Total Heating Total Control query

[Liz]

We've had this for about five years now and really happy with it.

However, a couple of weeks ago we had to get a new meter installed as the water heater wasn't working.

Since then the water heater comes on from about 4.45am and stays on continually until 7.45am. It then comes on again at 2.30pm for about an hour and then 3.50pm on and off for about 20 minutes.

This is a lot longer than it used to charge for (used to come on for about an hour and a half early morning and then 20 minutes late afternoon.

I have contacted the Hydro but the guy I spoke to was as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike so I would be really grateful if any orgers with THTC would let me know when their water heats up and for how long?

Thanks! :)

[david]

We've had this for about five years now and really happy with it.

However, a couple of weeks ago we had to get a new meter installed as the water heater wasn't working.

Since then the water heater comes on from about 4.45am and stays on continually until 7.45am. It then comes on again at 2.30pm for about an hour and then 3.50pm on and off for about 20 minutes.

This is a lot longer than it used to charge for (used to come on for about an hour and a half early morning and then 20 minutes late afternoon.

I have contacted the Hydro but the guy I spoke to was as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike so I would be really grateful if any orgers with THTC would let me know when their water heats up and for how long?

Thanks! :)

How long it takes to warm up will depend on how high a temperature the immersion is set at. If you take the metal cover off the immersion-turn off the power to it first, you can adjust the temperature to suit. hope this helps.

[Liz]

How long it takes to warm up will depend on how high a temperature the immersion is set at. If you take the metal cover off the immersion-turn off the power to it first, you can adjust the temperature to suit. hope this helps.

Hi David

Thanks for the advice. I'm afraid I can't check the temperature as the tank is in loft and I can't get to it. :( I've been told it comes on for five hours per day which would be about right so hoping it is okay. :)

[david]

Hi David

Thanks for the advice. I'm afraid I can't check the temperature as the tank is in loft and I can't get to it. :( I've been told it comes on for five hours per day which would be about right so hoping it is okay. :)

It won't take that long to heat up the tank-a fraction of that. The thermostat on the immersion will switch it off when it reaches it's set temp. Obviously if your using water during this 5 hours then the fresh water entering the tank will need heating up-I'd set it for 2 hours max personally and adjust when your taking a bath/using more water.

[Liz]

There isn't a timer on the tank as far as I know David. It is activated by a radio signal sent by the Hydro.

[Oddquine]

There isn't a timer on the tank as far as I know David. It is activated by a radio signal sent by the Hydro.

That's why it's called Total Control............what they forgot to say is just not controlled by the person paying the bills!

[Liz]

That's why it's called Total Control............what they forgot to say is just not controlled by the person paying the bills!

It's actually been fine as you do control the heat coming in but just puzzled by the hot water.

[ywindythesecond]

We've had this for about five years now and really happy with it.

However, a couple of weeks ago we had to get a new meter installed as the water heater wasn't working.

Since then the water heater comes on from about 4.45am and stays on continually until 7.45am. It then comes on again at 2.30pm for about an hour and then 3.50pm on and off for about 20 minutes.

This is a lot longer than it used to charge for (used to come on for about an hour and a half early morning and then 20 minutes late afternoon.

I have contacted the Hydro but the guy I spoke to was as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike so I would be really grateful if any orgers with THTC would let me know when their water heats up and for how long?

Thanks! :)

Liz
I think that what you thought your old arrangement was of "used to come on for about an hour and a half early morning and then 20 minutes late afternoon" is probably wrong. You were happy with your water heating, but that amount of heating would probably have been unsatisfactory from time to time.

The electricity you get under Total Control doesn't come at the same time every day, although normally it will do. If there are shortages of electricity at certain times, you might not get it as usual, and if at some times there is a surplus you might get it when you don't expect it. But it will be available for a certain length of time each day and as David points out, the thermostats in your heaters and the immerser will stop you taking more electricity than you need, and if you haven't changed them you should still be getting hot water as you want it, and not using any more electricity.

I learned about the variable times of Total Control the hard way. I was looking after a house for neighbours while they were away and the water heater seemed to have failed. I checked what time of day the room heaters were off one day and went back the next day at the same time to dismantle the immerser and got a shock from it, and found the room heaters on as well. I did some checks and found that times of supply are variable.

[david]

There isn't a timer on the tank as far as I know David. It is activated by a radio signal sent by the Hydro.

I didn't say there was a timer but there will be an immersion heater with a facility to change the desired water temperature-56-58c is fine. Youll find it on removing the immersion heater cover.

[Liz]

I didn't say there was a timer but there will be an immersion heater with a facility to change the desired water temperature-56-58c is fine. Youll find it on removing the immersion heater cover.

Sorry I misunderstood you David. The water temp was turned down by an electrician. :)

[Liz]

[QUOTE=ywindythesecond;1020658]Liz
I think that what you thought your old arrangement was of "used to come on for about an hour and a half early morning and then 20 minutes late afternoon" is probably wrong. You were happy with your water heating, but that amount of heating would probably have been unsatisfactory from time to time.
QUOTE]

It definitely came on about the same time for five years and have always had the same amount of hot water. It has only changed since getting the new meter fitted. All I wanted is for the Hydro to let me know the number of hours in total the water heater should come on for but still haven't had a reply.

