Economy 7 or Single Rate?

GasAttacK77

If OFTM are still offering 18.65p/kWH for 12M single rate fix next week I'll probably go with that. With 50/50 usage that will save me £50+ on the best economy 7 tariff with Fuse.

I realise I may be able to swing the economy 7 in my favour be researching the off peak times etc, but it's probably not far out and therefore wouldn't be a massive saving. At best I might be able to get my usage to 60/40 which would give me an average of 18.39p with Fuse. So only a small gain against the 18.65p offered by OFTM.

If I switch to a single rate tariff, would there be any benefit to adjusting any settings on my Quantum NSH or should I just leave them exactly as they are now?

QrizB

GasuAttacK77 said:

If I switch to a single rate tariff, would there be any benefit to adjusting any settings on my Quantum NSH or should I just leave them exactly as they are now?

You'll be ok leaving them alone.

I'm a fiddler so I'd try tweaking them so they charge close to the times that you need heat, but the gains are unlikely to be worthwhile unless you're also a habitual fiddler!

Rosie1001

My in house display changes when it starts drawing the  extra power from my heaters … goes from green to amber on the display lights on the bottom  , that’s how I know mine is on the off peak 

I can also hear a audible click 

QrizB

OP I don't think you've shared a photo of your electricity meter. It's possible that you don't have an E7 switched supply and that's why the storage heaters have been installed the way they have.

Are you able to take a photo of your meter and any associated switchgear, and to share it with us in this thread?

It might also let us help you tell when your E7 hours are.

Scot_39

If your not time shifting NSH are largely redundant - over priced and with older models - potentially incredibly unresponsive panel heaters (my heaters take time to warm up from cold - hours - before producing reasonable output - and give that heat for hours / days to cool after switch off - time shifting heat output is after all what they were designed for) - but at least the quantums are fan boosted so deliver heat quickly when precharged - and programmable by output / air temp thermostat.

But beware being reliant on cheap suppliers - the days of failures and SoLR are not necessarily over - one recently failed and another challenger Tomato - appears to be in trouble with Ofgem re its new debt level metrics - and they have stopped them expanding customer base ??  (c 10000 customers, £3 million in debt according to media the trigger )

But as you have them - and find a supplier you are happy with on SR - you may as well use them - as will essentially run as programmable panel heaters if go single rate - rather than replacing them.

GasAttacK77

I understand there are probably cheaper heating options if I go on a SR but as you say, probably not worth the trouble and expense of replacing the Quatum heaters.

Also, keeping them gives me the option to go back to E7 in the future.

There seems to be mainly positive comments regarding OFTM on this forum so I think I'll give them a go if the 18.65p/kWh tariff is still available next week..

These 2 pictures of my meter were taken last year.

QrizB

Thanks for the photos of the meter, but they're a bit too close! How many wires are there coming from the bottom of the meter? Typically it'll be one of the following:

- Four thick ones

- Five thick ones

- Four thick ones and one thin one

If it's anything other than five thick ones, are there any other bits of electrical gubbins attached to the meter?

GasAttacK77

I've just taken these pictures.

Gerry1

It's only a 4-terminal meter so you don't have any switched circuits.    Therefore your Quantums are trying to mimic your E7 times, but as they're still on the default timings, probably with limited success.

But I still think you're doing it all wrong.  There's absolutely no point in having clever modern storage heaters but being on single rate: you might as well use convectors or fan heaters.  It's like having a new car that's taxed, insured and MoT'd but only using it as a fixed greenhouse on the driveway and somewhere to sit and listen to the radio. 

If you don't want to add switched circuits (understandable because of expense, disruption and possible redecorating) then set the charging times correctly, tell the Quantums how warm you want to be and when, then relax and let them do their stuff.  You'll be warmer and have lower bills.

Scot_39

00:00 to 07:00 are not quantum default AFAIK.

Sure manual says shipped with default all 8 times 00: 00s - guessing on presumption of dual wiring.

And not to set if are dual wired.


Think Elnurs have to be set regardless.

A clear distinction that stick in my head despite buying neither when looked pre crisis.

Was a faulty MCB in CU not the heater and the payback was too long on e7 vs e10 for working heaters.