Re: E7 tarrif/meter

newbie2009

Currently with Southern Electric, If I change from an E7 & meter (I no longer want to use the E7 heaters as we have open fires) Will I have to install a new boiler?

My shower is electric and the boiler has a timed immersion but I dont want to change the meter to be left wit no hot water.

Any help greatly appreciated!

also I'm assuming if it doesn't work out i can have another E7 meter put back in as not removing E7 heaters just trying to be greener by using open fires this winter?

adprob

are you using the coal/wood fires to heat your water as well? if not you wont see a great drop on your bills.
whilst you will no longer be using the storage heaters, the hot water will all be heated at the normal rather than cheap rate and it is expensive to heat water this way.

KimYeovil

'greener' ? 'open fires' ?

adprob

a wood burner is considered more sustainable kim

snafu_2

Adprob, you don't say whether your immersion heater is directly controlled by your E7 meter, or whether it has its own time switch. Or possibly, neither.

When a meter is exchanged, power circuits are normally left unaffected. Moreover, if you have a dual tariff meter, some suppliers just leave it in place, and charge you the full rate for both readings.

In any case you won't be left without power to your appliances and the engineer will check before he leaves. If he doesn't, you should.

If you heat your water with electric - you say you have an electric shower (9-12Kw) , and an immersion heater (3Kw) , it's a moot point if you'll be better off on a standard tariff.

Check whether you shower, can use your immersion, dish-washer (?) and washing machine during off-peak hours. (GMT - often 1200-0700 or so)

If you can, you may be better off retaining E7, even if you don't use the storage heaters.

You need to do some sums. Some people say you need to use 40% of your juice off-peak to break even, but it depends on your tariff. It can be less.

If you have an E7 meter physically taken out there may be a charge for it to go back in. However, if you call your supplier they'll tell you over the phone what they do when users switch tariffs.

If you're with Southern, there are two 0800 numbers you can use to call them. Have your account number ready:

Billing: 0800 300 000
Queries: 0800 223 377

You'll be put through to Scottish power - but don't worry, they can deal with your Southern queries. Also, Southern - unlike some suppliers - do publish their prices on line if you want to check.

One option is to take meter readings every week. Then you'll know if you're better off or not.

Regards

Premier_2

snafu wrote: »

...You'll be put through to Scottish Power - but don't worry, they can deal with your Southern queries. ...

Typo? Did you mean Scottish Hydro?

Scottish Power are a competitor to SSE.

The numbers you advertise appear to belong to SSE / Scottish Hydro.

snafu_2

Yeah, not Scottish Power.

The numbers are otherwise correct.

Scottish Hydro Electric is a trading name of the Scottish and Southern Energy Group of which SSE Energy Supply Limited is a member. Southern Electric and Southern Electric Gas are trading names of the SSE Group.

Southern users can get through on the 0800 numbers given above and have their account queries dealt with by affable Scots persons.