Solar iboost system - being charged for 'free' hot water

silverwhistle

I have an iBoost and solar and it's been very effective over 10 plus years. Occasionally I press the boost button late at night after my cheap rate electricity kicks in and you get 15 minutes of boost for each press of the button.

Could that button be stuck or miswired somehow?

Edit: is the battery in the sender by the meter ok, (which is a less likely issue)?

Heedtheadvice

OK,let's do some troubleshooting ...simple steps...

For starters:

Reasonable assumption the electrician checked properly ...

But why not double  check...

Is the current clamp on the correct wire  -the live feed from the grid to the Consumer unit - and correctly orientated? See p5 of the user manual link above.

If that is OK more steps to follow...

Reggieboy2025

The clamp is on the live feed between the meter and the consumer unit with the meter arrow pointing towards the meter

Reggieboy2025

silverwhistle said:

I have an iBoost and solar and it's been very effective over 10 plus years. Occasionally I press the boost button late at night after my cheap rate electricity kicks in and you get 15 minutes of boost for each press of the button.

Could that button be stuck or miswired somehow?

Edit: is the battery in the sender by the meter ok, (which is a less likely issue)?

Boost is never used and new batteries have been installed

Heedtheadvice

OK that's good.

What does the display Indicate when solar is being generated ? Normal operation section in the manual.

Secondly can you scroll through the Display menu to display the program settings  and confirm it is actually off?  Display Setting on page 14 and if not showing  'Off' set it to that mode via button A.

That will give us more info on how the iBoost is working and confirm your 'no boosting ' intention.

Reggieboy2025

Heedtheadvice said:

OK that's good.

What does the display Indicate when solar is being generated ? Normal operation section in the manual.

Secondly can you scroll through the Display menu to display the program settings  and confirm it is actually off?  Display Setting on page 14 and if not showing  'Off' set it to that mode via button A.

That will give us more info on how the iBoost is working and confirm your 'no boosting ' intention.

Hi,
Iboost unit displays heating by solar , always starts off low Kwatt usage then gradually creeps up to 3kwatt ish, wether the inverter is displaying 500watts or 3.2kwatts.
Boost is off toggled through the settings  the other day

Many thanks again

Heedtheadvice

Ok.

Roughly how long does that increase take?

Do you have any other means to confirm that the display is representing actuality ( or giving you a false reading!) such as from the grid meter?

Suggest now the basic tests from the manual. You could ignore test 2 as that is probably just going to show the problem you have but no harm to confirm that it starts at a power just less than the solar generation level.

Copied to here:

These tests are designed to verify that only excess generation is used by the Solar
iBoost+. Installers must check that increased energy consumption in the home results
in less energy being supplied into the immersion heater. This is indicated in the ‘Heating
by Solar’ display. The availability of high energy appliances (e.g. kettle, electric showers
etc.) are useful during these tests.
 Before testing, if “Tank Hot” displays, run off some hot water.
 Perform tests 1, 2 and 4. When there is no PV generation, perform tests 3 and 4 .
Test 1
When sufficient excess generation is available and “Heating by Solar” is displayed,
check that the Solar iBoost+ stops diverting energy when the PV system is off.
 Shutdown the PV array and the display changes to “Water Heating OFF.”
 Reinstate the PV array.
Test 2
When the PV generation is above 100W, check that switching off appliances in the
home results in greater energy diversion by the Solar iBoost+ unit.
 Shut down all the MCB’s / Fuses except for the PV and immersion.
 Check the level of PV generation on the inverter.
 The “Heating by Solar” level should be approximately 100W less than generation.
 Reinstate MCB’s / Fuses.
NB. If no reading is possible from the inverter a reduction in “Heating by Solar”
value or “Water Heating OFF” should be seen after the MCB’s / Fuses have been
reinstated, switch on a high energy appliance if necessary.
Test 3
At times when no PV generation is available (e.g. commissioning after dark) test the
installation by simulating export energy, achieved by reversing the orientation of the
Measurement Clamp.
 Shut down the PV array
 Reverse the orientation of the measurement clamp (consumption in the home is then
measured as export energy)
 Switch on a kettle or high energy device
 Whilst the kettle is on “Heating by Solar” is displayed and Solar iBoost+ function is
proved.
IMPORTANT! Return the clamp to its correct operating position and reinstate the
PV array.

