Due to the latest hike in gas and electricity prices I've been looking at what's
available from other suppliers. (Why it should be any cheaper for any other
companies if the increase is due to global oil prices is another something I
don't understand - but that's another matter).

All (most) of the online deals I could find from alternative suppliers offered
up to 250 pa saving on my present bill (which I take with APOS) but only if I
did both gas and electricity. I don't expect anything like that much but at
least that's what's prompted this post.

It's the elec. side that needs sorting out.

We have 3 x 3kW storage heaters running on an ancient tariff called Tariff 19!.
I think we may be the only ones in the UK still running this tariff :-)  I has
it's own meter which is used ONLY for the storage heaters. Not only is the
tariff old, but so are the heaters and the 3 x 15 amp CU that feeds them.  The
T/E cable is in good condition and I've tested the insulation with a 1kV mega.
These old heaters need 2 boosts per day unlike the newer Economy 7's with which
I want to replace them with. Now the question is how best to organise the work
so I can ask the electricity company to switch me over to E7 with minimum
fuss/cost.

Presumably they would have to remove the existing Tariff 19 meter and timer box,
fit a new E7 meter (or retain the existing one - which is only 1 year old) and
jumper the existing feed to the heater CU into that meter (to still feed the
heaters from it's own CU). I'd like to change that heaters' CU myself for a new
one with MCB's and an RCB Any problems with any of the above so far?

Any idea how much I sould expect to pay for the elec. co. to do the changeover
to E7? Any hidden surprises I could expect - like "we'd only do it if we rewire
the whole house". Or even have to retest the whole installation?

If they should want (say) just to test the 3 heaters via the new CU, could I
drop the heater feeds from the CU so it isn't feeding anything (and so nothing
to test)? As I'm going to retest that myself anyway when the new heaters are in.
Do the new regs affect whether I can - sorry, "am allowed" to do any of the
above.
Thanks

In article , dave
<dave@hereand.there> writes

>We have 3 x 3kW storage heaters running on an ancient tariff called Tariff 19!.
>I think we may be the only ones in the UK still running this tariff :-)

After my mum had her second meter removed a couple of months ago I
think you are right.


>Presumably they would have to remove the existing Tariff 19 meter and timer box,
>fit a new E7 meter (or retain the existing one - which is only 1 year old) and
>jumper the existing feed to the heater CU into that meter (to still feed the
>heaters from it's own CU). I'd like to change that heaters' CU myself for a new
>one with MCB's and an RCB Any problems with any of the above so far?
>
>Any idea how much I sould expect to pay for the elec. co. to do the changeover
>to E7? Any hidden surprises I could expect - like "we'd only do it if we rewire
>the whole house". Or even have to retest the whole installation?

I had thought meter _type_ changes were free but then I've only made the
conversion from E7 to single and from your Tariff 19 (or equiv) to single. Not
an authoritative answer I'm afraid but I know that type changes are
monitored as a performance indicator so your supplier should be quick off
the mark with making the change, and (hopefully) giving you a price (if
any).


>If they should want (say) just to test the 3 heaters via the new CU, could I
>drop the heater feeds from the CU so it isn't feeding anything (and so nothing
>to test)? As I'm going to retest that myself anyway when the new heaters are in.
>Do the new regs affect whether I can - sorry, "am allowed" to do any of the
>above.

I would get your new heaters in with new CU etc and connect to your old
second meter before asking them to change, then the guy will come & see
a bright & shiny new (but pre Apr2004) installation waiting to be changed
over.

I'm assuming electricity is you only option?
-- 
fred

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 11:52:39 GMT, fred  wrote:


>
>>If they should want (say) just to test the 3 heaters via the new CU, could I
>>drop the heater feeds from the CU so it isn't feeding anything (and so nothing
>>to test)? As I'm going to retest that myself anyway when the new heaters are in.
>>Do the new regs affect whether I can - sorry, "am allowed" to do any of the
>>above.
>I would get your new heaters in with new CU etc and connect to your old
>second meter before asking them to change, then the guy will come & see
>a bright & shiny new (but pre Apr2004) installation waiting to be changed
>over.


Thanks.
I take it Apr 2004 was the date of new regs coming into force then?

In article , dave
<dave@hereand.there> writes

>On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 11:52:39 GMT, fred  wrote:
>
>>
>>>If they should want (say) just to test the 3 heaters via the new CU, could I
>>>drop the heater feeds from the CU so it isn't feeding anything (and so nothing
>>>to test)? As I'm going to retest that myself anyway when the new heaters are in.
>>>Do the new regs affect whether I can - sorry, "am allowed" to do any of the
>>>above.
>>I would get your new heaters in with new CU etc and connect to your old
>>second meter before asking them to change, then the guy will come & see
>>a bright & shiny new (but pre Apr2004) installation waiting to be changed
>>over.
>
>Thanks.
>I take it Apr 2004 was the date of new regs coming into force then?

