We've had one of these meters for years and never really thought about the use of it. I've read that E7 is 'switched on' at between 12.30am and 1.30am and turned off 7 hours later, but I can't find anything about it at all on our supplier's website (Npower). Anyone know with any accuracy when it's actually on? Is it the same for all E7 meters regardless of supplier?
Also, is it usual for the whole house to be on the lower rate when it's on? If not how do I tell what is?
Si
It happens that Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot formulated :
I'm not sure it is still available, but when it was...
It allowed 7 hours of cheaper power during the night and whether it started at 12-30 or 1-30 depended upon whether it was GBT or BST. The time switch just activated one set of dials or the other, so ALL power consumed during the 7 hours was at cheaper E7 rate and ALL power used during the 17 hours at the more expensive rate - the more expensive rate was little more than the basic none E7 tarrif.
It was upto to you to fit time clocks to each appliance to set it to come on during the E7 hours. We used to have washer, dishwasher, immersion heater etc. on time clocks set to come on during the night and kept day consumption to a minimum. For us it worked at the time.
Depends on the timeswitch you have. Some are radio controlled some are mechanical with a clock work back up in case of power failure. Ours is the latter but the clockwork doesn't, so currently our 7 hours of cheap power starts at 0400 or there abouts.
All power consumed in the E7 period is at the off peak rate.
Ta. It's a Seeboard radio timeswitch. We used to hear it 'thunk' but haven't noticed it for a while.
We have Economy 7 and literally (yesterday) had a new meter fitted, so it is supported by new, digital meters. The new meter has replaced another, bigger, digital meter that was fitted c. 10 years ago and that also supported E7.
For us, E7 switches on at 1am, off at 8am. The digital meter we've just had replaced appeared to get the time from the broadcast time signal as the switch to E7 always happened at 1am regardless of GMT/BST; I can only assume the new meter will do likewise.
The chap who changed the meter said that the old-style wheel meters are now being recycled, re-calibrated and fitted into properties where the consumer doesn't want E7.
He also said that there's a new generation of meters soon to be hitting consumer properties that are fitted with a SIM and automatically phone home with meter readings -- apparently some of these are already being fitted into commercial properties.
Styx
Normal off-peak thunks, but not E7.
The thunk is the contactor used to switch on storage heater circuits.
We have E7 and a contactor and it thunks ( The contactor is our property driven by a Sangamo-Weston time switch).
If it didn't have a contactor the E7 storage radiators would be energised 24/24 instead of going tepid halfway through the winter afternoons, staying cold 'till 1-00am and re-heating in the dead of night.
DG
On Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:16:50 -0000 someone who may be "Mungo \"Two Sheds\" Toadfoot" wrote this:-
I would check both sets of readings a day or two apart to check that it is switching properly.
The times are set by the (leccy board) timer in your house and there is some latitude within which they will set them.
Mine was set for 10:30 to 12:30 and 2:30 to 7:30.
tim
That looks more like the predecessor to Economy 7 - "White-Meter", where the storage radiators were on a seperately metered dedicated circuit (thus everything else still paid full rate at all times) but the radiators could have two re-heat cycles per 24 hours the last one being a "boost" late in the day.
DG
Sorry, no.
It was a newly installed, radio controlled, E7 Meter controlling all of the supply.
tim
My flat has its E7 stuff (water heater, storage heaters) on separate circuit(s), i.e. it has a different box for the circuit breakers, with its own mains on/off. There's also a separate E7 meter. Presumably I (instead) get charged E7 rates on what the E7 meter shows; and I get charged normal rates at all times on non-E7 wires?
#Paul
Yep.
I think that too is an old "White Meter" installation.
Although nowadays since deregulation what actual tarrif the suppliers apply is open to conjecture.
DG
Who's the supplier please? I've got 2 premises with E7 and on one have (as mentioned) a timeswitch of my own which is set to come on for 7 hours after midnight (only) .
The 2nd premises is on E7 but has no off peak load but still works out cheaper because the fridge & freezer run overnight.
DG
AFAIK any supplier will, through their meter operator, give you the option to have a synchronised switched supply for use with storage heaters, immersion heater, etc. An upgrade from 2-rate meter only to
2-rate with switched supply might be chargeable these days though.If that's the only night-rate load, I'd expect you to be able to make a significant saving by changing to a single rate tariff (perhaps with a different supplier). These days there's quite a premium on the price of day-rate units on E7 tariffs (unlike ~20 yrs ago when you only had to pay a higher standing charge) and the night-rate usage needed to justify being on E7 is now much higher than in the past.
While on the subject of off-peak tariffs I note that Economy 10 is still available from some suppliers (Scottish & Southern and EDF):
I was in Woking - SEB, Southern Electric? Can't remember, I'm not there anymore.
tim
Sure it is a meter not a mechancial time switch/contactor. They look very similar at a casual glance.
You shouldn't do. You need to check the details of your particular tarrif T&Cs, look at meter readings spanning the peak/off peak periods and see what your bills say.
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