My daughter and partner are renting a flat in London that has Dual MPAN Economy 9, supplied by EDF. This is proving troublesome (expensive to run). She did try switching supplier, without realising, and another supplier took it on, only to find they couldn't bill, so it's reverting back to EDF, with various issues ongoing.
The main problem is the cost of heating (particularly given current prices and the recent cold weather).
Domestic hot water is apparently off a direct cylinder with two immersion heaters (main and boost). Heating is by water fed radiators with a Hectare Sadia Amptec C600 6kW electric flow boiler. There's a dual channel controller. That wasn't programmed correctly when she moved in but has now been set up to heat the hot water for a few hours during the night. All rads except one have TRVs fitted (one is the bypass). There's a wall stat that's part of an 'air conditioning' cooling and ventilation system - though this is an a different room to the bypass radiator.
Working from photos/descriptions over the phone, I cannot see how the main immersion heater is fed - nor the heating. One 16A MCB on the distribution board is marked as 'boost' presumably for the upper immersion heater. A 32A MCB is labelled as boiler. The other MCBs cover socket outlets and lighting etc.
There appear to be two live tails from the meter, which is in a remote cupboard out in the corridor. I don't know how these are connected in the distribution board.
The heating appears to come on when called for, regardless if on rate 1 or rate 2.
I had understood that the rate 2 supply should be for heating and hotter only (so off just one of the meter tails) - and that if required, hot water and heating should only be drawing from the 'rate 2' supply, when it's active. This doesn't seem to be the case.
EDF are apparently charging 45p a unit for the rate 1 (peak) electric. Rate 2 (off peak) is supposedly available for a total of 9 hours - 7 hours during the period 8PM to 7:30 AM and 2 hours during 1PM to 4PM. This is switched in/out according to their discretion with a telemetry meter. You never really know when Rate 2 is active unless you go and view the meter (have to get a key to do so). I see that EDF say something similar about their E7 which is not a continuous period.
The heating is needed, and seems to be active, during some of the peak hours (hot water could be drawing power during peak times too). This costing a lot and the one bedroom flat is costing more to run than our detached house.
Two main questions - is the E9 tariff exempt from the energy price cap of 35p ? and any suggestions on how to improve things?
Ideally there would be storage heaters to store that off peak energy for later use, but there are not, and there are limits with what the landlord will permit. And to recap I can't be sure how things are wired up. I may know more if and when I go there again and inspect the fuse board.
The main problem is the cost of heating (particularly given current prices and the recent cold weather).
Domestic hot water is apparently off a direct cylinder with two immersion heaters (main and boost). Heating is by water fed radiators with a Hectare Sadia Amptec C600 6kW electric flow boiler. There's a dual channel controller. That wasn't programmed correctly when she moved in but has now been set up to heat the hot water for a few hours during the night. All rads except one have TRVs fitted (one is the bypass). There's a wall stat that's part of an 'air conditioning' cooling and ventilation system - though this is an a different room to the bypass radiator.
Working from photos/descriptions over the phone, I cannot see how the main immersion heater is fed - nor the heating. One 16A MCB on the distribution board is marked as 'boost' presumably for the upper immersion heater. A 32A MCB is labelled as boiler. The other MCBs cover socket outlets and lighting etc.
There appear to be two live tails from the meter, which is in a remote cupboard out in the corridor. I don't know how these are connected in the distribution board.
The heating appears to come on when called for, regardless if on rate 1 or rate 2.
I had understood that the rate 2 supply should be for heating and hotter only (so off just one of the meter tails) - and that if required, hot water and heating should only be drawing from the 'rate 2' supply, when it's active. This doesn't seem to be the case.
EDF are apparently charging 45p a unit for the rate 1 (peak) electric. Rate 2 (off peak) is supposedly available for a total of 9 hours - 7 hours during the period 8PM to 7:30 AM and 2 hours during 1PM to 4PM. This is switched in/out according to their discretion with a telemetry meter. You never really know when Rate 2 is active unless you go and view the meter (have to get a key to do so). I see that EDF say something similar about their E7 which is not a continuous period.
The heating is needed, and seems to be active, during some of the peak hours (hot water could be drawing power during peak times too). This costing a lot and the one bedroom flat is costing more to run than our detached house.
Two main questions - is the E9 tariff exempt from the energy price cap of 35p ? and any suggestions on how to improve things?
Ideally there would be storage heaters to store that off peak energy for later use, but there are not, and there are limits with what the landlord will permit. And to recap I can't be sure how things are wired up. I may know more if and when I go there again and inspect the fuse board.
