PLEASE HELP Regarding immersion heater and electricity

JAN.1026

Manual_Reversion wrote: »

Do you have native support in this country?

Given that 79 units per day is huge, can you plan a shower/wash routine that allows you 24 hours of immersion heating switched off at the wall, and see what your electricity use is without it, even just for 24 hours?

You have also said (I think!) that with the immersion heater off your units doubled?

LAST POINT: We lived in a place a couple of years ago with a gas-powered central heating system. When we went away over the winter we turned it 'off'. But it had a system that you couldn't stop, it kept working to stop the (water) pipes freezing during the winter. I think our gas bill was about £120/ month. You say your bill went crazy from three months ago. Maybe your electric system stays on even when 'off' to protect freezing pipes? Are your radiators warm even with heating 'off'?

Sorry I should make it clearer . When we found out that it was on, our usage was 79 unit per day. after we have switched it off, we used 6 units in the first week and 11 for the second week , it is a double of the first week which is quite strange but I think 11 unit is still acceptable...?

JAN.1026

huangdi wrote: »

might be a very silly question for the OP, and excuse if ive missed something. I have same type of combi heater as the OP in my one bed flat.

Does the OP have economy 7?

the reason i ask is if it is set to ON, the timer will heat the water at night for a few hours every day no matter what. is the correct time displayed on the timer switch and its not heating the water constantly due to a timer issue?

i found the manual for my combi heater online, and managed to work out how to use it. a couple of times my bills was high, so i checked the thermostat was set to the correct temperature. turns out, the timer had changed itself, and was heating water at the wrong time of day.

normally u can reset the timer, by pressing all buttons at the same time. this will allow u to reset the time etc. i can manually set 3 seperate ON/OFF phases so i have it on for one hour when i get up, then 1 hour when Mrs H gets up :T.

so technically, i do not bother using the economy 7 anymore. just 2/3 hours a day. my bills are 35-40 in the summer, 65 in the winter(all electric)

have u looked at the manufacturer of the combi boiler to find a manual? is it an OSO by any chance?

I don't know what economy 7 is but i don't think we have it as I haven't seen this name before

I will try l find out how to set it.. As we only use hot water between 1am -4am when we are back from work:)

silverjay

JAN.1026 wrote: »

I don't know what economy 7 is but i don't think we have it as I haven't seen this name before

I will try l find out how to set it.. As we only use hot water between 1am -4am when we are back from work:)

If you had Economy 7 you would have two readings on your meter with either day/night or low/high by them. Economy 7 works by giving you 7 hours electricity at a cheaper rate during the night usually between midnight-7 a.m. but it varies depending on your electricity provider.

I have Economy 7 and my hot water cylinder only needs about an hour each morning to heat up the water for the day. I do have an electric shower though which heats the water up for the shower as you use it.

My daytime usage in the winter quarter usually averages out at around 9 units which includes for cooker, fridge/freezer, lighting, computer, clock/radio and having the fire on for a few hours in the evening. This wouldn't include heating the hot water as I am always awake early enough to switch it on during the Economy7 period.

For my hot water as well as the timer switch near the cylinder (boiler) I also have a switched spur unit in the kitchen which isolates the supply to the water heater. Do you have anything like this? If it was left on permanently that would mean your immersion was on all day long.

Personally I think I would call a plumber to check your hot water supply rather than an electrician.

JAN.1026

silverjay wrote: »

If you had Economy 7 you would have two readings on your meter with either day/night or low/high by them. Economy 7 works by giving you 7 hours electricity at a cheaper rate during the night usually between midnight-7 a.m. but it varies depending on your electricity provider.

I have Economy 7 and my hot water cylinder only needs about an hour each morning to heat up the water for the day. I do have an electric shower though which heats the water up for the shower as you use it.

My daytime usage in the winter quarter usually averages out at around 9 units which includes for cooker, fridge/freezer, lighting, computer, clock/radio and having the fire on for a few hours in the evening. This wouldn't include heating the hot water as I am always awake early enough to switch it on during the Economy7 period.

For my hot water as well as the timer switch near the cylinder (boiler) I also have a switched spur unit in the kitchen which isolates the supply to the water heater. Do you have anything like this? If it was left on permanently that would mean your immersion was on all day long.

Personally I think I would call a plumber to check your hot water supply rather than an electrician.

No, my is not economy 7 then¬ =] and I couldn't see such a switch ¬
Mine is just a switch and a timer for the boiler and a switch for the immersion heater itself (according to the electrician)¬

JAN.1026

JAN.1026 wrote: »

Good idea! Will let you all know later!

Here it is ! It stated on the boiler that:

'SysteMateSP' which i think is the brand name

'Hot water only thermal store' which is printed under the brand name.

'Cylineder Thermostat-Pre set by manufacturer at 70'C' which the electrician said they have changed to 60 now.

Does this information help?

