Official MSE Economy 7 Guide discussion

MrsCD

Thanks for the reply luvchocolate. I will certainly look into it.

Could someone help with another question please?

With my economy 7 bill, I have 3 readings.
One is for day, one for night, and another for customer reading.
The day and customer readings are both on the higher tariff, and the night one is the lower tariff.
Does the night tariff include my water heater, night storage radiator heaters and my appliances? If it does, then what could the other two readings be for? I know one will be for daytime appliance use etc., but I can't think what the 3rd one is for. I thought it might have been for my appliances, like using my washer overnight, but if I'm being charged at the higher rate, then I'm not sure.

lstar337

MrsCD wrote: »

Thanks for the reply luvchocolate. I will certainly look into it.

Could someone help with another question please?

With my economy 7 bill, I have 3 readings.
One is for day, one for night, and another for customer reading.
The day and customer readings are both on the higher tariff, and the night one is the lower tariff.
Does the night tariff include my water heater, night storage radiator heaters and my appliances? If it does, then what could the other two readings be for? I know one will be for daytime appliance use etc., but I can't think what the 3rd one is for. I thought it might have been for my appliances, like using my washer overnight, but if I'm being charged at the higher rate, then I'm not sure.

Customer reading likely means your reading, as opposed to a estimated reading, or a reading by a meter reader.

MrsCD

lstar337 wrote: »

Customer reading likely means your reading, as opposed to a estimated reading, or a reading by a meter reader.

I have to send all 3 of my readings in on the last day of the month, and I'm charged for all 3 parts of my bill, so I'm confused as to what the 3rd one is for.

RedBalloon

Hello - does anyone have any day-to-day tips on saving electric during the day where it's harder to avoid usage - such as watching TV, using an oven etc?

lstar337

RedBalloon wrote: »

Hello - does anyone have any day-to-day tips on saving electric during the day where it's harder to avoid usage - such as watching TV, using an oven etc?

Probably only the obvious stuff.

Use your TV's energy saving features (if it has them) such as auto brightness control, auto standby etc.

Keep oven door closed as much as possible.

If you can afford it, replace older inefficient appliances with new A+ rated ones.

What other day appliances do you need to cut back on?

RedBalloon

Good tips thanks!

There are some items I just can't cut back on - hair dryer and straighteners for one! So I just thought it would be good to get a few tips for other day to day items - it all helps!

Lulu58

Hi, I've just been reading the MSE link regarding Economy 7 but am still undecided about whether its best for us and wanted to know what MSE posters thought as our fixed rate tariff is due to end in a few weeks.

We currently use 25-30% of our energy on the night rate (12.30am to 7.30am). We live in a 1930's house with gas central heating to radiators with a water cylinder, all looked after by a boiler on a timer. We are hoping to replace the boiler in the next year or so as its quite old. The house is double glazed with insulated walls and extra insulation in the loft. For all of that, it does feel cold in the winter months as its north facing.

I've seen Economy 7 thresholds ranging from 20% - 55% dependent on the website which isn't terribly helpful!

I've tried to do a comparison of Economy 7 vs 'flat' rate, but my tariff doesn't appear on any of the switching websites, including MSE's Cheap Energy Club.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Also, we have no real idea of how we are using 25-30% during those hours so any thoughts on how to clarify this would also be appreciated.

lstar337

Lulu58 wrote: »

Hi, I've just been reading the MSE link regarding Economy 7 but am still undecided about whether its best for us and wanted to know what MSE posters thought as our fixed rate tariff is due to end in a few weeks.

We currently use 25-30% of our energy on the night rate (12.30am to 7.30am). We live in a 1930's house with gas central heating to radiators with a water cylinder, all looked after by a boiler on a timer. We are hoping to replace the boiler in the next year or so as its quite old. The house is double glazed with insulated walls and extra insulation in the loft. For all of that, it does feel cold in the winter months as its north facing.

I've seen Economy 7 thresholds ranging from 20% - 55% dependent on the website which isn't terribly helpful!

I've tried to do a comparison of Economy 7 vs 'flat' rate, but my tariff doesn't appear on any of the switching websites, including MSE's Cheap Energy Club.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Also, we have no real idea of how we are using 25-30% during those hours so any thoughts on how to clarify this would also be appreciated.

What is your tariff called and who is it with?

What are you running overnight?

How is your E7 switched, do you have a time clock? If you have a time clock, does it match current time, or is it out of sync?

You could be getting your cheap rate during the day which might explain the 20-30%.

Lulu58

lstar337 wrote: »

What is your tariff called and who is it with?

SSE (Southern Electric), Fix & Save Sep 2014

lstar337 wrote: »

What are you running overnight?

Not a great deal that we are aware of, which is a worry! The boiler comes on at 5am so a pump would be running. I sometimes put the washing machine on before 7.30. Is there any way I can check what is running?

lstar337 wrote: »

How is your E7 switched, do you have a time clock? If you have a time clock, does it match current time, or is it out of sync?

There is no time clock so I assume its automatic. I have SSE coming out to check the meter in a few weeks.

lstar337 wrote: »

You could be getting your cheap rate during the day which might explain the 20-30%.

Looking at our most recent bill, the night rate is the cheaper of the two; however, our day/night units may be transposed on our electric meter as the number of day units is the smaller of the two units by far.

lstar337

Lulu58 wrote: »

SSE (Southern Electric), Fix & Save Sep 2014



Not a great deal that we are aware of, which is a worry! The boiler comes on at 5am so a pump would be running. I sometimes put the washing machine on before 7.30. Is there any way I can check what is running?

There is no time clock so I assume its automatic. I have SSE coming out to check the meter in a few weeks.

Looking at our most recent bill, the night rate is the cheaper of the two; however, our day/night units may be transposed on our electric meter as the number of day units is the smaller of the two units by far.

Yep, sounds like your day/night units are transposed in your favour. Your bill is lower than it should be because of this.

It is hard to make E7 pay when you have GCH, it is usually used in electrically heated/watered homes.

What you do next is tough to say. You could tell them and they will calculate back as far as they can and issue you a catch-up bill, or you could keep quiet and hope they never find out.

I would suggest that E7 is probably not right for you though (unless you keep paying cheap rate for your day electric and don't get caught), and you should look at getting a single rate meter fitted (unless you are planning to keep quiet about your transposed readings).

EDIT:When you say the day units are lower, do you mean day-to-day or the totals?

If the building used to have electric heating/water that has since been removed, then the totals will be higher for night than day.