PowerOptimal Elon 100 User manual

© PowerOptimal (Pty) Ltd 2019. The content of this document is confidential and all rights to the intellectual
property and/or information contained herein remain vested in PowerOptimal, except if otherwise agreed in
writing.
PowerOptimal Elon 100 User Manual
Version number: 1.39
Version date: 2019/06/21
Enquiries: [e-mail]
Address: PO Box 39521
Capricorn Square
7948
Cape Town

© PowerOptimal (Pty) Ltd 2019. The content of this document is confidential and all rights to the intellectual
property and/or information contained herein remain vested in PowerOptimal, except if otherwise agreed in
writing.
SAFETY WARNING
•Installation of the Elon 100 should ONLY be performed by an electrical
contractor registered with the Department of Labour (the so-called
“wireman’s licence”) and strictly according to the installation instructions
in this manual. The electrician should provide you with a Certificate of
Compliance (CoC) once installation is completed.
•We strongly recommend that you use a reputable and experienced solar
photovoltaic (PV) system installer to install your solar PV modules.
•Solar PV modules exposed to the sun are live (i.e. will produce electricity)
and can give an electric shock. Special care should be taken and only
trained solar PV installers should install the modules.
•Do not attempt to alter or service the electrical installation, or open the
Elon 100 unit or controller for any purpose.
•Use the Elon 100 only for its intended purpose.
•Always make sure that every wiring connection is properly tightened.
•Do not earth either of the solar module wires (but do earth the frames).
•All installation wiring should be at least 2.5mm².
•Avoid coiling, since DC switching can create damaging spikes.
•Keep all wires as short as possible.
Refer to the PowerOptimal Elon 100 Installation Guide at
www.poweroptimal.com/manuals for detailed installation
information.

© PowerOptimal (Pty) Ltd 2019. The content of this document is confidential and all rights to the intellectual
property and/or information contained herein remain vested in PowerOptimal, except if otherwise agreed in
writing.
You can find an easy-to-understand Quick
Reference User Guide for download from:
www.poweroptimal.com/manuals
You can also watch an online instruction
video for instructions on how to use the
PowerOptimal ElonTM 100:
www.poweroptimal.com/elon100

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents....................................................................................................................................4
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................5
1.1 System overview...........................................................................................................................5
1.2 Main system components.............................................................................................................6
1.3 Deciding on size of Elon system (basic guide)...............................................................................6
2. Operation............................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Elon 100 controller........................................................................................................................7
2.2 Mains / solar indicator lights ........................................................................................................7
2.3 Efficiency dial ................................................................................................................................8
2.4 Override button ............................................................................................................................9
2.5 Controller settings for switching off solar or grid power to electric geyser.................................9
2.6 How to maximise your savings....................................................................................................10
3. Maintenance.....................................................................................................................................12
3.1 Solar PV module maintenance....................................................................................................12
4. What to expect in terms of performance .........................................................................................13
4.1 Hot water production .................................................................................................................13
4.2 Impact of location and seasons ..................................................................................................14
4.3 Payback period............................................................................................................................15
5. Troubleshooting................................................................................................................................16
Appendix A. IEC/SANS Test Certificate: Elon 100 .................................................................................18
Appendix B. Warranty...........................................................................................................................19
Appendix C. Terminology......................................................................................................................20
Notes.....................................................................................................................................................21

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1. Introduction
Thank you for buying the PowerOptimal ElonTM 100 solar PV water heating unit! You can look forward
to many years of savings and free energy from the sun.
1.1 System overview
The PowerOptimal Elon 100 operates on a very simple principle: it enables direct current (DC)
electricity produced by solar PV modules to be used directly for water heating using a standard geyser
with alternating current (AC) heating element and AC thermostat, with no need for an inverter. It uses
the water in your geyser as a battery to store solar energy in the form of heat.
You can connect the system completely off-grid, or connect it to your existing grid AC power supply.
Connecting the system to the existing grid supply allows for grid power backup in case of cloudy /
overcast days, or where your hot water use exceeds the generation capacity of your solar PV array.
Note: the system is designed in such a way that there is no possibility of solar array-produced
electricity feeding back into the grid.
Below is a simplified layout of the main components of the water heating system.
An array of solar modules (a string of 3 to 6 solar modules connected in series, or two parallel strings
of 4, 5 or 6 solar modules each) is connected to the Elon 100. Grid electricity is also connected to the
Elon 100.
The Elon 100 is connected to the geyser element and thermostat.
When the solar modules are producing electricity, the Elon 100 feeds this into the geyser element to
heat water, until the water reaches the temperature setting on the thermostat.
Depending on the Elon 100 efficiency setting (see Section 2.3) or when the user presses the override
button, the Elon 100 will boost the water heating with grid electricity.