Test 4....try the boost  action ( just so there is more info about functionality.

It would be useful to do test 3 with something like a 1-2kW heater ( of known power consumption! and eith little else in the house powered) as that could then show you the simulated 'excess' ramping up like with the solar excess problem you have or steady at approx the test piwer consumption level.

 During this test (3) it could be good to unclamp the CT ( measurement clamp ) leave it off the live wire, close the clamp and hold it away from the mains and note the result of that....before replacing it correctly as per the test. The iboost should cease powering the immersion heater at this time as it should not be measuring any excess.

Heedtheadvice

( We/I assume you do not have batteries, 

and also there were a couple of other posters who did not getting their questions answered and the request for photos....) plus who did the installation?

Reggieboy2025

Hi

I don't have any batteries installed

Many thanks

Reggieboy2025

Heedtheadvice said:

Ok.

Roughly how long does that increase take?

Do you have any other means to confirm that the display is representing actuality ( or giving you a false reading!) such as from the grid meter?

Suggest now the basic tests from the manual. You could ignore test 2 as that is probably just going to show the problem you have but no harm to confirm that it starts at a power just less than the solar generation level.

Copied to here:

These tests are designed to verify that only excess generation is used by the Solar
iBoost+. Installers must check that increased energy consumption in the home results
in less energy being supplied into the immersion heater. This is indicated in the ‘Heating
by Solar’ display. The availability of high energy appliances (e.g. kettle, electric showers
etc.) are useful during these tests.
 Before testing, if “Tank Hot” displays, run off some hot water.
 Perform tests 1, 2 and 4. When there is no PV generation, perform tests 3 and 4 .
Test 1
When sufficient excess generation is available and “Heating by Solar” is displayed,
check that the Solar iBoost+ stops diverting energy when the PV system is off.
 Shutdown the PV array and the display changes to “Water Heating OFF.”
 Reinstate the PV array.
Test 2
When the PV generation is above 100W, check that switching off appliances in the
home results in greater energy diversion by the Solar iBoost+ unit.
 Shut down all the MCB’s / Fuses except for the PV and immersion.
 Check the level of PV generation on the inverter.
 The “Heating by Solar” level should be approximately 100W less than generation.
 Reinstate MCB’s / Fuses.
NB. If no reading is possible from the inverter a reduction in “Heating by Solar”
value or “Water Heating OFF” should be seen after the MCB’s / Fuses have been
reinstated, switch on a high energy appliance if necessary.
Test 3
At times when no PV generation is available (e.g. commissioning after dark) test the
installation by simulating export energy, achieved by reversing the orientation of the
Measurement Clamp.
 Shut down the PV array
 Reverse the orientation of the measurement clamp (consumption in the home is then
measured as export energy)
 Switch on a kettle or high energy device
 Whilst the kettle is on “Heating by Solar” is displayed and Solar iBoost+ function is
proved.
IMPORTANT! Return the clamp to its correct operating position and reinstate the
PV array.

Test 4....try the boost  action ( just so there is more info about functionality.

It would be useful to do test 3 with something like a 1-2kW heater ( of known power consumption! and eith little else in the house powered) as that could then show you the simulated 'excess' ramping up like with the solar excess problem you have or steady at approx the test piwer consumption level.

 During this test (3) it could be good to unclamp the CT ( measurement clamp ) leave it off the live wire, close the clamp and hold it away from the mains and note the result of that....before replacing it correctly as per the test. The iboost should cease powering the immersion heater at this time as it should not be measuring any excess.

When I tried to reverse the direction of the clamp on the live cable the iboost doesn't function at all