What is a solar PV immersion heater or iBoost?

A solar immersion heater is a device that allows excess solar power to heat up hot water. Effectively, a solar heater gives you free hot water without having to use your boiler.

An iBoost is one of the leading brands of solar heater.

Looking to use excess solar power to heat water? With rising costs of energy, adding a solar pv automatic immersion heater switch to your solar system could save you thousands of pounds over just a few years.

How much money could a solar PV immersion heater save you?

Based on the current rate of electricity at 34p per kWh, a solar diverter could save you an average of £300-£600 per year. This makes a solar PV booster a pretty smart investment.

What are the best solar immersion heaters?

The iBoost is one of the most known solar diverters. However, there are other types available, such as the Eddi from Myenergi, the Immersion, and the SolarEdge diverter. These are all solar iBoost alternatives.

How does an iBoost work?

There are two parts to an iBoost. 

1. The solar PV immersion heater device itself, usually fitted near your inverter or battery.
2. A ‘clamp’ which is fitted near the electricity meter. This is wireless and transmits a signal to the iBoost when there is free energy.

You can only install a solar diverter if you have a hot water tank with an electric immersion heater. This will automatically check your solar system to see if any excess solar energy is being exported, and if so, it will be diverted into your tank to heat the water. This saves you money on heating water with costly electricity or gas, effectively providing you with free hot water.

This means you won't be exporting any excess power to the SEG scheme, your boiler won't have to work as hard, and you'll be able to buy minimal energy from your supplier.

What is the iBoost buddy?

The iBoost Buddy is an optional add-on to the solar heating system. It can allow you to track exactly how much you’re saving. The buddy also lets you know when the hot water is fully heated.

What does an iboost buddy do?

If your surplus solar power is heating your immersion and you turn on an appliance, the solar diverter will automatically prioritise the appliance, and stop heating your water. A buddy can let you know when to turn your appliances on and off.

The Buddy also lets you remotely control your solar panel immersion heater.

Does an iBoost work with a solar battery?

There are optional settings to hook up a solar PV water heating switch with a battery storage system. 

The iboost solar diverter is pre-set to kick in when excess energy exceeds 100W. You can change this up to 500W.

Set the option above the battery storage to prioritise battery charging or keep it at 100W for hot water as a first priority. 

Would I save more money with a solar immersion heater element?

If you’re worried about not exporting as much energy because it’s being redirected to PV to hot-water converters, don’t worry. Although the money you get paid for exporting your energy is helpful, using as much of the energy generated by your solar panels yourself will help you get a faster return on your investment. This is because the cost to buy energy is more than it is to sell it.

If you’re interested in seeing how much you’ve saved, there’s a clear display on the iBoost buddy, so you can keep track of your savings.