Why you need an Electric Water Heater Controller

An electric water heater controller is a great way to save money. This is a simple retrofit solution to any electric water heater system. Heat your water tank at night when the power is cheap. Water tanks are thermally insulated so they keep the water hot for hours meaning your water heater is like a battery, storing energy (hot water) for when you need it.

An electric water heater controller may not save you much in terms of energy, but it can help save on your bills by selecting the optimal times WHEN to heat your water.

Many electric utilities offer Time Of Use rates where power is significantly cheaper or more costly depending on the time of day. An electric water heater controller will allow you to optimize your energy use and schedule when to heat water and to take advantage of these lower costs and to avoid peak periods where power is more costly. For homeowners who have installed solar panel systems, if there is an excess of power the water heater can be switched on to use up power generated from the solar system.

As electric water heaters are so power-intensive, many electric utilities offer significant incentives for homeowners to enroll into Demand Response Programs. There is often little impact to users, but it provides the utility companies with much-needed flexibility and ability to manage peak loads at a few critical times in the year. A little inconvenience a few times a year can add big savings annually.

Some electric utilities offer additional incentives for homeowners to be able to load up electric water tanks when there is an abundance of renewable power and power pricing even turns negative. Typically this will require a thermal mixing valve and expansion tank to be installed, but it will allow more and hotter water to be stored in the water tank.
A picture of a TrickleStar Portal and Water Heater Controller being installed