Official MSE Economy 7 Guide discussion

hldomster

Very happy E7 user. Just started putting the storage heaters on and I am a bit unsure about the Output gauge. Do i need to close these each night or should it automatically shut the damper when charging?

At the moment I am closing the Output gauge to minimum at night and then adjusting it to 2-3 in the evening. But could I just leave it on 2-3 all the time?

John_Pierpoint

It probably depends on the age of your heaters, presumably you don't have the modern ones that check the outside temperature and adjust themselves accordingly?

Personally I have a thermostatic adjustment that dictates how much heat is stored in the "bricks" overnight and a manual flap that dictates how fast the stored heat comes out.
So I have to look at the weather forecast for the night-day-night temperature (and wind) and set the quantity of heat needed and close the flap, before going to bed.
The room is nice and warm by the morning and the flap stays shut in the hope that there will still be enough heat when it is opened in the evening.

luvchocolate

Hi yours sound like mine ..the older ones, best to close the damper down each evening at bed time.
so far I have not had to boost the output at all its warm enough without.
I got good advice on here last winter on using them and I am very happy with them.

lstar337

Yes, close the damper overnight. They are meant to be automatic, but they are not very responsive, and it all adds up to needless wastage!

hldomster

I have automatic ones, or supposedly automatic.They are Vent Axia VASH18A (the main living room one is, the other two are variations of this model - smaller) http://www.vent-axia.com/product/optimax-plus-storage-heaters-vash-18a.html

EDIT:

I think I have 2 x VASH18A in the living room and bedroom and 1 x VASH12A in the hallway.

Richie-from-the-Boro

hldomster wrote: »

Very happy E7 user. Just started putting the storage heaters on and I am a bit unsure about the Output gauge. Do i need to close these each night or should it automatically shut the damper when charging?

At the moment I am closing the Output gauge to minimum at night and then adjusting it to 2-3 in the evening. But could I just leave it on 2-3 all the time?

Most of the heat is radiated from the case, some of the heat is convected through the grille at the top of the heater.

The 'boost' should always be closed at night

[setting 1] the boost is closed
[setting 3] the boost should come on [later] early evening
[setting 6] the boost should come on [earlier] early afternoon

Once set, the boost will repeat itself automatically day after day. Someone out all day at work should have the boost off. Someone home all day retired might want to keep the boost off but turn the input higher. Radiated heat is better than convected heat. I've never used boost in 35 years, but if " closing the Output gauge to minimum at night and then adjusting it to 2-3 in the evening" works for you that ok.

F1user_2

Hello, I'm new to the forum and I'm trying to help my parents get on the correct tariff. They have been on E7 when Seeboard was their main supplier which was taken over by EDF.

Annual day consumption - 2399 kwh @ 16.76p
Annual night consumption - 1126 kwh @ 6.07p
Standing charge @ 18.00 per day

I'm unsure if to move them off E7 and also to a different supplier. Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

lstar337

F1user wrote: »

Hello, I'm new to the forum and I'm trying to help my parents get on the correct tariff. They have been on E7 when Seeboard was their main supplier which was taken over by EDF.

Annual day consumption - 2399 kwh @ 16.76p
Annual night consumption - 1126 kwh @ 6.07p
Standing charge @ 18.00 per day

I'm unsure if to move them off E7 and also to a different supplier. Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

At 32% off peak, that is cutting it fairly close.

Since you have your annual figures, why don't you plug them into a comparison site and see who is the best deal for them?

Richie-from-the-Boro

- last years figures, but will help you [and others] decide :

Cardew

Interesting - not seen that table before.

The problem is you still need the comparison tables to find the cheapest tariff as a company where the break-even point is 25% off-peak could still be cheaper than a company where it is 15%.

There are still several factors to consider - price per unit(kWh) on off-peak, price per unit on peak rate, Daily standing Charge, discounts for dual fuel and method of payment, amount of electricity used.

Thank goodness ofgem made the companies simplify their tariffs!!