Official MSE Economy 7 Guide discussion

G4MHJ

molerat wrote: »

3460 is 22% of 15660, on the lower side for E7 suitability. You need to do 2 comparisons using an annual consumption of 8200 on E7 with a 78/22 % split and on a single rate to find which will be most economical.

Thanks for the Maths. Percentages were never my strong point. Your calculation makes far more sense to what I was expecting. At my next review I will get two quotes, one with E7 and one at the single rate as well as keeping the dual meter as suggested by Gerry1. With Smart Meters are they available for dual meters thus keeping my options open.

Joanne_Fleur

Hi - my mum had British Gas to her home to fit a Smart Meter but was told she couldn’t have one as she has an Economy 7 meter. When she originally moved into the house 15 years ago it had storage heaters but this was changed over many years ago to normal radiators. She pays a British Gas for both gas and electric. Who should she contact to have the economy 7 meter removed? I’m not sure who is responsible for it? Anyone had this situation before?

Gerry1

Joanne_Fleur wrote: »

Who should she contact to have the economy 7 meter removed? I’m not sure who is responsible for it? Anyone had this situation before?

Welcome aboard!

Many suppliers will offer their single rate tariff even if you have an E7 meter, so it may not be necessary. Better to keep your options open unless you find a really cheap single rate tariff from a supplier who won't just add the readings together. Some smaller suppliers are still competitive even with a low percentage used at night, so you don't necessarily have to have storage heaters to make it worthwhile.

Sarah54D

Hi

Would you recommend replacing an electric panel heater with a storage heater? I have recently moved into a 2 bed all electric flat with an economy 7 meter. I had a VonHaus 2000W glass panel heater in one of the rooms which suddenly stopped working. Electrician advised me to buy a replacement. I am unsure whether to replace it with another panel heater. This time a 1500w as according to some online calculators I only need 1122w to heat up the room. This should hopefully help in reducing my bill slightly ?

Is it worth installing a storage heater or just stick to another panel heater? I have kept the VonHaus 2000w panel heater in the other room, along with a smaller one in the corridor.

Whilst considering the above I am also thinking of switching to a single rate tariff. I don’t have an economy 7 water immersion heater. Previous owner removed the water cyclinder and installed a galaxy unvented instant hot water heater and a Dafi instant hot water. (Which only seems to produce hot water for a few minutes a day if that- so I need to replace this too).

I just moved from EDF to bulb to try to save some money. I do use most of my electricity during the day (well after 7pm weekdays) so I am thinking of switching to the single tariff but I worked out it will only be a few pounds cheaper a month.

Current rates and usage for last bill covering 36 days
Bulb rates
Day rate 15.29 per kWh used 765kwh £116.97
Night rate 7.46 per KWH 210 KWH £15.67
Standing charge 20.44p per day £7.36
Total usage 975KWH so only 22% usage at night
I estimate £116.67 bill for 30 days

I estimate the above usage would cost me about £111.83 single rate tariff (13.0095p per KWH and 20.4435 standing charge).

They also have smart meter which has 3 rates which I estimated would be £107.20 for above usage over 30 days. (12.19p per KWH during off peak, 29.75p per KWH during peak time and overnight rate of 7.45p per kWh. Standing charge 20.44pm). Peak rate is during 4pm to 7pm and I am never home at this time unless at the weekend. My housemate is sometimes home by 6pm so I have factored a few hours usage during the peak time. Most of my usage will be during off peak time 7am to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm or during the overnight rate 11pm to 7am.

I am thinking of giving it another month before possibly switching to the single tariff rate or the smart meter.

Would appreciate your thoughts. I am new to this and have spent the better part of this weekend scrolling through the forum. I have learnt soo much!

Gerry1

Sarah54D wrote: »

Hi

Would you recommend replacing an electric panel heater with a storage heater? I have recently moved into a 2 bed all electric flat .....

Welcome on board.

However, you've posted this before, so you may wish to delete this post because duplicates break the forum rules.

