SCR voltage regulator instead of new heating element

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Hi all,

I have a 4.5kw pv array and want to load dump more efficiently into my hot water system (its element is 3600w). Currently it is controlled by a boring old timer, based on when I'm usually not home and PV output is usually best.

My solar controller is min/max W threshold relay capable and I don't want to change the heating element in the hot water system for a few reasons.

Can anyone see any problems with using a SCR voltage regulator to control the power going to the regulator?

This way when the weather is good (I usually get consistent weather patterns), I can run it near full capacity, say 3kw and have the hot water system heat up quicker.

Then on days when weather is poor or I am running larger loads and am home I can turn it down to say 1.5kw, then I am not buying as much off the grid... Until I get more batteries (currently just run some fridges with ATS and a 2.3kwh lifepo4)

Cheers for reading!

These are the regulators. Which I have on hand (I use them for home brewing for spreading out heating over multiple elements on separate circuits, to prevent scorching of the beer, for those interested )
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CB8AAOSwXE5fl3gv/s-l1600.jpg

 

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Anyone able to help,
Or I'll just connect up my element, voltage regulator and clamp meter up to my inverter and hope for the best ?

 

[K W]

Those are triac based circuits, designed for AC. An SCR or triac stays on, once it's been turned ON, until the current through it drops to zero, or close to zero. That's fine AC to reducing power consumption, as with a triac based light dimmer where the current goes through zero 100 or 120 times a second, but not for a DC system since the current will flow till the solar panels stop producing or your heating element burns out.

 

[efficientPV]

I've been thinking of a circuit that monitors panel voltage to determine battery charge level and available extra energy to control how much power goes into a water heater using phase triggering as in one of these dimmer controls. Might as well make it all automatic.

 

[brewmatic]

It's an AC only phase-angle controller. If your heater runs from AC then yes, you can use it. If you have a DC heater I'd use a proper mosfet/heatsink with a simple PWM generator (plenty of PWM generators available on aliexpress for just a few bucks)