Scottish Hydro Total Heating Total control

JMcG_2

Hi, can anyone explain to me how this system works? I have recently moved in to a new house and have had one bill so far. There are 2 unit rates on the bill and a standing charge. I have night storage heaters downstairs, wall radiators upstairs and a switch in the kitchen but no-one can tell me what this is for. I phoned Scttish Hydro to check current prices and was told there are 3 unit prices for this tariff - wasn't much help really!!

I was looking at changing to another company but from other posts on this site it looks like that will be impossible.

Thanks

brysiewysie

There's info available in several places, for example;

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=12905103&highlight=total+control+scottish#post12905103

http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/185B64F2-304F-42D5-BD2A-6BF520DE3657/0/ElectricalTariffs.pdf

Dannii_B

Basically, you have 3 rates on the meter and possibly even 2 meters, and certainly 2 supply (MPAN) numbers and Scottish Hydro/Power have the monopoly on these types of meters, only they can bill them correctly - not exactly sure why.

Basically, you will have a rate for all the electricity in your house, the lights, sockets etc. and then you'll have a night rate for storage heaters and then a further "boost" rate which will allow the heating system to receive a cheaper rate of a electricity during the day - hence the name total control/comfort control.

Other companies might try to take these supply numbers over, but won't be able to bill it like Hydro can. If you use the heating system as it is meant to be, you'll be better off staying with Hydro.

If you want rid of it, ask Hydro to sort you out a meter exchange for a standard meter and de-energise one of the MPANs, then you'd be able to change suppliers.

JMcG_2

Great, that clears thing up! I'll stick with what I've got - anything else sounds far too complicated!
Thanks

JimMcC_2

Yes, be careful! I am with Scottish Hydro, and was on this tariff. I believed it was both rather expensive, and a little difficult to control. I also thought it would prevent me changin suppliers. Last week, I got my meters changed (free of charge), and went on to Economy 7. If anything, my readings look higher, and the place has been freezing! I'm going to ask to change it back!

adprob

Hi,
I have THTC as well. You have 2 rates with this, Heating & Hot water and then everything else. Anytime we turn on our heating and hot water this is charged through the off peak rate but everything else is at the normal rate. We get a charge through the night and during the after noon (hot water and storage not panel heaters) but this is controlled by Hydro. They have told me there are no set times and depends on weather forecasts. You cannot change suppliers on THTC as no one else wants to take on the metering system but i think its better than e7 as you dont have to make do with 1 charge through the night.
If i can answer anything else about how i've found the system just ask.

boqq_2

Hi. I've just rented a house on this tariff and am a bit confused. Phoned Scottish Hydro and they said that If I swith washing machine etc at night (1130 to 0630 I'll be charged less. Is this true. Is the standard rate high compared to the other rates and what if I switch the heaters off from the wall will I still be charged?

dunloadin

Dannii_B wrote: »

Basically, you have 3 rates on the meter and possibly even 2 meters, and certainly 2 supply (MPAN) numbers and Scottish Hydro/Power have the monopoly on these types of meters, only they can bill them correctly - not exactly sure why.

THTC uses 2 rates, your 3 rate system is Scottish Powers Comfort Plus system (similar in how it works). The reason why they are monopolised is that a THTC system has two single rate meters; most companys will charge the second meter as a standard single rate tariff therefore all your heating will be charged at the day rate....gets very pricey.

The number of meters depends on the payment method:

Quarterly bills - two meters,

Meter 1 - a standard single rate meter meter (MPAN#1, first 3 digits on MPAN normally 171) This meter measures the Domestic supply (lights, sockets, cooker etc) This is a 24 hour supply....no point in putting washers etc on at night as it does not have a cheap rate.

Meter 2 - is a radio Telemeter (MPAN#2, first 3 digits on MPAN normally 172) This meter measures the heating supply and can have 2 or 3 seperate outputs as follows- a 24 hour supply for any panel/convector heaters in the house. An 80A switched supply, for the storage heaters and hot water (overnight charging). A 35A supply for 'boosting' the hot water through the day...if connected this is done by the meter, but can be done manually...if not connected then the boost is supplied through the 24 hour supply.

Key/Token meters

Only one meter in this system, who wants to feed money into two meters! The meter has two recording elements, one for Domestic and one for Heating. The heating system in these set up is controlled by a radio teleswitch programmed for THTC. There's still two MPANS....both are attached to the same meter. Again theres no cheap rate on the domestic supply.

ferriday

As a newbie it's been interesting reading all the comments on here - and very informative. However, what I haven't been able to determine is whether a suggestion made by a builder makes sense. I'm doing a loft conversion to add 2 rooms, an en suite and a toilet to my attic (the main rooms will each be about 4.5m square). To do this I need to move a 6ft tall water/immersion tank (with its own header/expansion tank) and create a cupboard for it in a less than ideal place (because of the staircase and how the coombed ceiling runs). One builder surveyed the job for a quote and suggested doing away with the tank altogether and using a 'combi' boiler instead, to heat water and run radiators in the upstairs areas.

Our house is all electric (THTC from Scottish Hydro) with storage heaters downstairs, and for various reasons we're not thinking about converting to oil or LPG. Does anyone have any views about the wisdom of using an electric boiler in those circumstances?

lg723

Hi Ferriday!

From what I know about THTC, it is a requirement set by the Scottish Hydro that 60% of the total installed heating load must come from the storage heaters.

Assuming that if you changed to an electric boiler you'd want to replace the storage heaters with "wet" radiators? If so I think you'd be better changing to an Economy 10 tarriff.

At least with an E10 tariff you'd have set and consistent off-peak times for using the heating and hot water instead of the very unusual times the Hydro set for charging the Storage Heaters. Recently ours have been coming on from 3am-4.30am, 5.00am-5.30am, 7.00-9.00am, 10.30am-1.30pm and then 8.30-9.00pm but everyone's timings are different and change at different times of the year. (more charge times in winter, less in summer)

Hope this helps

ferriday

Thanks lg723, that is helpful. I did a bit more research with Hydro themselves (not terribly well informed about comparisons - had lots of figures for tariffs but no help with comparing costs). It would seem, from discussing it with local heating engineers (all types of fuel, so maybe reasonably impartial), that electric is always going to be the more expensive to run. Is that your (and anyone else's) experience?