Electric Meter set at wrong time!

scotland_lass

I missed the electricity reader yesterday. A card was left in the door that asked me to make a note of the units used on Rate 1 and Rate 2 and call him with this information.

When i checked the meter i noticed that the time on it is set as 2 hours behind. This means that every day at 1.30pm when my electric is supposed to be cheaper, and i've put on my washer, dryer and dishwasher, that it actually hasn't been on the cheaper rate. The same in the evening when it gets to 8.30pm.

Is there anything i could do about this? I am assuming not because they wont be able to tell which units were used when but thought i would ask anyway just incase.

Now i'm wondering how much extra they have cost me at no fault of my own. I'm paying over £200 a month and this house is supposed to be energy efficient. It's a new build (2009) with air source underfloor heating.

Be_Happy

Sorry I don't know anything about air-source heating, but the mention of Rate 1 and Rate 2 would seem to indicate you are on Economy 7.

The times you mention don't sound like Economy 7 switch on times.

Your meter time may be 1 hour out, some don't switch between summer time and winter time.

scotland_lass

Be_Happy wrote: »

Sorry I don't know anything about air-source heating, but the mention of Rate 1 and Rate 2 would seem to indicate you are on Economy 7.

The times you mention don't sound like Economy 7 switch on times.

Your meter time may be 1 hour out, some don't switch between summer time and winter time.

I'm on economy 10. Should be cheaper between 1.30pm - 4.30pm, 8.30pm - 12.30am and 4.30am - 7.30am.

jalexa

scotland_lass wrote: »

Now i'm wondering how much extra they have cost me at no fault of my own. I'm paying over £200 a month and this house is supposed to be energy efficient. It's a new build (2009) with air source underfloor heating.

Before you spend too much time thinking about the appliance costs you need to ensure you know whether your heating system only takes cheap rate power or can also consume full price units. The heating, including water heating, (not appliances) is where most of the money is going.

scotland_lass

jalexa wrote: »

Before you spend too much time thinking about the appliance costs you need to ensure you know whether your heating system only takes cheap rate power or can also consume full price units. The heating, including water heating, (not appliances) is where most of the money is going.

How do i find that out? It could well be the heating/water system that is using so much because it provides hot water all day long. We were told if the water temp went too low the system would stop heating the house and concentrate on the water until it was up to the correct temp again.
We have a thermostat in each room and that determines if the heating is on or not, most of the time it is on because we can't control it besides what temp we have it at. All of the heating has been turned down for the last couple of months so should mainly be the water it's working on just now.

jalexa

scotland_lass wrote: »

How do i find that out?

Please don't be offended but this is a very difficult issue. First of all are you the owner or tenant?

If tenant you should ask the landlord or letting agent for more information about the heating system controls. Whether they are any more informed is questionable. Quite likely the developer skimped on the controls and the documentation.

If you are the owner it is more in your interest to ensure adequate controls are fitted. The air-source heating system manufacturer may be able to offer guidance. For the water, look for any timers.

You may require an electrician to advise on options for making more use of cheap rate restricted hours electricity.

scotland_lass

jalexa wrote: »

Please don't be offended but this is a very difficult issue. First of all are you the owner or tenant?

If tenant you should ask the landlord or letting agent for more information about the heating system controls. Whether they are any more informed is questionable. Quite likely the developer skimped on the controls and the documentation.

If you are the owner it is more in your interest to ensure adequate controls are fitted. The air-source heating system manufacturer may be able to offer guidance. For the water, look for any timers.

You may require an electrician to advise the options for making more use of cheap rate restricted hours.

I'm the tenant, it's a housing association house. There is a booklet about the heating system, i have looked at it before but didn't understand it. I think the controls may not have been put in our house because the book mentioned setting it to be off in the day if you work etc and we can't do that. This would be set on a main thermostat somewhere in the house but all of our thermostats are just basic ones with a dial to set it to the temp you want.

jalexa

scotland_lass wrote: »

I'm the tenant, it's a housing association house.

In that case you need to try to embarras the HA. I expect they trumpted a lot of kudos about their energy efficient housing and then let go anybody who knows much about it.

Is the system a Daikin by any chance? I think we have had threads before about this and there has also been a Watchdog feature. Well worth checking that out.

In the meantime you can buy a lot of cheap heaters from Lidls and full price electricity with your £200/month.

Later edit:

It was Don't get done get Dom http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010vzmv

[Deleted User]

There is usually an indicator on the meter such as a blinking curser or blinking reading which should show when the cheap rate is in progress. Most modern meters now are controlled by an internal digital clock which I have found to vary sometimes. If its a radio teleswitch timer that will be at correct time

scotland_lass

jalexa wrote: »

In that case you need to try to embarras the HA. I expect they trumpted a lot of kudos about their energy efficient housing and then let go anybody who knows much about it.

Is the system a Daikin by any chance? I think we have had threads before about this and there has also been a Watchdog feature. Well worth checking that out.

In the meantime you can buy a lot of cheap heaters from Lidls and full price electricity with your £200/month.

Later edit:

It was Don't get done get Dom http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010vzmv

It's a NIBE fighter 360p and i've just found a very long thread about it on here so i'm off to do some reading!

misterbarlow

for you to know that its out visually then it must be an RTC as only they show the time in the display..
a lot are an hour out thru the summer as some dont change with BST, but to be 2hours out means its faulty...
I have seen some be out from the basic hour to up to six or seven hours....
contact your supplier and once they send a fitter to confirm it, you can then pursue compo from them....