Economy 7 Heaters on a timer

[Bootlegbob]

Hi everybody......If possible could i have some advice on putting E7 on a timer.
I come home to a cold flat unless i leave the heaters on and the hot water.
I have 3 heaters all wired into a Fused socket and the hot water is run of a nite time off a Horstman Timer.
Firstly....Is it possible to fit a plug to each heater and a plug timer so i can then set the heaters to come on the night before I come home...I know i have to reset the plug time i,m home.This would mean that the heaters would only come on when i set the timer.
Also is it possible to replace the Horstman for Programmable Central Heating Timer so this would only come on when set as well.
Any advice would be gratefull.
Steve

 

[malcolmsanford]

Hi everybody......If possible could i have some advice on putting E7 on a timer. Is not an a tomer now, or is it "impulsed" from the electric supplier?
I come home to a cold flat unless i leave the heaters on and the hot water.
I have 3 heaters all wired into a Fused socket is that 3 fused sockets or just the one ?
and the hot water is run of a nite time off a Horstman Timer.
Firstly....Is it possible to fit a plug to each heater and a plug timer so i can then set the heaters to come on the night before I come home It is feasible yes, but if the units are 3kw it is not the best solution putting them on a plug. You would need to find a timer that is rated 20amps but it's possible. If you did this though your heating up your flat at peak rate, may pay you to look an some other form of heaters, rather that what you seem to have which are storage heating...I know i have to reset the plug time i,m home.This would mean that the heaters would only come on when i set the timer.
Also is it possible to replace the Horstman for Programmable Central Heating Timer so this would only come on when set as well. Your timer should have a boost setting, I assume this is not adequate for you
Any advice would be gratefull.
Steve

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[Bootlegbob]

None of the heaters are on a timer now. I have 2 consumer units and a digital meter that has 2 readings on. One for daytime use and one for E7 nite time use .One is seperate for the heaters. All the heaters are wired to a fused socket which is rated 13 amps , each heater has its own socket. Thats why i thought a 13 amp plug running thru a timer would be adequate. Then i can set the timer so it switches on the night before i come home so the heaters are only on at the times i set on the timer....ie nite time.
The hot water does have a boost setting but i thought what about replacing the timer so i can set that as well so i can use the hot water the same was as i intend to use the heaters.
There is only an electric supply to the property so its not really feasible to find another form of heating.

 

[needasparks]

Hi Steve,
I think you may be missing the point of storage heaters. Eco7 is charged at a third of the normal rate for electricity but only during the hours of midnight to seven am hence the name economy 7, remember this can only be run at this low cost on the dedicated board and is only live during this time so if i have this correct you want them to plug in or be supplied outside of these hours so your heating costs will be three times the amount.

 

[Bootlegbob]

Thanks for the reply sparks.
At the moment i switch them off when im away for 4 nites then come home to a cold flat. If i leave them on then they are just heating an empty flat as sometimes i could be away for 5 nites or poss 6. The idea behind putting a plug timer on is so that when im away i set the plug timer so there is no power to them when im away but the night before i come home i would set the timer so they have power between midnight and seven am to heat up the bricks and i come home to a warm flat.The whole flat switches to the nighttime tarrif according to my electricity supplier hence the 2 rate readings on the meter. Same thing i would like to do with the hot water by seeing if it is feasable to fit a central heating timer instead of a e7 timer so i can set that as well for when i come home.

 

[needasparks]

Oh i see what you are saying.
It may be a bit over the top but depending on the overall load of the heaters they could go via contactors in an enclosure with a 7 day timer controlling it from the peak supply. it would have to be set slightly over the economy 7 period so start up is taken on the DNO equipment and not your contactors but would give you a day preff as your wanting but i'm saying this without seeing the install .
Would be best for a sparks to do this though as its not that easy to conect, could also put the immersion on it also.

 

[HandySparks]

I won't comment about the heaters without seeing the job, but for the hot water, if the cylinder is well insulated with factory applied foam insulation or a good thick insulating kit, you can leave the immersion heater to come on with the economy 7 when you're away. The heat loss from a properly insulated cylinder is pretty low compared to the cost of heating water. If you were away for more than a few days at a time then, yes, turn it off.

 

[johnboy6083]

Power a normal 7 day timer from the peak rate board. Set the timer to come on when you want. Have the timer energize a contactor. Run the power for the heaters from the E7 board, through this contactor to the heaters. This way you still use the cheap rate, but you can control the days it's used.