Enjoy Hot Water From Your PV Array With Solar iBoost+™
Marlec’s Innovative and High-Tech Power Diversion System
Marlec’s Innovative Solar Diversion System utilises excess energy produced by your solar panels to heat the hot water cylinder and ensure no renewable energy goes to waste.
With Solar iBoost+, you can join the community of over 150,000 homeowners who are cutting the cost of water heating, reducing their energy bills, and having a positive impact on their environmental footprint. By reducing the reliance on your boiler and self-consuming more of the solar energy generated at your property, significant savings can be achieved.
How it Works
Your PV solar array generates electricity used in real-time in your home, reducing dependence on the grid and lowering energy bills. Any excess energy is typically exported to the grid, maximising efficiency, cutting costs, and supporting sustainability.
Solar iBoost’s Sender and Clamp are installed at the household electricity meter. The Clamp detects when excess energy is available, and the Sender wirelessly sends a signal to the Solar iBoost+ to activate water heating.
The Solar iBoost+ control unit is installed next to the hot water tank and receives messages from the Sender. When activated, it intelligently controls and adjusts the level of energy flowing to your immersion heater in line with the export levels as they rise and fall.
Thanks to Solar iBoost+, water is heated over the day using just solar energy. In summer, this may deliver all the hot water your home demands; at other times, you may need to top up using your usual heating system or use the built-in Boost and Timed functions.
Check your savings at the Solar iBoost+ or get the optional iBoost+ Buddy.
Easily Connected to an Existing Hot Water Immersion Heater
If your home has a hot water cylinder, this will likely include an immersion heater, even if gas is the primary energy source. The immersion is usually powered from a fused switch which will become the supply to the Solar iBoost+, or your installer will fit the required local isolator. The Solar iBoost+ is then used to control the immersion automatically from the excess PV energy and manually when you need additional hot water.
The system operates by responding to the levels of energy export at the property according to the variable parameters of changing weather, energy consumption and generation. These are constantly changing, and the electronic controller can process the information to ensure that only excess power is delivered to the Solar iBoost + automatically.
Why Solar iBoost+™
- The Solar iBoost+ is one of the best-selling PV immersion controllers preferred by many solar installers and electrical professionals.
- It saves you money by cutting water heating costs and reducing the use of your home’s boiler.
- Fitting a Solar iBoost can help to maximise the consumption of the solar energy generated at your property.
- Add the optional iBoost+ Buddy, and you can remotely monitor and control the Solar iBoost+ within your home.
- A built-in programmable cut-in threshold is flexible enough to combine use with battery storage systems to prioritise operation.
- Easy to install to new and existing systems in less than 40 minutes.
- Solar iBoost+ is made and backed by the UK’s oldest renewable energy company.
- There is a national network of Solar iBoost UK installers and is a preferred product for many in the house building sector.
Watch your Savings Grow
If you have invested in Solar PV for your home, you will already be aware that there are periods of “export,” when you can’t consume all the energy generated by the array. This energy flows back to the grid seamlessly, so you may be unaware of it.
If your home has hot water storage with an immersion heater, then your Solar iBoost+ can be installed, saving you more money.
Solar iBoost’s built-in display means you can watch your savings grow; press the display button to see Saved Today, Saved Yesterday, Saved 7 Days, Saved 28 Days and Total Saved readings.
Water Heating Controls at Your Finger Tips
Solar iBoost+ also lets you control your immersion heater using full grid power. This is useful for topping up if your hot water cylinder is an electrically operated system. It incorporates the following heating controls.
Boost – gives an instant ‘Boost’ of full grid power to the immersion in timed increments. Each button press adds 15 minutes of grid power operation up to a maximum of two hours. When the immersion thermostat’s temperature is reached, the Boost function stops automatically if achieved before the selected full-timed period.
Timed Functions are programmable on a 5-day / 2-day timer basis with twice per day available.
Timed Function Seasonal Programmes are interchangeable at the press of a button, enabling you to change from Winter to Summer settings quickly.
