A Frequently Asked Question:
Can Solar Panels Produce Free Electricity and Heat Water?
Elite Energies double sided glass solar panels produce electricity at no ongoing cost once they are installed.
The electricity they generate does not incur any additional cost per unit of power produced. The free electricity produced by solar panels is in the form of direct current (DC). This DC electricity is then converted to alternating current (AC), which is the type of electricity used in residential and commercial buildings. This conversion is necessary because AC electricity is more efficient for transmitting over long distances.
The process involves solar panels converting daylight into DC electricity through the photovoltaic process. An inverter then converts this DC electricity into AC electricity, making it usable for household appliances and for feeding into the grid.
With solar panels, the actual electricity they produce, after installation, does not cost anything per unit generated.
So, Can You Heat Water With Solar Panels?
You can heat your hot water cylinder by incorporating a Hot Water Diverter into your solar PV system.
Over Supply:
In almost every case, installing Elite Energies solar panels results in producing excess free electricity. After fulfilling the energy needs of your home—such as powering appliances like kettles, fridges, and lights—and if your setup includes a solar battery, any remaining free electricity would typically be sent back to the grid. However, we aim to prevent this from happening.
Do Solar Panels Heat Water? The Bath Sink Switch:
Generally, near your boiler, you’ll typically find a switch that’s traditionally used to heat water in the immersion heater. We will remove this switch and replace it with a power diverter using its existing mains cable from your fuse-board.
The Eddi Power Diverter:
An eddi power diverter is a device designed to enhance the use of electricity generated from our solar panels in your home. The system works by monitoring the electricity generated by solar panels that is not immediately used within the home. Instead of sending this excess power back to the grid, the eddi diverts it to other uses within the home, such as heating water.
The primary function of the Eddi is to maximise the self-consumption of solar power, which can help reduce energy bills and increase the efficiency of a home’s energy system.
The Harvi & CT Clamp:
When grid electricity comes into the home it travels from south to north via your mains cable.
We will place a CT clamp on this cable.
It functions by being clamped around it without needing to make physical contact or disconnect the conductor. This is an excellent tool for safely and conveniently measuring electrical currents in live wires.
Grid Electricity
When electricity enters the home through the grid, it flows from south to north, causing the magnetic field in the CT clamp to rotate clockwise. Conversely, when the free electricity generated by your solar system is sent back to the grid, it travels from north to south, and the magnetic field in the CT clamp rotates counterclockwise.
This counterclockwise movement signals the Harvi transmitter to send a command to the eddi power diverter. The diverter then checks the temperature of the water in your hot water cylinder. If the temperature is below 65 degrees, it directs a surge of electricity generated from your solar panels to the immersion heater, efficiently heating your water back up to 65 degrees.
Only now, when all of your homes energy needs have been satisfied, will electricity be sent back to the grid resulting in payment to you from your chosen provider.
So then, can solar panels produce free electricity and heat water? Yes they can!
If you have any questions about us, our products, or services, please feel free to get in touch.