E7 query

wymondham

Hi All
I'm currently on the First Utility "iSave Economy 7" plan, which expires in March.
We have an Economy 7 meter and I'm trying to decide if I'm best changing to a normal meter - we don't have any E7 overnight heaters. My annual usage is 5400 daytime units per year, and 860 nighttime units per year..
If I do change, would FU do it??
thanks!
rob

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

With 86% usage at expensive daytime rates, it's almost inconceivable that you're better off on E7. Unless things have changed massively since I left the industry.


I have no idea if FU would do it, you'd have to ask them, although they aren't famed for their service.....

[Deleted User]

Also may depend if your eco 7 timerswitch is one of those old 24 hr circular timers. These old things can be a good thing with the cheap 7 hrs slot being anywhere within the 24 hrs, not in the dead of night like radio teleswitch or meters with built in timers.
Suppliers will arrange the local DNO ( its their meter ) to come out and change it over. There will be a charge.
A few suppliers will total the two reads and bill you single rate all the way through. BG/Sainsburys Energy certainly can, so , I think can Eon and EDF. I take it you have GCH in now.
I ve just checked Sainsburys Energy dual fuel prices yesterday and they had a Dec 2016 fix at only 8.3 p/kwhr electric and gas at 3.07 p/kwhr.25 p DSC. (South Yorks area )

Lady321986

If you use more on a day than on a night then E7 is more expensive. For E7 to work you have use a high % of your energy at nigh and minimum through day. This is because it's cheaper on a night and more expensive through day.

Most suppliers don't change meters they just change how they bill you and then add the two meter readings together and bill them to the single unit rate.

macman

It's very simple. Run your kWh figures through any comp site, once on single rate, and once on E7 using your 85/15 split. E7 rates vary a lot, but as above it is never going to be cheaper on E7 with that kind of split-you probably need to be nearer 33% on night rate.
Any supplier will arrange a meter change, but it will be chargeable, typically £60. Any rewiring required on the downstream side of the meter will need to be arranged by you separately, using your own contractor.
Remember that if you heat your water by an immersion heater, you will then have to heat that at 3 times the cost of E7. You don't say how your currently heat and hot water the property.

Richie-from-the-Boro

People often ask what is the % of use split between night & day, confusing answers are given between between 15 + 50%, focus research shows that 38% of E7 customers don't even have storage heaters and / or don't regularly use appliances at off peak times. Whilst some can make it work @ 15% others can not make it economic @ 40% so there is no 'one size fits all'. One benefit of the night-rate that is frequently overlooked in cost benefit terms is the average 40+ thousand litres of cheap bubblingly hot 60°C always available water per annum - again to some this would be crucial but to others merely convenient.