Many Questions about All Electric House and Heating

thepurplegoldfish

Hi All,

Firstly THANK YOU for taking the time to read this and offer your help, it is appreciated. Right now on to the topic in hand.

I live in a one bedroom ground floor flat and I am all electric, I need to pick your brains as to what's what. I have night storage heaters (I only use one) and an electric water boiler. I know the storage heater and the water tank take in energy through the night but does it do this during the day for any period of time? If so when?

The reason I ask all this is that I have just had the winter bill in and it show that I am using large amounts during the day rate hours but I am rarely in, I have asked nPower what the craic is with the set up, they can only tell me that I have an economy 7 meter and that I get 7 hours during the night at the lower rate and nothing more. The neighbours don't seem to know what the craic is either, they're all on the same set up but most of them are new and don't know the ins and out either. For the past year (since I moved in) I have had the one heater on during the winter months and when I want hot water I just hit the 'top up' button ( I have to wait about an hour for a tank to be ready).


Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

HappyMJ

thepurplegoldfish wrote: »

For the past year (since I moved in) I have had the one heater on during the winter months and when I want hot water I just hit the 'top up' button ( I have to wait about an hour for a tank to be ready).

That'll be it then that's 3kWh right there. Costing you around 40p. If you timed it to come on at night every night it would only cost around 15p. Over the 91 days in a quarter that'll save you £23 or £91 per year. I'm assuming your rates are similar to mine.

thepurplegoldfish

HappyMJ wrote: »

That'll be it then that's 3kWh right there.

You mean the water is costing 3kwh just to heat the tank via the top up button?

thepurplegoldfish

P.s I am on the sign online 20 with nPower if that helps at all.

dogshome

Hi thepurplegoldfish - As you say, your ECO7 meter delivers 7 hours of cheap power overnight, but be aware that the Daytime power you use at any other time is charged at a Premium price

If you can possibly avoid it, do not use the 'Top up Switch' which will burn that expensive daytime power.
Your tank should be full of hotwater when you get up in the morning, so if you can, take baths/showers then - Also if you have a Wash machine, use it's timer function to run it overnight.

Richie-from-the-Boro

thepurplegoldfish wrote: »

Hi All,

Firstly THANK YOU for taking the time to read this and offer your help, it is appreciated. Right now on to the topic in hand.

I live in a one bedroom ground floor flat and I am all electric, I need to pick your brains as to what's what. I have night storage heaters (I only use one) and an electric water boiler. I know the storage heater and the water tank take in energy through the night but does it do this during the day for any period of time? If so when?

The reason I ask all this is that I have just had the winter bill in and it show that I am using large amounts during the day rate hours but I am rarely in, I have asked nPower what the craic is with the set up, they can only tell me that I have an economy 7 meter and that I get 7 hours during the night at the lower rate and nothing more. The neighbours don't seem to know what the craic is either, they're all on the same set up but most of them are new and don't know the ins and out either. For the past year (since I moved in) I have had the one heater on during the winter months and when I want hot water I just hit the 'top up' button ( I have to wait about an hour for a tank to be ready).


Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

If you are rarely in and don't have 5 kids taking baths not showers I don't understand your need for using ' top up ' function at all. I immediately suspect the E7 water heating tank / timer / etc.

An E7 tank has a Horstmann type controller running two heating elements have a look, you can see two sets of wires one going in at the bottom the other going in near the top.

The E7 / night leccy heats the whole 100% of the tank from the bottom @ cheap rate. The ' boost ' button heats only the top 20% of the tank @ the very expensive day rate. The design should if its E7 compliant be (1) big enough not to need frequent ' boost use and (2) insulated to the standard that maintains its heat for far longer than the non E7 cylinders.

The E7 ' cost effective ' heating question, you may in fact be better using both heaters with the ' thermostatic damper ' permanently closed tight rather than just the one.

Too late now, but as an experiment write down your two figures [ day & night readings ] showing on your meter twice each day for a week and see what usage it actually shows. Twice each day means after 8am and again before midnight.

thepurplegoldfish

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

If you are rarely in and don't have 5 kids taking baths not showers I don't understand your need for using ' top up ' function at all. I immediately suspect the E7 water heating tank / timer / etc.

