Help - how do I get hot water?

[1000Stars]

Hi, I’ve just moved into a flat and haven’t a clue how to get hot water. Can someone explain to me like I’m 5 months please. Is it a case of moving the little clock things in … also I know electricity is crazy expensive so any tips on how to be as economical as possible would be really helpful. It’s a Grasslin eco save thingy. Thanks

It’s currently switched off.

Press the on switch?

My electricity isn’t expensive at all.

Turn it on. And google is your friend www.manualslib.com/manual/1274181/Grasslin-Thermio-Eco-Ecosave.html

Hi thanks for the link to the manual. I know it’s currently turned off. My husband is at the flat (I’m not there yet) and had it turned on for an awhile but still didn’t get hot water. I’ll look through the link that you’ve sent. Ppl who have similar do you turn it on for a few hours and then get hot water all day?

You can set the timer by pushing the little tabs on the dial either in or out, I can't remember which way it works. You can also override the timer by just using the on / off switch and I think it will stay on for the length of time the boost dial is set to.

Thank you 🙏 I’m used to gas central heating and living in a house so this is all new.

Looks to me like an Econ7 controller so if so, it won't heat the water until off-peak.
You use the boost for additional hot water when not off-peak.

I put the heating on via the little tabs you depress in and set it from 3am - 7am and tried showering and there was only hot water for about 3 mins. I still can’t figure it out

Is there an immersion heater to boost it? We have an all electric house (2 actually) and we have this facility. Where is the water tank? Switch near it for a boost?

Make sure you don't have a radio teleswitch if you've got storage heaters. Sounds like you're doing all might if it's economy 7

If you are there between midnight and 7am you might find you get hot water then if you switch it On if its economy 7. Or if you put it to Timed to come on then.

If you do need a new meter you'd best book it soon as companies will be busy with people changing over from teleswitches.

Is the clock set to the correct time? Are you leaving the switch permanently in the on position? Have you checked you’re on a tariff like Economy 7?

I haven't seen their controller but I know my DD and her BF have to put the boost on before having a shower. Not sure how long they do it for, but it only gives about 5 mins of hot water, so approx two mins each in the morning.

They shouldn’t have to do that, they should have a full tank of hot water each morning, having been heated overnight at the cheap rate. Either there’s a fault (maybe a failed immersion element) or they’re not using it properly.

This is similar to us… if we use the boost we only get about 5mins of hot water. We have tried fiddling with those things you push in / out until the off peak light comes on and have finally managed to get some hot water. It just seems so archaic ! The landlord doesn’t have a clue either.

Is the clock set to the correct time? Are you leaving the switch permanently in the on position? Have you checked you’re on a tariff like Economy 7?

Immersion heaters are notoriously expensive. Make sure you are on the right electric tariff to run it and keep an eye on your meter until you work it out properly.

Do you have a tank as well? Is it well insulated. You might need turn something on there too.

Hi, ya there’s a tank in the cupboard. The controller for the hot water is in the cupboard and at a really awkward angle so I have to take a photo and then use guess work to check I’m moving the tabs on n/for the correct time I want the heating on. I moved 7am ish to the top middle- there isn’t anywhere on it that says where the timer should start? I’ll attach a photo … ideally I want the hot water on for a few hours in the evening and a few hours overnight? Does this look right ?

Those winter time and summer time arrows? Twist the dial until the winter time arrow points to the right time. You'll need to turn it to the 'new' time when the clocks change in a few weeks.

Are you on an E7 tarrif or flat rate tarrif? I'd find out the times of the E7, and start by putting the heater on for most of those. See how you go with quantities if hot water.

E7 is usually either midnight to 7am or 12.30am to 7.30am. So assuming you are on a split tariff go between those and double check the times with your supplier as there's slight variation between them.

Thanks for replying - I’m not sure what you mean by turn the winter time to the right. Usually a timer would indicate where the start time is with an arrow and I would then turn the dial until 8am ish at the arrow! But here I’m just assuming I turn it until 8am 🕗 is at the top. I’ve included a picture of what I mean (this isn’t my one though) I don’t know if it’s economy 7 … the landlord isn’t sure and doesn’t know what tariff previous tenants are on. I’ve just set up an account with Octopus for electric only. There wasn’t an economy 7 option.

So here is what happens.
Somewhere in the house you will have a big tank filled with water. This heats up like a big kettle to give you hot water. Unlike gas that heats water on demand this heats a big tank of water and you use that until it runs out.

You have two different controls there. The circle is the timer. Using that you set the times you want the tank to heat up. So most likely a bit in the morning and a bit in the evening. But you might be on economy 7 electric which will mean that it is cheaper to heat it over night.

The boost is to give you extra hot water like switching on a kettle. But it’s a big tank and if it’s been sat there unused a while the water will be starting from stone cold. If you turn the dial on the right it turns the tank on and starts heating the water. This means that you need to turn it on about 45 minutes before you want to use it. So if you want a bath then you need to turn that on to heat the water in advance. Then after you’ve had your bath you will have used all the hot water.

If it’s economy 7 then you have a different kind of meter. You’ll hear it switch over to the cheap tariff, there is an audible click. Because the switch over doesn’t change time for when the clocks change then you need the summer and winter settings on the timer to allow for the hours difference. Right now we are still winter time so you set the right time now to the winter arrow.

In your second picture you have it set to just after 9am (not 7am). As pp said, the arrow is where it says Summer or Winter time. It's currently Winter, so the current time should line up with that arrow.

I'd say the "time now" arrow is where the "Winter time" and "Summer time" arrows are - so you point the current time (atm) to the wintertime arrow, not to the top.
When the clocks go forward you shouldn't need to change it as the new time will be the summertime arrow.

If you are pointing the current time to the top you are probably off a bit.

We had an old immersion with economy u which had 2 elements, 1 was wired just to the economy 7 supply - so basically heated the water tank for the full 7 hours, the other to the main supply and could be used as an override.
Very wasteful as our tank only needed heating for an hour.