Changing from Storage heater to Panel Heater

[AndyPRK]

Well you do wonder why the storage heaters were removed.

But when the panel heaters are turned on in the day your better off without e7

 

[tinop]

Hi,
The reason we sold off the storage heaters...
Because we think we should be better off turning them on a bit in the morning, and then again in the evening. As storage heaters we had kept the house warm during the day while no one is home and nothing in the evening. So we disconnected them a long time ago -
As far as cost,
We have been using those standing panel heaters for at least 6 years now, and it only cost us £ 60-70 per month, with gas ( only for cooking) and Electric everything to heat up 2 bedroom house, 9K electric showers, etc.

And no, we are not Eskimos

 

[RF Lighting]

I'll do it for £150 plus 40p per mile

 

[sparkwright]

Far as I can see, Npower need to come back and fit a phase block in the tails to connect that tail on it's own to.

I don't blame the two electricians being reluctant to do this, particularly as isolation requires the meter or cut out seals to be broken.

The top board is now for 24 hr heating, and also any other 24 hr circuit you care to add.

The top board was always intended to be made 24 hr to cater for your new heaters.

It's common for older houses to have more than one consumer unit anyway, where additions have been made etc, so it's no different really.

I think you need to have another go at them.

 

[tinop]

Thanks for that comment,
The guy at npower is not an electrician, ( only a customer service) - and the guy from Lowri Becks who installed the new meter said he did it right ( as some of the guys here said as well ). So they all seem to think the only way is to get some local guy to do something...

I asked the guy to call my electrician and he has not done so, and wrote to me about off peak consumer units, etc.

Thank you for all of your help.
Going to fight them again tomorrow.
I may have to sell the house to fly Flyingsparks into Norwich and connect the 2 live wires -

 

[flyingsparks]

....
I may have to sell the house to fly Flyingsparks into Norwich and connect the 2 live wires -

If you fly me in, I'l give you a 10% discount!

 

[tinop]

Dont need any discount, flyingsparks,
I'll throw in a few crates of fine wine to take home with you

Even Pimlico's price is way too cheap.

Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[tinop]

Btw,
what should I tell this npower guy about his email?

Your top consumer unit is an off peak consumer unit, and the bottom consumer unit a 24 hour unit. If both consumer units had been connected your panel heaters would only work at night which is not what you required. To use your panel heaters at any time they would have to be input through the 24 hour consumer unit or you would have to change the top consumer unit for another 24 hour unit.

 

[AndyPRK]

Its all rubbish.

If they had connected the top CU up to the Live supply, it would have done what you wanted. Was very easy for them to do.

 

[Steve]

I'm sure someone here will come up with a creative reply to highlight his lack of knowledge.

 

[AndyPRK]

I guess the meter guy didn't have a spare tail with him or was unwilling to supply one.


I don't know if purchasing the parts would help here ?

i.e a tail

Could order a brown one of these, unsure which size they are though.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Brow...pplies_Electrical_ET&var=&hash=item43c2d9952b

 

[ekmdgrf]

You asked for us to change the meter to a single rate meter so you could use your panel heaters at any time. The meter provides a 24 hour supply but the consumer units would govern the time the heaters are available. You have explained what you required to the engineer from Lowri Beck and the engineer has connected the tails as best serves your requirements.

Your top consumer unit is an off peak consumer unit, and the bottom consumer unit a 24 hour unit. If both consumer units had been connected your panel heaters would only work at night which is not what you required. To use your panel heaters at any time they would have to be input through the 24 hour consumer unit or you would have to change the top consumer unit for another 24 hour unit.

Your electrician needs to wire the panel heaters to the bottom consumer unit.

I'm sure I'm missing something here. So, you asked for a single rate meter and the supplier decided to fit one while also disconnecting half of your final circuits and claim this is "normal practice"? I don't see the connection between wanting to change billing tarif and wanting to no longer use a whole load of appliances. My parents have E7 and I believe the only thing that runs on it is the washing machine. Perhaps if they went over to single rate they'd also want to stop washing their clothes? Would save on ironing, I suppose. It'd be a bit like getting a plumber in to fit a new bath and him deciding to disconnect the kitchen sink while he was at it.

It's also a bit irresponsible to go around disconnection peoples heating:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3342059.stm

When putting the NPower Customer Service response through the BS filter, what is left is the very interesting first line. It seems to me that they are acknowledging that what you asked for was a single rate meter to run your panel heaters. Which are on the storage heater circuits. Makes sense as the wiring is already in place. So the service that they provided was not fit for the purpose that you specified and that they acknowledge. I'm sure a court would agree with that. Might be worth having a chat with whatever name Trading Standards/Consumer Direct go by these days. I've found them extremely helpful in the past. Expect NPower to fob you off until you illuminate the legal terrain in which they find themselves standing.

 

[tinop]

Well,
After telling all those silly porkies for a few days ,10 emails later - and numerous phone calls, they booked another visit in 3 weeks time! So, I'll connect all those heaters to our regular electric sockets at the moment, as it is going to get cold and move them back to where the storage heater connection in 3 weeks time.
This is Lowri Beck's & npower fault. Lowri Beck told npower they wont go back to fix it. The guy at npower does not understand it either.

I was going to switch supplier as their price has gone up - but guess that has to wait until this is all done - and now I need to ask them to block the gas - I wonder what's going to happen next

Thanks for all of your help.
Merry Christmas to you all.
I dont know jack sh*t abt DIY but learning all the time.
What a great forum this is...

 

[sparkwright]

Might be an idea to connect the heaters back up to the switches JUST BEFORE they return, as if they see them plugged in they may argue it doesn't need doing.

 

[tinop]

I will get a few big Norfolk farmers with their big shotguns to wait with me. That should do the trick. I will connect them the day before.. good idea !