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1.2 Main system components
The main components of the system are as follows:
•Solar modules with struts, brackets and cabling
•PowerOptimal Elon unit with controller
•Existing or new water heater or geyser (hot water tank with AC heating element and AC
thermostat)
•Isolators for grid and solar connections
1.3 Deciding on size of Elon system (basic guide)
The table below provides a basic guide to selecting the size of your Elon system based on number of
people in the household and/or hot water use. The Installation Manual (which you can download
from www.poweroptimal.com/manuals) contains a more detailed guide.
Number of
solar PV
modules
Showers per
day*
50%+ of daily hot
water use
provided for how
many people?
How many
people off-
grid for hot
water?
Solar PV
array size
(kWp)
Matching
geyser
element size
(kW)
Geyser (water
tank) size
(litres)
3
modules
1.0
3
100 - 150
4
modules
1.2 –1.3
3
100 - 150
5
modules
1.5 –1.7
2
100 –150
8
modules
2.4 –2.7
4
150 –200
10
modules
3 –3.5
4
200+
* 6-minute showers at 40 ºC with 8 litre/min (low-flow) showerheads

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Instruction video: www.poweroptimal.com/elon100
Refer to our easy to understand instruction video on how to use the Elon 100.
2. Operation
2.1 Elon 100 controller
Your Elon 100 has a controller that is typically
installed next to your DB (distribution board). The
controller has three main functions:
1. Indicating heating activity through the
mains (red) & solar (green) indicator
lights (Section 2.2)
2. Setting the timing on the efficiency dial
(Section 2.3)
3. Forcing the system to use grid (mains)
electricity for one heating cycle using the
override button. (Section 2.4)
2.2 Mains / solar indicator lights
The Mains & solar indicator lights indicate the following conditions:
Lights
Meaning

Mains (red)
light flashing
Grid (mains) electricity is being used to heat water

Solar (green)
light flashing
Solar power is being used to heat water. Rate of flashing indicates rate of solar
energy supply

Red & green
alternating
No power is being supplied to the geyser element. (Either the water is on
temperature already, or the unit is in solar mode and there is not sufficient sunlight)


Red or green
flashing very
fast
Isolation fault (contact electrician)

Red light ON
Solar power switched off (only grid power allowed to geyser). Press and hold
override button for 15 seconds to switch solar power on or off. To switch off both
solar and grid power, turn the dial to SOLAR ONLY and then switch off the solar
power with the override button as described.

Both lights
OFF
No power to unit (e.g. no sun and a power failure, or no sun and geyser breaker at
DB board is switched off)
2.3
Efficiency
dial
2.4
Override
button
2.2 Mains
/ solar
indicator
lights

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2.3 Efficiency dial
Turn the dial on the controller to set how much of the day the unit will run on solar power only (see
the diagram above). It is generally best to just leave it pointing straight down.
The best setting for you will be determined by your hot water use habits and the number of solar PV
panels installed.
At all dial settings except “Solar only”, the Elon 100 will switch off grid power to the geyser early in
the morning. You will start with hot water in the geyser, but as you use it, the temperature will
gradually drop, so that the geyser is ready to be heated by the sun during the day.
The dial determines at approximately what time the Elon will switch back to grid power, as shown
in the diagram above.
At the “MINIMUM” efficiency setting, the Elon 100 will switch back to grid power around 11 am or 12
pm. As you turn the dial anti-clockwise, the time that the Elon 100 will switch back to grid power
moves later and later in the day. This will give the solar power supply more time to heat the water
before boosting with grid power.
So if you only use hot water early morning and in the evenings, you can set it close to “Solar only”to
benefit from a longer solar energy heating period.
When the efficiency dial is set to “SOLAR ONLY”, the Elon 100 will ONLY use solar power to heat water.
Note that the override button is still functional at the “SOLAR ONLY” setting, in case you need to
boost water heating on a cloudy day or when using a lot of hot water.
If you set the Elon efficiency setting to “SOLAR ONLY” (highest efficiency), you can increase the geyser
thermostat temperature to 60 ºC to get maximum benefit from your solar array installation. We do
not recommend setting the thermostat temperature above 60 °C. Remember to reduce the
thermostat temperature again if you reduce the efficiency setting.
Solar
only
Solar
only
Solar only
Solar
only
Mains
Mains
Mains
Solar
only
Mains
Midnight

