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How It Works
LoadMaster XP
A Smart PV MPPT Solar Hot Water Controller
Solar heating of domestic hot water has traditionally been achieved using ‘Solar Thermal’ technologies (Flat plate panels or evacuated tube collectors). Whilst Solar thermal is more space efficient than Photo-voltaic (PV) in terms of the captured energy per unit area, it typically has high installation costs, is less effective during cold weather or overcast skies, has a shorter life span, and can present several ongoing maintenance challenges and costs (mechanical pumps, antifreeze & corrosion chemicals, leaks, positioning in roof space and routing of pipework etc). Where a larger solar collection area is available (rarely a limitation in the majority of installations), then the use of PV panels now offers a more cost effective, near zero maintenance and better performing ‘solid state’ alternative approach to solar water heating. The rapid and continued decline in PV panel costs has been instrumental in making PV hot water an attractive and economically viable approach. Loadmaster is designed to sit between an array of PV panels and a conventional electric immersion heater and is designed to moderate the load impedance of the heating element to maximise the collection efficiency of PV electrical energy regardless of the sky conditions.
LoadMaster XP
A Smart PV MPPT Solar Hot Water Controller
PV systems are also more versatile than solar thermal ones, any excess electrical energy may easily be used for a variety of other purposes. Loadmaster includes an optional second output allowing excess solar energy to be diverted to electric baseboard heaters (cheap) and used for space heating once the water has reached its maximum temperature.
The loadmaster hot water controller has been around on the Arduino forums for quite some time. It has up to now however only been available to people with the correct skills to build it themselves.
IIP disruptive now offers this exciting product in an enhanced form. Having tested it extensively we are proud to offer complete pc boards or a ready to install product.