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Storage Heaters or Electric Radiators
Comments
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One of the key benefits from E7 of course is how much other use can be shifted to the cheap overnight periods - and how that works in a flat in part depends on the construction, and also whether the flat is on the ground floor. Choosing to run a washing machine in particular at 3am isn't going to be massively popular with any downstairs neighbours!
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her1 -
I'm on the cheapest E7 night rate for winter (UW) and will then move to the cheapest E7 day rate supplier in Spring (possibly Snug) when I'm using much less overnight.
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This is where E7 complexity comes in.
If you use less than 67% of electricity between 0-7am - then it isn't worth it.
Also as you mentioned - you need to switch back to normal tariff once heating is off (the ratio goes below 67%), as you will end up wasting your savings in summer.
All in all depends on personal circumstances and based on that I wouldn't say that storage heaters and E7 is always the cheapest option.
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>"This is where E7 complexity comes in.
"If you use less than 67% of electricity between 0-7am - then it isn't worth it."
Where did you get that 67% figure from?
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That depends on day night rates.
Check my example above with Octopus Fixed E7 Vs cheapest same rate tarriff. Using 20kWh at night and 10kWh during the day results paying standard rate - so 20/30 = 67%. If you use more at night 25/30 then you're better off.
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Your 'night usage must be at least 67%' hypothesis may happen be true in the case of just one tariff out of thousands, but that doesn't mean it's always true for the OP, or for everyone else.
Most people would have to have an oddly high additional daytime usage percentage for plug-in resistive electric heating to work out cheaper than HHR NSHs.
Even in summer, E7 may still be cheaper if the immersion heater, tumble dryer etc can be used during the E7 cheap rate periods, especially if they're 2330-0130 and 0330-0830.
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@Newbie_John wrote:
E7 complexity … If you use less than 67% of electricity between 0-7am - then it isn't worth it.
A helpful rule of thumb uses this quantity:
(Peak rate – Single rate) ÷ (Peak rate – Offpeak rate)This gives the minimum proportion of total consumption that must be offpeak for E7 to work out cheaper than single rate. For standard variable tariffs, the proportion must be less than 42% to be price-cap-compliant. The calculation assumes that any difference between standing charges is insignificant.
I'm not being lazy ...
I'm just in energy-saving mode.4 -
Exactly this - it was absolutely never worth us switching as we always used a higher percentage overnight, even in the height of summer, thanks to immersion heater, dishwasher, washing machine etc. For someone in an upper floor flat with an immersion heater but no ability to run appliances overnight, that could be borderline, and for someone with no ability to run appliances overnight OR immersion, the "switch during summer" option could work well. Of course, that relies on having a fully functioning smart meter that will allow for an easy remote switch between single & dual rate too!
(Also - reminder for safety as tumble dryers have been mentioned - if running appliances overnight you should ensure that you have smoke alarms fitted and that they are tested and confirmed to be working regularly, and regardless, the usual advice is to not run a tumble drier at times when people are asleep.)
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her3 -
>...the "switch during summer" option could work well. Of course, that relies on having a fully functioning smart meter that will allow for an easy remote switch between single & dual rate too!"
Nope, it's just an accounting process to bill both registers at the same standard day rate. No smart meter required: you could have this with a spinning disc meter provided that it's two-rate.
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Oh I know it's possible, absolutely - but we know from experience that some suppliers make an enormous song and dance about it, and still others will refuse to do it at all. The smart meter just makes things easier as there are less barriers to both the supplier being willing to fulfill the request AND the customer fully understanding how the billing then works.
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0
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