Economy 7 supply cable advice required

[Echo the husky]

Yes which means you only need to fit a timer to the storage heater in the office, set to come on during the off peak times. No need to run another supply cable, unless the existing one is undersized of course.

That open way on the outbuilding consumer unit needs a blank fitted to it BTW.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Based on that first photo, I reckon you get all your electricity at the cheap rate when it is active. (I don't think I've ever seen an installation where this wasn't the case.)

It wasn't the case when I moved into my present house, nearly 30 years ago. It was on an E7 tariff. There were separate 'normal' and 'low rate' meters, the latter (just feeding storage heaters) supplied via a contactor (controlled by a timeswitch). Hence only the storage heaters benefited from the cheap rate.

Kind Regards, John

Same here. Most of the installations round here have separate FB for the storage heaters/immersion and those are the only devices to benefit from cheaper-rate lekky.

 

[JohnW2]

Same here. Most of the installations round here have separate FB for the storage heaters/immersion and those are the only devices to benefit from cheaper-rate lekky.

Very soon after I moved in, I got rid of the storage heaters and had no problem in getting the supplier to change the installation to just a single dual-tariff meter (still on E7) supplying everything - so thereafter 'everything' enjoyed the cheap-rate at night.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I know you have worked it out but I don't think that would be beneficial for most people without storage heaters.

 

[JohnW2]

I know you have worked it out but I don't think that would be beneficial for most people without storage heaters.

No, it wouldn't - and you will have seen me advising a good few people here to get rid of E7. It's hardly beneficial for me, but it does generally do just slightly better than 'break even'.

It obviously helps if one is fairly 'nocturnal'! Also, although I don't have storage heaters, virtually all of my water heating is by cheap-rate electricity, as is a high proportion of our tumble dryer usage (and also much WM & DW usage). Don't forget that what matters is the proportion of one's electricity usage at cheap rate, and one can get that up by minimising peak-rate usage. We cook by gas (LPG) and, as above, use big appliances little during the day, so 'peak-rate' usage is (relatively!) modest.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Bob Harris]

My electriciicy supplier has responded to my enquiry. Here is their response:

"I can confirm that as your meter is a Economy 7 meter with a day and a night rate this rate change is for the whole electric supply, not just for the storage heaters. This is because you have the same meter that supplies electric for whole property."

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes which means you only need to fit a timer to the storage heater in the office, set to come on during the off peak times. No need to run another supply cable, unless the existing one is undersized of course.

That open way on the outbuilding consumer unit needs a blank fitted to it BTW.

Whssign

• Taylortwocities
• 16 Jul 2016

What he said

 

[Bob Harris]

Is it possibbile to buy a socket with in inbuilt timer? Or a spur with inbuilt timer?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes to both. Try google! Here's one
http://www.screwfix.com/p/greenbroo...ay-fused-digital-timer-spur-switch-230v/7643g

Or wire an immersion heater timer into the lead to the heater.
Don't use plug in timer. They often fail if used for a long time for large loads.

 

[Bob Harris]

I contacted an electrician to do the work, told him that my supplier claims that my entire supplu is switched to economy 7 at night but he insisted that my economy 7 will not switch all the power points to the e7 rate at night, only the dedicated circuits ( heaters/immersion)

Now i dont know what to do...

 

[JohnW2]

I contacted an electrician to do the work, told him that my supplier claims that my entire supplu is switched to economy 7 at night but he insisted that my economy 7 will not switch all the power points to the e7 rate at night, only the dedicated circuits ( heaters/immersion). Now i dont know what to do...

Ignore that 'electrician' and find another who actually understands.

Kind Regards, John

 

[endecotp]

You need a timeswitch in the shed. Connect the storage heater to the timeswitch. Make sure the cable to the shed is sufficient to supply the heater. Shouldn't be hard to find someone to do this.

(Do you have internet and/or phone in the shed?)

 

[Bob Harris]

You need a timeswitch in the shed. Connect the storage heater to the timeswitch. Make sure the cable to the shed is sufficient to supply the heater. Shouldn't be hard to find someone to do this.

(Do you have internet and/or phone in the shed?)

I have a computer, a phone, a monitor, printer, an oil-free heater etc... Everything you find in a working office.

I will contact another electrician today.

 

[endecotp]

I asked about internet/phone because you may have some way of using that to control a contactor, rather than a timeswitch.

 

[Bob Harris]

Right, i contacted two futher electricians, both said that in order to tell me all my sockets are switched over to economy 7 They will need to inspect the property and take a look at the meter.
What would they be looking for?