Economy 7 Meters

[Hopkirk]

How does an economy 7 meter know it is time to change between rates?

Do they get sent a message, or do they have an internal clock? If it's a clock, how do they reset after a power cut?

[fiction-factory]

Just boosting this back onto Latest Posts as I've sometimes wondered about this too. I wish there was an easy way to see whether my meter is clocking up day rate or night rate

[margarettom]

I had a new meter (NOT a smart one) fitted about 3 years ago and I can check whether it's on day or night rate. There's also a clock on our water heater, which is easy to check. The time changes are done by the electricity company. The clocks seem to automatically correct after a power cut - don't know how!

[fiction-factory]

I have one meter covering night rate and day rate, so just one spinning wheel. The only way I can see whetehr it is noght rate or day rate is to wait 5 minutes and see which dial moves ever so slightly. Sometimes it doesn't seem to move unless I put something on like the kettle and washing machine. There must be an easier way.
Hopefully it is done by the power companies so i don't have to worry about power cuts casuing the timings to slip but I am not convinced - do you have a link please?

[Hopkirk]

Mine has digital readout, and I can't see anything which identifies which rate is currently in use.

Perhaps I will have to do the kettle trick and see which one clocks up charges.

[Baldric]

https://www.npower.com/home/help-and-support/types-of-meter/economy7/
Google is your friend.

[fiction-factory]

I have done the kettle trick to check what time it flicks over but it was a real pain as I have to clamber over piles of rubbish in my garage to get to see it and it really needs about 5 big items on to make the digits change quickly enough.
I really wanted to check what time it starts as well but I can't face going out at around midnight/1 am/2am to check.
I wonder if a smart meter would help.

[fiction-factory]

I don't think that link answer sthe queries though does it unless there are more detailed pages somewhere. Will look later. I know it is supposed to cover 7 hours but am not sure whethn it starts and finishes and there is a possibility it's not a continuous 7 hours- when it was first fitted i was told it could be in 2 blocks -say 00:00-2:00 and then 3:00- 8:00

[Mamyalynne]

If you click on 'Economy 7 Hours' in the above link, it explains how to find out.

[fiction-factory]

Yes, but it says "The best way to find out your exact Economy 7 hours is tolook at your meter around the times shown on this map.
As a supplier we don’t have access to your exact times."
The question Hopkirk is asking is how is that managed- is there a clock in your meter (I take it there is which is why I was told the timings cannot be certain), or does your supplier do it.

[Hopkirk]

Thanks Balders, I'll study that later.

[fiction-factory]

So the link says "look at your meter"- which is what we said was difficult unless you stand over it ubntil it changes over

[Hopkirk]

Mine has a sticker on saying 0.00 to 07.00 GMT

[fiction-factory]

That's helpful then- i wish mine had something like that. I did narrow it down to approx 8am in summer and 8am in winter but I have a recollection it was either 15 mins earlier or later.
I'm still not sure if power cuts affect it- I think not but i'm not sure how it continues

[fiction-factory]

i meant "8am in summer and 7am in winter..."

[margarettom]

My meter clearly states 1 is day rates and 4 night rates and I click through them to do the meter readings. Your power company will tell you what are the times for economy 7. Mine are 12 - 7 in winter, 1 pm to 8 in summer.

[fiction-factory]

Yes I know how to read my meter margaret- I'm just keen to check the exact time it flips from day to night and vice versa as I was told not every meter is the same. i'm still not sure how the timer is set/controlled to cope with power cuts

[fiction-factory]

The supplier in this case margaret said it can't tell you the exact time. The link says "The best way to find out your exact Economy 7 hours is to look at your meter around the times shown on this map.
As a supplier we don’t have access to your exact times."

[margarettom]

Sorry fiction-factory, I thought the supplier fixed the times. Obviously I am completely wrong. Apologies once again. I can tell when mine clicks over from my water heater in the airing cupboard . Orange light comes on when night rates come on and goes off when they finish.

[EDDIE51]

Our meter always has the exact & correct time displayed.In fact I always look at it as soon as I wake up to see what the time is. It updates the time automatically for the summer /winter hours on or off. I was told the electricity companies send out signals to keep the time correct on all their meters. I once stood and watched it at 2am in the morning when the extra hour was due to go on. (sad?) Yes exactly on 2am it jumped forward to 3am. After a power cut it instantly goes back on to the exact correct time. So it can't be just an internal clock. Our cheap rate is midnight to 7am , which is why the tariff is called Economy 7 (7 hours to 7am)
At one time we had a washing machine that you could set to automatically start the wash as soon as the cheap electricity started.

[EDDIE51]

^ The cheap rate time is on a small sticker pasted on to the meter.