How to use Economy 7 cost efficiently!?

jl1996

Hi. 

I have just moved into a one bedroom flat which is electric only, supported by input/output storage heaters and a Horstmann Electronic 7 Immersion Heater. The storage heaters are quite old so they just have the input and output settings on them and a switch at the wall. I am young and naïve, I have never lived alone before so I have no clue about any of this, I don't know anything about the usage meters or where the timers are (if any!?).

Anyway, I set my water heater to come on during the night so I have hot water for showers etc. the next day. I work 9-5 Mon-Fri so I only need hot water at night for dishes and a shower. I have my storage heaters input setting on 2, and my output on 1 during the day until I come home at night and the flat is always nice and warm when I get home.

Anyway, when I get home my electricity usage in the evening is about 20p at most (for cooking, washing machine, tv etc.) but in the mornings it is going down by £4-£5 a day which I can only put down to the heaters and water! That works out to about £25 a week and £100 a month! Which sounds absolutely ludicrous for a one bed flat and storage heaters on such a low setting! 

The water is always warm and I think I have set it to one setting only, to come on at half past midnight and maybe off a few hours later so I am thinking of fiddling with the timer to come on for an hour at most as that might be the issue, or maybe not even at all and just using the boost system as I don't use a lot of water any way. I have checked with my energy supplier and the time that I have set the water heater to come on is supposedly during the off-peak hours. The storage heaters are always warmer in the morning and cooler at night so they appear to be charging at night but I am not sure? 

But, am I doing something wrong? Could there be an issue with the heaters? Does this amount sound about right because to me it doesn't! 

Can someone please give me a breakdown of how to set myself up or what I am doing wrong so my heating and water doesn't cost me an absolute fortune!? I estimated £60 at most for my electricity so I am having a nervous breakdown at the thought of an extra £40 being spent when it is money I really do not have to spend.

Thanks so much.

jl1996

Sorry I keep thinking abut 5 day weeks... so it would be costing me £35 a week in electricity and therefore £140 a month!?

Torry_Quine

You shouldn't have the output open during the day. You only open it to get extra heat when it's particularly cold and always close it before it starts heating up. 

tim_p

Start by reading your meter(s) and recording it in a spreadsheet or app so you get an idea of your actual usage in KWh not in £. Try to take the readings at approx the same time of day. 

Check for two immersions in the side of the tank, the top one is for boost only and should be left off and only used if you need extra hot water. The lower one should be on the E7 wiring and probably could do with a timer so it only comes on for an hour or two during the E7 period. 

Electricity bills will always be much higher in the winter so you won’t (shouldn’t be!) paying those sort of sums year round. 

Guessing you’re renting?

Robin9

Can we first check that when you moved in you read your meters and gave them to your existing supplier.
Have you subsequently switched supplier ? If not you will be on that suppliers standard (ie expensive) tariff.

What did your meter read when you moved in and what is it today ?   A few simple sums will tell you what it is actually costing - bearing in mind its winter.

£80/90 is about par for an electrically heated flat - could be be £140 in a winter month and £30 in summer.

macman

As above, your usage will plummet at the end of the heating season, so that £90 per month will not turn into £1,080 per year. You can easily use 75% of your annual total during the coldest 3 months.

jl1996

Torry_Quine said:

You shouldn't have the output open during the day. You only open it to get extra heat when it's particularly cold and always close it before it starts heating up. 

Thanks but the lowest setting is 1 and I can’t turn it down any lower? So not sure. 

jl1996

tim_p said:

Start by reading your meter(s) and recording it in a spreadsheet or app so you get an idea of your actual usage in KWh not in £. Try to take the readings at approx the same time of day. 

Check for two immersions in the side of the tank, the top one is for boost only and should be left off and only used if you need extra hot water. The lower one should be on the E7 wiring and probably could do with a timer so it only comes on for an hour or two during the E7 period. 

Electricity bills will always be much higher in the winter so you won’t (shouldn’t be!) paying those sort of sums year round. 

Guessing you’re renting?

Sorry this is daft but what am I supposed to be looking at in terms of the immersions? And yes I’m renting!

jl1996

Robin9 said:

Can we first check that when you moved in you read your meters and gave them to your existing supplier.
Have you subsequently switched supplier ? If not you will be on that suppliers standard (ie expensive) tariff.

What did your meter read when you moved in and what is it today ?   A few simple sums will tell you what it is actually costing - bearing in mind its winter.

£80/90 is about par for an electrically heated flat - could be be £140 in a winter month and £30 in summer.

Robin9 said:

Can we first check that when you moved in you read your meters and gave them to your existing supplier.
Have you subsequently switched supplier ? If not you will be on that suppliers standard (ie expensive) tariff.

What did your meter read when you moved in and what is it today ?   A few simple sums will tell you what it is actually costing - bearing in mind its winter.

£80/90 is about par for an electrically heated flat - could be be £140 in a winter month and £30 in summer.

Hi yes I did and I changed supplier. I understand what you’re saying but I don’t agree that a one bed flat which I’m only in in evenings and weekends could use so much energy when it’s supposed to be cost efficient and more economically friendly. My input is set on 2 and it is still costing me £5 a month whereas websites such as CSE suggest having the input on setting 5-6 in winter, I would hate to imagine my energy bill if I head this advice. I will check the meter though, thanks!

Gerry1

The upper immersion heater (behind the square grey panel) looks like it's switched on.  That will cost you an arm and a leg because it will top up during the day at expensive daytime rates.  It's only intended for emergency use for an hour or two to give you half a tank of expensive hot water.  Leave it permanently switched off unless you run out of hot water in the day, e.g. if you have used an excessive amount or have been away.

The lower immersion heater should be left on permanently, provided that it's connected to an off-peak E7 circuit.

Next time you move, make sure it's somewhere with gas central heating.

jl1996

Gerry1 said:

The upper immersion heater (behind the square grey panel) looks like it's switched on.  That will cost you an arm and a leg because it will top up during the day at expensive daytime rates.  It's only intended for emergency use for an hour or two to give you half a tank of expensive hot water.  Leave it permanently switched off unless you run out of hot water in the day, e.g. if you have used an excessive amount or have been away.

The lower immersion heater should be left on permanently, provided that it's connected to an off-peak E7 circuit.

Next time you move, make sure it's somewhere with gas central heating.

Hi Gerry thanks so much. This is so stupid of me to ask but how would I turn the upper immersion heater off? Is that for the switch on the wall?