Electric boiler costing a fortune - advice needed

espresso

wizzywig27 wrote: »

So if I choose to clamp that wire, will that eradicate the need for a 2nd clamp as well?

Let me clarify a few things, on the pic, the two wires that seem to be giving me a reading are Neutral and Rate 1, even when I should be using rate 2 (after 12am) there was no reading coming from that cable..

The energy monitor supplied by e-on (Electrisave) seems to be the same as the Owl monitor. Extra sensors can be used for multi phase supplies but this would not help for E7. Attaching the clamp to the common live wire will monitor the total electricity used for both day and night rates. Are you sure that your night rate starts at exactly midnight?

wizzywig27

espresso wrote: »

The energy monitor supplied by e-on (Electrisave) seems to be the same as the Owl monitor. Extra sensors can be used for multi phase supplies but this would not help for E7. Attaching the clamp to the common live wire will monitor the total electricity used for both day and night rates. Are you sure that your night rate starts at exactly midnight?

According to Npower, yes. What I dont understand is, if I was on heatwise with E.on, then when Npower supplied me, I set it up as E7, would that effect the mater in anyway?

espresso

wizzywig27 wrote: »

According to Npower, yes. What I dont understand is, if I was on heatwise with E.on, then when Npower supplied me, I set it up as E7, would that effect the mater in anyway?

The switch over is controlled by the regional distributor not your supplier. You could get your cheap rate hours starting at any time during the night, not necessarily at exactly midnight. Are you saying that no units register on the night rate?

wizzywig27

since i started checking on Wednesday, no units have been registering on any of the readings, apart from from rate 1

Premier_2

wizzywig27 wrote: »

So if I choose to clamp that wire, will that eradicate the need for a 2nd clamp as well?

Let me clarify a few things, on the pic, the two wires that seem to be giving me a reading are Neutral and Rate 1, even when I should be using rate 2 (after 12am) there was no reading coming from that cable..

If you clamp where I suggested it will record the total you use (or I suppose you vould clamp on the neutral wire in expressos photo too to give the same result).

Rate 1 will be active always, even during the off peak period, so you will record at night any consumption on the circuits that are live during the day.

The rate 2 cable will only be active during the off peak period - it's effectively an extra circuit that only activates during the off peak period (in addition to the rate 1 circuit). Don't worry, all your electricity consumed at night will be at the low rate cost whichever circuit it is supplied by - the meter records the time it's used not which circuit its delivered to. Hopefully your monitor does the same.

Is the reason you are not getting any reading from the rate 2 circuit simply because you haven't got anything switched on in that off peak only circuit - usually it's just storage heaters (and possibly an immersion heater, but obviously not in your case)?

wizzywig27

Well last night after 12, I put my immersion heater on, at which point, the cable that the clamp was on all day (rate 1) was delvering the electricity.

I had the belief that all electricty after 12 was cheap rate? even that supplies the plugs etc? Thats what Npower told me

Cardew

You have a sign that says Heatwise which I understand is Economy 10.

What rates are on your electricity bill?

E10 I understand can vary according to regions(you are in East Midlands?) - it is not always 7 hours + 3 hours, but can be in 2 or 3 'blocks'. So at midnight you may well be on 'normal' rates.

Presumably your electricity meter(not the clip on E-On meter) is recording the different rates?

wizzywig27

when I was on e.on, I had the following rates, 12am - 7am off peak, 2pm - 4pm off peak, and 8pm - 9pm off peak, all other times were standard daytime rate.

With e.on, for 5 weeks my bill was £76 (before I went to Npower) which seems alot, as I NEVER put heating of immersion on during day, I was away for a week of that, so I have to say, I think there is something wrong.

The readings on the actual meter are not going up, only the standard day rate is going up

Premier_2

I too was wondering if this was not E7 but some other form of dual rate tariff.

If it's not E7, then yes it could be switching at almost anytime.

If it is E7, I found this useful guide by eon yesterday on switching times (not sure how accurate it is and if like me, the clock is not radio controlled, the clock can be wrong too!):
http://www.eonenergy.com/FAQ/Meters/Economy-7-Details.htm

It says East Midlands is active for a 7 hour period between 11:30pm and 8:30am

BUT that is GMT! So if wizzywig27 was told that off peak starts at midnight, that is midnight GMT which is 1:00am BST.

Cardew

wizzywig27 wrote: »

when I was on e.on, I had the following rates, 12am - 7am off peak, 2pm - 4pm off peak, and 8pm - 9pm off peak, all other times were standard daytime rate.

With e.on, for 5 weeks my bill was £76 (before I went to Npower) which seems alot, as I NEVER put heating of immersion on during day, I was away for a week of that, so I have to say, I think there is something wrong.

The readings on the actual meter are not going up, only the standard day rate is going up

Then the timing from the regional supplier is switched off, or faulty and you are on 'Normal' daytime rates either by design(Npower) or accident(faulty apparatus). Bet it is the former!