UK synchronisation of storage heaters and Economy 7 supply timings.

[keithrawes]

please could somebody tell me how storage heaters are linked/synchronised with the electricity supplier so that they switch themselves off and on to coincide with the timings of the Economy 7 rate. In my case, for example, the E7 timings are allegedly 11.30 to 6.30am but the storage heaters are still taking in current up to 8.30 am. Is this 'extra' two hours being charged for at the day or night rate and how do i find out. All enquiries to SSE and Dimplex have got nowhere. Thanks.

 

[radiohead]

Storage heaters are normally switched by the supply authority timeswitch, which will change the tariff over at the same time. If your heaters are still live at 8.30 it is possible the timeswitch is out, but nevertheless the tariff will still switch over with the heaters, so it doesnt make any difference.
A pic of the meter setup would clarify.

 

[7029 dave]

Sounds like the timing is out of synch, but that can work to your advantage, because the whole installation will be on off peak too, as advised a pic of the set up please.

 

[R-fur]

As above, it sounds like the time switch is at the wrong time, they have battery's to keep them working during power cuts but batteries can fail. Time switches should be set to GMT. You should be able to check the time setting by looking at the front of the time switch, post a close up pic if you are having difficulty reading it.

 

[Dave OCD]

To the OP, are you talking about modern 'smart' storage heaters - like the Dimplex Quantum for example ?
If so I'm sure you can adjust the settings on the control panel to match the E7 times.

 

[keithrawes]

many, many thanks everybody - i'll try and take a pic of the meter and post it - problem is i'm in a block of flats and all the meters are in a cupboard somewhere in the basement that the housekeeper has the key to.. The storage heaters themselves are a pretty old - Dimplex NC3300Combi and NC1700. About 30 years old i would guess. Watch this space.

 

[Dave OCD]

In that case your heaters will only be getting power via cheap rate electricity - regardless of the meter timings. I assume you have two consumer units ?

 

[Mark42]

If you really do have, as others have suggested an antique timeswitch installation which is set to an incorrect time, then rejoice in the fact that you are getting cheap-rate electricity at peak-rate morning times. Keeping schtum might be the best option ?. Although of course you miss out on the late evening cheap rate, so any benefit depends on your personal routine.

It's years since I messed with storage heaters. I did think that all the timers were changed to 'radioteleswitches' years ago, which use a radio time sigal for switching.

The worst scenario is that you have an independent timeswitch somewhere for the storage heater circuits, which, as you suspect, is out of sync with the supply timer. Storage heaters are horrible at the best of times, but charging them with peak rate electricity compounds the offence!

 

[keithrawes]

failed on the photo mission as the housekeeper's away and the meter cupboard's locked but i think i have learned what i needed to know from your replies. If the supply and the storage heaters are always synchronised to go on and off together whatever the time then i know what to do and when to do it so as to take advantage of how it is currently set up. SSE want me to change to a smart meter but my understanding is this will be installed in the down stairs meter cupboard three floors and fifty yards away and thus too distant for a wifi read-out in the flat. So i don't know if there's anything in it for me and i might lose the advantages that currently come from changes in the accidental time switching from 6.30 to 8.30 am. Yes?

 

[7029 dave]

failed on the photo mission as the housekeeper's away and the meter cupboard's locked but i think i have learned what i needed to know from your replies. If the supply and the storage heaters are always synchronised to go on and off together whatever the time then i know what to do and when to do it so as to take advantage of how it is currently set up. SSE want me to change to a smart meter but my understanding is this will be installed in the down stairs meter cupboard three floors and fifty yards away and thus too distant for a wifi read-out in the flat. So i don't know if there's anything in it for me and i might lose the advantages that currently come from changes in the accidental time switching from 6.30 to 8.30 am. Yes?

The decision really is in your court, you are quite correct the smart meter will be installed in the meter room downstairs, I am 99% that with that distance the ppmid (home display unit) will be out of range, so the only advantage to you and the energy supplier will be remote real time meter readings.

