Boiler/solar panel advice

[Igmum]

Advice please wise mumsnetters - I genuinely don't know what this is and being able to use the technical terms will probably help me to find the right specialist.

I have solar panels (been up for about 5 years) and part of the solar panel kit is a small box wired in to the boiler.Today a British Gas engineer came to install a Hive device. He couldn't, because the bit of the boiler he wanted to wire it to was already wired to the solar panel device and when he tried to wire in the Hive controls they wouldn't take instructions from him, were overridden by the solar panels device. He called BG tech support but they are baffled too.

Would it help to get a solar panels electrician? (If so what are these specialists called and how do I identify one?)

Is it simply that this is an old boiler (it is probably about 17 but still going strong, I have it serviced regularly, they say it is fine and I'm hoping it will last a bit longer) and I should wait until I get a new boiler for Hive?

Genuinely don't know what I should do now, thanks in advance for any wisdom you can offer!

I think you're describing a power diverter to your immersion heater. This heats your hot water when you have spare energy. www.solarguide.co.uk/solar-pv-immersion-heaters#/

A hive has no problem working with an old boiler, all it does is replace the timer/control unit.

Do you have any pictures of what you have? It sounds strange. My solar immersion diverter just sits on the wire to the immersion heater on the tank, and is totally separate to the boiler controls.

Is it hot water solar?

Or solar electricity generation?

Have you got a hot water cylinder?

should wait until I get a new boiler for Hive?

As already said, you shouldn’t need to. We have Hive and it will be our boiler’s 50th birthday next year. If you get a Hive now and have to replace your boiler in the future, connecting it to the new one won’t be a problem.

It could well be a power diverter thank you hgaj. Here's some photos (small box with green light below boiler is solar panel device, boiler and wires underneath). We don't have a hot water cylinder, water is heated as used. And wow to a 50-year old boiler etu- made to last!

Is it hot water solar?

Or solar electricity generation?

it looks to me like hot-water sunlight tubes, and the controls are probably to prevent the boiler running when the tubes are hot enough, and/or to prevent the tubes circulating when the boiler is hotter.

In which case it is not an electricity diverter, and immersion heater is not relevant.

Thanks Piglet so is it possible to install Hive and what do I do? Get someone who is experienced with these devices to install the Hive? What are they called and how do I contact one?

Not sure if the answer to your question. I think solar electricity generation (panels on the roof)?

you could ask around for a local solar specialist. Do you now who installed it?

If it is for electricity you will have two electric meters, and an inverter on the wall probably nearby.

I think it is solar hot water tubes.

I will have their details somewhere. Don't massively fancy going back to them mainly because of the high pressure sales people (installers were great) but thanks so much for this it's really helpful

And wow to a 50-year old boiler etu- made to last!

It’s a Potterton and weighs a quarter of a ton.