Immersion Heater help!

footyguy

Justadmin88 wrote: »

... The house doesn't appear to be linked up to Economy 7, although our meter does give a day and night reading. ...

This doesn't make any sense really.

Presumably you haven't taken over the account yet so how do you know?

With a 2 rate meter (and assuming it's not linked to any other type of legacy tariff, which would also be multi rate any way) you would automatically be put on an E7 tariff unless you specifically ask not to be (and then only some suppliers will permit this without a meter change)


However in answer to your question, the immersion heater only heats water above it as hot water rises.
So the upper immersion heater only heats the upper part of the tank of water - useful for handwashing, washing up, etc.
The lower immersion heater effectively heats the whole tank, needed for baths etc.

With E7, it would be usual to use the lower immersion during chaep rate to heat the whole tank of water, whilst the upper one may be used during the day to top up if required.

Of course, heating hot water without the benefit of E7 low rate electricity is very expensive, as would heating the house be.

E7 doesn't get installed, all you need is an E7 meter (which on the face of it you appear to already have) so that you can be charged on an E7 tariff.

Smiley_Dan

macman wrote: »

The only way to heat this property cheaply is to get NSH's installed to compliment the dual element immersion heater.

Depends on your definition of 'cheap'

Meatloaf1981

We had ours on from 2am until 6am daily and that was enough for hot water all day and a bath in the evening for my OH. I had an electric shower.

Ours is now on the blink, however.

Justadmin88

Thanks for all the replies everyone

I just got off the phone with British Gas this evening and the chap said that the account is currently on a single rate tariff, and although I have given all my details to them and set up the direct debit, they need to wait until the account goes "live" on their system before they can change anything - i.e. putting me on E7. They say this process of the account going live can take up to 28 days.

So until that time it looks like we're stuck with single rate lecky, regardless of the fact we clearly have a two rate meter. I can only assume the previous occupants had no idea about E7?

My plan for the interim is to switch on the bottom switch for two hours each day, I think I read somewhere that 2 hours was about the right time to heat a whole tank of water? Then make that tank last for the following 24hrs if we can.

The only other thing that puzzles me is that the top switch for the top immersion is jammed in the "on" position. I press it as hard as I can and it gives way a bit but it won't turn off! The cable from the switch goes through a mechanical timer before going to the top immersion, and I think I've set that to never come on, but it worries me that the mains switch is still on. I hope it's not hearing water when I don't want it!

Thanks for your help!

Smiley_Dan

That happened once with our heater and it turned out the switch had burnt out... Get it checked. How thick is the flex? Should be at least 1.5mm IIRC.

Time to heat the tank is a simple formula of account of water, water temp, desired temp and immersion power. Then consider losses through the day.

You should probably do a tariff comparison to chose the best supplier, nothing stopping you moving off the deemed contract.

Nada666

But you shouldn't go back on E7 for only heating water. You have to think more carefully about your usage - do you cook a lot, have electric showers or (most importantly) not planning to heat the home? And have a look at what prices E7 and single rate tariffs are in your postcode.

macman

Smiley_Dan wrote: »

Depends on your definition of 'cheap'

So you are disputing that E7 at a third of the cost is not cheaper?
Obviously there is a capital cost involved, but since the whole house has no heating other than a plug in electric fire, clearly something else needs to be installed-and NSH's will be the better option.
Totally agree with Nada-don't switch anything until you have decided how you are going to heat the property, because that is where maybe 60% of the expenditure will go. You do not want to be using electric panel heaters on an E7 tariff!

Smiley_Dan

macman wrote: »

So you are disputing that E7 at a third of the cost is not cheaper?

No, both I and you made an absolute statement, not a relative one.

footyguy

Justadmin88 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies everyone

I just got off the phone with British Gas this evening and the chap said that the account is currently on a single rate tariff, and although I have given all my details to them and set up the direct debit, they need to wait until the account goes "live" on their system before they can change anything - i.e. putting me on E7. They say this process of the account going live can take up to 28 days.

So until that time it looks like we're stuck with single rate lecky, regardless of the fact we clearly have a two rate meter. I can only assume the previous occupants had no idea about E7?

They should set you up on your tariff of choice from the moment your account is set up. If you fail to request a specific tariff then you will be on the suppliers default tariff (usually their expensive standard tariff)

If you have an E7 meter, then unless you agree otherwise, you should be put on an E7 tariff.

(Not all suppliers will allow you a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter, but I believe BG is one that will agree to this on request)

Of course if you only have a single rate meter you can only have a single rate tariff

Justadmin88 wrote: »

My plan for the interim is to switch on the bottom switch for two hours each day, I think I read somewhere that 2 hours was about the right time to heat a whole tank of water? Then make that tank last for the following 24hrs if we can.

Yes, 2 hours is often enough to heat the whole tank, but thios does depend on the size of the tank and the initial temperature of the water (and level of insulation)

However, unless you are on E7, I wouldn't adopt this approach at all.

Justadmin88 wrote: »

The only other thing that puzzles me is that the top switch for the top immersion is jammed in the "on" position. I press it as hard as I can and it gives way a bit but it won't turn off! The cable from the switch goes through a mechanical timer before going to the top immersion, and I think I've set that to never come on, but it worries me that the mains switch is still on. I hope it's not hearing water when I don't want it!

Thanks for your help!

Get a qualified electrician to repair the faulty switch, if you are not competent to do so yourself

Justadmin88

Right, I've booked an electrician for Monday evening to hopefully fix the faulty switch. He said in the mean time I could switch off the immersion at the fuse box if I'm worried about wasting electric. Could I do that, then switch it back on when I want to heat water for a bath, then switch it off again at the fuse box once the tank is hot? Just for the weekend until it's fixed? Or will turning it on and off like that !!!!!! it up? Thanks for all your help