 

[keithrawes]

sorry dave what are 'remote real time meter readings' - a way of checking usage on the web?

 

[7029 dave]

sorry dave what are 'remote real time meter readings' - a way of checking usage on the web?

The smart meter would send readings to your energy supplier, so no need to read it manually thus no estimated billing.

 

[brianmoooore]

so the only advantage to the energy supplier will be remote real time meter readings.

Plus the smart meter has an internal contactor, giving the supplier the option of cutting off your electricity with a few taps on a keyboard.

 

[keithrawes]

thanks dave

 

[keithrawes]

Plus the smart meter has an internal contactor, giving the supplier the option of cutting off your electricity with a few taps on a keyboard.

thanks for the warning brian - so while the smart meter effectively puts the supply usage on the internet if the customer is without a relay system (like me) only the supplier has direct access to the data. I have to contact the supplier (and we all know how long that takes!) to find out the figures for night and day usage. Yes?

 

[brianmoooore]

I strongly suggest that everyone reads their own meter regularly and keeps records. Never underestimate the incompetence of the suppliers.
I once had a meter that was changed without my knowledge, while I was on holiday, but the supplier continued to bill me with estimated readings for four years, from a meter that didn't exist.
I've also had a few years of meter readings being rejected before we eventually discovered that the suppliers records said we had a five digit meter, whereas the actual meter had six digits.
Both incidents were eventually forced to a conclusion by me simply ceasing to pay them, and both resulted in substantial ex gratia payments of compensation.

 

[marcuswareham]

I wouldn't opt for a smart meter. I too use economy 7 and if I get a smart meter the economy 7 equivalent i will be given is terrible, 9p pew kwh off peak, 18p per kwh normal and 35p per kwh "Peak" (between 5pm - 7pm)

currently i have 9p off peak and 18p peak
So check with your electricity supply what they plan to-do

I keep getting contacted trying to get me to have one, they say 'but you will be able to see in real time your usage', I said i can do that now there is numbers on the front of my meter and a kwh flashing light, I also said i think it is so you can figure out at which times I used the most amount of electricity and charge me accordingly to your benift

Perhaps smart meters my help the people controlling the grid, But i am getting one as late as i can

 

[Zerax]

I quite like the idea of the Octopus Agile tariff with ½ hourly prices... gives the scope to save quite a bit especially if you need EV charging too. It does of course mean that you need a 'way of life' change to make sure you move as much usage as possible into the cheaper time slots.

Added to that... I quite fancy setting up my own battery storage... so that I can buy power from the grid when it's about 5p and use it when the grid power usually sells for 35p !

When we start to get alot more 2nd hand EV batteries on the market... the prices should come down even further.

 

[keithrawes]

I strongly suggest that everyone reads their own meter regularly and keeps records. Never underestimate the incompetence of the suppliers.
I once had a meter that was changed without my knowledge, while I was on holiday, but the supplier continued to bill me with estimated readings for four years, from a meter that didn't exist.
I've also had a few years of meter readings being rejected before we eventually discovered that the suppliers records said we had a five digit meter, whereas the actual meter had six digits.
Both incidents were eventually forced to a conclusion by me simply ceasing to pay them, and both resulted in substantial ex gratia payments of compensation.

Thanks Brian, interested in your compensation claims but reluctant to share my own problem in an open forum - if you can email me on [email protected] i'd be grateful

 

[keithrawes]

I quite like the idea of the Octopus Agile tariff with ½ hourly prices... gives the scope to save quite a bit especially if you need EV charging too. It does of course mean that you need a 'way of life' change to make sure you move as much usage as possible into the cheaper time slots.

Added to that... I quite fancy setting up my own battery storage... so that I can buy power from the grid when it's about 5p and use it when the grid power usually sells for 35p !

When we start to get alot more 2nd hand EV batteries on the market... the prices should come down even further.

thanks - i'll check out Octopus Agile