E7 Multi Rate Meter Confusion

PoppyHoppy

Hello all,
We're on the dreaded E7 and have a few questions.We've tried asking Scottish Power for advice but they haven't been helpful thus far.

1. We've found guide of what time it changes from day to night rate, but one site will contradict another. SP have told us that they don't know. We occasionally hear the meter click, so this may be the change over, but we really need exact times in order to be efficient. If our provider can't tell us the timings, who can? It's a norweb meter, who are now United Utilities, maybe it's worth trying them.

2. The number 1 next to the day rate reading flashes. We'd assumed this was indicating it was on the day rate, however we checked it at 1am and it was still flashing (but obviously we should have been on night rate at that time).

3. Generally we think the bills are pretty hefty. Although we only have electricity, we still don't have masses of appliances and are very frugal with our use. I had the storage heaters removed a while back, so it doesn't fire up the heating and we don't have a washer/dryer or dishwasher. So it's just the basics of tv, internet, phone, fridge and laptop. We don't leave things on standby and work full time, so not sure how the kw's are clocking up! Anyone know the average E7 consumption for a 2 bed flat with a working couple?

Thanks in advance

macman

Why are you still on E7 if you don't have storage heaters any more?
Even more so since you don't have gas-so how are you heating your house and your hot water?
If the only E7 units you are using are at night to heat up your hot water in an immersion heater, then all your other consumption will be charged at peak rate, including any electric space heating.
Have a look at your bills and work out what percentage of your consumption is on cheap rate. If it's not at least a third, then E7 is probably the wrong tariff for you.

PoppyHoppy

Thanks for your reply.

I did try to go onto a standard tariff, one advisor at SP said it would be cheaper and advised me to put it in writing so I didn't have to pay for a meter change. They wrote back, including calculations saying I wouldn't save. With no apology for the misinformation/contradiction.

We're actually getting some storage heaters put in soon anyway, but still need to sort out the timing issue and the flashing 1 query.

macman

You can do your own calculations to work out whether you would save or not. Not all suppliers will require a meter change to move to a non E7 tariff -you just add the 2 readings together.

Gurn_2

What is switching the rate, do you have a seperate timeswitch/teleswitch or is it a 5 terminal meter?

dunloadin

2. The number 1 next to the day rate reading flashes. We'd assumed this was indicating it was on the day rate, however we checked it at 1am and it was still flashing (but obviously we should have been on night rate at that time).

Theres a couple of reasons why this is happening.

There will be an electro-mechanical or radio teleswitch wired into the meter...a thin cable should connect them and provides the switching from day to night. Occasionally the sparkies remove the wrong cables (or all of them) when they disconnect the heating fusebox, if this is the case then the meter will be stuck on the one rate.

If the day and night are still racking up it could be the clock has lost or gained some time and needs resetting (only if you have the older electro-mechanical type switch). If so check the clock face and see what time it is showing (its a 24hr rotary clock, the time is shown by checking at the pointer normally found at the bottom of the clock).

Remember we are in British Summer Time at the moment, the electro mechanical clock (or an internal meter clock if you have a newer digital meter) will be set for GMT, so will be an hour out at the moment.

3. Generally we think the bills are pretty hefty. Although we only have electricity, we still don't have masses of appliances and are very frugal with our use. I had the storage heaters removed a while back, so it doesn't fire up the heating and we don't have a washer/dryer or dishwasher. So it's just the basics of tv, internet, phone, fridge and laptop. We don't leave things on standby and work full time, so not sure how the kw's are clocking up! Anyone know the average E7 consumption for a 2 bed flat with a working couple?

As macman points out the price of daytime electricity is slightly higher on E7 tariffs. If you still use immersion heaters for the hot water then this could be the reason for the higher than expected cost.

Premier_2

A few things to consider.

1. Scottish Power won't allow you a single rate tariff whilst you have a dual rate meter.

2. Scottish Power will charge you to change the meter to a single rate version.

3. Sometimes (depending on region and desired method of payment) it pays to be on E7 with Scottish Power than their equivilent single rate supply no matter how little overnight electricity you use.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1207887


4. If you are having storage heaters fitted, then you'll need E7 (or something similar) anyway.

5. The supplier probably won't know the switching times for you. Contact the local electricity distributor who will probably know.

6. The flashing on the meter rate does normally indicate that is the active rate. It may not have changed when you looked at it as we are currently on BST and the switching times remain on GMT. (1am BST is midnight GMT). Check to see if both registers change over a period of 24 hours to ensure rate switching is actually taking place.

Scottish_Power

Hi PoppyHoppy

Check on the meter and see if you can locate the teleswitch code (2 or 3 digit number) and I will confirm exact times for you. Economy 7 meters should provide 7 hours on the lower night rate between 12am and 8am, therefore it could be changing over around 1am. If the meter is not changing over during these hours then we may need to replace the timeswitch for you.

If you hear the meter clicking at night, record the meter readings at that time and then record them again in the morning around 8am if possible. This should give you an idea of how much is being recorded at the lower night rate. If you are getting storage heaters fitted soon, then you are best to stay with the E7 meter and benefit from the lower night rate.

If you contact us we will be able to tell you how much is being used on the day rate and night rate over a 12-month period (if you have been with us for this amount of time), if not, then we will confirm to you what we estimate you will use over a 12-month period based on the meter readings that we have received so far. Are you on an online monthly Direct Debit tariff with us? If not, you may wish to consider looking at other tariffs we offer to see if you can save money that way. I have also included a link to our energy efficiency page which may help identify other ways of reducing your consumption. You may want to take a few minutes to complete the energy efficiency survey to see if we can identify solutions for you.

http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/energy-efficiency.aspx

Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be happy to help.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

PoppyHoppy

Thank you all for your help. It's much appreciated!

PoppyHoppy

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi PoppyHoppy

Check on the meter and see if you can locate the teleswitch code (2 or 3 digit number) and I will confirm exact times for you.

Thanks for this Colin. The three digit code is HEX24

Kind regards