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Warning: Do not set thermostat temperature above 65 ºC due to increased scalding risk.
Be careful when opening hot water taps located close to your geyser. You can install a
thermostatic mixing valve to reduce the risk of scalding –ask your plumber.
2.4 Override button
If you would like to override the functioning of the Elon 100 and force it to use grid power for water
heating (for example in case of prolonged cloudy weather, or having used a lot of hot water), press
and hold the override button for 5 seconds.
This will force the Elon 100 to switch to grid (mains) power for one heating cycle (in other words, it
will the water with grid electricity to the thermostat set point from whatever temperature it is at the
time of pressing the override button).
Only the red mains light on the controller should start flashing at this point. (If both red and green
lights are flashing (alternating), the water is already at the thermostat set point, and pressing the
override button will have no effect.)
To switch off solar power completely, press and hold the override button for 15 seconds. The red
mains light will come on permanently. This means that the system is heating water with mains power
24 hours a day. To switch the solar power back on, again press and hold the override button for 15
seconds.
2.5 Controller settings for switching off solar or grid power to electric geyser
Desired
state
Actions
DB board
geyser
switch
Controller
dial position
Lights
✓Solar ON
✓Grid ON
This is the default state.
ON
Anywhere
outside the
“Solar Only”
zone
Normal operation
(green and/or red
flashing or both off)
✓Solar ON
Grid OFF
Turn controller dial anti-
clockwise to the “Solar Only”
zone indicated on the
controller. Note: can still
boost with grid power for one
heating cycle by pressing the
Override button for 5s.
ON
In the “Solar
Only” zone
Green flashing or
both lights off. Red
would flash if
override button has
been used.
Solar OFF
✓Grid ON
Press Override button for 15s
until the red light switches on
permanently. Grid power is
now always ON (24 hours per
day).
ON
Anywhere
outside the
“Solar Only”
zone
Red light on
Solar OFF
Grid OFF
Turn efficiency dial all the way
anti-clockwise into the "Solar
Only" zone. Press Override
button for 15s until the red
light switches on permanently.
ON
In the “Solar
Only” zone
Red light on

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2.6 How to maximise your savings
Efficiency dial
The best way to maximise your savings is to set the Elon efficiency dial to “SOLAR ONLY”. This will
ensure that the unit will never use grid (mains) power for heating water. You can still override / boost
with mains power (for example on a cloudy day) using the override button as described above.
If you do not have enough solar power for the number of people and overall level of hot water use in
the household, you might not reach the desired water temperature with the “SOLAR ONLY” setting,
and might need to reduce the efficiency setting, or reduce your hot water use.
Please note: The water in your geyser should be heated to 60 °C at least once a week to
prevent Legionella bacterial growth
1
. If you have heavily overcast weather for more than a
week, use the override button to supplement the solar water heating with grid electricity to
reach the thermostat temperature setting.
When is the best time to shower?
If the efficiency dial is set to “SOLAR ONLY”, it is best for people in the household to shower either in
the morning or in the evening, but not both. (If you shower in the evening, cold water will mix with
the remaining warm water overnight, and you will have cold water the next morning. If you do not
shower again in the morning, the water will be heated during the day.)
If the efficiency dial is set to lower efficiency than “SOLAR ONLY”, it is best to shower in the morning
for maximum savings.
Going on holiday
If you are going on holiday, you don’t need to switch off the solar power supply to your geyser. It will
continue to maintain water temperature and prevent or minimize Legionella bacteria growth. As a
plus you will have hot water in your geyser when you return from holiday!
You can switch off the mains power supply to the geyser in one of two ways: (1) turn the Elon 100
efficiency dial to solar only (anti-clockwise to end position); OR (2) switch off the geyser circuit breaker
in your electrical distribution board (DB). We recommend option 1.
If you do want to switch off both the solar and mains power supply to your geyser, turn the Elon 100
efficiency dial to solar only (anti-clockwise to end position), then press and hold the override button
for 15 seconds (until the red light comes on permanently). Don’t switch off the circuit breaker at the
DB board. (When you return, set the efficiency dial in its normal position, then press and hold the
override button for 15 seconds until the red light switches off or starts flashing.)
1
See for example: http://www.eskom.co.za/sites/idm/Documents/Legionaires_Fact_sheet_hot_water
_bacteria_simple_facts.pdf and http://standards.nsf.org/apps/group_public/download.php/
30413/How%20to%20Avoid%20LD%20at%20Home.pdf

