Maximize your solar system’s efficiency with the Insele Solar Switch.
Solar Switch
Peak Solar Detection Switch for Solar System Management
Unlock the full potential of your solar system with the Insele Solar Switch. Unmanaged solar installations often miss out on utilizing available power. The Insele Solar Switch, paired with a timer, optimizes energy use by assigning loads during peak PV power times while monitoring solar availability. It detects sufficient solar power and activates the assigned load accordingly. Additionally, the switch includes an alternative input for utility power, automatically switching when solar power is insufficient.
Unmanaged solar installations often underutilize potential power. The Insele Solar Switch, paired with a timer, optimizes energy usage by scheduling loads during peak PV power times while continuously monitoring solar availability.
Easy Installation with Minimal Setup
The Insele Solar Switch is designed for easy installation on a standard DIN power rail within the DB board or a remote DB for pool and pump control. Setup is straightforward—once the switch and solar sensor are correctly installed, the system automatically connects inverter/solar power to the load, switching to an alternate source or shutting off when solar energy is insufficient. When solar power is adequate again, it reconnects.
Benefits of the Insele Solar Switch
- Optimizes solar energy usage
- Reduces electricity bills by using PV power for optional loads
- Provides automated solar control for convenience
- Versatile, suitable for managing various loads
Solar Switch Q&A
The Solar switch can control non-essential loads that are connected to any system.
The Solar Switch can control any non-essential load. The only limit is the current limit of 30A per unit.
There is no interface with the inverter. The Solar Switch controls the load as the last device before the load. The control is based on the availability of adequate solar energy.
The Solar Switch can control more than one load as long as the loads remain in the current limit range and as long as the loads do not overload the inverter system. This will assume that the loads should be operating at the same time.
It is not practical to place the timer after the Solar Switch as the timer requires power to keep time and even the timers with battery backup require power to keep the internal battery charged and are not designed to operate for extended periods without power.
It is possible to replace the pool timer with the Solar Switch. This will just result in the pool pump starting once the sun is providing adequate energy. The only potential issue could be that the Solar System batteries may not be fully charged by the time the pool switches on and this will cause the batteries to take longer to charge.
The Solar Switch prevents the designated load from running when there is insufficient solar power, so the load will not be running when the solar panels are not generating power.
There is no programming required on the Solar Switch.
Only the OVERRIDE timer duration needs to be set to the required run time. Typical run times are 24/30/60/120 minutes.
The non-essential output disconnects the loads typically when there is inadequate power generated on the solar panels. The reason for this is to protect the batteries from accelerated discharge and keep the essential loads powered. The problem is that this output is disabled when the grid (Eskom) power is out resulting in the load not running even if there is full sunlight and ample power being generated by the solar system.
The Solar Switch provides the best solution in this regard as it keeps the non-essential loads powered while there is adequate solar energy, independent of the grid status, but absolutely aligned to the solar power generation.
The Solar Switch is supplied with a special small Solar Panel (PV Cell) that is configured to function and react in a very similar manner to the solar panels (PV) on your roof. When the environment causes reduced production from the Cells, then the Solar Switch will stop the Non-Essential loads while the energy potential is low.
No. The Solar Switch was developed to offer a simple and autonomous control based on the typical application and parameters of a “normal” installation.
The Solar Switch brings several advantages:
- Protect the batteries in the solar/inverter system from being drained excessively and reducing the lifecycle of the batteries.
- Reduce the demand from the system for the use of Grid (ESKOM) power
- Run loads only when there is good solar energy available
- Fully autonomous.
The Solar Switch can be installed by any competent person who is able to safely install such devices into the electricity circuit. The person should understand electrical standards and conventions and ensure that the installation is compliant with these standards.
Any size of solar system can use the Solar Switch, but most applications tend to favour systems that are approximately 5kVA and larger.
The maximum current rating for the Solar Switch is 30A. If the load is larger than this, and the solar system supplying the power is adequately large to supply this large current then a contactor can be introduced to manage the higher powered devices.
The Solar Switch cannot directly control a 3-phase device, but it can be used to control a 3-phase contactor which will control the 3-phase device.
The Solar Switch is perfectly suited to well-control any single phase devices.
It is vital that the sensor has adequate and unobstructed visibility of the sky to prevent accidental shading and poor performance of the load being controlled. The signal cable from the sensor to the Solar Switch can be extended up to 40m with very little impact on performance. The important factor to consider is that a reasonable, low resistance cable needs to be used. (1-2mm ripcord is typically adequate)
The Solar Switch sensor does not have to be located on the roof or “next to” the solar panels on the roof, but simply requires an unobstructed view of the sky.
The Solar Switch Sensor can be installed on any fixed structure (Pole, wall, fence, roof, etc) where is it stable, it has an adequate view of the sky and in reasonable proximity to the Solar Switch.
The Solar Switch can control any AC device within the parameters of the current and power limits. These are loads that can run during the day and are not a sever impact if they are disabled when the solar energy is low.
- Pool Pumps
- Borehole pumps
- Geysers
- Heat Pumps
- Irrigation Pumps
- Air-conditioner
- etc
The amount of saving on the electricity consumption is dependent on the load and how the load is used and where the load has been connected before the installation of the Solar Switch. An example of potential saving is a pool pump of 1kW that is grid tied (running exclusively on the grid). Based on a pool running for 4-6 hours per day the potential saving is in excess of R500 per month.
If the loads are already connected to the solar system then there is a high risk of the batteries being depleted very quickly if there is a power outage and overcast situation. This increases the battery cycles and reduces the battery life. By preventing this unnecessary battery cycling the life of the batteries is extended and the high cost of battery replacement deferred.