Shelly for Immersion Heater?

[MarxWood]

Hi.

I'm property maintenance for a landlord, and they'd like me to research their hot water immersion heater and whether it can be remotely controlled via their consumer unit (pictured).

EDIT: the property is a short stay air B&B holiday home.

I've found a Shelly 16amp, which is what most immersion heaters seem to be rated at, but I've read that these Shelly controllers don't last long on high-draw appliances, and that something needs to be added to stop that happening. This is the one I'm looking at...

Shelly Pro 1PM

The Shelly Pro 1PM is a single-phase, single-channel relay supporting up to 16A with power monitoring. Equipped with an integrated power meter, Shelly Pro 1PM allows you to measure the precise power consumption of all automated lights or heavier appliances. Shelly Pro 1PM has scripting...

tinyurl.com

Does anyone have any experience of installing and using these Shelly devices?

 

[Murdochcat]

Why does the landlord want to have remote control on a flat they let out?

 

[blup]

Reviews can be misleading, it seems cheap enough to give a try. But can a landlord randomly control the supply of hot water to a tenant. He is effectively cutting off the electric supply for periods of time

 

[MarxWood]

Why does the landlord want to have remote control on a flat they let out?

To remotely control the immersion heater.

 

[MarxWood]

Reviews can be misleading, it seems cheap enough to give a try. But can a landlord randomly control the supply of hot water to a tenant. He is effectively cutting off the electric supply for periods of time

It has nothing to do with how the tenant uses the heating whilst they are staying there.

There are times where the property is empty, and before one tenant leaves, (it's a holiday home for mostly short stay air B&B guests) they often leave the boost function on. Landlord doesn't realise until it's too late, and it's now eating into their profits.

 

[HERTS P&D]

That's not the type of landlord that I would work for!

Andy

 

[MarxWood]

That's not the type of landlord that I would work for!

Andy

Can you say some more? Essentially they are running an air B & B business, so it seems entirely reasonable to manage energy consumption when the property is empty.

 

[MarxWood]

It seems like a lot of assumptions are being made about my inquiry.

It's a very simple matter of finding a way to manage the immersion heater when the property is vacant. It's not a moral issue.

The property is a short stay airB&B.

 

[hllns]

You could use a bog standard smart relay to drive a contactor which then switches the load, it'll need a little wiring and some kind of enclosure though.

 

[blup]

It has nothing to do with how the tenant uses the heating whilst they are staying there.

There are times where the property is empty, and before one tenant leaves, (it's a holiday home for mostly short stay air B&B guests) they often leave the boost function on. Landlord doesn't realise until it's too late, and it's now eating into their profits.

Timeguard do a timed switch (2 hours in 30 minute segments and 1 hour in 15 mimnute segements iirc). That should solve the problem you describe, easy to swap over from the usual switch. I have had one in for ten years on an immersion heater without problem.

 

[EFLImpudence]

they often leave the boost function on.

It will be nothing to do with the boost function.

 

[MarxWood]

It will be nothing to do with the boost function.

I'm listening?

Could you explain more?

 

[jj4091]

It seems a reasonable concern and has been raised before about Air b & b's. There seems to be plenty of options available https://www.google.com/search?q=sma...iLAxgNGB6YAwCSBwQxOC40oAe8wQE&sclient=gws-wiz

 

[EFLImpudence]

I'm listening?

Could you explain more?

Well - the boost function (usually) just turns on the immersion for two hours regardless of the timer settings.

So nothing to do with vacating the property and leaving the immersion on permanently.

 

[ericmark]

Boost function can either override the immersion heater timer for a set time, allowing the water to be heated in peak-tariff hours, or can override the CT coil so it heats the water when there is not enough solar, in both cases, there is a time limit.

40 gallons at 10ºC start and 75ºC finish will cost peak £4.30 off-peak £1.23 but unlikely the water would be at 10ºC at point of leaving AirB&B so in real terms it may save £2 and boost is likely not for 4 hours 34 minutes it would take to heat from cold, so a lot of messing around for very little gain. (working on 31.31p peak, 8.95p off peak)

I know my brother-in-law gave up the AirB&B as it was just too much work, he had to inspect very soon after they left, as open windows could mean high heating costs and more to point cats getting in.

I know we have a neighbours cat visit our flat, we keep bedroom door closed, but would not like to think he, or our own cats stuck outside in this weather, but neighbours car can't leave fast enough if we go in, never hurt it, but they do work out where to go when it's cold, so if we were renting then we would need to keep cats out.