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Getting rid of night rate electricity

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  • 29-01-2021 10:45am
    #1
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I'm changing from some old storage heaters to modern efficient electric rads.

    What's involved in changing from day/night rate electricity to a 24 hour rate?


Comments

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    #2
    ongarite
    Registered Users Posts: 8,200 ✭✭✭ongarite


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    I'm changing from some old storage heaters to modern efficient electric rads.

    What's involved in changing from day/night rate electricity to a 24 hour rate?

    Your meter will have to changed & from what I can remember it's not free to change it back to 24hr tariff version.


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    #3
    Malcomex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 294 ✭✭Malcomex


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    modern efficient electric rads.

    Don't go there lol


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    #4
    alan4cult
    Registered Users Posts: 1,583 ✭✭✭alan4cult


    Ask ESB to put in a smart meter. This will be free if you wait.


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    #5
    Malcomex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 294 ✭✭Malcomex


    ongarite wrote: »
    Your meter will have to changed & from what I can remember it's not free to change it back to 24hr tariff version.

    Used to be free to switch and a charge to go back

    If it's an all-electric home you'd give serious consideration to keeping it.


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    #6
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    alan4cult wrote: »
    Ask ESB to put in a smart meter. This will be free if you wait.

    Looks like I can request one early.


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    #7
    Malcomex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 294 ✭✭Malcomex


    How exactly are people making the saving when they switch to wall mounted rads

    Seems to be the popular option but I couldn't see it versus new storage heaters and upgraded draught proofing etc.

    Presumably the heat is switched off at night and when the house is unoccupied, that creates it's own set of problems


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    #8
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    I'm switching from 30 year old electric storage heaters to modern efficient electric rads. Luckily it's a Superwarm home and I've made some upgrades here and there as regards heat retention.

    The positives:

    1/. Cost. 24 hour electricity rate is less than the day part of the day/night dual rate. The standing charges are considerably less.
    2/. Efficiency. The storage heaters run overnight and are on most/all that time. The new stuff won't be on anywhere near as long day or night.
    3/. Reliability. The strorage rads (Glen Dimplex) are ancient and getting parts to keep them running will be harder and harder.
    4/. Control. Storage rads charge at night and are therefore "behind" a cold day. The thermostats aren't at all accurate. The modern units are highly accurate in temperature control and will switch off when the desired temp is reached.

    The negatives:

    1/. Contrary to most my experience of running storage heaters hasn't been bad cost wise. I avoid using the boost function totally and set the thermostats to maybe 16 degrees which ensures the place doesn't get cold. I've a small multi fuel stove in the house too which is great and takes the temperature to 20 degrees+.
    2/. It looks like there is a charge to make the switch from day/night rate to a 24 hour rate. €200 maybe. I note there no charge to go the other way and this house has been day/night since it was built, so I'll argue that one.

    Wifi controlability is included but probably isn't that vital.


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    #9
    Malcomex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 294 ✭✭Malcomex


    How are you heating the water at present?

    If it's electric overnight that pays for the dual tarriff

    Superwarm home id be looking at Quantum and the like storage heating before wall heaters, others may disagree

    The trend is to replace storage heating but I'm not convinced myself depending on the situation


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    #10
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    Water is heated by an immersion heater.

    p.s. Spoke to a spark. He says the switchover is easy.


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    #11
    Malcomex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 294 ✭✭Malcomex


    Depends then what you use at night

    If you use stored hot water for the showers etc or just use the immersion occasionally and use instantaneous showers and undersink heaters


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    #12
    Malcomex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 294 ✭✭Malcomex


    The reason I'm asking is the all electric homes normally heat the water off-peak with the economy7 type timers

    Add that off-peak load to the other off peak stuff like bedroom heaters use at nite and maybe a couple of appliances in the early morning

    You'd normally retain dual tariff even after removing all the storage heaters


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    #13
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    All the power company would have to do is charge both readings at the 24hr rate

    You're already sending in two readings anyway

    Another awkward hangover from the ESB


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    #14
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    Malcomex wrote: »
    Depends then what you use at night

    If you use stored hot water for the showers etc or just use the immersion occasionally and use instantaneous showers and undersink heaters

    Water is heated as it's needed. Never during the night.


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    #15
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    So the new heaters are now installed and working. The interface using the Tevolve app and Alexa is instant and fairly instinctive. Programming is easy. I can even control the system remotely, by voice, in the car.