An E7 tank has a Horstmann type controller running two heating elements have a look, you can see two sets of wires one going in at the bottom the other going in near the top.

The E7 / night leccy heats the whole 100% of the tank from the bottom @ cheap rate. The ' boost ' button heats only the top 20% of the tank @ the very expensive day rate. The design should if its E7 compliant be (1) big enough not to need frequent ' boost use and (2) insulated to the standard that maintains its heat for far longer than the non E7 cylinders.

The E7 ' cost effective ' heating question, you may in fact be better using both heaters with the ' thermostatic damper ' permanently closed tight rather than just the one.

Too late now, but as an experiment write down your two figures [ day & night readings ] showing on your meter twice each day for a week and see what usage it actually shows. Twice each day means after 8am and again before midnight.

The tank does have two wires, one at the top and one at the bottom as you say. The options I have are:

A Main Hot water switch (this is the one I have never used)

A Boost switch with 'Off' - 'Timed' - Currently I just hit timed and press boost which brings on a red light and within an hour I can have a bath.


Which should I be doing?


Thanks for the help by the way, it's much appreciated.

HappyMJ

thepurplegoldfish wrote: »

The tank does have two wires, one at the top and one at the bottom as you say. The options I have are:

A Main Hot water switch (this is the one I have never used)

A Boost switch with 'Off' - 'Timed' - Currently I just hit timed and press boost which brings on a red light and within an hour I can have a bath.


Which should I be doing?


Thanks for the help by the way, it's much appreciated.

Heating as much water at night rates as possible. True it'll cool down a little by the time you use it but the losses are quite low.

You mean the water is costing 3kwh just to heat the tank via the top up button?

Yes they are usually rated at 3kw you said it took an hour so that's 3kWh.

P.s I am on the sign online 20 with nPower if that helps at all.

OK...that mean the savings are lower by about 20%.

thepurplegoldfish

HappyMJ wrote: »

Heating as much water at night rates as possible.

How? Do I just use the switch I've never used before and when will that heat the tank? Do I select timed on the panel where the boost button is?

Thanks again for the help, all this info will help me get my bills under control.:T

Richie-from-the-Boro

thepurplegoldfish wrote: »

The tank does have two wires, one at the top and one at the bottom as you say. The options I have are:

A Main Hot water switch (this is the one I have never used)

A Boost switch with 'Off' - 'Timed' - Currently I just hit timed and press boost which brings on a red light and within an hour I can have a bath.


Which should I be doing?


Thanks for the help by the way, it's much appreciated.

No on knows without knowing what type of switch you have. It will have a makers name on it - what does it say on the switch ? - or take a photo and post it on here so we can work it out for you.

The first thing to do is stop using the ' boost '.

The second thing is to use the other switch .. .. the one you never use. This will come on at night and give 7 hours of cheap water heating. It will / should switch itself on and switch itself off in the morning. It is usually accompanied by a clock of sorts for summer / wintertime settings, and may be either digital or clockwork. In any event as stated it should turn itself on and off,

I suspect the switch you are talking about is the one you switch off when you go on holiday for a week to save heating water you don't need and wasting money -then switch it back on when you return sun burnt and unpack your suitcase.

Try the switch, let us know how you get on.

From your water heating equipments point of view, it thinks it's just had the longest holiday ever .. .. ever .. .. ever.

Premier_2

thepurplegoldfish wrote: »

How? Do I just use the switch I've never used before and when will that heat the tank? Do I select timed on the panel where the boost button is?

Thanks again for the help, all this info will help me get my bills under control.:T

By doing the exact opposite to what you are currently doing.

You need to use the lower heater during your off peak period for the minimum period to heat the whole tank.
Don't use the boost if you can avoid it. You obviously won't need it if the lower heater is on, and if used during the day, then you will be paying about 3x more than at cheap rate.

If you are forced to heat during the day (because you've used the whole tank of hot water you heated overnight) then use the boost as it will only heat the top part of the tank ... but it will be charged at peak rate. During low rate, use the main, lower heater - but don't leave it on more than necessary to fully heat the tank. Some experimenting of your own will soon get you used to how to best operate it