Electric boiler losing power - meter/tariff problem?

[Tom Finch]

We've got an electric boiler (Fusion Comet) in a rented flat. Several times a day, every day, it loses power for an hour or so, at approx 0800, 1600 and 2300.

We have two "Domestic & Economy 2000" electricity meters, one of which powers the boiler. We're on a Standard (Online) tariff with S****ish Power.

My money is on the whole system having been wired incorrectly. I think the Economy 2000 meter is designed for storage heaters, and that the associated teleswitch is cutting power to our boiler regardless of what tariff we're on.

It's also been suggested (by Scottish Power, depending on who I speak to) that we're on the wrong tariff. My landlady's has asked that we switch from the standard tariff (with day/night rights) to a "24hour consumer unit tariff" before she'll consider calling out an electrician.

I tried doing so yesterday, but when I called again just now to find out when the new tariff would take effect, I was told that there was no record of me having requested to change tariff yesterday, and that there was no way that this would fix our problem anyway.

So - any pointers?

Thanks

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

Is the tariff you're on designed to restrict power totally or what?? do you understand what the tariff does???

 

[buzzlightyear]

It's also been suggested (by Scottish Power, depending on who I speak to) that we're on the wrong tariff. My landlady's has asked that we switch from the standard tariff (with day/night rights) to a "24hour consumer unit tariff" before she'll consider calling out an electrician.

now theirs a good land lord .not she owns the building you get the leccy from s88t power ,ring them up and ask for a engineer to speak too.

 

[Tom Finch]

Is the tariff you're on designed to restrict power totally or what?? do you understand what the tariff does???

I don't understand anything anymore, every time I speak to SP they tell me something different.

Our current tariff is not designed to restrict power use.

 

[snowhead]

The Economy 2000 supply is made available for periods at ScottishPower's discretion totalling 18 hours per day, but with the proviso that no interruption will exceed 2 hours. Typical off times are 08.00-10.00, 16.30-18.30 & 00.00-02.00. It is important, therefore, that the boiler has a sufficient thermal store to supply space (and possibly water) heating requirements for 2 hours.
Direct acting boilers without storage capacity are not permitted to make use of Economy 2000.
Rate 1 records daytime domestic use, Rate 2 records night time domestic use and Rate 3 is Economy 2000 and records boiler usage only.
Some installations may have 2 X single rate meters i.e. 1 for domestic and 1 for Economy 2000.

Comet_Installation_Manual - https://online.flowpaper.com/7c4e077c/COMETf7048/

 

[Wilko]

Hi Tom - as per @snowhead post, you've picked up on the times the boiler power is turned off by the supplier for their Economy 2000 tariff.

 

[Tom Finch]

Hi Tom - as per @snowhead post, you've picked up on the times the boiler power is turned off by the supplier for their Economy 2000 tariff.

Right - thanks. But given that we're not on an Economy 2000 tariff, what's going wrong? Does the Economy 2000 meter somehow work 'independently' of our tariff?

 

[Wilko]

Hi - I can't say what's happening, but my guess is :
Your boiler is connected to a 2nd meter that is controlled by your supplier. They turn it on and off as you have seen. If you no longer have an E2000 tariff with them, they will add the kWhr units up from both meters and multiply by your agreed rate. If you need your boiler to run all hours it physically needs to draw power from the "rest of the house" fuse board, as the E2000 meter will keep clicking it off at various times. Anyway, something to discuss with your supplier.

 

[snowhead]

You've still got Economy 2000 meters even though you are not on that tariff.
Unless it's a smart meter Scottish power won't have been able to remotely reprogram the one for the heating to ignore the time signals.
It either needs changing by Scot Power at the meter or the meter needs changing.
Given that the heating is going off, the heating must be connected to the timed E 2000 meter output.

Can you post photos of both the meters and consumer units and teleswitch and anything else around the meters.

Scot Power are going to say it's for an electrician to sort out.
An electrician will say it's for Scot power.
The supply to the heating needs to be on a constant supply.

 

[Tom Finch]

You've still got Economy 2000 meters even though you are not on that tariff.
Unless it's a smart meter Scottish power won't have been able to remotely reprogram the one for the heating to ignore the time signals.
It either needs changing by Scot Power at the meter or the meter needs changing.
Given that the heating is going off, the heating must be connected to the timed E 2000 meter output.

Can you post photos of both the meters and consumer units and teleswitch and anything else around the meters.

Scot Power are going to say it's for an electrician to sort out.
An electrician will say it's for Scot power.
The supply to the heating needs to be on a constant supply.

Thanks - that makes sense. Here's our setup: