FAQs
Questions & Answers
The my-PV screw-in heating element (3 kW / 9 kW) does not emit heat despite proper installation and control of the AC•THOR / AC•THOR 9s?
Possibility
The simplest reason could be that the target temperature has already been reached. The green checkmark on the display in the top right corner is lit permanently.
Good to know
NOTE: From firmware version a0020806, this symbol has been slightly adjusted for better differentiation from the "Standby" status. The "Heating completed" status is now represented in this way. This applies to both the AC•THOR display and the web interface.
When using the my-PV temperature sensor, the set maximum temperature is considered the maximum value at the sensor.
Additionally, it could be that the thermostat has already turned off the heating element because the target temperature set on the dial has been reached. In this case, the AC•THOR is disconnected from the load; the details on the AC•THOR show "Load none," and on the AC•THOR 9s, each of the three load outputs shows the information "0."
Thermostat Knob on the Screw-in Heater
Detailed information about the load on the AC•THOR
Detailed information about the load on the AC•THOR
2nd Possibility
The safety temperature limiter (STB) has been triggered. In that case, consider the following:
Electric heating element was not in operation:
The STB was triggered by storage temperatures below -12 °C or by vibrations during transport. Bring the sensor temperature to 20 °C and then unlock the safety temperature limiter.
Electric heating element was already in operation:
The cause of the safety temperature limiter tripping could be damage to the electric heating element or thermostat. Reset the safety temperature limiter only after the cause of the issue has been clearly identified.
Good to know
TIP: In practice, the STB is often triggered by other heat sources such as solar thermal systems, wood-burning heaters, or cogeneration units. Avoid excessively high temperatures at the immersion heater!
To unlock the safety temperature limiter, remove the cover cap with a screwdriver and press the button underneath.
The cover cap of the STB reset button
Good to know
TIP: You can also perform a simple functional check of the AC•THOR with another purely resistive load or resistive heat generator. Even a simple kettle is suitable for this purpose!
Issue not resolved? Here's what to do next...
Please contact support@my-pv.com. We will get back to you shortly.
ELWA is not only much easier, but also much cheaper than solar thermal systems. This applies both in a single-family home and in apartment buildings. The advantages over solar thermal are multifarious:
Due to the elimination of the pipes you can save up to 90% valueable copper
No cost-intensive components like pumps, valves, expansion tanks, frost protection mixtures, insulations,...
Photovoltaic heating even works with low solar irradiance
No lossy start-up procedures (clocking, loop warm-up)
Maintenance-free (frost protection)
No material fatigue during system downtime
Efficiency independent from system temperature
More efficient at lower ambient temperatures
Nearly loss-free energy transmission from the roof to the boiler
Mounting in the boiler/tank quickly and not complicated, even when tank is filled
Nearly no internal consumption (2W)
Grid feed-in of the energy surplus instead of stagnation (with AC ELWA and AC ELWA 2)
Cost development and technical development of photovoltaics are rapid
ELWAs can be used decentrally, thereby no distribution losses in multi-family houses.
The solar energy is converted into heat right where it is needed!
Solar thermal energy is often said to have an efficiency of 80 percent. However, this is only a snapshot taken at the collector test bench (without any heat release), that means: the value has no practical relevance!
It is much more objective to compare the annual energy yields of both technologies. Well-functioning solar thermal systems with flat-plate collectors supply about 350 kWh of heat per square meter per year. A photovoltaic system with the same area earns about 200 kWh per square meter. In between there is a factor of 1.7. That means, for a typical hot water system you need 6 square meters of thermal collectors, or 10 square meters of photovoltaic modules. But this only matters if there is not enough space on the roof, because the sun is shining for free and there is no direct correlation between cost and efficiency.
Incidentally, the area factor for solar thermal energy was still 2 in 2015, another indication of how fast the technology is evolving.
Want more information?
Not found what you need yet? Find out more in our Downloads section with instructions, product data sheets, images and technical information.
Want more information?
Not found what you need yet? Find out more in our Info Center with instructions, product data sheets, images, etc.
See all DownloadsVisit our Youtube Channel
Past webinars and exciting videos about our products and projects can be found on our Youtube channel.
Visit our Channel