[orkneycadian]

I was looking after a house for neighbours while they were away and the water heater seemed to have failed. I checked what time of day the room heaters were off one day and went back the next day at the same time to dismantle the immerser and got a shock from it, and found the room heaters on as well. I did some checks and found that times of supply are variable.

Hmmm, so you're not really that up on the ins and outs of energy intermittency after all? [lol]

[ywindythesecond]

Hmmm, so you're not really that up on the ins and outs of energy intermittency after all? [lol]
Liz
I am going to duck out of this thread as orkneycadian has had the bad manners to use it to snipe at me. I will follow it as I am interested in the reason why your Total Control circumstances have changed, but won't post again so hopefully you will find the answer you want without interruption.

[orkneycadian]

Liz
I am going to duck out of this thread as orkneycadian has had the bad manners to use it to snipe at me.

Liz - Sounds like you are in luck - Would you really want to take advice from someone who starts meddling with electrical appliances without turning the power off first? :roll: He probably thought that since his BM Reports page said that the wind in the UK was light at the time, there would be no electricity being generated and it would be safe to dive in.

Anyway, to your immersion.

Not only is your immersion now controlled by radio (maybe it was, maybe it wasn't before, depends what they have changed), not only can the times of day be varied, but also the duration. And as you have noted, it can be controlled independently of the heating. The heating times and durations can vary depending on the weather and the weather forecast, which is used by the people in the Hydro to give you more heat in readiness for cold weather, less heat in readiness for warmer weather. The water heating is more fixed though, as you likely get through the same amount of water irrespective of the outside temperature. The times can still however vary due to nature of the generation on at anyone time, as Ywindy, the amateur energy expert has found out.

5 hours is what you need to heat up a big tank of water. 1.5 hours a day is way too little to do anything other than top up a little taken off to fill a sink or 3. A big tank takes about 4 hours to heat from cold, so 5 hours gives you a bit to spare.

Sounds like everything is working just fine. If the water temperature has been turned down, you will use less electricity to heat the tank up till the thermostat clicks off, but then the water you have will be not as hot either. Keep it too cool and you might not have enough to fill the bath with, or the shower will run cold quicker if the kids are in it for half an hour at a time. Providing your tank is well insulated (and being in the loft, it will need to be), the amount of electricity you use will be broadly proportional to the amount of hot water you use. If you have a well insulated tank, and only use a small amount of water each day, you should only be using a small amount of electricity to replace that hot water, irrespective of the time that the supply is available from the Hydro.

If you are concerned about the amount of electricity you could be using, get as much insulation as you can on your hot water tank. And get the kids out of the shower after 10 minutes! ;)

[Liz]

Liz
I am going to duck out of this thread as orkneycadian has had the bad manners to use it to snipe at me. I will follow it as I am interested in the reason why your Total Control circumstances have changed, but won't post again so hopefully you will find the answer you want without interruption.

Thanks for trying to help. :)



Liz - Sounds like you are in luck - Would you really want to take advice from someone who starts meddling with electrical appliances without turning the power off first? :roll: He probably thought that since his BM Reports page said that the wind in the UK was light at the time, there would be no electricity being generated and it would be safe to dive in.

Anyway, to your immersion.

Not only is your immersion now controlled by radio (maybe it was, maybe it wasn't before, depends what they have changed), not only can the times of day be varied, but also the duration. And as you have noted, it can be controlled independently of the heating. The heating times and durations can vary depending on the weather and the weather forecast, which is used by the people in the Hydro to give you more heat in readiness for cold weather, less heat in readiness for warmer weather. The water heating is more fixed though, as you likely get through the same amount of water irrespective of the outside temperature. The times can still however vary due to nature of the generation on at anyone time, as Ywindy, the amateur energy expert has found out.

5 hours is what you need to heat up a big tank of water. 1.5 hours a day is way too little to do anything other than top up a little taken off to fill a sink or 3. A big tank takes about 4 hours to heat from cold, so 5 hours gives you a bit to spare.

Sounds like everything is working just fine. If the water temperature has been turned down, you will use less electricity to heat the tank up till the thermostat clicks off, but then the water you have will be not as hot either. Keep it too cool and you might not have enough to fill the bath with, or the shower will run cold quicker if the kids are in it for half an hour at a time. Providing your tank is well insulated (and being in the loft, it will need to be), the amount of electricity you use will be broadly proportional to the amount of hot water you use. If you have a well insulated tank, and only use a small amount of water each day, you should only be using a small amount of electricity to replace that hot water, irrespective of the time that the supply is available from the Hydro.

If you are concerned about the amount of electricity you could be using, get as much insulation as you can on your hot water tank. And get the kids out of the shower after 10 minutes! ;)

Now why couldn't they Hydro have told me this? This was their last reply :- We monitor the weather conditions and give you more off peak time during the colder periods. You will receive between 5 and 12 hours off peak time each day.
If your emersion tank has been wired directly into the off peak meter with the heating then your hot water will be heated dependant on the amount of off peak hours you are given. If you would prefer to heat your hot water for a set period of time we would recommend installing a timer.
As this year has been particularly cold which means that you would have received more off peak time than previous years

The water heater definitely hasn't been coming on at the same time as the storage heaters but it will be about five hours per day so thanks for putting my mind at rest orkneycadian

[Ricanna]

May I ask a total heating, water heating question. There are 2 switches at the immersion. I keep them both on all of the time. Is that how it should be? I always have plenty hot water!