Date: 13th July 2022

How to get free hot water via solar

Solar panels are a great home improvement offering free electricity generated from the sun. With the addition of a simple wifi enabled device attached to your immersion water tank it’s easy to use the surplus energy produced to heat your hot water for free.

Unless your solar system has PV battery storage device excess energy produced by solar is sent back to the grid via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) which can be as low as 5p per Kwh which you may then have to buy back from the grid later in the day for up to six times more than you sold it for.

The solar energy diverter examples of which are the Solar iBoost+ manufactured by Marlec and the Eddi by Myenergi are clever devices that senses when your solar system is generating more than 100 watts than the electricity being used. The Solar energy diverter then sends that electricity to your heated water tank rather than back to the grid.

It does this by having a small clamp sensor connected to the electricity meter similar to a smart meter sensor which tell the solar energy diverter, installed next to the immersion heated water tank. When excess energy is not being used this energy is then redirected directly to the immersion heated water tank, providing free hot water.

The Solar energy diverter tells you exactly how much energy you are saving on your energy consumption via its on screen display and makes your solar system more energy efficient for you.

Is my home suitable for a solar energy diverter?

You have a solar PV system installed or having one installed.

The distance between the water tank and electricity meter is less than 30 metres.

Energy usage in the household is less than the energy generated our solar team can advise on your usage and potential generation figures from a new system.

You may be out for periods during the daytime and generate more than is needed to cover the standby of all your appliances OR even at home during the day but rarely consuming energy up to the peak output of the solar system.

Whenever you are exporting more than 100w you could be “dumping” that excess energy into your hot water tank and saving even more money. Even if you have an export meter, the cost savings possible on water heating may be greater than the export rate (SEG) paid by the electricity companies.

Wil-Lec GRP Ltd is the area’s leading independent installer of solar systems contact us here

Or call us on 01472 241881 to arrange your free quote.

Gary Stafford Marketing Assistant