PLEASE HELP Regarding immersion heater and electricity

ILW

If teh OP is only spending £42.00 per month on a property with no gas, it seems very likely that they will be consuming much more than they are paying for. This does appear to be a "catch up" bill.

JAN.1026

G_M wrote: »

OK - forget what I said about boilers - I assumed gas!


You really need to get the agent/LL to explain how your heating/hot water works!

It may be you have (electric) night storag heaters? Or hot water on a night-time electric tarrif? If you have moved the timer and are now heating water during the day instead of using cheaper night-time electricity this might explain your jump in usage! Does your electricity bill show TWO charge amounts - daytime and night-time?

I'm afraid just saying "our heater is a big HUGE one (about 155 cm height)that sat in our store room" does not really help. I cannot see it, so don't know how it works. Is it a 'heater'? a 'boiler'? a water tank (with emmersian heater)?

Howevr, if there is a timer, you need to learn how to use it! Is there an instruction book? If not, ask your landlord for one.

I honestly don't know what kind of boiler it is, buy it is like a huge tank and there is a timer panel and a switch for the boiler itself. There is another switch which the said to be connected to the immersion boiler, but I can't see where the wire for the immersion boiler switch goes as it is inside the wall . I have asked the agent but they said boiler is not part of their service so they have no idea about it.

JAN.1026

loislane999 wrote: »

First thing I would do is get one of these http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/free-cheap-energy-monitors

I have one (a slightly more expensive version but great for tracking down high energy appliances etc). If the power rate suddenly jumps when nothing else has come on in the house, then perhaps you have a problem with a shared meter (see other previous post)

Check the thermostat setting (see previous post) and set it to 60 degrees (hot enough to kill off legionella but not excessivly hot).

Is the tank foam insualted? If not, then deffo get a timer. doesn't sound like it's a very efficient heater in there - perhaps drop big hints to your landlord.

It is set to 60 degree already and yes it is a timer one

The electrician looked and said no other wire connected , so there is no stealing electricity.

ILW

You appear to be avoiding the possibilty that the boiler is not the problem but the issue may be with the account. You need to find how many units you have used over the last year or so and how many you have actually paid for.

If electricity was being stolen from you, the feed could come from anywhere in the house wiring, not just the water heater.

JAN.1026

G_M wrote: »

1) Go back through the thread and look at the questions people have asked. Then post answers to them all. There are still too many 'unknowns' for us to be able to help.

2) Turn off everything. I mean every single light cooker, radiator, heater........ Does the meter still move?

3) Do this several times at different times of the day. For a good 15/20 minutes.

4) Get an electrician back because
a) an electrician who says: "they said that the energy company can actually control how fast the meter runs in order to meet the price that they want/ need to charge. Anyone knows if that is true? " is talking rubbish and probobly not an electrician! and
b) it seems you did not get him to teach you how the heating/hot water works as advised.

We have carried out all the test including switching off the fuses for boiler, lighting, etc and so we are sure that no stealing electricity and the only thing that cause the meter jump so fast is the immersion boiler.

I think the electrician is a bit weird saying that too.. And he has set the boiler to 60 degree last time when they came. I rang them few days ago regarding lack of hot water and they said they only do repairing so setting it is not their job...

ILW

JAN.1026 wrote: »

We have carried out all the test including switching off the fuses for boiler, lighting, etc and so we are sure that no stealing electricity and the only thing that cause the meter jump so fast is the immersion boiler.

I think the electrician is a bit weird saying that too.. And he has set the boiler to 60 degree last time when they came. I rang them few days ago regarding lack of hot water and they said they only do repairing so setting it is not their job...

Must be a billing issue then.

JAN.1026

ILW wrote: »

You appear to be avoiding the possibilty that the boiler is not the problem but the issue may be with the account. You need to find how many units you have used over the last year or so and how many you have actually paid for.

If electricity was being stolen from you, the feed could come from anywhere in the house wiring, not just the water heater.

I am not trying to but that's what both of the electricians told me .. They all said that there is no sign of stealing electricity.. And when the central fuse is off the meter is off and all wire connected are from
My flat

ILW

JAN.1026 wrote: »

I am not trying to but that's what both of the electricians told me .. They all said that there is no sign of stealing electricity.. And when the central fuse is off the meter is off and all wire connected are from
My flat

As said many times before, it must be a billing issue then. It appears you are using more electricity than you are paying for on your fixed payment.

JAN.1026

ILW wrote: »

Must be a billing issue then.

bris wrote: »

Using an immersion boilel is like using a kettle. A kettle is small but put it on and see the meter speed up 10 fold. Now think of the boiler as a huge kettle, when you put it on the meter speeds up 10 fold for much longer because you are heating the water up from cold. After you turn it off and use all the hot water the process starts again, this is very costly.
I know things vary depending on use but it can, which has already been stated, be much more economical to leave it on, this means the element only has to kick in for a very short time to maintain the tempeture of the water.
Unfortunately for the op this seems to be the only means of hot water, this type of system is expensive to run but not necesserily faulty. I'm surprised it's only £42 pm tbh.

It is 43 pounds per month only because they calculate it with privies usage before this issue occur:( the bill that I am getting now is about 400 pounds per month...

JAN.1026

ILW wrote: »

As said many times before, it must be a billing issue then. It appears you are using more electricity than you are paying for on your fixed payment.

I know hy I need to pay extra but I just want to figure out what makes my bill 10 times higher if the immersion heater is not faulty.even we were in fixed plan, but they are still taking the reading and give us a bill saying whether we are in credit or debit... We have been in credit until 3 months ago we suddenly received a letter from scottih power saying that our usage is not normal compare to previous usage and told us to carry out investigation ... That's how we find out the whole thing..and since then we always keep an eye on the meter..

Does anyone knows if my boiler is working normal and switched on, with the immersion boiler on at the same time, will the immersion boiler use about 70 unit per day?