW cylinders, each with a 3kW immersion, My son has one cylinder and one 3kW immersion. Both properties have 3.7 kWp PV systems, and both have central heating systems powered by a combination of woodburners and either LPG or oil-fired boilers. All of which is irrelevant to my initial query re the immersion switch neons, apart from the fact that we both have the ability to heat the water in our HW cylinders up to a temperature in excess of the setting on the immersion thermostat.

I find it difficult to believe that our two SolarImmersion installations are the only ones exhibiting the neon-lighting peculiarities which I have described. The fact that they both do it suggests to me that this must be a feature common to all installations. Has nobody else noticed it?

Of course, the obvious people to answer my query should be the manufacturers, but they remain totally unresponsive.

Unlike their SI units, which thankfully continue to perform immaculately!

LOL

Anyway - I cant notice this on my installation as mine is wired directly from the existing spur and given that both your units operate correctly and efficiently I can only assume its down to how the units sensor the mains using their own wave form technology, if it is I doubt you will get the company to reveal this ...... ??

I do however notice occasional spikes during the night but as the monitoring device wont work properly now since SI fitment I have not investigated this further as the unit appears to be working fine and my bills dynamically reduced the last few mths, especially GAS

But I agree - if part of how the device works, it would be interesting to know why.......

 

[Sunstroker]

Breaking news!


Yesterday I was curious regarding an unexpectedly lit neon. Today I see no neon lights at all. The SI unit has failed! The LCD still indicates power diversion to Heater 1 or Heater 2 but the immersion switch neons remain unlit, and the water cold.


I have contacted the manufacturers who confirm that the unit has definitely failed, and no on-site repair is possible. So the SI unit has been removed and will be despatched tomorrow. They say that it will be replaced by an updated unit, so it would seem that development is still ongoing.


Watch this space!

 

[Mulgrave]

Hi
contacted solarimmersion few months ago because my mark ii was not working.Never managed to get hold of the concerned staff, online chat help told me , he has no experience with mark II, the one knowing abt mark II was travelling to china to order units ( supposed to be made in the UK) they never reply to messages. I just gave up with them, lost over 300 pounds for mark II + power reducer+ all tel calls.

 

[danesol]

Hi
contacted solarimmersion few months ago because my mark ii was not working.Never managed to get hold of the concerned staff, online chat help told me , he has no experience with mark II, the one knowing abt mark II was travelling to china to order units ( supposed to be made in the UK) they never reply to messages. I just gave up with them, lost over 300 pounds for mark II + power reducer+ all tel calls.

To be blunt, I wont lose £300 for no-one, you used your well earned and probably already "taxed" money on a product which you have issue with, why would you give up chasing this so easily ??

 

[Mulgrave]

To be blunt, I wont lose £300 for no-one, you used your well earned and probably already "taxed" money on a product which you have issue with, why would you give up chasing this so easily ??

Hi

i gave us using their product but I am still chasing them for a refund. I contacted them for a refund but they have not replied. I contacted their main office , sent many emails but still no replies.
Tushar is always travelling and never answers his phone.

thanks.

 

[danesol]

Hi

i gave us using their product but I am still chasing them for a refund. I contacted them for a refund but they have not replied. I contacted their main office , sent many emails but still no replies.
Tushar is always travelling and never answers his phone.

thanks.

Well two on this thread seem to have had issues resolved by email/voice contact already, so I would keep trying if I was you.....

 

[danesol]

OK UPDATE, the GAS boiler is now back on due to the recent weather... so that's a definite 6mths of using NO gas at all to heat the HWC, saving 1,346kwhs of GAS equal to ~ £ 46 saving


I have a way of measuring the divert now, so should know exactly what the SI diverts from the Solar panels over the Autumn and Winter mths, which will give me the full extent of what actually is been saved.

 

[Worcester]

Isn't the daily / monthly/ yearly savings one of the display functions on the SI then?

 

[danesol]

Isn't the daily / monthly/ yearly savings one of the display functions on the SI then?

LOL, sadly NOT so if you want info' to substantiate your purchase or backup the pub-talk .... your out of luck !

I should imagine - extensive reporting will be part of the MK IV ?

