Can someone please help me understand Economy 7?

david1994

Hello,

I've just moved into a new property that has economy 7. My economy 7 starts 0200-0900.

I have 2 electric storage heaters downstairs and have a hot water tank.

I have switched the only switch on, on the 2 electric storage heaters downstairs set the input to full and the output to lowest possible, it isnt using electric at the moment so that appears to be okay.

The house has been empty for a while and on my hot water storage tank there is 2 switches one connected to the bottom and one connected to middle of the tank. I believe the top switch should be the overide switch and the bottom should heat the tank during economy 7 hours?

No matter what switch I turn on top or bottom switch it is still using nearly 3KW of electric, does the water not heat during cheaper time?

I have also checked my keypad meter for the current rates and it has HOT WATER on RATE 3 at 7-717p but like I said when I switch on either switch its using the more expensive daytime rate?

Any advice?

Regards

molerat

The bottom element should be connected directly to the E7 only side, the centre one should be connected to the peak supply. You need to check the consumer unit to see if there is a separate board or separate side for the E7, separate breakers / fuses for the 2 immersion supplies or a separate time for the off peak immersion supply.

Robin9

I think you can switch the heaters off now - its about 30 degrees in my house.

Think about them come November.

Yes the bottom immersion heater switch should be on so it heats at night. Only use the top one if you run out of hot water.

david1994

molerat wrote: »

The bottom element should be connected directly to the E7 only side, the centre one should be connected to the peak supply. You need to check the consumer unit to see if there is a separate board or separate side for the E7, separate breakers / fuses for the 2 immersion supplies or a separate time for the off peak immersion supply.

Thats what I thought, I have checked outside and there is a few RCDs that are fine and then a big consumer unit which each has individual fuses, shall I replace every fuse? as none are labelled?

[Deleted User]

Hi,


if it's E7 you should only have 2 rates, day/normal and night/low, so where does the Rate 3 come from?


If you have water on now, then it will be on the day rate.


You don't need heaters on just now, unless you want to test them, and you don't need them at full to test, 1 or 2 will do.


Oh and take a meter reading now and at least weekly to give you an idea of usage.

david1994

The hot water tank switch I have on is meant to be the economy 7 night switch where it heats on the cheaper tariff but its currently heating during the more expensive daytime

Robin9

Could you give the make and model number of your meter please ? Some of these are quite complex as regards to which button to press.

coffeehound

Photos of the meter, consumer unit and immersion heater controls would help too

[Deleted User]

With the odd cheap 7 hr timing of 0200 to 0900 and the rate 3 reading then possibly this is an Eco 10 meter. Maybe there is a 3 hr afternoon boost. Very popular up in Scotland .
Eco 7 meters sometimes show 3 readings but the third one is nt allocated a number , just the letter "t " to mean total of the day/night.
If your rate 3 advances at the total of the day and night reading then its an Eco 7 meter

Robin9

OP is in Belfast. Was there E10 in Northern Ireland ?

Robin9

david1994 - have you meter readings from when you moved in and also of today.

You haven't mentioned contacting the exisiting supplier when you moved in - did you ? And have you switched supplier?