Mbeira

I'm on E7 and put the washing machine and the D/W on the cheap rate overnight.  My meter makes a loud bang when it comes off one and goes on the other rate, and has been creeping round from on the hour now to 9 minutes past at each end.  Since lockdown our usage has gone up - children on MineCraft for hours definitely makes a difference and our provider has raised my bill from £56 to £90 a month which is ludicrous and I'm off to somewhere else in September.  No idea why this happened, i've always been straight up with my useage when starting.  I suspect this problem comes from the provider being a bit green - as in new - their rates are just over 15p daytime and just over 8p nighttime with £21 service charge.  My overnight numbers are lower than my daytime numbers so we're still in a good place. If your nighttime numbers overtake your daytime numbers you have a problem.  All charging happens at night and the girls have had to employ a bunch of power banks to get round this, Mwa ha ha.  

E7 is perfect if you have solar panels.  You use the big power draw items at night on the cheap electricity and the other stuff is soaked up by the PV.  I had to pay for this E7 meter and hate using the large providers after a shocker of a time with Scottish Power (who took two years to pay back what they owed me when I left).  

Timers are your friend, I cooked cassoulet last night on the cheap rate. I cook meals in the mornings as am an early waker and just warm them up on the expensive rate later.   Sunday lunch is a killer but it's only twice a month.  I'm spending under £1 a day on my electric according to my ikkle power meter.  

Gerry1

Mbeira said:

our provider has raised my bill from £56 to £90 a month which is ludicrous and I'm off to somewhere else in September.  No idea why this happened, i've always been straight up with my useage when starting.

It's probably because you haven't been giving monthly readings and, as you admit, your energy usage will have gone up during lockdown.  Your DD will have increased twice, once to reflect your increased usage and then again to claw back the arrears.

You may be disappointed if you think that switching will automatically lower your bills.  You need to find a cheaper tariff, not just a different supplier, and you need to make sure you are getting quotations that reflect your likely new usage.

Mbeira said:

All charging happens at night and the girls have had to employ a bunch of power banks to get round this, Mwa ha ha

Not worth bothering about: the savings will be only pennies, far less that the cost of the power banks.  Unless they have electric cars...

Mbeira

Hi Gerry - I give readings every month.  Usage (only very slightly up - I have a readout meter) will go down when they go back to college.  The fast and powerful computer will be idle, for my use only again.  They are getting laptops.   Lockdown use has finished because now we are in official summer holiday mode when they would be here anyway.  

Switching to this user has saved me at least £1 on the Sunday lunch before the rise.  I like the E7 because I'm an early riser and cook evening meals in batches at six am.  I think I should be paying around £63.  

ADX3

Is there some definitive list somewhere of providers that allow meter readings to be add together if you have E7 meter? 
I've checked a few sites but there are a lot of suppliers returned and comparisons don't seem to tell you if you can use E7 meter and just add values.

I've moved into a 1 bed place in last few months. Renting. It has a storage heater downstairs and an electric heater upstairs. No gas. 
I've been working from home and looks like I will be for the foreseeable. I just checked my usage for last 27 days: 
37233 - 37147 Day = 86 kWh
35111 - 35098 Night = 13 kWh
This would suggest it's a bit silly me being on E7, especially with SSE's standard rate (27.59p standing, 20.18p day, 12.86p night). I haven't yet asked my landlord to switch supplier. I suspect he will be OK with it if I don't change meter or get meter put back before I leave so I want to get some options in order that involve no change of meter before I pose the question. 
Which suppliers are likely to help me?
Also, I'm not sure how I'll fare in winter just yet. Perhaps it's good being on a supplier that will let me switch between E7 and non-E7 (might be too wishful!)

Gerry1

ADX3 said:

This would suggest it's a bit silly me being on E7, especially with SSE's standard rate (27.59p standing, 20.18p day, 12.86p night). I haven't yet asked my landlord to switch supplier.

Welcome to the forum.

You don't have to get the landlord's permission to change your electricity supplier if you pay the bills directly.

You're on a dreadful tariff with SSE.  My day rate, night rate and standing charge are all cheaper at single rate on an E7 meter with Neon Reef ! 12.11343p per kWh, Standing Charge 13.2825p per day inc VAT.