Four photovoltaic modules are connected to inputs PV1 to PV4 of the switching device. A solar water heater is connected to Out1 and an 800 W balcony power inverter is connected to Out2 and Out3.
Switching device (energy manager)
Excess solar power from the solar boiler or solar heating element can be fed into your home's electrical grid using the switching device. Reduce your electricity costs with 800 W grid feed-in via a balcony power inverter.
Advantages at a glance:
Intelligent use of excess power: Excess photovoltaic electricity that is not needed to heat the water can be fed into the home network using an 800 W balcony power plant inverter.
Reduce electricity costs: Approximately 300 kWh to 500 kWh of electricity can be saved annually in the household through surplus feed-in.
2,000 W balcony power plant: Utilize the power of up to 4 photovoltaic modules or 2,000 Wp of photovoltaic output. Because a maximum of 800 W is fed into the grid via the inverter, the entire system still functions as a balcony power plant.
How is the connection made?
Connecting photovoltaic modules: Up to 4 photovoltaic modules can be connected directly to the solar inputs PV1 to PV4 (green). An extension cable is usually required between the photovoltaic module and the switching device.
Connection of solar boiler or solar heating element: The electrical consumers (solar boiler, solar heating element) are connected to output Out1 (blue).
Connection of 800 Watt inverter : The micro-PV inverter is plugged directly into the outputs Out2 and Out3 (blue) of the switching device.
Installation : The switching device is mounted to the wall using four screws.
Product description
The fothermo switching device is the solution for using excess electricity from the boiler in your own home network. Especially in the summer months, it often happens that the photovoltaic boiler is already completely heated up in the morning hours.
If the photovoltaic output is already high in the morning, the switching device assumes that the boiler will be fully heated up during the day. Therefore, the switching device switches individual PV modules to the connected micro PV inverter in the morning, so that electricity is fed into the house network throughout the day. This largely covers the basic load of the house.
As soon as the boiler has completely heated up, all connected photovoltaic modules are switched to the micro PV inverter.
The switching device always prioritizes the photovoltaic boiler before surpluses are fed into the house network, thus ensuring maximum efficiency of the entire photovoltaic system.
Connection example for switching device
Information to download
Technical specifications
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plug & play
1 - 4 photovoltaic modules can be connected to the switching device. The orientation of the photovoltaic modules does not matter. The maximum power per photovoltaic module is 500 W.
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Dimensions
7" x 3" x 1.6"
Connection plan - boiler
The energy is primarily fed into the photovoltaic boiler via the fothermo switching device.
The switching device detects when the boiler has finished heating or when more photovoltaic power is available than the boiler can convert into heat. In these cases, excess energy is fed into the house network.
On particularly sunny days, the switching device starts feeding in partial surplus power from 1 - 2 modules early in the morning. This ensures that the house's basic electrical load is covered in the morning hours.
This means you save not only on hot water costs but also on electricity costs.
Connection plan - heating element
In this system, too, the photovoltaic energy is primarily consumed in the heating element.
As soon as more solar power is available than the heating element can convert into heat, excess energy is fed into the home's own network.
Connection plan - storage tank
In this example, excess photovoltaic power is fed into the house grid via a 600 W / 800 W micro PV inverter. The fothermo switching device is required as an energy manager for this.
The switching device detects when the storage tank is fully heated or when more photovoltaic power is available than the storage tank can convert into heat. In these cases, excess energy is fed into the house network.
This means you save on electricity costs as well as hot water costs. This is a huge advantage over solar thermal energy. No energy is lost.
Hot water sets with 800 mains feed-in
More information about photovoltaic heating elements
Explanatory video: The simplest option for a 2,000 W balcony power plant to reduce hot water and electricity costs. The fothermo switching device!
600 W / 800 W - compatible micro PV inverters
The switching device was developed to be compatible with as many micro PV inverters as possible. You can use both 300W and 400W as well as 600W and 800W micro PV inverters. Before connecting the inverter, make sure that it has a voltage range of less than 60V . These are all inverters to which 1 or 2 photovoltaic modules can be individually connected to the inverter. Below is a list of compatible inverter brands:
- AE conversion
- Hoymiles
- Envertech
- Deye
- ...
With incompatible inverters, the input voltage of the photovoltaic modules is significantly higher than 65 V. This is because the photovoltaic modules are connected in series to an inverter input. Typically the voltage range is 100 V to around 400 V. GROWATT brand inverters, for example, are not compatible with the fothermo switching device.
Display of the switching device
Display: The display of the switching device shows the status of all connected electrical devices. The following values are displayed:
- Voltage of the photovoltaic modules
- Activity of individual consumers
- Power of active consumers
- Number of connected photovoltaic modules per consumer
