Pulsacoil A Class Energy bill

Jubish

Hi,

I have a Pulsacoil A Class boiler installed in my apartment. For the past few weeks, I noticed that the boiler is running at around 9 PM every day. (Some days it run at 8 PM).

We have Economy 7 electricity at our apartment. But as soon as I saw this boiler running at unusual hours (I can hear sound of boiler running), I kept a watch on the electricity meter and I can see we are using an average of 13 units of electricity each day. Prior to this issue with the boiler(?) we had an average usage of around 4 units per day. When I spoke with the landlord, he told that the usage of electricity might be more during the winter time and that would be the reason for the excess usage of electricity.

Is this usage of an average of 13 units per day reasonable?We use only one room heater, 2 hour cooking (electric stove) and 2 electric bulbs (LED bulbs for 5 hours) at the most. Or is there a problem with the boiler and is it eating up the electricity?

In our boiler, there are 3 switches. 1 is to the off peak electricity and it switches on at around 12 at night. There are 2 other switches and from one of those 2 switches, a white cable goes in to the boiler. Both the switches (On peak electricity) are always switched on. Can I switch off the On-Peak electricity switch? The user manual of the boiler tells that the switch should always be on(?)

Pllease advice.


Warm Regards,
Jubish

D_M_E

I would turn off all switches leading to the boiler, particularly if you only use one room heater.

If the boiler also supplies hot water for showers etc, I would turn it on for 20 minutes prior to taking the shower then turn it off immediately before or after the shower.

Having said that, a rise from 4 to 13 kwh per day is, I think, reasonable for an electrically powered boiler at this time of year, but I would still turn off all the switches.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Generally anything before midnight is high rate and during the night low rate. The system is a glorified immersion heater with a reservoir of insulated hot water that should last all the daytime hours, then be replenished on the cheap [60% cheaper] night rate. Your 3kW element and 120ltr cylinder on E7 cheap rate only per month would be ~ 3 x 7 x 30 x £0.06 = £37:80pm ~ of course it will not be a permanent 7 hours per night, the thermostat will cut in and out, its anyone's guess unless you provide your kW use before and after but with a couple of showers per day I'd expect about £20pm in the winter. That's water only so if you use about 9 units of water fo a fully cold and heat exhausted water reservoir, then your other 3 units are being used elsewhere.

Pincher

The Gledhill Pulsacoil should have two immersion elements (heating coil). One high up, for day time top up, one low down, for overnight heating up of the whole cylinder (tank).

In the end, they are either on or off, based on a timer or two.

The timer could be wired the wrong way round, which is perfectly possible, with cowboy builder, plumbers etc. everywhere these days.

Jubish

Hi All,

Thank you for you replies.

I wanted to know whether I can switch off the power to the boiler. The user manual says that the power should always be on.


Warm Regards,
Jubish Jacob

lstar337

Jubish wrote: »

Hi All,

Thank you for you replies.

I wanted to know whether I can switch off the power to the boiler. The user manual says that the power should always be on.


Warm Regards,
Jubish Jacob

Of course you can turn it off. You won't get any hot water though.

Jubish

Hi,

Thank you for your reply.

If I switch on only the off peak electricity, would it heat up the water I need, by morning? (If I need approximately 50 ltrs of hot water). If I need hot water by evening, how much time should I give to get the water hot?

Likewise, is the daily usage increase from 4 units in summer to 13 units in winter normal..?


Warm Regards,
Jubish

D_M_E

I would say - if you must have it on, just turn on the off-peak element only, the one at the bottom of the tank should be enough and, if you don't then use it during the day, it will still be warm and quite possibly rather warm in the evening (depending on how well the tank is insulated) , but if you only want hot water for a shower in the evening, just turn on the top expensive rate element for about 15-20 minutes before your shower and this should provide enough hot water for your shower - don't forget to turn it off either before or after your shower.

An increase from 4 to 13 seems a bit high, I suspect that one of your timer switches is faulty.

Jubish

Hi,

Thank you for your response.

@D_M_E, how can I check whether the timer is faulty? I do not see any timer near by. :-(


Warm Regards,
Jubish