Cheap electricity?

[AdamW]

I was reminded of this by reading the recent posts on storage heaters.

Does a meter measure day-rate and night-rate use separately somehow? Or do you need a special meter (or 2 meters) for this service?

Are CU timer modules intended for this purpose, to make sure a circuit is only live between the hours of X and Y?

 

[plugwash]

generally timers or teleswitches provided by the rec are used and theese come as standalone units designed for use with tails

i think CU style timers are only really used in larger commercial installs

there are various systems in use

in the older systems you have 2 totally seperate installations run from 2 totally seperate meters one of them with a timer

in newer systems there tends to be a dual rate meter (which has 2 seperate dials) with a timer or teleswitch that switches both the off peak loads and which dial on the meter is active

 

[brown-nought]

Its possible to use a contactor in a standard DIN consumer unit enclosure. A small timer/programable timer could be used to control the contactor.

Look at the MK range for more info.

You may also be able to get reconditioned timers - the REC ones usually have back up springs to keep the clock running in the event of power failure.

To justify the cost however I guess you would need to be using a lot of "off peak" electricity.

 

[crystal ball]

I recently wired out a shop for off peak heating and the dual rate meter and teleswitch came as one unit. Has anyone come across an electratech system, consists of control panel full of pulse relays and a remote keypad, it uses the off peak signal to switch in the relays and start charging the storage heaters and hot water, I went to one a while ago and all the relays had been wedged closed with blu tack so the storage rads were on 24 hrs-expensive!

 

[masona]

Does a meter measure day-rate and night-rate use separately somehow? Or do you need a special meter (or 2 meters) for this service?

I have a day & night rate with 1 meter with a digital display showing all the details. I don't have a storage heater but a hot tub instead ! I can't help you how the meter system operate.

ps: I think the cheaper rate come in at 11pm to 7am, can't remember though.

 

[ChrisRogers]

Does a meter measure day-rate and night-rate use separately somehow? Or do you need a special meter (or 2 meters) for this service?

I have a day & night rate with 1 meter with a digital display showing all the details. I don't have a storage heater but a hot tub instead ! I can't help you how the meter system operate.

ps: I think the cheaper rate come in at 11pm to 7am, can't remember though.

masona do you save much money by running your hot tub from night rate? just wondering if it was worth it for mine!

 

[masona]

masona do you save much money by running your hot tub from night rate? just wondering if it was worth it for mine!

I hope so, sometime I still in the hot tub until 1am !

I don't know yet as I only has the hot tub approx 2 weeks but I also have a fridge in the summerhouse and one in the kitchen plus a freezer in the utility room and according to my electricity supply I will be saving money. I have no ways of knowing because I pay direct debit with gas as well and my monthly payment differ each year.

I understand you have a hot tub from the same supplier as me and my hot tub is guarantee not to cost more than £3.50 per 1 hour usage per week on a day rate supply, so I must be better off I hope ! I think this is also depends on the hot tub model you've got.

I think Hotspring will advise you better as they have all the details. They can also do a meter check on your hot tub to give you a average running.

My hot tub is inside the summerhouse and I've noticed the heater hardly come on at all, another costs saving.

 

[AdamW]

Bah, hot tubs? Who needs them when you've got a nice hot bath and just eaten a beansprout curry!

I do have a small unfenced garden, so I suppose I could probably install a hot tub out there. Dunno how the neighbours (or passers-by) would feel about the eccentric young gent sitting in a hot tub overlooking the main road though

 

[securespark]

F 'em! If you want to bathe in full view of neighbours and passers by, then it's THEIR fault for looking!

 

[masona]

AdamW head just above the fence panel with steams coming out of his head, no wonder people are looking.