Economy 7 problem - heaters and water heater on permanently

catsstripeypjs

Can anyone please advise me re my problem with Economy 7?

I have lived in my house for 23 years and have had no previous problem with Economy 7. I had a clockwork meter which seemed to switch to E7 overnight, when my storage heaters and water heater would work. 2 months ago I noticed that my water was not heating up overnight and discovered that the clock on my meter had stopped and was stuck on daytime rate.

I rang my electricity company (Utility Warehouse) who eventually sent an engineer out to replace the meter. He installed a digital meter to record the daytime and low rate useage. Since that time the water heater and storage heaters seem to be working at all times of the day and night. I am frantic as this means that I lose the advantage of the Economy 7 rate.

I have phoned Utility Warehouse who say that their meter only records the electricity usage at the various times of the day and does not trigger the storage heaters and water heater to run overnight.

They say that I should have a timer somewhere to control the storage heaters and water heater (I am positive that I don't). Their suggestion is that I get an electrician to instal timers on all of the heaters, or manually switch the heaters on to use E7 overnight and then turn them off again in the morning.

Both of these suggestions seem ludicrous to me! Has Economy 7 changed since my system was installed (it is 25 years old)? Did the old meter somehow activate and deactivate the E7 circuit, whereas the new one keeps it permanently active? Utility Warehouse say that they cannot change the meter type.

Please, please help if you can - I am at my wits end!!!! :mad: