Electric water heating systems running on the grid are serious power guzzlers. On the other hand, installing a solar system that can support that kind of load is a costly business. To work optimally, solar systems depend on direct, cloud-free sun radiation. Urbanflo PV2Heat bridges the gap between full reliance on the grid vs expensive, full-off-grid solar systems that are not operational during adverse weather.
The USA-based startup has engineered this battery-less way to safely and easily use solar panels to power a household hot water boiler directly. This solar water heating unit is going up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo with the intention to scale up its manufacturing and fast scale safety certifications. The retail price of the unit is $1,250. The Indiegogo campaign starts on July 28 with an early bird price of $850. The first 500 customers can sign up for a prelaunch price of $750 before the crowdfunding campaign.
The Urbanflo PV2Heat is an off-grid solar inverter. Its purpose is to connect the solar panels directly to the hot water system without grid or battery dependence. The inverter can support up to a 2.75kW power input, which is directly supplied to the water heater, eliminating the need for a battery to convert raw solar power into usable energy. The PV2Heat does so by allowing the solar panels to capture sunlight and transfer the electrical energy without hindrance to the water heater.
In addition to saving the cost of expensive battery banks, the solar heating system also ensures hot water is available on days when there is inadequate sun, such as on cloudy or rainy days. The PV2Heat also accepts grid power as a backup to assist with water heating.
“When the sun is not shining, our system…integrates with the electricity grid to provide heating, ensuring a continuous supply of hot water,” Urbanflo informed. “Ensuring a reliable, convenient and safe hot water supply year-round for households,”.
Dramatically Reduces Cost
Generally, an off-grid solar system requires batteries to stabilize power. The Urbanflo PV2Heat sidesteps that additional cost by functioning as a central control unit that accepts direct current from the solar panels and safely transfers it to the heating element in the water boiler. The unit reduces the customers’ monthly energy bill while buffering them from the inconvenience caused by power interruptions (load shedding).
The Urbanflo PV2Heat inverter can save approximately 2 tons of CO2 per unit a year, the company notes. The campaign is currently focused on 10 million US households with existing solar systems. The PV2Heat further reduces their power demand on the grid, resulting in a carbon credit offset.
The PV2Heat Inverter
Urbanflo has eliminated the battery pack from the setup. It still requires a solar array of 5x 550W panels, mounting brackets, and solar cables. The system is compatible with a 40–50-gallon water heater. The protection devices are integrated into the PV2Heat unit, eliminating the component and installation cost.
The customer must take the full cost of the system into account. Households with existing solar setups are well aware of this scope and cost creep. With Urbanflo PV2Heat, everything is transparent and upfront.
Easy Controls and Safety
According to Urbanflo, the inverter features IoT sensors to record power generation from photovoltaic panels in real-time. This data is then correlated to the weather of the area to create a weather map, helping users to schedule their hot water requirements and optimize solar energy usage.
Users can easily monitor the system status, water temperature, and their energy savings on a dedicated app with a control panel to set preferences. The unit is outfitted with an inline fuse, overcurrent trip switch, surge protection, and two earth leak detectors for high-voltage DC safety. The PV2Heat itself is engineered to meet UL and IEC safety standards.