G_M

JAN.1026 wrote: »

'SysteMateSP' which i think is the brand name

'Hot water only thermal store' which is printed under the brand name.

'Cylineder Thermostat-Pre set by manufacturer at 70'C' which the electrician said they have changed to 60 now.

I have to admit this is not a common system so not many people will be familiar with it. I have found a user manual which explains the system, how it works and hope this may help you. This is for the SysteMate 2000, so not sure if this is exactly what you have.

There is also a SysteMate III.

The SysteMate seems to be manufactured by


Gledhill Water Storage Ltd
Sycamore Trading Estate
Squires Gate Lane
Blackpool

who may be able to help you more. Telephone 01253 474550 OR 08445 679898

The user manual recommends leaving the boiler on 24/7. My guess is that the immersion heater is a back-up for the boiler so it should be left OFF. This is what caused your high bill because, somehow, the immersion was on 24/7 AS WELL AS the boiler.

Now that the immersion is off, your electricity usage has dropped.

You also need to learn how to set the timer on the boiler and use this, so I hope the user manual will help.

Finally, there is another forum DIYNOT (plumbing and central heating) where many posters are actually plumbers and central heating engineers. You may be more likely to find an expert there!

JAN.1026

G_M wrote: »

I have to admit this is not a common system so not many people will be familiar with it. I have found a user manual which explains the system, how it works and hope this may help you. This is for the SysteMate 2000, so not sure if this is exactly what you have.

There is also a SysteMate III.

The SysteMate seems to be manufactured by


Gledhill Water Storage Ltd
Sycamore Trading Estate
Squires Gate Lane
Blackpool

who may be able to help you more. Telephone 01253 474550 OR 08445 679898

The user manual recommends leaving the boiler on 24/7. My guess is that the immersion heater is a back-up for the boiler so it should be left OFF. This is what caused your high bill because, somehow, the immersion was on 24/7 AS WELL AS the boiler.

Now that the immersion is off, your electricity usage has dropped.

You also need to learn how to set the timer on the boiler and use this, so I hope the user manual will help.

Finally, there is another forum DIYNOT (plumbing and central heating) where many posters are actually plumbers and central heating engineers. You may be more likely to find an expert there!

THANKS! G_M!! I will find it out how to do it! =]

Thanks so much for providing me a lot of suggestions and help!!!

G_M

JAN.1026 wrote: »

THANKS! G_M!! I will find it out how to do it! =]

Thanks so much for providing me a lot of suggestions and help!!!

Mei wenti.

_bankrupted

I enjoyed reading this thread all in one go, mainly because the answers and questions never matched.

Jan1026.

You said the flat does not have gas. Yes it does as that it how the boiler is powered. Boilers either run on Oil or Gas.

Boilers are not powered from electricity.

Your SysteMateSP is used to provide heat to the radiators and also to heat the hot water. BUT it is powered from a boiler, that boiler uses Oil or Gas as it's fuel source.

The boiler may not be in your flat, it may be in another flat (are you living in a big house that has been divided into flats).

Anyway someone else is paying for the energy the boiler is using! Or is this included in your rent.

Anyway it looks like the boiler has broken and the backup system (the SysteMateSP switching to electrical power) has kicked in.

You need to investigate where the boiler is located in the building and who is paying for the energy it uses.

On another note £42 for Heating, hot water and electrical power for 2 people in a flat is too cheap. Someone has been paying the gas/oil bill even if you don't know it.

JAN.1026

_bankrupted wrote: »

I enjoyed reading this thread all in one go, mainly because the answers and questions never matched.

Jan1026.

You said the flat does not have gas. Yes it does as that it how the boiler is powered. Boilers either run on Oil or Gas.

Boilers are not powered from electricity.

Your SysteMateSP is used to provide heat to the radiators and also to heat the hot water. BUT it is powered from a boiler, that boiler uses Oil or Gas as it's fuel source.

The boiler may not be in your flat, it may be in another flat (are you living in a big house that has been divided into flats).

Anyway someone else is paying for the energy the boiler is using! Or is this included in your rent.

Anyway it looks like the boiler has broken and the backup system (the SysteMateSP switching to electrical power) has kicked in.

You need to investigate where the boiler is located in the building and who is paying for the energy it uses.

On another note £42 for Heating, hot water and electrical power for 2 people in a flat is too cheap. Someone has been paying the gas/oil bill even if you don't know it.

Really??? I really didn't know that there is any source of gas in my flat? does every flat have gas for the boiler ??? my rent does not include water bill/gas/electricity.

I know 42 pounds is cheap but think about it that we are not at home most of the time and we don't use any heating. The most electricity consuming equipments like cooker are not used as we don't cook at all. and we always switch off those switches on the sockets as well as machines themselves that are not in use. So i thought it is quite normal for us to use little electricity..and according to Scottish power we always only use 7-8 unit previously anyway (actual reading) ?