Electricity Spot Price Relay 16A – Powerant

Electricity Spot Price Relay 16A – Powerant

The Powerant 16A electricity spot price relay helps automatically move the operation of electrical equipment to the most economical price periods of the day. The smart relay follows electricity market prices and switches the connected device on or off according to the settings selected by the user.

The Powerant app allows you to choose how many of the cheapest periods during the day the connected device should operate. You can also set a maximum electricity price or combine both conditions.

This removes the need to check electricity prices manually every day or switch appliances on and off yourself.

The relay is installed on a standard DIN rail inside an electrical distribution board. Its compact one-module housing takes up very little space. The potential-free dry contact allows the device to be used both for direct load switching and for controlling heating, HVAC and automation systems.

How Does the Electricity Price Relay Work?

The Powerant WiFi relay receives electricity spot price information through the internet and controls its relay output according to the conditions configured in the mobile app.

The relay can be configured so that the connected equipment:

• operates during the cheapest price periods of the day;
• switches on only when the electricity price is below a selected limit;
• operates during a chosen number of the cheapest periods, but only if the price remains below the set limit;
• operates during several separate periods throughout the day;
• follows a user-defined schedule;
• can be switched on or off manually through the app;
• operates with reverse switching logic when required.

Once configured, the electricity price relay works automatically. The user does not need to check the next day’s prices or enter new settings every day.

Selecting the Cheapest Electricity Price Periods

In the Powerant app, you can choose during how many of the cheapest price periods the connected equipment should operate.

The smart electricity price relay automatically identifies the most economical operating times based on electricity spot price data.

For example, an electric water heater can be configured to operate during the six or eight cheapest periods of the day. When electricity prices change, the relay automatically selects the most economical periods for each new day.

This feature is especially useful for equipment whose operating time can be shifted without significantly reducing comfort.

Setting a Maximum Electricity Price

In addition to selecting the cheapest periods, you can set a maximum electricity price at which the connected device is allowed to operate.

For example, the relay can be configured so that a heating appliance switches on only when the electricity price is below the selected threshold. When the price rises above the limit, the relay switches the appliance off.

The price limit and cheapest-period function can also be used together.

In this mode, the relay identifies the cheapest periods of the day but does not switch the connected equipment on if the price during those periods still exceeds the selected maximum value.

Potential-Free Dry Contact

One of the most important features of the Powerant 16A smart relay is its potential-free dry contact output.

A dry contact does not supply voltage to the controlled equipment. Instead, it works like an electrical switch. This allows the relay to be used in two different ways.

Direct Switching of an Electrical Load

The relay contact can switch resistive loads of up to 16A AC1.

Typical resistive loads include:

• electric heating elements;
• electric water heaters;
• resistive heaters;
• other electrical appliances without a high starting current.

Controlling an Automation Input

The dry contact can also be connected to the external control input of:

• an electric boiler;
• a heating system;
• a heat pump;
• a ventilation unit;
• an HVAC system;
• another automation controller.

In this configuration, the Powerant relay does not switch the full electrical load of the equipment. Instead, it sends an on/off command to the equipment’s own control system.

This allows the relay to control higher-power equipment that cannot be connected directly through the 16A relay contact.

Before connecting the relay to a heat pump or another automation input, always check the electrical diagram and instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer.

Suitable Applications for the Powerant 16A Relay

The smart electricity price relay is suitable for equipment and systems whose operating time can be moved to cheaper electricity price periods.

Typical applications include:

• controlling an electric water heater according to electricity spot prices;
• controlling an electric boiler;
• controlling an electric radiator or other heating appliance;
• controlling electric underfloor heating;
• controlling a heating element or buffer tank;
• switching the control input of a heating system;
• controlling the external input of a heat pump;
• controlling ventilation and HVAC systems;
• controlling a circulation pump;
• controlling heating in a garage, workshop or holiday home;
• scheduling battery chargers and charging equipment;
• controlling other electrical appliances with a resistive load of up to 16A.

Electricity Price Relay for an Electric Water Heater

An electric water heater is one of the most suitable appliances for electricity price-based control.

