Economy 9 Meter / Consumer Unit

[Calza2k]

Hi all,

Last month I moved into a flat that is on an economy 9 tariff and meter (it has wet heating). In this scenario, I have one consumer unit which seems to have both elements inside.

I'm experiencing issues where the off-peak isn't being used as it should be, and while I continue to battle on with EDF's complex meter team - they don't really have a clue either. (My heating circuit isn't getting its mid-day boost, and my power circuit isn't going off peak in the early hours. However my heating IS going offpeak in the early hours).

I've attached a photo of my meter and the consumer unit if it provides any clarity, but my main question is - what determines when to use the peak / off peak circuit? Does something in the consumer unit tell it when to switch?



photo upload website

 

[Calza2k]

So same setup as me then? Glad yours works!

 

[robd]

So same setup as me then? Glad yours works!

So at a glance yours is different to mine, yours has some dedicated off peak circuits which will only be energised certain hours of the day. Traditionally these would have been used to power an element in the hot water tank for cheaper heating and some storage heaters

 

[Calza2k]

If they're energising some of the time, but not the times they should - what would you be looking at as the fault? The meter?

 

[robd]

If they're energising some of the time, but not the times they should - what would you be looking at as the fault? The meter?

Yes but they will probably just say we'll put you on a smart meter they don't make them like that anymore

 

[Avo Mk8]

The meter will have to be replaced by the end of next year anyway, as that's (supposed to be) when the BBC LW transmitter is finally going to be turned off!

 

[Calza2k]

It gets a bit more interesting. It seems like the off peak labelled section of the fuse box has no neutral and nothing connected to either fuse:



With my limited knowledge, all I can guess now is everything is connected to the "heating" circuit?

(and I still need to query with EDF the times the meter thinks it should be honouring that as off peak, rather than peak).

 

[robd]

It just looks to me like the off peak breakers have nothing connected into them so they are redundant

 

[Calza2k]

So if the boiler is capable of drawing peak and off peak rates, it must mean the entire circuit (including sockets) are already on "heating" circuit right?

And the "power circuit" is basically not in use here.

 

[robd]

Sorry I don't know what you mean but looking at the picture everything to the right of where it says cylinder has nothing connected to it so your power for everything is coming from the big red switch at the left hand end and presumably on one rate

 

[Calza2k]

EDF say I have two circuits. A "heating" circuit and a "power" circuit.

Both are capable of going peak and off peak, but at differing times.

From this, it looks like everything is on the same circuit, EDF would have no way of knowing what was drawing power..

 

[robd]

Yes it looks like everything is running from the peak supply, nothing is connected to the off peak side of that board from what I can see

 

[freddo]

Not a very safe setup. A four core SWA cable is used: Yellow-earth red-live peak blue-live off peak black-neutral for both peak and off peak. If there were circuits on the off peak side and someone switched off the peak main switch, everything would appear dead but the off peak circuits and the neutrals on the peak circuits would all be live during off peak times. A 3 pole main switch should have been installed to switch both lives and neutral, or the incoming neutral split with a suitable connection block and then connected to both main switches.

The whole setup is a mess and it appears the heating system peak and off peak wiring is incorrectly configured. I'd highly recommend hiring the services of an electrician who understands electric heating systems to check it through carefully and install it properly.

 

[Calza2k]

Is there any way to tell what circuit everything is being fed by?

Both are active permanently, they just switch rates depending on (differing) times of day. I'm never up late enough to run experiments in the early hours!

Also, as the black neutral is xonly connected to the left hand and not the right, is it even possible to use the off peak in its current state?