Help needed with night storage heater

DonkeyDick1992

Hi all

Just brought a house with what we thought had gas heating system (that in itself is complicated enough) but when I rang electric Ireland to install a prepay meter is was told that the house has a night storage heater and the prepay meter won't work with it.

The problem is that I can't see any electric heaters in the house and we need this taking out for the prepay meter. For now we have set up a bill pay contract with electric Ireland so at least we have electricity.

Just wondering where or who do I go to see to get this night storage heater out as we don't need it with the gas

Any help is appreciated

coylemj

Do you have two electric meters?

DonkeyDick1992

coylemj wrote: »

Do you have two electric meters?

Hi

Yes I have 1 that turns all the time and 1 that doesn't turn that I can see anyways. Also have another thing like a 24hr clock beside that ticks sometimes

coylemj

The meter that never turns is connected to a circuit that was installed to supply the storage heaters. The clock is there to ensure that you only draw cheap electricity at night though you were normally allowed a couple of hours for a daytime boost, possibly in the afternoon.

I'm not sure how you can fix this to satisfy Electric Ireland. As the house no longer appears to have storage heaters, talk to them and say you only want to use the main meter.

DonkeyDick1992

coylemj wrote: »

The meter that never turns is connected to a circuit that was installed to supply the storage heaters. The clock is there to ensure that you only draw cheap electricity at night though you were normally allowed a couple of hours for a boost in the afternoon or so.

I'm not sure how you can fix this to satisfy Electric Ireland.

Thank you for your help. I am a lot wiser now. Will contact an electrician to see if there is a heater in the house or not

coylemj

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

Thank you for your help. I am a lot wiser now. Will contact an electrician to see if there is a heater in the house or not

You don't need an electrician to see if there's storage heaters in your house. They will be fixed to the wall all around the house where you'd have radiators with oil or gas central heating. Each storage heater has a fixed power point on the wall, they don't use regular 13A sockets. Those power points are on a separate circuit which is connected to the meter regulated by the clock so most of the juice you draw is at night on the cheap rate.

DonkeyDick1992

coylemj wrote: »

You don't need an electrician to see if there's storage heaters in your house. They will be bolted to the wall all around the house where you'd have central heating radiators except they don't involve heat coming from a central source. Each heater has a fixed power point on the wall, they don't use regular 13A sockets. Those power points are on a separate circuit which is connected to the meter regulated by the clock so most of the juice you draw is at night on the cheap rate.

Thanks for the picture ah that's the thing I don't have any of them in my house the house is heated by gas blowing hot air threw the ceiling so I have no rads at all..
Electric Ireland won't take my word that there's none in the house. They said there could be 1 in the attic for whatever reason it would be in the attic I'll never know.

2011

You know that with prepay meters your electricity bills will be higher?

kramer1

Ring esb network tell them you want the second meter taken out , they 'll charge you and you 'll probably have to get an electrician to take out any control equipment for the heaters , but it can be done.

DonkeyDick1992

kramer1 wrote: »

Ring esb network tell them you want the second meter taken out , they 'll charge you and you 'll probably have to get an electrician to take out any control equipment for the heaters , but it can be done.

Thank you yes I think it's 200e to get esb to take it out.. thanks.

DonkeyDick1992

2011 wrote: »

You know that with prepay meters your electricity bills will be higher?

That's what I say but the wife rekons otherwise. It's not worth the argument 😂😂
Thanks

2011

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

That's what I say but the wife rekons otherwise. It's not worth the argument ����
Thanks

If she reads this I think she will change her mind.
Here is an important extract from that link:

How Much Extra Does Pre-paid Electricity Cost ?

Pinergy : The basic unit rate they charge is currently 18.15c per kWh – which is more than the Electric Ireland “Standard Rate” of 17.86c. BUT they also add on an annual service charge of just under €137 on top of the standing charge of €146. So that means someone using Pinergy who consumed 4200kwh a year of electricity would end up paying €1149 a year with a prepay meter. The same usage would work out at just €775 if they switched to the current cheapest deal That’s a difference of €374 a year . For people on low incomes – that is a very significant amount.

Dardania

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

coylemj wrote: »

You don't need an electrician to see if there's storage heaters in your house. They will be bolted to the wall all around the house where you'd have central heating radiators except they don't involve heat coming from a central source. Each heater has a fixed power point on the wall, they don't use regular 13A sockets.  Those power points are on a separate circuit which is connected to the meter regulated by the clock so most of the juice you draw is at night on the cheap rate.

Thanks for the picture ah that's the thing I don't have any of them in my house the house is heated by gas blowing hot air threw the ceiling so I have no rads at all..
Electric Ireland won't take my word that there's none in the house.  They said there could be 1 in the attic for whatever reason it would be in the attic I'll never know.

Is this by any chance a refrigerant gas system, so a heat pump system?
How old is the house - last few years?
If so, it's probably electric

crossmolinalad

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

Thank you yes I think it's 200e to get esb to take it out.. thanks.

costs a bit more
You not only have to pay for getting the meter removed but have also to pay for an electrician who has to remove the consumer unit connected to the storage heater meter
Need for removal also , if the house is rented permission from the landlord
You also need a cert of completion of the "new " situation
Had this done 3 months ago myself in my rented house
Costs total a 674.50 Euro