A water heater normally does not need to operate continuously. Water can be heated during the cheapest electricity price periods, while the stored hot water remains available after the electricity price increases.

The Powerant relay allows you to choose how many of the cheapest periods during the day the water heater should operate. A maximum electricity price can also be added so that the water heater does not switch on when electricity is unusually expensive.

When the electrical load of the water heater is within the permitted limits and is resistive, it can be switched directly through the relay contact.

For higher loads, the Powerant relay should be used to control a contactor or the external control input of the water heater.

Controlling a Heating System According to Electricity Prices

The electricity price controller can also be used with:

• electric radiators;
• underfloor heating;
• buffer tanks;
• electric boilers;
• heating elements;
• other electric heating systems.

The operation of the heating system can be shifted to cheaper price periods and temporarily reduced during expensive periods.

In a well-insulated building or a heating system with sufficient thermal mass, this can help lower electricity costs without causing a noticeable reduction in indoor comfort.

When configuring electricity price-based heating control, consider:

• the heating demand of the building;
• outdoor temperature;
• thermal insulation;
• the thermal storage capacity of the building;
• the operating requirements of the heating equipment;
• the manufacturer’s control instructions.

Remote Control with the Powerant App

The Powerant relay is configured and controlled through the mobile app.

The app allows you to:

• view electricity price information;
• select the cheapest price periods;
• set a maximum electricity price;
• create operating schedules;
• change the relay operating mode;
• switch the relay on or off manually;
• view the current relay status;
• change settings remotely through the internet.

The Powerant app is available for Android and iOS devices.

The app is free to use and does not require a monthly subscription.

Compact DIN Rail Installation

The Powerant 16A electricity price relay is installed on a standard 35 mm DIN rail.

The relay is only one module wide, approximately 18 mm, and therefore takes up very little space inside the electrical distribution board.

The relay requires:

• a 220–240V power supply;
• a 2.4 GHz WiFi connection;
• installation inside a suitable electrical enclosure.

After installation, the relay is added to the Powerant mobile app, connected to the WiFi network and configured with the required electricity price conditions and operating schedules.

All electrical installation and wiring work must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Technical Specifications

• Product type: WiFi electricity spot price relay
• Installation: Standard 35 mm DIN rail
• Housing width: 1 module
• Dimensions: Approximately 90 × 18 × 68 mm
• Supply voltage: 220–240V
• Rated frequency: 45–65 Hz
• Relay output: Potential-free dry contact
• Maximum switching current: 16A AC1
• Wireless connection: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
• WiFi frequency: 2.4 GHz
• Control: Powerant mobile app
• Supported operating systems: Android and iOS
• Monthly subscription fee: None
• Installation location: Electrical distribution board
• Installation requirement: Qualified electrician

When Is a Contactor Required?

The relay’s 16A rating applies to AC1 resistive loads.

Motors, compressors, pumps, transformers and other inductive loads can draw a starting current significantly higher than their rated operating current.

Such equipment must not be connected based only on its nominal power rating.

A suitable contactor should be used when:

• the load exceeds 16A;
• the equipment has a high starting current;
• the load is inductive;
• several electrical devices are controlled together;
• the installation design requires separate power switching.

In this arrangement, the Powerant relay controls the contactor coil, while the contactor switches the actual electrical load.

For larger single-phase loads, a Powerant 32A relay or a dedicated contactor solution may be more suitable.

Important Information

• A 2.4 GHz WiFi network is required.
• The relay does not connect directly to a 5 GHz-only WiFi network.
• The maximum relay contact load is 16A AC1.
• A contactor must be used for high starting currents or larger loads.
• When controlling a heat pump or another automation system, follow the wiring diagram provided by the equipment manufacturer.
• Installation and wiring inside the electrical distribution board must be performed by a qualified electrician.
• The device is intended for installation inside a dry and suitable electrical enclosure.
• The Powerant mobile app does not require a monthly subscription.

The Powerant 16A electricity spot price relay is a practical solution for controlling an electric water heater, heating appliance or automation system according to electricity market prices.

It automates electricity consumption and helps operate electrical equipment mainly during the periods when electricity is cheapest.