    I've set up a temp. of 18 degrees from 8-10am and 6-10pm 7 days a week. I've to contact my electricity provider go from the dual rate tariff to a single rate tariff. The electrician did all the changeover work necessary at the fuseboard.

    Rads look pretty good.

    Will advise of what happens to the electricity bills in due course.


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    #16
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    I went with 3 x ATC Sun Ray RF units btw. 1800W each.

    p.s. There's no changeover cost from the electrical provider btw. A bonus.


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    #17
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,193 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    If 33% of your power is consumed during the 8 hr night rate,, then the dual meter breaks even

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #18
    TheWonderLlama
    Registered Users Posts: 589 ✭✭✭TheWonderLlama


    i did the same as OP last year, changed old storage heaters for the ATC electric units and it has been brilliant. The storage heaters would let most of the heat out during the day when there was nobody in the place.
    Left the day/night meter in as it heats the water on night rate and everyone in the place has a shower in the morning.

    Thinking of going one stage further and buying a large battery for storage. The idea is to use night-rate to charge up the battery and then use the battery as priority in the evenings. Its about the only thing i can do to reduce the cost of electricity in a flat.


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    #19
    ChippingSodbury
    Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭ChippingSodbury


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    I went with 3 x ATC Sun Ray RF units btw. 1800W each.

    p.s. There's no changeover cost from the electrical provider btw. A bonus.

    We got a Day/ Night rate meter installed when building the house. We use <20% of our units at night so want to get rid.
    What was involved in getting changed? Did you get a smart meter (and if so, from whom)? Who do you contact? Is it ESB or your Electricity provider.
    Thanks


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    #20
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    ChippingSodbury wrote: »
    We got a Day/ Night rate meter installed when building the house. We use <20% of our units at night so want to get rid.
    What was involved in getting changed? Did you get a smart meter (and if so, from whom)? Who do you contact? Is it ESB or your Electricity provider.
    Thanks

    Electrician did it. Just removed a module from the fuse board and did a bit of rewiring whilst up there.


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    #21
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    Calahonda52 wrote: »
    If 33% of your power is consumed during the 8 hr night rate,, then the dual meter breaks even

    Close to 0% will be night rate now I'd imagine.

    A competitive 24 hour rate is all I need.


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    #22
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    So a bit of an update.

    The electricity bill actually went down. I assume that's because of the greater accuracy of the new rads. and the fact that they aren't on as long as the storage rads were. The house is obviously a bit cooler during the day, but the heat is totally controllable now - I run it for 2 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening.

    Seems I do indeed need a 24h rate meter. There's usually a cost on changing this but seeing as the new smart meters are on the way (I registered for priority with ESB networks) they'll fit the correct type gratis when they get to me. Due to Covid the smart meter rollout programme is delayed.

    So all in it's very good.


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    #23
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,773 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    So a bit of an update.

    The electricity bill actually went down. I assume that's because of the greater accuracy of the new rads. and the fact that they aren't on as long as the storage rads were. The house is obviously a bit cooler during the day, but the heat is totally controllable now - I run it for 2 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening.

    Seems I do indeed need a 24h rate meter. There's usually a cost on changing this but seeing as the new smart meters are on the way (I registered for priority with ESB networks) they'll fit the correct type gratis when they get to me. Due to Covid the smart meter rollout programme is delayed.

    So all in it's very good.

    When you say bill went down, what do you mean? What periods are you comparing?


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    #24
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    2 months period to about 10 days ago. Comparing that to previous 2 months. Bill went down by c.€40. Compares favourably to bill from this time last year too.


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    #25
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,773 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    2 months period to about 10 days ago. Comparing that to previous 2 months. Bill went down by c.€40. Compares favourably to bill from this time last year too.

    Good to hear. Weather is a good bit warmer now. This winter just past was colder than the typical winter I think

    https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/monthly-data

    It is great that you are happy with it but it is hard to make these comparisons definitively.


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    #26
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    antoinolachtnai wrote: »
    Good to hear. Weather is a good bit warmer now. This winter just past was colder than the typical winter I think

    https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/monthly-data

    It is great that you are happy with it but it is hard to make these comparisons definitively.

    Yes I agree, so I checked on the bill paid for the same period in 2020. Last year's bill was €90 higher!


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