E7 meter - Night readings consuming electricity during day - help

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A_vasquez26
A_vasquez26 Posts: 3 Newbie
in Energy
Hi an electrician came to change one my my storage heaters. He informed me that the heater is consuming electricity during the day and it should not be as it should turn on during the off peak times (12am-7am not sure exact hours!).

I have contacted both Npower previous electricity company and Bulb and neither were of any help.

I checked the meter and i am taking some readings at 11am yesterday the night reading was 30170 later on at 7pm it showed a reading of 30180. Which means the heaters are consuming energy during the day?

Who is responsible for fixing this the landlord or Bulb? and what is faulty! the storage heaters or the meter? i tried to contact consumer rights helpline but they asked me to check my contract with Bulb? i just want to know if anyone experienced this and what i should do. As i was told my the landlord i should save having E7 but not if it is consuming electricity in the daytime when it shouldn't?
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  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 9,937 Forumite
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    You need to check whether the register which increments during the day is shown on your bill as being the night rate. If the registers are swapped over, tell Bulb. Also check the times when the meter switches over, it may just be that the timing is adrift, but this is unlikely if you have a radio teleswitch.

    Your DNO can tell you your E7 hours.

    If the E7 times are correct, the storage heaters may be drawing current in the day because they are on a 24h circuit. You can check this by looking at any indicator lights on the switches or by switching the radiators off and seeing whether the meter slows down. Tell your landlord if the storage heater circuits need to be rewired so that they are switched by the meter.
  • stewie_griffin
    stewie_griffin Posts: 1,099 Forumite
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    Did the other reading also advance? If it's a digital meter, then is the time on it correct?
  • stewie_griffin
    stewie_griffin Posts: 1,099 Forumite
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    May sound like a daft question but are you sure it's a storage heaters and not one of those 'magical' heaters than claim to be storage heaters.
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
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    A_vasquez26 wrote: »
    Hi an electrician came to change one my my storage heaters. He informed me that the heater is consuming electricity during the day and it should not be as it should turn on during the off peak times (12am-7am not sure exact hours!).

    I have contacted both Npower previous electricity company and Bulb and neither were of any help.

    I checked the meter and i am taking some readings at 11am yesterday the night reading was 30170 later on at 7pm it showed a reading of 30180. Which means the heaters are consuming energy during the day?

    Who is responsible for fixing this the landlord or Bulb? and what is faulty! the storage heaters or the meter? i tried to contact consumer rights helpline but they asked me to check my contract with Bulb? i just want to know if anyone experienced this and what i should do. As i was told my the landlord i should save having E7 but not if it is consuming electricity in the daytime when it shouldn't?


    It's down to the electric company. It is there meter.


    There are however many many e7 timings. If you want to pm me your meter serial I can look yours up (I would find out your address obviously so your choice).


    Timeswitches do go out of sync and can be fixed, but the supplier will not want to bother. And if your work out when it is cheap it is probably better off for you to use it at more convienient times to be honest!.



    Easiest way to fix it would be to get a smart meter as companies do want to meet the government compliance levels they have been set!
  • Richie-from-the-Boro
    Richie-from-the-Boro Posts: 6,945 Forumite
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    A_vasquez26

    .1. Brand and model No of "storage heaters"
    .2. Tariff name from "Bulb"
    .3. Many DO consume 'on demand' day rate
    .$. Many ONLY consume 'cheaper' day rate

    Learn what you have and how to use them my friend. Get on the comparison sites get the best deal. Get an online account. Lots of good people here will help you.

    E7=7 hours. switch is automated by region:

    map-1.gif
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
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    Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »
    E7=7 hours. switch is automated by region:


    Much more than region, there are as I said many many options! (of course most are legacy but OP's could well be one).


    Also 8.5 hours in Scotland.


    ;-)
  • Richie-from-the-Boro
    Richie-from-the-Boro Posts: 6,945 Forumite
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    Agreed, I showed all the O/P needed to post as a starter for 10. In this case even the first rung [smiles]
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
  • dogshome
    dogshome Posts: 3,878 Forumite
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    When ECO7 metering was first introduced, the Storage Heaters & Hot Water Immersion had their own meter which clicked on overnight


    The meter was "hard wired" to the Storage Heaters & Immersion, ie No plug socket that could be used for other things - The supply company didn't naughty customers running a w/machine overnight on cheap power


    Things have moved on and now S/heaters & the Immersion are wired into the 24 hour use house Electrics - To restrict the heaters to only using overnight ECO7 power, timers must be fitted to either the heaters themselves or the supply wiring
  • A_vasquez26
    A_vasquez26 Posts: 3 Newbie
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    Thank you Gerry. I called Npower who advised when they checked the meter, it was all working correctly.

    The storage heaters are connected to two switches, one (which i turn on) which i was told by the landlord is connected off peak rate and the other is connected to the day rate which i never turn on. Therefore, i will need to tell my landlord to check the rewiring.

    This is what i was unsure on. The fact the night readings are increasing in the day, confirms what the electrician said, the heaters are drawing current in the day . If the offpeak switch is on, this hopefully does not affect the day rate? as the day readings did not increase by much during the day (i work fulltime haven't used much electric). only the night rate seems to be moving in the day.

    Can you confirm if it is the meter that tells the storage heater when to turn on? sorry i am not 100% clued up, i have tried google and just need someone to explain simple terms to me!
  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 9,937 Forumite
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    You can't necessarily tell from the meter which register is which. It may say 1 and 2, or High and Low, or whatever, but it's what shown on the bill that counts. Match those numbers up !

    For ease of use the storage heaters ought to be on a supply controlled by the meter, but there's no hard and fast rule. You might even have a cheapskate local mechanical timer that's been interrupted because of a power cut, or an 'official' E7 clockwork timer switch that's drifted. You'll just have to go exploring and see what you've got, it's not difficult. Without the full facts you're up a gumtree ! :(

    A switchable 'top up' connection to a 24h supply is useful if you've been away etc, but should be regarded as only for emergency use because it's so expensive.
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