High Electricity Usage

JJ_Egan

I would turn all electric OFF.
Moniter your meter for a few hours then turn on a few essentialls and check .
Likewise read meter at night before the IH is set and again in the morning .
Likewise with Night Storage heating .
My guess is the hot water is the big culprit .


£120 pm for heating and hot water .

Robin9

Yes SP will probably block your switch to another supplier but you you should be able to transfer to a better tariff within SP.

What tariff are you on ?

Robin9

Rocker8742 wrote: »

.................... we've been here for a year now . .......................

Can I ask you what happened when you moved in ? Did you you ring the existing supplier and give them meter readings ? Was that SP ?

Unless you specifically asked for a tariff you will have been put on their Standard (ie expensive) tariff.

EachPenny

Hengus wrote: »

In days past, when I had E7 heating, the cylinder had 2 immersion heaters. One was connected to the overnight (low rate) supply side, and the other (a tank booster) was connected to the normal rate. The lower immersion heater was always selected to ON in the knowledge that it would inoperative during the day. Has E7 system design changed?

In the areas I've lived (the old Eastern Region) the standard arrangement was whole house E7. Hot water was via twin or dual immersions supplied via a (usually) Horstmann controller. One feed from the main consumer unit which was always energised.

The main immersion was controlled by a 24hr timer, the boost from a 2hr (max) countdown timer. It was important to make sure the main timer was set to the correct time, and on and off settings were synchronised with the E7 hours.... and check regularly that it was all still working correctly. If you knew what you were doing it was possible to adjust the on and off times to reduce the heating period if you didn't use much hot water.

I was assuming from the OP's comment 'runs for 12 hours mainly overnight' they have a similar arrangement with some form of timer in the circuit, rather than just a contactor associated with the meter.

Rocker8742

Couple of points, we’re in Devon and tbh I’m not sure what the E7 hours are down here

Robin, yes when we moved in existing supplier wasn given the meter readings, existing supplier for the property was SP, previously had been EDF. I believe we were on a reasonable DD tarrif for the first couple of months and then it went up by almost £100 and I couldn’t afford to pay it so had to swap to cash/cheque payments high means more expensive tarrif. I believe our current is the Online Fixed Price Energy January 2019.

Got a couple of pics of our timer setup for the immersion if I can figure out how to post them

welshmoneylover

Rocker8742 wrote: »

Couple of points, we’re in Devon and tbh I’m not sure what the E7 hours are down here

Robin, yes when we moved in existing supplier wasn given the meter readings, existing supplier for the property was SP, previously had been EDF. I believe we were on a reasonable DD tarrif for the first couple of months and then it went up by almost £100 and I couldn’t afford to pay it so had to swap to cash/cheque payments high means more expensive tarrif. I believe our current is the Online Fixed Price Energy January 2019.

Got a couple of pics of our timer setup for the immersion if I can figure out how to post them

£120/month is average for your property type, fail to see why you are blaming the energy company for your usage.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

Rocker8742 wrote: »

I believe we were on a reasonable DD tarrif for the first couple of months and then it went up by almost £100 and I couldn’t afford to pay it so had to swap to cash/cheque payments high means more expensive tarrif. I believe our current is the Online Fixed Price Energy January 2019.

was your 'reasonable DD tariff' based on low estimated readings, which you were happy to accept, until a 'catch up' reading then resulted in the increased DD?


You should take meter readings at least once a month and either calculate yourself what you are using, or, preferably, provide readings to your supplier.

Robin9

welshmoneylover wrote: »

£120/month is average for your property type, fail to see why you are blaming the energy company for your usage.

I agree - OP for your £120 you are getting your home heated, lit, hot water for washing, showers, baths and all the day to day bit of power for your PC, phones etc.

What we still don't know is your actual meter readings from when you moved in and today - please post them asap.

I don't understand the initial approx £20 - if this is correct it was silly and only just covered the standing charges. Your rise of £100 would have then included some catch up of the underpayments.

Are you sure about your tariff - I didn't think you could make cash/cheque payments on this online tariff?