Baffled by immersion heating/Eco 7!

GrammarGirl

Hi all,

I've spent ages searching this board to find the answer to my question as I can see you get lots of duplicate threads with people asking the same things, but I can't find it anywhere! Please point me in the right direction if I'm just repeating a previous thread.

My boyfriend and I have just moved into a 2 bed ground floor all electric flat. It has storage heating and we're on an Economy 7 tariff with Scottish Power. So far, so good.

I understand how Eco 7 works - cheaper electricity at off peak times, which for us is 12.30-7.30am. Got it. I know how the storage heating works and won't be using them now anyway. After reading up on threads here, although there's an ongoing debate about which is cheaper, I think it's better to leave our water heating on all the time (switch is in the kitchen left on constantly), but I thought I'd take the advice of people in here and turn the temperature down a notch. That's where the problem lies - there doesn't seem to be a temperature gauge, or a timer setting if we wanted to use it.

My second issue is the washing machine. I want to have this on a timer, so it comes on during our off peak hours and costs less. Looking at the machine, there's no timer fitter, there's no normal plug socket visible where I could put a timer. Above the machine there are two light switch type devices, one says off peak, one says peak. Both are switched on.

I have no idea how to use this system. I've read through the manual with no joy so thought I'd ask in here. The boiler is a Flow something (sorry, I will find out the exact name when I'm home!) and is a 2004 model, so not old. Everything seems to be working fine - hot water when we need it, all electricity ok.

Any ideas?

Magentasue

I don't think anybody will tell you it's better to have your hot water on all of the time. The debate is about how much more expensive it is. To me, it seems like throwing money away to have an immersion heater on all the time for two people.

Are you sure your washing machine isn't plugged into a socket?

GrammarGirl

Magentasue wrote: »

I don't think anybody will tell you it's better to have your hot water on all of the time. The debate is about how much more expensive it is. To me, it seems like throwing money away to have an immersion heater on all the time for two people.

Are you sure your washing machine isn't plugged into a socket?

I see what you mean about the heater... maybe it'll be a case of trying one month with it on and one month switching it on and off and see how that's reflected in the bills? Hmm.

I can't see a plug for the washer anywhere. Next to the light switch things, there's what looks like a phone port with a wire going in. There are also various fuse boxes dotted around.

GrammarGirl

Could this be the purpose of the switches maybe?

(from Wikipedia)

Power switches


Off peak and peak power supplies to storage heater
Newer installations will provide two separate power circuits, one for on-peak and one for off-peak electricity, and two power switches on the wall next to each storage heater. These should be switched off during the summer when the operator does not require heat. During other months the off-peak switch can be left on at all times, with the on-peak switch being used when insufficient energy has been stored during off-peak times.

GrammarGirl

Although the switches aren't on the wall next to the heaters, they're in the utility cupboard with the boiler and washer.

penrhyn

If its like my house then your washing machine will be plugged in to a socket behind the machine under the worktop, with a switch possibly above.
You will have to heave the machine out to check this out.

Cardew

If you are on economy 7 then you only want it on during the 7 hours cheap electricity. Otherwise if you use any hot water in the other 17 hours it will reheat that water at expensive daytime rates.

The issue of leaving water on 24/7 or timed does not apply if you are on Economy 7 and in any case the discussion was only about how much more expensive it is to leave the water on 24/7, not if it was cheaper.

Your washing machine must be plugged into a 13 amp socket, it is probably hidden behing a kitchen cupboard or elsewhere in the house.

GrammarGirl

Ah, I see. So... how can I get my water to heat up only at off peak times when there is no timer?! Other than staying up 'til 12.30 to turn it on! I'll have to do some more investigating I think.

I will get the boyfriend to heave the washer out tonight, see if it's hidden behind it.

Any idea on the switches - after reading into it a bit more, I think these are for the storage heaters and therefore should be switched off completely as we're not using the heating right now?

Cardew

GrammarGirl wrote: »

Ah, I see. So... how can I get my water to heat up only at off peak times when there is no timer?! Other than staying up 'til 12.30 to turn it on! I'll have to do some more investigating I think.

I will get the boyfriend to heave the washer out tonight, see if it's hidden behind it.

Any idea on the switches - after reading into it a bit more, I think these are for the storage heaters and therefore should be switched off completely as we're not using the heating right now?

Often immersion heaters are wired so they only come on during the Economy 7 period, and have an overide switch if you have used all the hot water.(that would normally only be if you have had a couple of baths)

P.S.
The timings for Economy 7 usually vary by an hour with BST.

GrammarGirl

Cardew wrote: »

Often immersion heaters are wired so they only come on during the Economy 7 period, and have an overide switch if you have used all the hot water.(that would normally only be if you have had a couple of baths)

P.S.
The timings for Economy 7 usually vary by an hour with BST.

Aha! So, this switch in the kitchen is like the boost button? And as I remember the discussions, these are very expensive? And ours is on right now! Argh!

Ok, I will keep that off and see how we get on with hot water. We only really shower in the morning and use a bowl for washing up on a night hopefully we won't need to boost. Incidentally, the boost button was switched to on when we moved in... looks like the previous tenants didn't have MSE to advise them!

Yes, the lady at Scottish Power said 12.30-7.30am BST, so I guess it will change when the clocks do.

Thanks so much for your help.

Cardew

A couple of points on using a washing machine at night.

In flats there can be a very real noise problem and some blocks ban their use after 10pm. They can make a real racket which can disturb neighbours.

I would't worry too much about the washing machine costs. motern machines use very little electricity, typical consumption might be 0.4kWh to 0.6kWh so you are only talking about saving a couple of pence per cycle. Dryers are a different matter.