Immersion on Economy 7

[johnoakleyallen]

I have recently moved to a new flat where it is all electric (night store heaters and immersion boiler). We are on Economy 7 but I am unsure how the boiler operates for the E7.
It is a fairly new looking boiler with 2 heaters (a higher and a lower) connected to a new tank. There also seems to be 4 switches controlling the boiler. They are connected to each heater component and there seems to be a pump system to send the water round (is this right?). Whenever we use hot water this pump activates almost as it it were using the boost and not the hot water from the boiler!
I just want to know if this is working right!
Also there is no timer I can see for the economy 7?

 

[londonboy]

Take some pictures.

It sounds like a hot water cylinder as opposed to a boiler.

 

[johnoakleyallen]

I think you are right. That is what I mean the immersion heaters are heating a HW cylinder but should there be a pump to run the HW around?

 

[londonboy]

Yes some people have pumps fitted to increase hot water flow.

 

[johnoakleyallen]

ok
But if I'm on economy 7 should there be a timer to heat the cylinder in the night?

 

[londonboy]

Yes there should be some kind of control.
Although someone could have replaced it with a switch instead.

 

[electronicsuk]

ok
But if I'm on economy 7 should there be a timer to heat the cylinder in the night?

Yes there should be some kind of control.
Although someone could have replaced it with a switch instead.

The timed control will almost certainly be through the meter, sangamo timer, teleswitch, or similar setup. If the property is a flat then you may not have access to this (as it could be in the basement), and in any case, it's automatic and there is nothing you can alter with regard to timing. You will have one consumer unit for your standard circuits such as lights and sockets, and another that is live only during the off-peak period and is used solely to feed the storage heaters and bottom off-peak immersion heater.

There should generally be no need to touch the top heater unless a boost is required later in the day, therefore it should be left switched off most of the time. The bottom heater should be left such that it comes on during the off-peak period along with the storage heaters.

We can only guess as to what the various combinations of switches are that you have. Pictures would help.

 

[johnoakleyallen]

OK I'll try and get some pictures when i I get back. Thankyou

 

[Lectrician]

If you have two elements, it is more than likely that the bottom element is fed from your E7 consumer unit along with your storage heaters, automatically turning on during the cheap rate hours with no intervention by you (other than making sure the switch is left on).

The top immersion will be connected to the day time circuit (live 24hr), and is used as a 'boost' to heat the tank should you run out.

 

[flameport]

There also seems to be 4 switches controlling the boiler. They are connected to each heater component and there seems to be a pump system to send the water round (is this right?). Whenever we use hot water this pump activates almost as it it were using the boost and not the hot water from the boiler!

That sounds rather like one of those useless Gledhill systems (pulsacoil, boilermate or whatever), which for unknown reasons, heat a cylinder full of water and then when you turn a hot tap on, a pump circuilates water through a heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the cylinder into the cold water being supplied to the tap.
Some of them also use the stored heat for a couple of tiny radiators, in a feeble attempt to heat the building.

Only one certaintly with those - they will break, and when they do, replacement parts will be very expensive indeed.

 

[Lectrician]

Definantly some photos needed I think then!