SolarHotty

by Frank Pretorius
(Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK)

SolarHotty

The Electric Water Heater represents one of the largest sources of residential electricity consumption, due to being powered exclusively from the grid. Although solar heating solutions are growing in popularity, the cost of installation and maintenance puts these systems out of reach of many home owners.


The SolarHotty aims to change the way the world heats water and stores energy. It is an extremely cost-effective and intelligent electronic device that facilitates the use of Photovoltaic generated Direct Current (DC) with any electrically resistive element and existing AC thermostat and does so without the need for costly inverters or battery systems, requiring no change in the existing hot water cylinder.

The SolarHotty’s intelligence comes in when DC (solar) power becomes insufficient and the unit switches over to AC (grid) power ensuring you always have hot water. It’s a peak saving device for your hot water tank and effectively turns it into a solar battery where the energy generated is stored for later use as hot water.

What this means in simple terms is that DC power from solar panels can be used to directly power the element that you find in your existing hot water tank, effectively converting your 50, 100, or 200 litre hot water tank into a hybrid green heater.