two rate meter & night storage

oranabana

We have just moved to a new flat, which uses electrical night storage heaters to heat the place. There is four in all. Although we seem to have figured out now how they work (input on at night, output off - output on in the day, evenings, input off), we are a little puzzled still as to how they are charged/metered.

In the cellare there are:

1 'two rate meter'
1 timer device (hours between 18:00-06:00 marked in red)
1 fuse box, with one switch for each of the four storage heaters

When we first went to have a look and take a meter reading, we noticed that the cover of the timer device was not secured properly. One can just take it off, and change the timer settings.
Now, we noticed that the timer, has two markers, that can be moved around the clock to make the meter switch from low rate to standard rate. This seems to work, but the markers where set in such a way, that there was only really one hour of standard rate electricity in a 24hr period.

We have now changed it, so that they swicth the meter in the evening to low rate (at 21:00) and back to standard at 05:00. However a friend says that it does not matter what they are set to, as they only control the times when the storage heaters get supplied with electricity (which seems true)

So the question I have is:

is the standard rate and low rate calculated by the electricity company, or is it applied at the meter (which is what it seems, as the timer switches the meter between the two rates)?

We also told the electricity company, that the timer has been tampered with, but they said, just to put the cover back on (?!)...

We like to know what controls the low, high rate, as we hope to find the most suitable supplier.

Many Thanks in advance, any thoughts appreciated, as we never had this sort of setup in the past and are a bit new to this.

Oranabana

Robert5988

There is no way that you should be able alter the times at which the 2 rate meter reads day or night electricity. If it is set to give 23 hours at night rates and 1 hour at day rates the timer has been tampered with and the previous occupant has been defrauding the supply company.

The timer and meter should both be sealed with wire and a lead seal with warning notices that they must not be broken. I suggest that you tell the company in writing(recorded delivery) that the seal has been broken. Although the meter reader should check this.

I believe the normal time to change to night rate electricity is 7pm and back to day rate at 7am.

I take it that you are aware that all electricity consumed at night is at the cheap rate. So where possible use this to heat water, use washing machine etc.

oranabana

Hello Robert,

thanks for the reply, I thought I need to double check this one, so if anyone else agrees, I will sent the Electricity company (Powergen I think) another letter, stating, that the meter has been tampered with, as we don't like to have it this way (which may result in us having problems).

Was suprised however to hear that they were so reluctant to have it looked at, which made me think that the rate is not controlled by the timer, but by other means, on the side of the electricity company... huh?!

Who should we go with for cheaper electricity.?! :-/

lovelyjubbly

oranabana
have sent you a pm as my message was too long for here.

dave_dph

Robert5988 wrote:

I believe the normal time to change to night rate electricity is 7pm and back to day rate at 7am.

Economy 7 runs for 7 hours at night not 12, mine runs from midnight to 7am in the winter and 1am to 8am in the summer.

dave_dph

oranabana wrote:

Who should we go with for cheaper electricity.?! :-/

Check out https://www.zest4.co.uk for *probably* the cheapest economy 7 electricity.

24_Hour_Electrician

Phone and report the tampered meter straight away to your supply comany otherwise then can accuse you of moving the sangamo time clock thus using ALL your electric on rate 2 at approx 3p per unit not the 11p it should b during the day.If the coded seals are broken then again they can accuse u of stealing electric and they allways prosicute for this.

MarkyMarkD

24hourelectrician.co.uk wrote:

Phone and report the tampered meter straight away to your supply comany otherwise then can accuse you of moving the sangamo time clock thus using ALL your electric on rate 2 at approx 3p per unit not the 11p it should b during the day.If the coded seals are broken then again they can accuse u of stealing electric and they allways prosicute for this.

3p? 11p? Our rates are 2.3p+VAT and 5.58p + VAT respectively - nothing like 11p.