What time is off peak for electric?

espresso

Be_Happy wrote: »

Thank goodness someone else is on a tariff like mine with Scottish Power region. I too, was ridiculed by Espresso when I said I had an 8 1/2 hour off peak time. I have always had this in this region. It runs from midnight to 8.30 am in the summer and 11 pm to 7.30 am in the winter and I have checked these times by waiting beside the meter to see the red light switch between 'low' and 'normal' at the appropriate time. I've even taken readings to check that no 'normal' units are being used during the 8 1/2 hour stretch.(Must get a life!!)

Before I get any further sarcasm about the name Economy 7. Our original tariff was called White Meter, I understand it only changed to Economy 7 to bring the name into line with other regions. I'm told though that new customers to the rate only get 7 hours.

If further confirmation were needed, time clock jammed several months ago and new clock was fitted by power company. Engineer set it up for the 8 1.2 hour period.

No ridicule at all but if you are still getting your electricity from the original regional supplier, you are unlikely to be getting the best deal, even if you do get the extra 1½ night rate hours. (what is that worth in real money)

How much are you paying for your day and night units on this dinosaur tariff? How much could you be paying if you switched to a different supplier? Why haven't you switched?

I agree that you really should get a life and get out more though!

Terrylw1

SwanJon's post came from another thread where a poster has added part of the industry held Market Domain Data. These are open and closed as they go out of the market so they cannot be used in any registrations.

Every Supplier gets a full list and it is constantly updated where new codes and combinations enter the market.

Your bill shows a 3 digit number which denotes this. You won't know though as it's more for the Suppliers when you change. The SSC's above are held between Suppliers and Agents so you will have no way to check them without contacting your Supplier.


These are all the meter types in the SPOW region. White metering is still there. Now, how the meter is set up is the important part - not how the Supplier decides to change the name of your tariff e.g. you have 8.5hr white meter on E7 tariff = you still get the 8.5 off peak but it is billed against an E7 tariff. You still get your meter timeswitch time though. They can't get around that without changing the data below which is for the old SPOW region and is used by ALL Suppliers for that region.


SPOW Meter Timeswitch Class Description
12 Hr OP + Weekend
16 Hr OP + Weekend
18 Hr dynamic
20 Hr OP + Weekend
3 rate SToD
8.5 Hour White Meter
8.5 Hour WM (HWR) Landlord
8.5 Hour WM (HWR) Tenant
8.5 Hr OP + Weekend
8.5 Hr White Meter
8.5 Hr White Meter Heating
8.5 Hr WM Heating
8.5 Hr WM Heating (Landlord)
CPWM (PCR)
Crop & Air Conditioning 12 Hr
Crop & Air Conditioning 16 Hr
Evening & Weekend
Single Rate Unrestricted
Weathercall
Weathercall (HWR) Landlord

Be_Happy

espresso wrote: »

No ridicule at all but if you are still getting your electricity from the original regional supplier, you are unlikely to be getting the best deal, even if you do get the extra 1½ night rate hours. (what is that worth in real money)

How much are you paying for your day and night units on this dinosaur tariff? How much could you be paying if you switched to a different supplier? Why haven't you switched?

I agree that you really should get a life and get out more though!

Thanks, but I have changed supplier at various times and, until the latest price increases I was very happy with my tariff from Npower. Changing supplier has no effect on the time of off-peak in the region.

Terrylw1

Be_Happy wrote: »

Thanks, but I have changed supplier at various times and, until the latest price increases I was very happy with my tariff from Npower. Changing supplier has no effect on the time of off-peak in the region.

Thats correct. Meters are defined by the industry and then the relevant codes are submitted to all Supplier and Agents.

Suppliers can then choose to compete over the price per unit.

Some Suppliers don't even have tariffs for every type of meter out there so sometimes you get bundled on say E7 when you may have a 2 rate E8.5 (White Meter). It doesn't matter since your timeswitch times remain the same unless they change the meter to E7. Your units then would also be at 8.5, not 7 as the tariff name would suggest.

Sunnyday

I have a Scottish power economy 7 meter and i`m very happy with it.
We use the washer dishwasher, slow cooker and breadmaker at night and it saves us a good bit, as we work shifts the shower is usually used at cheap rate too.
The times are supposed to be 12 until 7am winter and 1 until 8 in the summer but the time on the meter is wrong and at the moment we get the thunk and the lovely red light at around 1120 pm, it loses at bit each year and we should be using it mid day in around 20 years
SD

AlanG_3

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Thats correct. Meters are defined by the industry and then the relevant codes are submitted to all Supplier and Agents.

Suppliers can then choose to compete over the price per unit.

Some Suppliers don't even have tariffs for every type of meter out there so sometimes you get bundled on say E7 when you may have a 2 rate E8.5 (White Meter). It doesn't matter since your timeswitch times remain the same unless they change the meter to E7. Your units then would also be at 8.5, not 7 as the tariff name would suggest.

Hi

What happens to the people who were on Day and Night rates (10 hours , 20.30 to 06;30 overnight cheaper leccy) and still have the old meters and timers, but are now billed on E7.

BexTech

AlanG wrote: »

Hi

What happens to the people who were on Day and Night rates (10 hours , 20.30 to 06;30 overnight cheaper leccy) and still have the old meters and timers, but are now billed on E7.

