Advice needed about installing High Heat Retention storage units

[John1986_A]

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read this. I am not trained in electrics whatsoever, I am a just a home owner looking for advice.

I have a flat that I would like to improve the EPC rating on. A QS has advised that I need to install High Heat Retention storage units and a dual immersion cylinder to achieve a 'C' rating.

I am looking either to buy Dimplex Quantum (2 x QM100 & 1 x QM150) or Elnur (2 x ECOHHR30 & 1 x ECOHHR40). I have had an electrician come round and he said he would need to supply and instal a new off peak board for ECO 7 Tarriff and install 4 x New Off Peak Circuits (3 x Heaters and 1 x Immersion).

I guess I am a bit confused as the energy companies are no longer doing separate meters as everything is moving towards intelligent type tariffs. Have also spoken to the QS again who said if they were informed that a "smart tariff" is in use with a discounted and substantial enough period of time to charge the heaters then that would be acceptable in their eyes.

So I guess I'm wondering if a new CU and new circuits are required? I have attached a image of my current board. The flat at the moment just has single electric panel heaters that are about 15 years old.

Thank you very much to anyone taking the time to read this and reply.

 

[Avo Mk8]

The two high-retention storage heaters you have specified require dual supplies according to their installation instructions. Ie one 24 hour supply for the controls, and one timed off-peak supply for the heating elements. I don't see in their instructions that you can wire them to a 24hr supply and expect them to charge only during the off-peak period.
So I think your electrician has quoted correctly for the heaters you mention.

What you need are storage heaters that include a programmer, and which are designed to be wired to a single 24hr supply to avoid the need for a separate switched off-peak CU etc. Also a single output dual tariff meter that switches the whole house to off-peak charge at night, if your's doesn't already.

And a storage heater that requires just a single 24hr supply input, such as Thermastore (no personal experience of these)

https://www.electrorad.co.uk/thermastore-hhr-storage-heater

https://www.electricradiatorshop.co.uk/electric-heaters/high-heat-retention-storage-heaters#:~:text=Thermastore®%20High%20Heat%20Retention%20Storage%20Heaters&text=Requires%20Economy%207%20or%20Economy,the%20off%20peak%20tariff%20times.

 

[mainline]

So I guess I'm wondering if a new CU and new circuits are required? I have attached a image of my current board. The flat at the moment just has single electric panel heaters that are about 15 years old.

Thank you very much to anyone taking the time to read this and reply.

If you're having new circuits, then a new consumer unit would be highly recommended.
One rcd covering the whole installation isn't a good idea.

The new circuits would come under part P.