Remove Ripple Control for Solar panel & Charger install or not? Pro's and Con's?

Forums › Renewable energy (solar, wind and others) › Remove Ripple Control for Solar panel & Charger install or not? Pro's and Con's?

chrisandray

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#325576 18-Sep-2026 12:21

I had solar installed about 21 months ago. When installed the ripple control was unwired and a hot water heater timer set up on the circuit board.

Power company informed me I'd have to change plan from Controlled to Uncontrolled which would increase the tariff. I recently checked the pricing and estimate an annual price difference of about $200-250 more a year.

I have been unable to ascertain from Solar installer why the removal of the ripple control was necessary. Obviously I'd like to reduce the tariff to the cheaper Controlled rate. What benefit is there in being on the Uncontrolled rate?

MikeAqua

8749 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4350

#3528785 18-Sep-2026 13:10

I'd remove it. Ripple control is a PITA, in my experience. You may pay slightly more per unit. That will be offset by using fewer units and you'll have the convenience of your HWC always heating.

Mike

chrisandray

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3528788 18-Sep-2026 13:31

Thanks Mike,

If the power charge increase was minor I'd not worry. But two or three hundred extra a year is a lot. These are the rates we're charged by Powershop:

We were on Classic, Low User, Special Rates, Get Shifty(stupid name!) Sept rate would be 33.13 peak,27.88 off peak, Daily ch 195.5.

Since solar install we're on Low User, Standard Power Rates, Get Shifty - even though we buy all specials. Sept rate 36.65 peak, 31.40 off-peak. Daily ch 195.50.

No one has convinced me why ripple control needed to be removed. Not as if the ripple control turns the water off frequently?

littlehead

228 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 107

#3528789 18-Sep-2026 13:38

I'm taking a guess but I'm assuming the ripple control will have been bypassed so that if the ripple control is triggered and power turned off, it doesn't affect the timer and it's timing function Depending on the timer, having power shut off to it could either wipe it's settings or the current time completely, or "pause" it's current time. If power went off for two hours, the timer "current time" could be two hours in the past.

If it's a smart or fancy timer then it could get it's current time from GPS or Network Time if connected to internet, so power disruption wouldn't have an effect, but without knowing more about the timer hard to say. If it's a dumb timer, the above could be the reason.

chrisandray

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3528910 18-Sep-2026 15:03

Thanks for latest. I understand. A cheap unsophisticated timer was installed so you'd be right about the affect of the ripple control. Wondering if a smarter timer would have been better and the ripple control left as is (was).

Powershop increased our tariff as a result of the ripple control deletion. I have contacted them about this as I think we're on a dearer rate than we should be.

Thanks for clarifying a few things.😊

gregmcc

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#3528915 18-Sep-2026 15:24

the reason why the hot water was moved from the ripple to normal circuit is because if left on the ripple you will always pay the controlled (ripple) rate for hot water heater no matter what the solar is feeding back in to the grid, for example lets just say you pay $0.20 per unit from the power company and the solar buy back rate (feed in) is $0.10 per unit.

Effectively if the solar was exporting to the grid at $0.10 and your hot water was heating at $0.20 unit it would cost $0.10 unit to heat the hot water, if you had the hot water on the normal circuit it would cost you nothing to heat the hot water while the solar was exporting, the downside to this is if the solar isn't making enough and the hot water needs to run then you pay the standard uncontrolled rate which will be higher than the controlled rate.

Some power companies in some areas just have 1 combined rate and still have the hotwater on ripple control

As far as the power company goes what you have connected or not connected to the ripple control is none of their business and it should not affect the pricing of the uncontrolled rate. If they push the issue, then it's time to choose a different power company.