Neuton Solar Power Diverter User Guide
Overview
Congratulations on purchasing the Neuton Solar Power Diverter. You are moving towards maximising
the potential of your solar PV system. Please read through this guide to familiarise yourself with the
function and operation of your Solar Power Diverter.
How Does it Work?
During daylight hours when your solar PV system is producing power, your household appliances
operating at the time are consuming that power. Sometimes the power produced by your solar PV
system will be greater than the power consumed by your appliances. At this point, the excess power
is fed via the export meter to the grid, earning credits from your electricity retailer per unit exported.
Generally, this is a lot less than the amount you pay the retailer for a unit of electricity you buy from
them.
The Neuton Solar Power Diverter measures the level of export, as well as your hot water temperature,
and feeds that power into your hot water cylinder. As the power fed to your cylinder element matches
the level of export, i.e. if you have 1kW of export 1kW will be supplied to your cylinder, this has a
number of benefits for you:
•
Your export to the grid will be minimised.
•
The effectiveness of your solar PV system will be maximised, by using more of the power you
generate within your property.
•
Therefore you draw less power from the grid, reducing your bill.
•
The heating of your cylinder is managed in a more effective & intelligent way.
Take a look at the diagram below. It explains what happens to the power you generate from your
solar PV system, during daylight hours, after installing the Neuton Solar Power Diverter.
PV System Power Generation
Daily Consumption Profile
This represents the excess
power now supplied to your
hot water cylinder, instead of
being exported to the grid.
Operating Your Solar Power Diverter
Your Neuton Solar Power Diverter is designed to operate automatically. No user operation of the
Power Diverter is required, except from changing the operation mode via the 3-way rotary switch.
Below is a description of the display, and the rotary switch.
The Display
The display is segmented into a number of fields, informing you of the current and daily status of the
power supplied to the cylinder, and exported to the grid.
System Status Messages
•
Solar to Hot Water: Solar Power is being diverted to the cylinder.
•
Solar to Hot Water and Grid: There is enough solar power generated to power the cylinder at the
maximum rating, and also for export.
•
Hot Water at Max: The cylinder has reached the maximum temperature allowed by the Power
Diverter.
•
No Excess Solar: There isn’t any solar power available for the cylinder.
•
Hot Water to Health Minimum: The cylinder hasn’t reached anti-legionnaires requirements in 72
hours, and so full cylinder power will be used to reach the required temperature.
•
Hot Water Top Up from Grid: Both solar and grid power are being used to power the cylinder
(cylinder is below Power Diverter Minimum temperature or topping up to Health Minimum).
Operating Parameters
There are a number of simple rules that control how your Neuton Solar Power Diverter functions:
•
Minimum Temperature: 40 deg. C. If the cylinder falls below this temperature, the Power
Diverter will feed power to the cylinder at the full rating until this temperature is reached. At this
temperature, normal operation will resume.
•
Maximum Temperature: 72 deg. C. If the cylinder reaches this temperature, the Power Diverter
ceases to heat the cylinder. Any excess solar power not used elsewhere in the property will be
exported to the grid. Note that the cylinder cannot be heated any higher than the thermostat
control for the heating element, e.g. if this is set to 65 Deg. C, this will be maximum attainable by
the cylinder.
•
Anti-Legionnaires (Min Health): If the cylinder has not reached 60 deg. C. in a 72 hour period, the
Power Diverter will heat the cylinder until this temperature is reached.
The Rotary Switch
Operation of the rotary switch determines the mode of the Neuton Solar Power Diverter, and how
your cylinder is heated. For normal operation, leave the switch set to Auto.
Auto: The Power Diverter will control the power to your cylinder.
This should be the default position
Off: No power from the grid or PV system will supply your
cylinder. The cylinder will not be heated.
Manual: The Power Diverter is bypassed. Your cylinder will be heated directly from the grid. Select
this option if you wish to boost your cylinder temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If there is excess generation of say 1kW then will the diverter supply only 1kW of power to the hot
water cylinder, or will it just turn the hot water element circuit on fully and draw (for a 3kW element)
2kW from the grid and the other 1kW from the excess from the PV system?
A: The Power Diverter will supply the excess generation only, so if there is 1kW of export the Solar
Power Diverter will supply 1kW to the heating element. No additional grid power will be supplied
during solar generation periods, unless the temperature falls below the Power Diverter’s minimum
temperature.
Q: How does the Power Diverter meet the Anti-Legionella requirements?
A: If the cylinder temperature has not reached 60 deg. C within 72 hours, the Power Diverter heats
the cylinder to 60 deg. C.
Q: Does the unit have a boost override function, where the cylinder can be heated by full grid power
when required, e.g. if guests are staying and more hot water than usual is required?
A: Turning the rotary switch supplied with the Power Diverter to Man (Manual) heats the cylinder at
full grid power.
Q: What happens if there has not been enough solar power to heat the cylinder during the day, e.g.
on cloudy days in winter?
A: A temperature probe is installed in the hot water cylinder. If the temperature falls below 40 deg. C
at the base of the cylinder, then the Power Diverter will heat the cylinder using grid power. As soon as
40 deg. C. is reached, normal operation resumes.
Q: Is 40 deg C hot enough?
A: 40 deg C. is hot enough for showering and general cleaning purposes. Also, the way hot water
cylinders work results in the temperature in the top of the cylinder being hotter that at the base,
where the temperature probe is installed.
Q: What is the maximum power supply rating?
A: The Power Diverter is designed to work with 3kW cylinder elements. It is not recommended to use
with elements of greater capacity.
Q: Can the Power Diverter work in multiple cylinder situations?
A: The recommended solution is for one Power Diverter and one cylinder per phase.
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