;-D
-- 
fred

dave wrote:

> Due to the latest hike in gas and electricity prices I've been looking at what's
> available from other suppliers. (Why it should be any cheaper for any other
> companies if the increase is due to global oil prices is another something I
> don't understand - but that's another matter).
>
> All (most) of the online deals I could find from alternative suppliers offered
> up to £250 pa saving on my present bill (which I take with APOS) but only if I
> did both gas and electricity. I don't expect anything like that much but at
> least that's what's prompted this post.
>
> It's the elec. side that needs sorting out.
>
> We have 3 x 3kW storage heaters running on an ancient tariff called Tariff 19!.
> I think we may be the only ones in the UK still running this tariff :-)  I has
> it's own meter which is used ONLY for the storage heaters. Not only is the
> tariff old, but so are the heaters and the 3 x 15 amp CU that feeds them.  The
> T/E cable is in good condition and I've tested the insulation with a 1kV mega.
> These old heaters need 2 boosts per day unlike the newer Economy 7's with which
> I want to replace them with. Now the question is how best to organise the work
> so I can ask the electricity company to switch me over to E7 with minimum
> fuss/cost.
>
> Presumably they would have to remove the existing Tariff 19 meter and timer box,
> fit a new E7 meter (or retain the existing one - which is only 1 year old) and
> jumper the existing feed to the heater CU into that meter (to still feed the
> heaters from it's own CU). I'd like to change that heaters' CU myself for a new
> one with MCB's and an RCB Any problems with any of the above so far?
>
> Any idea how much I sould expect to pay for the elec. co. to do the changeover
> to E7? Any hidden surprises I could expect - like "we'd only do it if we rewire
> the whole house". Or even have to retest the whole installation?
>
> If they should want (say) just to test the 3 heaters via the new CU, could I
> drop the heater feeds from the CU so it isn't feeding anything (and so nothing
> to test)? As I'm going to retest that myself anyway when the new heaters are in.
> Do the new regs affect whether I can - sorry, "am allowed" to do any of the
> above.
> Thanks



E7 is the very last type of heating to choose. You must have no other
option, oil, tank gas, nothing. Block of flats in the country?

No you cant fool them with unconnected leads, get real.


NT

On 21 Sep 2005 06:52:13 -0700, meow2222@care2.com wrote:


>
>E7 is the very last type of heating to choose. You must have no other
>option, oil, tank gas, nothing.

tank gas - get real! I know the econonics of it but thought better than to type
out pages of irrelevant circumstance here. 


> Block of flats in the country?


See the above

>
>No you cant fool them with unconnected leads, get real.

Wrong again! I'm not even *trying* to fool *anybody*. If I was I'd make a better
job of it than than. The idea (try and concentrate) is than if there's nothing
to test, then they probably don't want to test it. Eg If a test is to be done
they generally don't ask me to put it 3 or 4 extra rings so they can test 'em
just for fun. Sheesh! I was asking the more astute reader what the regs demanded
in such circumstances. Get real.

If you can't offer something helpful, why post such a pointless reply? Does it
make your ego swell even more or what? Go and start an OT somewhere else.

In article <GdgxrEASyVMDFwGX@y.z>, fred  writes

>In article , dave
><dave@hereand.there> writes
>>On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 11:52:39 GMT, fred  wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>>If they should want (say) just to test the 3 heaters via the new CU, could I
>>>>drop the heater feeds from the CU so it isn't feeding anything (and so nothing
>>>>to test)? As I'm going to retest that myself anyway when the new heaters are 
>in.
>>>>Do the new regs affect whether I can - sorry, "am allowed" to do any of the
>>>>above.
>>>I would get your new heaters in with new CU etc and connect to your old
>>>second meter before asking them to change, then the guy will come & see
>>>a bright & shiny new (but pre Apr2004) installation waiting to be changed
>>>over.
>>
>>Thanks.
>>I take it Apr 2004 was the date of new regs coming into force then?
>;-D


Bugger, sorry Apr2004 was windows, Apr2005 was leccy (I think), so
many projects, so little respect for unnecessary legislation . . .
-- 
fred

In message , dave 
<dave@hereand.there> writes

>Due to the latest hike in gas and electricity prices I've been looking 
>at what's available from other suppliers. (Why it should be any cheaper 
>for any other companies if the increase is due to global oil prices is 
>another something I don't understand - but that's another matter).
>
>All (most) of the online deals I could find from alternative suppliers 
>offered up to 250 pa saving on my present bill (which I take with 
>APOS) but only if I did both gas and electricity. I don't expect 
>anything like that much but at least that's what's prompted this post.
>
>It's the elec. side that needs sorting out.


I think you have confused everybody because your original post mentions 
electric & gas, and then that it's the electric side which needs sorting 
out.

Somebody has asked if you have gas, and I'm not sure if you have 
answered.

I am guessing that you dont have gas, or the facility to have it 
installed. Is that the case?

If you do have gas, gas central heating is the answer - but you know 
that!

-- 
Richard Faulkner

dave wrote:

> On 21 Sep 2005 06:52:13 -0700, meow2222@care2.com wrote:

> >E7 is the very last type of heating to choose. You must have no other
> >option, oil, tank gas, nothing.

> tank gas - get real! I know the econonics of it but thought better than to type
> out pages of irrelevant circumstance here.


ok. I dont do mind reading here, only know what you've typed, and that
most people thinking of E7 heating need to know that.

I shall refrain from offering you any other info.


NT