Solar iboost installation

A question about : Solar iboost installation

I have recently had a 2.65KW solar PV system installed and am considering a solar iboost water heater. My current immersion heater is 3kw. At the moment I am generating approx 2-3KW a day and exporting most of it as no one is in the property during the day. I have periodically checked the power out put from the panels and they are generating up to 1.3kw at a time in the day.

Do I need to change my immersion heater to 1kw or will the 3kw one do. I don't really understand how it works. Could someone kindly explain for me please. Thanks

Best answers:

• So in laymans term, the 1kw or so surplus I have will still cause the 3kw immersion heater to heat albeit at a lower wattage?
  Thanks for your reply
• Today, I generated around 6kWh and the iBoost grabbed 2 kWh. I am not sure about the payback period but installers appears to be throwing them into deals. Must be reasonably cheap for solar installers.
• My installer wanted Ј530 to supply and install. I've bought one off e-bay for Ј210
  Just checked my inverter and I have generated 5.677kwh today
• I think that I might install an "export light" outside of the airing cupboard to indicate when generating is exceeding normal usage.
• You might well do better. I've never actually checked my iboost usage display until this thread reminded me. In the 16 months since installation I've sent 1374 kwh to the immersion. I'm single and use an electric shower so my hot water usage isn't great and most of the time during the summer months I was exporting a great deal once the tank was up to temperature. For more than 6 months I haven't used any gas at all (electric cooking) and in the shoulder periods either side still got some benefit.
  This summer it was all change again as I had a wood-burner installed, and so far this winter haven't had the central heating on at all. Since the beginning of September I've used [goes and checks as I'm interested now..] 16 units or about 180 kwh of gas for hot water: I do like a hot bath occasionally after playing football!