Storage heaters and timings

melking

I've finally worked out how my storage heaters work but am still using an extortionate amount of electricity. I have a key meter so I can see how much I am using on a daily basis and its about £4-5 a day!!!

I have spoken with EDF who told me I am on economy 7 and that the heaters should be drawing heat between 10.00pm -12.30am and 2.30am -7.30am but that I need to check my timers.

I have timers in a cupboard next to the separate fuse box for the heaters - should they be set to match EDF's timings? I am used to central heating where you set timers for when you want heat and water on, rather than when you want to draw the electricity.

Please can someone explain what I do with the timer, I've got the input/output sorted on each individual heater, but I just can't keep using this amount of electricity and my landlord seems absolutely clueless.

p.s. I am having a normal meter fitted so I know the rates will be slightly reduced when that is done compared to the prepaid key.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

It is most unusual for an Economy 7 tariff to have 2 periods. The only timing I have ever heard of is for a continuous 7 hour period. That 7 hour period varies across the country but could be anywhere between the hours of 11pm to 8:30pm.

So firstly I would check again when your Economy 7 period starts and finishes. Economy 10 usually has 3 periods totalling(as the name suggests!) 10 hours.

Most storage heaters are wired so they only switch on when your property switches to Economy 7 and you have an overide facility if you run out of heat and need to top up at(expensive) day time rates.

You obviously want to set your hot water to come on during the period of cheap electricity and if possible set any other appliance to come on during that period(e.g. washing machine on a timer)

I have to say that £4/£5 a day for all electricity on a key meter, including heating, is not extortionate in mid winter.

dieselglider

I still have the economy7 metering/switches in my house, powered by Northern Ireland Electricity, and the 'normal' and 'low' meter (household supply) switches to 'low' for one 7-hour period each night.

However, there is a seperate switch unit for 'heat' and 'water', controlled by signals from the power company, and this will switch on/off through the night. eg, heating will switch on at 8:45pm for one hour, and then later through the night at whatever time, but I'm pretty sure it's more than just one extra timed period. Also, the water is heated for a 3-hour period through the night, then a one hour afternoon boost from 2:30pm.

So, in my case, there is three seperate elements to the economy7 supply, any of which can be on/off independently. Also three meter readings, 'normal', 'low', and 'heating'. Simple!

Cardew

dieselglider wrote: »

I still have the economy7 metering/switches in my house, powered by Northern Ireland Electricity, and the 'normal' and 'low' meter (household supply) switches to 'low' for one 7-hour period each night.

However, there is a seperate switch unit for 'heat' and 'water', controlled by signals from the power company, and this will switch on/off through the night. eg, heating will switch on at 8:45pm for one hour, and then later through the night at whatever time, but I'm pretty sure it's more than just one extra timed period. Also, the water is heated for a 3-hour period through the night, then a one hour afternoon boost from 2:30pm.

So, in my case, there is three seperate elements to the economy7 supply, any of which can be on/off independently. Also three meter readings, 'normal', 'low', and 'heating'. Simple!

Northern Ireland may be different to the rest of the UK, but what you are describing sounds like Economy 10 on the mainland

dieselglider

Cardew wrote: »

Northern Ireland may be different to the rest of the UK, but what you are describing sounds like Economy 10 on the mainland

I'm not sure when Economy10 was introduced, but I always thought my econ7 supply was quite advanced when I had it installed circa 1990, to supplement the solid fuel C/H system I had then. My Father-in-law at around the same time, fitted out his (big) house at roughly the same time, but NIE just installed one of the old-fashioned time clocks with the big dial and perspex cover.