Economy 9 Meter / Consumer Unit

[Calza2k]

Hi all,

Last month I moved into a flat that is on an economy 9 tariff and meter (it has wet heating). In this scenario, I have one consumer unit which seems to have both elements inside.

I'm experiencing issues where the off-peak isn't being used as it should be, and while I continue to battle on with EDF's complex meter team - they don't really have a clue either. (My heating circuit isn't getting its mid-day boost, and my power circuit isn't going off peak in the early hours. However my heating IS going offpeak in the early hours).

I've attached a photo of my meter and the consumer unit if it provides any clarity, but my main question is - what determines when to use the peak / off peak circuit? Does something in the consumer unit tell it when to switch?



photo upload website

 

[littlespark]

The meter does the switching. Either internal time clock or radio teleswitch.

The only circuits that benefit from off peak tariff are the 2 on the right in your consumer unit.

Gone are the days when all your electric was charged on the less rate overnight.

I’m not sure whether every supplier has the same tariff patterns. EDF might not have an “E9”, but have their own “off peak” set up.

 

[Calza2k]

Brilliant thanks - seems like the meter is faulty then. I'll push harder with EDF to get it replaced, as the heating isn't going off peak in all the hours that they say. They have specifically told me my E9 tariff is off peak at:

Heating
10pm - 12pm
2am 5am
5.30am - 7.30am
1.30pm - 3.30pm

Power
23:30 - 06:30

But from what you have said, it looks like none of the sockets are ever going to be off peak?

 

[brianmoooore]

Gone are the days when all your electric was charged on the less rate overnight.

Are you sure of this? I've no experience of E10, never heard of E9, but plenty of E7, and on all of these ALL electricity to the house in the off peak 7 hour period is charged at the reduced rate. The meter shows either rate 1 when electricity is charged at the higher price and the switched output from the meter is off, or rate 2 when all electricity is charged at the lower rate, and the switched meter output is on.

 

[timhoward]

I'd say it's worth having a decent sparks have a look at that. (And sadly it seems that finding sparks that understand heating and off-peak is getting harder)

To me your photo carries all the hall marks of a consumer unit that's been monkeyed around with by someone who is not 100% sure what they are doing.
There are wrong-brand RCBO's.
There is a B50 RCBO worryingly labelled boiler.
There is a B32 RCBO worryingly labelled cylinder.
There is a B50 MCB on the right that is a different vintage of MK and not original, and may not be the correct device.

Do you have any time-clock controls for heating / hot water?
How many immersion elements are there in the hot water cylinder, one or two?

 

[Calza2k]

Oh that's a worry! There was a new hot water tank and boiler installed earlier this year, the rest I would think is original to the build in ~2001.

The heating and hot water are controlled by a "regular" electronic control - where I can customise start and finish times per day for each of them, boost etc..

I'm not sure RE immersion elements, I was advised to keep the immersion off and use the (electric) boiler unless an issue arises. The two cables going into the control panel on the tank are pretty small though, like the sort you'd get on a normal domestic appliance (unlike the rather chunky one going to the boiler). There may be another cable going in round the back, but there's no space to see.

 

[timhoward]

Oh that's a worry! There was a new hot water tank and boiler installed earlier this year, the rest I would think is original to the build in ~2001.

Electric boiler - I missed that, sorry. I'm not as concerned about the B50 size now.
That also explains why they fitted an RCBO.
While technically there are wrong-brand components used, most of my concerns have gone with that information.

 

[Electro-tech]

This is from SSE​

What is Smart Economy 9?​

Smart Economy 9 is a tariff with two rates for people with electric heating and a smart meter.
It’ll give you peak and off-peak rates for your electricity at specified times throughout the day.
Take advantage of nine hours of cheaper, off-peak electricity as it’s not just your hot water and heating that will be charged at the cheaper rate.
We’d advise trying to use more energy during the cheaper times where you can. Your nine hours are split across the day into three 3-hour blocks, so it should be easier to make the most of the cheaper rate.
Your cheaper, off-peak hours are the same if you have a Pay As You Go (prepayment) meter or a credit meter. They might vary by up to 10 minutes, but here’s a rough guide:

Off-peak times in GMT​

• 3am - 6am
• 12pm-3pm
• 7.30pm-10.30pm

Off-peak times in BST​

• 4am - 7am
• 1pm - 4pm
• 8.30pm - 11.30pm

Your smart meter’s In-Home Display will show the rate you’re being charged.

 

[Calza2k]

I'm with EDF and am on the tariff above. I do not have a smart meter.

My meter permanently shows R1 and R2 as active.

 

[Electro-tech]

I'm with EDF and am on the tariff above. I do not have a smart meter.

My meter permanently shows R1 and R2 as active.

Appologies have just read this link EDFhttps://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/time_of_use_heating_tariffs.pdf

 

[littlespark]

I was going by the history up here when Scottish power brought out Total Control heating tariff to supersede their E7
Had a 3 section CU. Part general power and lighting…. Part 24hour panel heaters, and part off peak through the time switch.

Each section has its own rate.

 

[Calza2k]

It sounds like my meter is just faulty and not switching the off peak at the right times (some but not all).

 

[robd]

The meter does the switching. Either internal time clock or radio teleswitch.

The only circuits that benefit from off peak tariff are the 2 on the right in your consumer unit.

Gone are the days when all your electric was charged on the less rate overnight.

I’m not sure whether every supplier has the same tariff patterns. EDF might not have an “E9”, but have their own “off peak” set up.

Not necessarily so, I get cheap rate between midnight and 6, one set of tails, one meter

 

[Calza2k]

one set of tails, one meter

What does this mean sorry?

 

[robd]

What does this mean sorry?

I only have one meter but I get a different rate between certain hours. Not like an off peak and peak supply like we used to do.

 

[Calza2k]

So same setup as me then? Glad yours works!

 

[robd]

So same setup as me then? Glad yours works!

So at a glance yours is different to mine, yours has some dedicated off peak circuits which will only be energised certain hours of the day. Traditionally these would have been used to power an element in the hot water tank for cheaper heating and some storage heaters

 

[Calza2k]

If they're energising some of the time, but not the times they should - what would you be looking at as the fault? The meter?

 

[robd]

If they're energising some of the time, but not the times they should - what would you be looking at as the fault? The meter?

Yes but they will probably just say we'll put you on a smart meter they don't make them like that anymore

 

[Avo Mk8]

The meter will have to be replaced by the end of next year anyway, as that's (supposed to be) when the BBC LW transmitter is finally going to be turned off!