Features
Wireless Technology
The wireless feature is included as standard and allows the clamp and Solar iBoost+ to communicate. It also makes installation quick and eliminates the need for additional unsightly wiring in the home.
Clear Display For Monitoring Your Savings
Clear display for reading how much energy you have saved. At the press of a button you can view the current Heating by Solar, Saved Today, Saved Yesterday, Saved Last 7 Days, Saved Last 28 Days and Total Amount Saved in kWh (kilowatt-hours).
These features and more are also displayed on the optional iBoost+ Buddy.
Supports Dual Immersion Systems
The Solar iBoost+ automatically heats up to 2 immersions in one hot water tank. When the first immersion reaches the preset temperature the energy cascades to the second immersion. The system prioritises immersion 1 by checking back to it at 15 minute intervals.
A number of PV ready, hot water cylinders are fitted by the manufacturers with the Solar iBoost+.
Flexible Manual Boost And Programmable Timer
We understand that the variable nature of generating your own renewable energy means that you want to both top up and plan when you have hot water. With Solar iBoost+ you have complete control.
The Boost button switches grid power immersion when hot water is needed at short notice, it effectively replaces the switch and gives greater control. Each press of the button increases the time on by 15 minute increments up to 2 hours.
The built in programmable timer enables 2 switches on per day for weekdays / weekend and you can set up separate winter and summer settings selectable at the press of a button. Also switchable from iBoost+ Buddy.
Compatible With Any Battery Storage System
Adjustable parameters for compatibility with battery storage systems.
The unit is factory pre-set to operate the immersion when exports exceed 100W. This cut-in threshold can be increased by 50W increments up to a maximum of 500W to overcome any battery storage thresholds that are higher.
Set the threshold above the battery storage to prioritise battery charging or keep at 100W for hot water first. Always set a minimum of 50W difference between the Solar iBoost+ and battery storage cut-in thresholds.
Responds Rapidly To The Varying Home Consumption
The Solar iBoost+ responds rapidly to the varying home consumption and changing weather ensuring that only excess power is used.
The Solar iBoost+ has a cut-in threshold of 100W of excess current before switching on.
Six Language Options
Built in option to change language to French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Control and Monitor Remotely With The iBoost+ Buddy
The iBoost+ Buddy is the wireless home energy monitor and remote control for your Solar iBoost+
The eco-gauge lets you know when unused energy is available so you can switch on appliances. It uses a traffic light system to alert you when energy is flowing to the grid so you can decide to switch on appliances rather than export it.
Features
- Connects wirelessly with Solar iBoost+
- Keep it handy to see Solar iBoost+ water heating savings displayed remotely
- View the changing net energy consumption or export levels in your home
- Remote control the Boost function
- Simple pairing procedure
Find out more about the iBoost + Buddy
CE Compliance To All Product And Safety Standards
EN60730-2-7, EN301 489-3, EN300 220, EN60335-1, EN55014-1, EN55022 (Tested independently)
2 Year Warranty
2 year warranty as standard from date of purchase.
Is my home suitable for a Solar iBoost+?
✔ If you have on-site power generation. (Solar PV and wind power are most common).
✔ If you have a hot water cylinder and the distance between it and the utility meter is less than 30m.
✔ Energy usage in the household is less than the energy generated, and excess is exported to the grid.
You may be out for periods of time during the day and generate more than is needed to cover the standby of all your appliances OR even at home during the day but rarely consume energy up to the peak output of the solar array or wind turbine.
Whenever you export 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 savings possible on water heating may be more significant than the export rate paid by the electricity companies.
What’s Included With My Solar iBoost+?
- Solar iBoost+ (main unit)
- Sender Unit (2 x AA Batteries Included)
- Clamp and Cable
- Fixing Screws
- Solar iBoost+ Installation and User Manuals
- Installation Template
- Commissioning Form (to be completed by the installer and retained by the homeowner)
You may have also selected the optional iBoost+ Buddy for remote control and monitoring of your Solar iBoost+.
