British Gas bill too high

Marleynme

CashStrapped wrote: »

If you look on the storage heater itself. There will be a manufacturer name and a serial number. Type them here and we can find a manual for you.

Oh that would be fantastic! I've had a look online but couldn't find anything. It's a 'Newlec NL10658'

CashStrapped

Here is a manual which should be very similar.

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/assets/kb/operating_instructions/0/CXL_Operating_instructions_Issue_6.pdf

Newlec brand is actually a re-branded Dimplex heater so the general operation will be the same.

As I suspected, it is a combi storage heater. You need to stop using the daytime instant convector heater and just use the night storage option.

Then you need to get off that British Gas E7 tariff onto another E7 tariff.

This website is having a big switch thing soon.

Sign up with their cheap energy club

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub

and compare tariffs.

To compare properly, use your annual KWH usage as a comparison which will be around 3500KWH annually for you (based on your daily average we worked out from other posts)

Set your E7 night usage to around 50% and see what is the cheapest tariff for you.

You may also get some cashback for switching via cheap energy club!

P.S You may want to experiment with your E7 night usage percentage and see which is the cheapest. If you manage to get it to 75% night use the cheapest tariff may be different.

molerat

Beat me to it

Marleynme

CashStrapped wrote: »

Here is a manual which should be very similar.

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/assets/kb/operating_instructions/0/CXL_Operating_instructions_Issue_6.pdf

Newlec brand is actually a re-branded Dimplex heater so the general operation will be the same.

As I suspected, it is a combi storage heater. You need to stop using the daytime instant convector heater and just use the night storage option.

Then you need to get off that British Gas E7 tariff onto another E7 tariff.

This website is having a big switch thing soon.

Sign up with their cheap energy club

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub

and compare tariffs.

To compare properly, use your annual KWH usage as a comparison which will be around 3500KWH annually for you (based on your daily average we worked out from other posts)

Set your E7 night usage to around 50% and see what is the cheapest tariff for you.

You may also get some cashback for switching via cheap energy club!

P.S You may want to experiment with your E7 night usage percentage and see which is the cheapest. If you manage to get it to 75% night use the cheapest tariff may be different.

Thank you for all of this!
I think I may have been using the instant convector heater in the day but didn't know I had? My heater looks a little different to the one in the manual but I do have an extra dial on the side of the heater, which according to the manual is the thermostat scale. I've been turning this to '3' in the day. Does this mean I've had the convector heater on?
Back to the two switches on the wall, I've just flicked on the switch that does nothing in the day (presumably the off peak switch) but the heater is still doing nothing with that switch on. It's 12:38am so I should be using off peak now shouldn't I? Do both wall switches need to be on or would that use more electricity?
I'm so sorry if I come across as really dumb haha, I literally had no clue whatsoever when it comes these heaters. Even my parents don't understand them.

CashStrapped

I would just keep the peak switch off.

The dial on the side may indeed be the convector. Keep this on zero. Is there no switch next to that dial?


The only two dials you should use are the input and output which are usually on the top. Ensure the input is set on a level you want to store it at and the output is zero.

Only turn the output up when you actually want heat the next day.

Whilst it is charging, it may not seem to do much or make a noise. After a while it may start to give off a bit of heat as it charges.

Marleynme

CashStrapped wrote: »

I would just keep the peak switch off.

The dial on the side may indeed be the convector. Keep this on zero. Is there no switch next to that dial?


The only two dials you should use are the input and output which are usually on the top. Ensure the input is set on a level you want to store it at and the output is zero.

Only turn the output up when you actually want heat the next day.

Whilst it is charging, it may not seem to do much or make a noise. After a while it may start to give off a bit of heat as it charges.

Thank you, I will keep the peak switch off from now on.
All I have is the input and output dials on top, and on the side is the convector with a switch beside it that glows red when the peak switch at the wall is on.
I've just tested it with the off peak switch on and the convector dial on zero and there is in fact a little heat kicking out when the output is at '6'. Hopefully once it's charged back up overnight it won't need to be at '6' but at least it is doing something as I'd previously thought it did nothing with the off peak switch on, phew!
I may finally be learning haha!
Thank you so much for explaining everything!

CashStrapped

No problem.

I will repeat - ensure the output is on the lowest setting whilst it charges.

Keep it on the lowest setting until you want it to release heat the next day. Then turn it up to a level you want, depending how cold you are. The higher the output, the more heat it releases.

At night, while it charges, you only turn up the input setting. This determines how much heat it stores and therefore how much electricity it uses.

So input at 1 will use the least amount of electricity but store the least amount of heat. So if the next day is very cold, it will not store enough.

Input at 6 will use a lot more electricity, but store a lot more heat. This should keep you warm for the next day if it is a cold winters day.

But, again, only turn up the output when you want the heat. When you do not want it, turn it to zero!

Marleynme

Thanks!
Output now down to 1 whilst it charges overnight, input higher at 3 to collect the heat for tomorrow.
Then turn input down in the morning and output up when I need heat (but not too much or it'll use it up too early).
I mustn't use the peak switch or the convector.
Got it!
Excellent, I should be saving money in no time.

molerat

You do not need to turn the input down daily, it only charges overnight. You just adjust it according to the general outside temperature.