Divert loads are typically needed with a wind generator to reduce the possibility of voltage spikes which could damage the charge controller. They also maintain an electrical load on the wind generator when the batteries are fully charged.

This prevents the blades from "freewheeling", thus reducing noise and vibration as well as wear on the wind generator.

Hotwire Enterprises offers three options for divert loads:

Hotwire's Resistive Load Bank

One is made right here at our production center and consists of a series of highly reliable, wire-wound, ceramic power resistors mounted on a phenolic board. Hotwire's Resistive Load Bank would be the preferred choice for those of you who expect to spend a good bit of time plugged in to shore power.

Water Heater Load Diverter

For those of you planning to spend the vast majority of your time at anchor, a better option is a 12V/24V water heating element which replaces your 120V element in your hot water tank. (The threads are identical.)

If you are providing power with your wind generator, the hot water heat exchanger from the engine will not be making hot water, and your 120V heater element won't be working for you. So the advantage to the 12V heater element is that you can use any excess power to make hot water.

Winter is generally the time when the winds blow hardest, when your wind generator is producing at its peak, and when you'll most appreciate the hot water!

Our newest product is Hotwire's 12V/120V combo element so that you can use a single heater element for both anchoring out AND for shore power!! One loop is 12V at 300W; the other loop is 120V at 500W.

Let us know what brand of hot water tank you have and we can match the heater element to your tank. So far, we can fit any brand except Isotemp.

Prices

Each divert option is $95. Each can be used with the Trace C40 or the Flexcharge NC25.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the load diverter work?

The dual water heater element has two loops in one unit.  One loop (element of heating wire) is made to work on 12 volts at 300 watts, and the other operates on 120 volts at 500 watts.

You can make hot water from the 120 volt side using shore power or a gen set.  Because the 120 volt side is smaller than the original heater element, it will take longer to reheat the water in the tank when all of the hot water has been used, typically 2 to 3 times longer.

The 12 volt side is used to dissipate the excess power from a wind generator or solar panels, and the amount of current going to it is controlled by a diversion type charge controller.  The controller senses battery voltage and diverts current into the water heater when the battery reaches the voltage set point.

One of our customers, who has a lot of solar panels on his boat, uses a switch and turns the 12 volt side on every day after his batteries are full.  In the past, diversion type controllers sent the excess energy to heating coils that turned the power into hot air.  With the dual water heater element, you get something useful and don't heat up the inside of the boat.

Contact us for further information or to place an order.
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