Dreading Winter can't switch economy 10

Ids61

I have now.
The thing is that we have been using our electric at the times we were advised by the suppler.
I believe we have to be rebated, as we have been using higher rate electric, through no fault of our own.
Will see what happens after our complaint.

macman

The supplier does not control the meter switch time-the DNO does that.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Ids61 , Proper / [ im ] proper install :

The tails [ electric-ery carrying wires ] come into the house from the meter into your property to the fusebox / CU. If its a proper install the telemetry [ a radio signal which can be / is variable ] switches the cheap stuff on and off. Its out of your control you can't do anything to adjust / alter it. If you have an old mechanical switch / timer you can set winter / summer time wrong by whatever amount - lets say two hours :

Proper

Setting it two hours early should mean you are deprived of a potential two hours of cheap leccy because .. .. it switches two hours after the cheap stuff is available.

Improper

Setting it two hours late should mean you are deprived of a potential two hours of cheap leccy because .. .. it switches two hours before the cheap stuff ends.

My point

You have lost potential not actual savings, the only time they are responsible is if their clock / metering system is wrong - their side of the tails.

It depends on who wired you in [ lots of middle 70's to middle 80's installs were misunderstood by sparkies ] either way two points are relevant to your issue :

- it [ the problem ] is this side of the tails so its your problem not the suppliers
- if you have an old 'clank' style clock that can't to BST / summer / winter automatic switching, do it by hand, or £50 buy's a modern digital switch that can do it

If you succeed with you complaint best of luck - and enjoy your rebate

Ids61

The meter was fitted 2 years ago,the reality is that when we put the dishwater on etc etc etc at the time we thought was economy rate we paid more than we should have. Who fitted the meter and who's responsible for the meter is not relevant. The supplier needs to take responsibility. I await a definitive response.

rogerblack

If the off-peak hours posted earlier are correct (for when your timeswitch is fixed) - (off peak 00:00-05:00, 13:00-16:00 & 20:00-22:00) - then you need to when it's cold, be running the boiler at 100% at these times.

If the boiler will not get the temperature up to - say - 25C at the end of these periods, and it probably won't,then supplemental heating connected to the E10 circuit may help.

Exact amount of over-heating that would be best will depend on the thermal response of the property.
If your heating system is adequate to go from - say - 5C colder than desired to 5C warmer in 2 hours, and your house loses heat at 2C/hour (probably optimistic), then you can 'store' the cheap heat for 5 hours or so.
This means that - for example - you'd heat from 1PM-4PM, with it going from 15-25.
Then over the next 4 hours it drops back to 17, taking you to 9PM, when you boost it again to 21, and in the 2 hour gap between 10 and midnight, it falls to 17.
Over the night, you heat constantly at 17, and then increasing to 25C for 5AM.
You have stored heat over the next 4 hours, taking you to 9AM, meaning you only need to heat for 3 hours on peak-rate.

Unfortunately, you may find that though this meets the initial objective of the house not getting colder than 17C, say, it may feel colder than a lower, constant temperature.
And it's going to be awkward in practice to sleep through, unless for example, you have an electric blanket on a timeswitch set just right to keep you warm when the heating is off but you don't overheat when it's at 25C.
Tough.

Storage heaters would help a lot.

Or just get one of these, http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500002901&langId=-1&searchTerms=3681505 and a couple of https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170728276185 as an alternative.
Much more fun than a storage heater. (when it's not scalding)

john1

ids61


From what I read, I believe you have the wrong type of boiler!


google "electric Combination boilers"

Ids61

Update, received rebate of over £500.
Using some posters advice I have also cut my usage and cost down alot.
The key was only using the central heating on off peak.
In between time I have used oil filled radiators, (surprisingly warm)
Plus open fire.
Not as cold this winter so far luckily,but cost would have have come down anyway.
My direct debit has also been reduced, by £40.
A good result.
Thank you to all posters.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Ids61 wrote: »

Update, received rebate of over £500.
Using some posters advice I have also cut my usage and cost down alot.
The key was only using the central heating on off peak.
In between time I have used oil filled radiators, (surprisingly warm)
Plus open fire.
Not as cold this winter so far luckily,but cost would have have come down anyway.
My direct debit has also been reduced, by £40.
A good result.
Thank you to all posters.

Good, the [ your end ] result is all that matters .. .. glad you are sorted my friend.