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General hot water energy saving tips
•Shower, don’t bath
•Install water-saving / low flow shower heads (these also save energy because of reduced hot
water use!)
•Reduce shower duration
•Check that your geyser is well insulated
South Africa is a water-scarce country –reducing hot water use saves both energy and water!

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3. Maintenance
The Elon 100 has been designed to last for a very long time, and has no moving parts aside from two
electrical relays. No maintenance is required on the Elon 100.
3.1 Solar PV module maintenance
It is recommended that a qualified electrician inspect your solar PV installation at least once a year.
1. At least once a week, check whether any of the indicator lights are flashing rapidly. (This
indicates an isolation fault –refer to Section 3.2.)
2. Perform regular visual checks (at least once a year). Check for soiling or any visible damage to
any of the modules.
3. If the modules have been soiled by dirt, dust, debris, bird droppings or any other materials,
use water only and a sponge or soft cloth to clean them. Do the cleaning early in the morning
or late in the afternoon, as the modules are hot during the day. Avoid using a water jet that
may leave streaks on the modules.
4. Visually inspect cables for any degradation or loose fittings.
5. Look for any shading problems, such as trees that may have grown.
6. An electrician can check solar power production on a sunny day to ensure that the system is
still producing power at expected levels. A thermal imaging camera can be used to inspect
modules for hot spots.
7. Follow any specific maintenance instructions from the solar PV module manufacturer.

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4. What to expect in terms of performance
4.1 Hot water production
Heating water takes a LOT of energy. A household geyser can use up to 40% of a house’s electricity.
Heating a single 200 litre geyser from 15 °C to 60 °C will use over 10 kWh. This is about the same
amount of energy burnt by a person running a distance of over 100 km at 10 km/hr, or enough energy
to watch more than 120 hours of TV
2
.
The more solar panels you have on your roof, the faster the Elon 100 system will heat your water.
Typically, the number of panels has been selected to heat water over most of the sunlight hours (from
morning to afternoon). This will be slower than heating water using grid electricity. So you can expect
a gradual temperature rise from morning to afternoon.
As one would expect, hot water production increases with increase in number of solar panels. Keep in
mind that these numbers are averages over the year. This means that you should expect a lower
number in winter and a higher number in summer.
2
46” OLED TV at 82W.

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4.2 Impact of location and seasons
The amount of energy from the sun depends on your location, the time of year as well as the
orientation of your solar panels. The best direction for panels in South Africa is to face north, at an
angle of about 25 to 35° from horizontal.
Although Gauteng (Johannesburg / Pretoria) & Cape Town may seem quite similar in terms of total
solar energy per year, Cape Town has winter rainfall and Gauteng has summer rainfall. This leads to
Cape Town having much lower solar electricity production than Gauteng in winter.

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4.3 Payback period
As can be seen from the graph above, payback period decreases as number of solar panels increases,
and is also different for Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban
3
.
The reason that payback period improves (decreases) as number of solar panels increases, is because
there are some fixed costs (such as engineering design & safety components) and some costs that do
not scale linearly with array size (such as labour, wiring, mounting kit costs, etc.).
3
Calculations based on actual Elon performance, assuming a 20% reduction due to non-optimal user behaviour,
an initial electricity tariff of R2/kWh and an annual electricity price increase of 8%.