As they say you get what you pay for, but I am really pleased with my mk3 purchase and its saving both resources and my money, which is very apparent from recent bills, reporting is nice but at the end of the day, as long as its saving you monies, that's what its all about.

 

[danesol]

Yes, looks like the GAS is to stay on now with this terrible weather, but the SI unit is nicely preheating the water as and when it can - come on Mr Sun, show your face - 161watts just isnt good enough ! lol

 

[Sunstroker]

You may recall that I reported that my SolarImmersion unit failed a week after installation and was returned to the manufacturers, who promised an upgraded replacement. Well, 21 days and three phone calls later the replacement duly arrived and is now refitted and working. The reason given for the protracted delay was that they were awaiting delivery of the upgraded components. The unit arrived with a note thanking me for my patients (sic). Let’s hope their electronics are better than their spellchecker!


The second unit in my son’s house continues to function satisfactorily. It is powering only one immersion, my own is driving two, and there was a suggestion from the SolarImmersion contact to whom I initially reported the failure of my unit that this might be the reason for its failure. Not exactly reassuring!


The immersion switch neon still glows at full intensity when the water temperature in the HWC is higher than the setting on the immersion stat and the PV is off, so the upgrade hasn’t addressed this peculiarity, but if that’s the only quibble we can live with it.


As I mentioned earlier, the reason for the superheated water is the presence of an efficient woodburning stove in my system, and it is clear that the SolarImmersion will only really have a dual immersion water heating job to do in the summer months, when the woodburner is out. It burns more or less continuously from October to April, supplying most of my central heating and ample hot water for my needs. (I am fortunate in having an ample supply of effectively free firewood).


But the winter sunshine will still supply surplus PV power, so how to use it? I propose substituting a storage heater as the secondary load, instead of one of the immersions. Any ideas on how best to wire such a setup? Can I use a changeover switch? Given that I now have a spare slot in my CU where one of my immersions used to be I presume this could be used as the feed for the storage heater.
I haven’t discussed any of this with my sparky so far, and no doubt he will have his own ideas as to the best solution, but I’d welcome suggestions to throw at him!

 

[danesol]

But the winter sunshine will still supply surplus PV power, so how to use it? I propose substituting a storage heater as the secondary load, instead of one of the immersions. Any ideas on how best to wire such a setup? Can I use a changeover switch? Given that I now have a spare slot in my CU where one of my immersions used to be I presume this could be used as the feed for the storage heater.
I haven’t discussed any of this with my sparky so far, and no doubt he will have his own ideas as to the best solution, but I’d welcome suggestions to throw at him!

Did you action this at all ??

 

[Sunstroker]

Yes, and all is working well, or at least it would be if the sun would shine a bit more. 233Wh yesterday! I'd get more heat from a tealight!
I see someone else has discovered my "lit neon" syndrome, so it would appear that this is common to all SI units.

I mentioned earlier that one of our two original units failed and was eventually replaced by an "upgraded" one. I notice a slight difference between the two units. With the first one, the immersion switch neon glows steadily when the unit is diverting, irrespective of the rate of diversion, whereas the upgraded unit produces a flickering neon on the switch, and the diversion rate appears to vary in a cyclical fashion according to the unit's LCD readout.

Communication with the manufacturers continues to be frustrating. I phoned and asked for a proper VAT invoice, as I was only supplied with a Paypal receipt, but despite promises nothing has materialised. I fear for any kind of long-term support.

 

[HJG1]

A word of warning. Have purchased the Solarimmersion via their website on 21st April 2014. Received email notification of dispatched item 24th April ,but in fact they had not actally sent to item at that stage. Eventually received the item the following week only to find the item was faulty staright out of the box. The triac was actually broken from the unti so it was obvious straight away. Phone company same day- they could not sent a repalcement that week so I cancelled the order for full refund. Item was sent back and I waited , and waited for refund- none came. I email and phoned, but no refund. Had to go via Paypal to get my money back- event hen the company did not respond.
Now have an Immersun II installed and working perfectly. Lesson learned- pay a bit more for quality and service!

 

[nielfrancis]

Hi there,
Read this and checked with a couple of my electrician friends who are using Solarimmersion. They found it somewhat strange when I mentioned about the "triac" as there is no triac in it. They have been using it since a year and are happy with the results.
Sad to hear your experience although good luck with your new choice!