Economy 7 or Normal Electricity?

MintyKisses

Hello
We have gas central heating and electric hot water. The hot water is heated overnight. We have one of the electricity meters that automatically switches to the Economy 7 tariff at night.

At the moment we are on an Economy 7 plan. We are both in a lot during the day and use the laptop, TV, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, lights, Hoover etc. before Economy 7 time.

So I'm wondering should we just be on the cheapest duel fuel option instead of economy 7 since we're really only using Economy 7 for a tank of hot water and everything else is probably at a higher rate than the cheapest available.

I hope that makes sense - any advice appreciated. I've asked an electrician and our current supplier but couldnt get a sensible answer.

Thanks.

HappyMJ

Why are you using E7 for the water? Shouldn't the central heating boiler also be set up to heat the water?

It is usually cheaper to be on a standard meter if you use less than 30% at night. However, there are some exceptions. Scottishpower charge less for the E7 day rate than they do for Standard for example.

What is your annual usage on the electricity? How much at the Normal/Day rate and how much at the Low/Night rate? How much gas do you use?

If you do choose to stay on E7 then you should be using as much as possible at night. Program the dishwasher and the washing machine to come on very early in the morning to finish when you wake up then hang the clothes up for the day and finish them off in the dryer that night unless urgently needed.

MintyKisses

The hot water's on electric because that's how it was when we moved in. We got a new boiler which can do hot water too but the installer didn't think it would be any cheaper to run the hot water off it.

I dont know our yearly usage - we've been here over a year now so I could find out. But the meter readings have gone a bit weird according to the supplier so I don't know if it would be if use.

We have a four bed house with two adults and no kids.

The only thing we can run in the evening is the dishwasher (it has a timer). I'm not organised enough to run the washing machine/dryer at night.

jalexa

MintyKisses wrote: »

We got a new boiler which can do hot water too but the installer didn't think it would be any cheaper to run the hot water off it...

is it your house or the installer's house?:)

Do you know whether the installer installed a system boiler (and failed to connect it to the hot water cylinder, perhaps becasue the existing cylinder is not suitable) or a combi boiler which only provides hot water to one tap?

Whatever I do not think you got good advice before the new boiler went in.

HappyMJ

MintyKisses wrote: »

The hot water's on electric because that's how it was when we moved in. We got a new boiler which can do hot water too but the installer didn't think it would be any cheaper to run the hot water off it.

I dont know our yearly usage - we've been here over a year now so I could find out. But the meter readings have gone a bit weird according to the supplier so I don't know if it would be if use.

We have a four bed house with two adults and no kids.

The only thing we can run in the evening is the dishwasher (it has a timer). I'm not organised enough to run the washing machine/dryer at night.

The installer didn't think it would be any cheaper? E7 electricity is about 5p per unit with an awful penalty on day rate units making the average unit charge about 12p per unit and gas heated water is about 3.5p per unit. Some exceptions apply in summer when gas primary rates are higher and not much gas is used elsewhere in the home.

Any dated actual meter readings will do. It doesn't matter if it's more than a year. You can then estimate them over 12 months.

A 4 bed house with no kids? Do you have anyone stay over regularly?

macman

As above. The installer is wrong. Since gas is about 3.5p per kWh, and E7 cheap rate about 5.5p it's going to be more economic to heat your hot water using the gas boiler, especially if you have to use the daytime boost facility. Switch off your immersion heater and use it as an emergency backup.
Without hot water or night storage heaters running off E7, it's almost certain that you're not going to use the magic 33% of your electricity on cheap rate E7 to make it viable-and especially if you are in a lot in the day. Your supplier can tell you the annual kWh usage if you've been there a year-or work it out from your bills. Then calculate the % spit on E7.
But from what you've already said, it's going to be better to switch to a standard rate tariff-which may or may not require a meter change.

MintyKisses

Our boiler is one that would make a tank of hot water, not hot water on demand. It was installed via the warm front scheme and the installer would have got more money if he'd done the water as well due to the extra pipework. So I'm surprised he didn't recommend gas hot water.

We don't have guests much, but we use one bedroom for a dressing room and one as a study. Then the other is the guest bedroom. There's two bathrooms upstairs. Downstairs we have two receptions, kitchen, toilet/utility.

Anyways, I'm stuck with the electric hot water tank now - I can't afford to change it. The old people had an economy 7 central heating boiler which cost a gazzilion pounds to run.

So I have spoken to our current supplier and they're putting in a new meter and once that's done I'll switch to the best dual fuel deal.

Thanks everyone - you've been very friendly and helpful.

macman

I'd get your kwh usage figures first before making the decision, and before you have a new meter, because switching away from E7 may require a new meter anyway-not all suppliers will total the dual meter rates together. And a new meter may or may not be chargeable.
Seems crazy to fit a conventional boiler and then not connect it up to the DHW-you might as well have gone for a combi.