The Mixergy tank is an advanced hot water cylinder designed to optimize hot water heating, reduce energy consumption, and provide smart control through an integrated Internet of Things (IoT) platform. It is available in electric, gas, and heat pump variants, each with specific operational characteristics.
Function Description:
The core function of the Mixergy tank is to provide hot water efficiently. For electric and gas models, it utilizes a novel "top-up" technology, heating only the required amount of water at the top of the tank, rather than the entire volume. This stratification reduces heat losses and significantly improves reheat speeds (5x faster for electric, 2x for gas), leading to savings in money, time, and energy. A built-in sensor continuously monitors the hot water level, ensuring users always know how much hot water is available.
Mixergy heat pump tanks operate differently, using an external heat exchanger and a circulating pump to heat the entire tank contents from the bottom up via convection. This method enhances heat pump efficiency by up to 8% and can increase the stored hot water volume by up to 20% in some cases.
The tank is internet-connected, allowing communication between the tank, the Mixergy App, and Mixergy servers. This connectivity enables remote control from anywhere in the world, automatic software updates for optimal performance, and remote diagnostics for troubleshooting. The Mixergy cloud offers sophisticated control, and the system can also integrate with other smart home energy management systems like Hive, Nest, and Tado.
Important Technical Specifications (based on the provided label example):
- Model Code: MX-180-ELE-EXT-550-1-1-A (example)
- Total Weight: 227 kg (wet), 54 kg (dry) (example)
- Immersion Heater Rating: 230-240 V~, 2.7-3.0 kW (example)
- Immersion Heater Type: 1 ¾" BSP – 400mm Incoloy (example)
- Standing Heat Loss/24 hr: 1.8 kWh (example)
- Heat Exchanger Rating: kW (specific value not provided in example)
- Max. Supply Pressure: 1 MPa (10 bar) (example)
- Expansion Relief Pressure: 0.6 MPa (6 bar) (example)
- Max. Operating Pressure: 0.55 MPa (5.5 bar) (example)
- Max. Coil Pressure: 0.35 MPa (3.3 bar) (example)
- Warranty: 25-year warranty against faulty materials or manufacture, provided the tank is registered and connected online. Failure to connect limits the warranty to 2 years. Labour costs for software/hardware faults are covered for 12 months if an approved Mixergy installation partner is used. Peripheral components (heating elements, T&P valve, expansion vessel, electronic parts) have a 3-year guarantee.
Usage Features:
- Hot Water Level Monitoring: The Mixergy App displays the percentage of usable hot water ("Hot water level"), the current hot water temperature, and the coldest water temperature. It also indicates the heating status, showing if the tank is actively heating and the source of the instruction (boost, schedule, demand response, or sterilisation cycle).
- On-Tank Gauge Control: A simple physical gauge on the tank allows for basic control:
- Hold down to turn the tank on or off.
- Green light indicates heating status.
- Blue indicates cold water, red indicates hot water.
- Press to boost or decrease hot water in 10% increments.
- Mixergy App Control: The Mixergy App offers intelligent remote control:
- Boosting: Users can drag a slider in the app to set a desired hot water level for boosting. The tank will then heat to that level. Boosts can be cancelled via the app.
- Manual Schedule Setting: Users can create daily heating schedules, specifying when and how much water to heat. Schedules can be copied across days.
- Maintain Levels: The tank can be set to maintain a state of charge between minimum and maximum levels. If the hot water drops below the minimum, the tank automatically heats to the maximum. Recommended minimums are 15-20% for electric/gas tanks and up to 100% for heat pump cylinders.
- Automatic Schedule Control: An intelligent machine learning algorithm optimizes heating schedules to save energy and money. Two modes are available:
- Standard: Heats conservatively, saving money while minimizing the risk of running out of hot water.
- Economy: Maximizes savings, with an increased risk of running out of hot water if usage exceeds estimates.
- Vacation Mode: Stops tank heating when users are away, ignoring set schedules until the return date. Activated via an aeroplane icon in the app.
- Heat Source Selection: Users can specify default and custom heat sources (Electric, Indirect for gas/oil/biomass). The tank automatically utilizes surplus solar thermal or PV energy regardless of selected heat sources.
- Hot Water Usage and Energy Consumption Graphs: The "Measurements" tab in the app visualizes hot water usage and electricity consumption, showing consistency with schedules and natural cooling.
- Energy Usage and Cost Calculation: The "Energy" tab estimates energy consumption and cost based on electricity or indirect heat source tariffs. Users can input tariff prices and tank capacity for accurate estimates.
- System Settings: Allows changing target hot water temperature, automatic schedule control settings, and heat pump temperature (if applicable).
- Voice Control: Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for commands such as setting temperature, checking hot water levels, and boosting the tank.
- Heating with Renewables: Supports solar thermal or PV, allowing users to heat water for free when the sun shines. Heating a smaller portion of the tank initially leaves more capacity for renewable energy, maximizing self-consumption and reducing export.
- Flexible Tariffs: Supports flexible tariffs (e.g., Octopus Agile, Economy 7/10) by scheduling heating during off-peak hours when electricity is cheapest.
- Flat Tariffs: For flat tariffs, heating just before the first expected draw event minimizes heat losses. "Indirect mode" can be set via the app to prioritize gas if cheaper than electricity.
Maintenance Features:
- Automatic Software Updates: Regularly sent to ensure smooth operation and access to the newest features.
- Remote Diagnostics: Mixergy can perform remote diagnostics to check for potential issues.
- Water Sterilization Cycle: Occurs every two weeks, heating the tank to 100% to prevent legionella growth.
- Annual Servicing: The unit must be serviced annually, with a benchmark service record filled in by the installer.
- Internet Connection Troubleshooting: The manual provides detailed steps for troubleshooting internet connectivity issues, including checking powerline adapter LEDs, cable connections, and re-pairing the adapter.
- Offline Mode: If internet connection is lost and the tank is powered off/on, it enters an "offline" mode, maintaining 40-50% charge using the primary heat source. Users can still boost via the gauge.
- Warranty Conditions: Requires correct installation, commissioning, and connection to the Mixergy platform. Exclusions include scale build-up, labour charges for unit/parts replacement, and consequential losses from unit failure. The system must be fed from a public mains water supply, store temperatures must not exceed 65°C, and installations are limited to the UK & Republic of Ireland. Water supply chloride content must not exceed 300ppm. For heat pumps with plate heat exchangers, the water must be soft or a water softener must be deployed. Units should not be installed with uncontrollable heat sources (e.g., wood burning stoves). Commercial/heavy-duty installations requiring constant usage/reheat must use Titanium immersion heaters for warranty compliance.
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