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5. Troubleshooting
Below is a table with basic troubleshooting tips. If you cannot resolve the problem using the below
table, please contact your installer.
Issue
Possible causes
What to do
Water temperature
too low
a. High hot water usage
levels
b. Cloudy or rainy day
c. Dirty solar modules
d. Mains circuit breaker
has tripped
e. Thermostat connection
or thermostat defective
a. Press override button (3.3) OR
Reduce efficiency setting (3.2) OR
Reduce hot water use (3.5) OR
Add additional solar modules to your solar
installation (first consult with your
installer)
b. See a. above
c. Inspect solar modules. If they are soiled,
clean them with water and sponge (4.1)
d. Check mains circuit breaker
e. Call electrician for inspection
Water temperature
remains low after
mains power boost
a. Sufficient time has not
been provided for
water to be heated
after override button
has been pressed
b. It is a cloudy day and
there is a mains power
failure
c. There is an electrical
fault or the Elon 100 is
defective
d. Thermostat connection
or thermostat defective
a. Wait for 2 hours after pressing the
override button
b. You will have to wait until either the solar
or grid power returns to heat the water
c. Check if only the mains light on the Elon
100 controller starts flashing after you
press the override button for 10 seconds.
If it does not and your water remains cold,
call your electrician to inspect the
installation for any electrical fault.
d. Call electrician for inspection
Water temperature
too high
a. Thermostat
temperature setting is
high and you are using
hot water from a tap
close to the geyser
b. Thermostat connection
or thermostat defective
a. Reduce thermostat temperature set point
OR
Open the cold water tap first
OR
Install a thermostatic mixing valve
b. Call electrician for inspection.
Hot water
production is lower
than it used to be
a. Dirty solar modules
b. Trees / plants have
grown and are causing
shaded areas on solar
modules
c. Damage to solar
modules
a. Inspect solar modules. If they are soiled,
clean them with water and sponge (4.1)
b. Trim trees and plants
c. Installer or electrician should test solar
array power production in sunny
conditions and compare with
specifications. If one or more modules are
damaged and they are still under
warranty, contact manufacturer for
replacement

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Issue
Possible causes
What to do
Both indicator
lights off
a. Power failure and
overcast / night-time
b. Geyser breaker at DB
board switched off
a. Wait until power or sun returns and check
if any indicator light comes on.
b. Switch on breaker at DB board.
Red or green
indicator light
flashing very fast
a. Isolation fault
a. Please call your electrician.

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Appendix A. IEC/SANS Test Certificate: Elon 100

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Appendix B. Warranty
If the PowerOptimal ElonTM 100 (“the Product”) is found to be defective, you will be entitled to a repair
or replacement within 2 (two) years of the date of delivery of the Product to you. Please keep your
receipt as proof of purchase. If you are a consumer as defined in the Consumer Protection Act No. 68
of 2008 (“the CPA”), you will be entitled to such remedies as are made available under the CPA in
relation to the return of goods.
PowerOptimal will not have any liability or obligation to you where the Product has been subjected to
abuse, misuse, improper use, improper testing, negligence, accident, alteration, tampering or repair
by a third party.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall PowerOptimal be liable for any
special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages whatsoever, including, without limitation,
damages for loss of business profits or business interruption, arising out of the use or inability to use
this product.
Please note that this unit must be installed by an electrical contractor registered with the Department
of Labour. Failure to do so may invalidate this warranty.

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Appendix C. Terminology
AC Alternating Current –an electric current that reverses its direction many times a
second at regular intervals, with voltage typically varying in the form of a sine wave.
CoC Certificate of Compliance –to be issued by the electrician installing your Elon 100
system
CPA Consumer Protection Act No. 68 of 2008
DB Distribution board –the main electrical distribution board / panel in your home,
containing circuit breakers and switches.
DC Direct Current –an electric current flowing in one direction only. Solar PV modules
produce direct current electricity.
Geyser South African term for a water heater
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
kWh A derived unit of energy equal to 3.6 MJ (megajoules). The amount of energy used by
a 1 kW electrical device over a period of 1 hour.
kWpor WpThe peak power rating in kilowatt (kW) or watt (W) of a solar module or array –i.e.
the output power achieved under full solar radiation. This is usually reported at STC
and NOCT.
PV Photovoltaic –referring to the production of electric current at the junction of two
materials exposed to light.
SANS South African National Standards