Night storage heater settings for BST

Getferret

I am unclear what the Elnur ECOHHR heater settings should be at now it’s BST as I am currently getting caught out by the hour difference. I know how to change the heater settings.

EDF off peak times are 00:30 - 07:30, off peak times do not change and remain on GMT.

Smart meter, shows current local time BST.

IHD, shows current time BST, displays one hour countdown when tariff is due to change at 01:30 and again at 08:30.

Bright App, shows from 07:30 to 08:30 I am being charged at peak rates.

Should the Heater “clock” be set to BST or GMT? (Stated in the user manual “The ECOHHR storage heater has been preset with the Day and Time however you will need to adjust this with summer and winter times (when the clocks go forward and back).”

And/or does the heater program times need to be set to 00:30 - 07:30 or 01:30 - 08:30?

And/or does the heater setting “Auhr : Automatic winter / Summer time” be ON or OFF? (Stated in the installation manual).

Thank you in advance.

mmmmikey

You need to do one of two things:

EITHER

1. Set the clock on the heater to show GMT - which should be one hour behind what your phone and other clocks show. You would do this by turning automatic winter / summer time to off then checking the time on the heater's clock is an hour behind your phone. Then set the times on the heater to 00:30 to 07:30

OR

2. Set the clock on the heater to show BST - i.e. the same time as shown on on your phone and other clocks. You would do this by turning the automatic winter / summer time to on then setting the time on the heater's clock to the same as your phone. Then set the heater times to 01:30 to 08:30

Very easy to tie yourself in knots with this - don't ask me how I know

[Deleted User]

Hi,

does your smart meter switch at the EDF times, if so your heaters should be set to correspond with it.

littleteapot

I leave the clock on our Elnur ECOHHR heaters set to GMT all year round, just like the meter is. It avoids the confusion. Although in my case there is no risk of being charged peak rate for NS as I have a 5-port meter feeding a separate E7 CU and therefore a separate outlet for the night storage element of each heater.

However I did wonder if 'smart' meters might also move their off-peak period in line with the GMT/BST? However as I don't have  a smart meter I can't comment on that.

mmmmikey

littleteapot said:

I leave the clock on our Elnur ECOHHR heaters set to GMT all year round, just like the meter is. It avoids the confusion. Although in my case there is no risk of being charged peak rate for NS as I have a 5-port meter feeding a separate E7 CU and therefore a separate outlet for the night storage element of each heater.

However I did wonder if 'smart' meters might also move their off-peak period in line with the GMT/BST? However as I don't have  a smart meter I can't comment on that.

Hi - I can confirm that I have a smart meter and it works the same as regular meters in that the times are GMT  - i.e. in the OPs case (and mine too) 00:30 to 07:30 GMT in the winter and 01:30 to 08:30 BST in the summer.

Getferret

@mmmmikey your right I have got myself into a right pickle. It is a good job the heater instructions are easy to follow  Option 1 seems the easiest like @littleteapot

@frugalmacdugal I will monitor the smart meter tomorrow see when the rates change.  I am being confused by the smart meter local time and IHD time and countdown showing BST times.

Scot_39

mmmmikey said:

You need to do one of two things:

EITHER

1. Set the clock on the heater to show GMT - which should be one hour behind what your phone and other clocks show. You would do this by turning automatic winter / summer time to off then checking the time on the heater's clock is an hour behind your phone. Then set the times on the heater to 00:30 to 07:30

OR

2. Set the clock on the heater to show BST - i.e. the same time as shown on on your phone and other clocks. You would do this by turning the automatic winter / summer time to on then setting the time on the heater's clock to the same as your phone. Then set the heater times to 01:30 to 08:30

Very easy to tie yourself in knots with this - don't ask me how I know

With some of the heaters - if dual wired - the time for the charge cycle is irrelevent - there is no need to program it - it simply uses the off-peak feed when available.  So in theory a HHR like a Quantum or non HHR like a Creda TSRE - that use similar controller - in dual wire - wouldn't need to be set before.

At least one Elnur ECO HHR NSH panel user recently posted though despite being dual wired - the times had to be correct too - sorry @mmmmikey - that may even have been you

And unless I miss understand - in 1) -  does OP need to reprogram differing heater daily or weekly program 1/2 hour heat setpoint times - for Noon (should the manual really have been Moon - as keys) / Sun - to reflect actual BST usage times.

https://www.elnur.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Elnur_ECOMBI-HHR_User-Guide.pdf

Getferret

EDF Energy Hub Help states 

Daylight Saving Time

Smart meters don’t change for Daylight Saving Time (or BST). They stay on GMT all year round.

This is important to know if you’re on an Economy 7 tariff or a tariff with an off-peak rate, as you need to be aware of the hours when you qualify for cheaper electricity. So when the clocks go forward an hour in March, your Economy 7 or off-peak tariff hours might not match the actual time.

This also applies to Energy Hub as it displays data taken from your smart meter.

The meter is showing BST times same as wrist watch/phones etc. Do I have a problem with the smart meter clock I need to address with EDF?

Scot_39

littleteapot said:

I leave the clock on our Elnur ECOHHR heaters set to GMT all year round, just like the meter is. It avoids the confusion. Although in my case there is no risk of being charged peak rate for NS as I have a 5-port meter feeding a separate E7 CU and therefore a separate outlet for the night storage element of each heater.

However I did wonder if 'smart' meters might also move their off-peak period in line with the GMT/BST? However as I don't have  a smart meter I can't comment on that.

I know my E10 smets1 doesn't move to BST as far as swtiching tariffs - but the IHD does show BST (it actually switched at 2am to 3am rather than 1am to 2am as other devices did )

Several supplier sites labour that point - possible written pre Smart admittedly - that the tariff is always GMT for E7, EDF Eco20:20 etc.

I used to think that was normal - but yet dumb - but always assumed that was what the regional setting rules stipulated (DCC according to @Swipe - so not controlled by the suppliers like Eon/Octopus etc) - specified it to be.

But the Smart meter installer laboured the point - when he handed me the little booklet - and actually told me both summer (1-6am, 2-5pm and 9-11pm) and winter (12-5am, 1-4pm ,and 8-10pm here in EM) - off-peak zones - and waited til I had scribbled them in the little leaflet - before continuing to demonstrate how to read day / night rates)

Until @Raxiel posted in response to my "timely reminder" thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79949415/#Comment_79949415

But others like @EssexHebridean @dunstonh - who said he had to change Tapo - not sure what that really meant.

And @Swipe - seems to suggest his remains on GMT - but not clear if he is on smart meter or not - so can eat / shower later etc in summer.

Swipe

Scot_39 said:

And @Swipe - seems to suggest his remains on GMT - but not clear if he is on smart meter or not - so can eat / shower later etc in summer.

Yes, I have a 5 port/terminal E7 smart meter on EDF that remains on GMT all year round so I can make the most of the later off peak hour while on BST.

Getferret

Interesting, thank you. 

EDF fitted Aclara SMET2 meter in January 2023. I was hoping to enjoy the later breakfasts and showers.