Think you just get billed the daytime E7 rate during the peak hours and the night time E7 rate for the 10 hours.

Terrylw1

AlanG wrote: »

Hi

What happens to the people who were on Day and Night rates (10 hours , 20.30 to 06;30 overnight cheaper leccy) and still have the old meters and timers, but are now billed on E7.

Hi,

I think this is where people often get confused and their Suppliers don't help in not explaining things properly.

This is how it works in the elec industry:

- each region has a list of meters they can fit. Often these meters are available in many regions e.g. common E7 or single rate credit metering are often found with the same manufacturer brand in many regions.

- however, some regions from prior to privatisation (often referred to as market start up) still have meters from years ago that were individual to their region only

- under privatisation, ALL Suppliers must have the ability to support any type of meter, no matter what type of region

- Suppliers have a list of tariffs that should be the equivalent to the type of meter

The Supplier cannot change the times on the meter timeswitch unless they request an engineer go out to do so. Now, they can't simply change an 8.5hr off peak meter to a 7hr off peak if the manufacturers meter type will not support it. Otherwise, you get a black whole in data between agents and Suppliers and it can prevent you from changing Supplier later.

So, in your case you still get your full 10 hours at off peak on the meter. Now, the Supplier may have you on say E7, but unless they come out to you and either change the clock times on the timeswitch from 10 to 7 hours (if possible by meter type) or they have to send out an engineer to actually change the whole meter. If they do this, you would change meter and tariff and go onto 7 hours off peak.

If they don't come out and just accept you in the switch, you continue to have a meter with a timeswitch that will click over and give you 10 hours off peak. These meters are usually 2 rate, which means that all the off peak elec usage goes onto the off peak dial. This doesn't matter whether it's 2, 7, 10 or 18 hours. Your Suppliers gets the readings in and then just bills the off peak dial against the off peak part of your bill. The same applies to the day rate.

So, to a Supplier it just dosesn't affect how they bill you at all where the tariff has the same number of rate (so, if the meters got 2 dials and your bill is day rate & night rate it bills easly no matter what your off peak hours)

Does that make sense?

rob16d

i hate having to deal with all this lol

AlanG_3

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Hi,

I think this is where people often get confused and their Suppliers don't help in not explaining things properly.

This is how it works in the elec industry:

- each region has a list of meters they can fit. Often these meters are available in many regions e.g. common E7 or single rate credit metering are often found with the same manufacturer brand in many regions.

- however, some regions from prior to privatisation (often referred to as market start up) still have meters from years ago that were individual to their region only

- under privatisation, ALL Suppliers must have the ability to support any type of meter, no matter what type of region

- Suppliers have a list of tariffs that should be the equivalent to the type of meter

The Supplier cannot change the times on the meter timeswitch unless they request an engineer go out to do so. Now, they can't simply change an 8.5hr off peak meter to a 7hr off peak if the manufacturers meter type will not support it. Otherwise, you get a black whole in data between agents and Suppliers and it can prevent you from changing Supplier later.

So, in your case you still get your full 10 hours at off peak on the meter.Now, the Supplier may have you on say E7, but unless they come out to you and either change the clock times on the timeswitch from 10 to 7 hours (if possible by meter type) or they have to send out an engineer to actually change the whole meter. If they do this, you would change meter and tariff and go onto 7 hours off peak.

If they don't come out and just accept you in the switch, you continue to have a meter with a timeswitch that will click over and give you 10 hours off peak. These meters are usually 2 rate, which means that all the off peak elec usage goes onto the off peak dial. This doesn't matter whether it's 2, 7, 10 or 18 hours. Your Suppliers gets the readings in and then just bills the off peak dial against the off peak part of your bill. The same applies to the day rate.

So, to a Supplier it just dosesn't affect how they bill you at all where the tariff has the same number of rate (so, if the meters got 2 dials and your bill is day rate & night rate it bills easly no matter what your off peak hours)

Does that make sense?

Hi Terry

Ok thanks. The questions I have is
1) can I insist on staying on my present 10 hour cheap tariff (20.30 to 06.30 hrs)(even at slightly enhanced rates) Or can my supplier insist to change my timer to 7 hours. See my bolded text below.

2) When I change suppliers , what is the chances of the new supplier spotting my favourable tariff and forcing a change by changing my meter as above. Will I be better off staying put with my present supplier . As you can imagine those 3 hrs off peak rate are very valuable to me. I have changed once to Ebico (Southern ) without "getting spotted" but am wary to change in future.

3 ) my meters are quite old anyway. Meter was replaced and is marked 08 '87 and mechanical timer was put in some years ago. It has a plate marked Code 4 '87 . Dont these by law need to be replaced every 20 years or less?

The history.
When I bought my flat in 1983 I took over the meter and supplier was Eastern. The 10 hour tariff was called Day and Night rate.Later I understood that the rate wasn't available to new customers but existing clients could stay on until they voluntarily relinquished it. They couldnt be forced off. (so I believe)
Sometime after June 2004 Powergen changed my tariff to Economy 7 without informing me. They havent changed my meter or timer.
So Where do I stand, I suppose not many suppliers support the Day and Night rate.

Thanks for any help. I LOVE my Day and Night rate .

Regards

Alan