Power required for the iBoost heater system?

• • #17360 Reply
    
    Clive Chafer

    Guest

    My only question really is about the iBoost. The local installer said he had had bad luck with them. But more important (perhaps), he said that since the immersion heater will not even start to warm the water unless there’s 3kw of power coming in (because it won’t trip the switch unless there is), it really won’t do much water-warming at all!

    He also said the only way to make it work below 3kw is to add a “dimmer” to the system, which allows the immersion heater element to be triggered at lower input, but then it hardly adds any heat to the water.

    So his feeling was that even with a 3.3kw system, it just wasn’ t worth it, and we should save our money. But you think it’s still worth it. Is there any truth to what he says, or is he just sceptical of the iBoost’s performance?

  • #17362 Reply
    
    Lincolnshire Solar

    Guest

    Hi Clive

    The iBoost works by sending unused power to the immersion heater which would normally be exported.
    If your solar pv system is generating 2 kw of power and your house is only using 1 kw of power at that time, the iBoost or Immersun unit will send 1 kw to the immersion heater. You don’t need over 3 kw to be generated for the device to work.

  • #17365 Reply
    
    Norfolk Solar

    Guest

    We tend to use iBoost, this is probably because, if you are happy with a product why change. They are easy to install and give us no trouble. You can see on the iBoost how much electricity has been diverted. Other than that they both do a good job and will give you plenty of hot water. All installers like different products.

  • #17366 Reply
    
    Stuart Foster

    Guest

    I recently had a 4kw solar system installed with the iBoost and my system is split on an east/west roof. The iBoost works on our system and yet we never produce 3kw at any one time. I’m very happy with my system, and yes there will be days when the iBoost won’t work, so what.

    For what it costs, I think its a worth while benefit, why “waste” the unused energy that you generate when you could benefit from it. In fact there is a new version of iBoost, iBoost+ which has a “Buddy” which allows you to monitor how much surplus energy you are generating and therefore when its best for you to turn on appliances so that you can use that energy.

    Unfortunately, its not backward compatible so its best to have it installed from the start.