Phase overload?

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by KipperSarnie, Oct 18, 2017.

  1. KipperSarnie

    KipperSarnie New Member

    I have 2 phases coming into my house, half of a pair of old farm cottages & around 200 years old.
    One phase supplies our daily use + four storage heaters on "Economy 7" tariff.
    The other phase is connected to four "Economy 7" storage heaters only. No daytime connection.
    This has caused no end of problems over the years with meter readings & I am paying 2 service charges!

    I asked my supplier, NPower, about removing the second meter & having the consumer unit for that meter connected to the other phase.
    I was told i would need the consumer unit moved first with a certificate for the work before they would disconnect the phase & remove the meter.

    I arranged for an engineer to call from a reputable company who told me they could not do the work as my usage was above the power allowed for a single phase 18 KW / 22.5 KVA.

    With water heating & storage heaters my total is 22 KW / 27.5 KVA. Then plus anything else that might be in use at night, washing machine, oven etc.

    I am now stuck Npower won't give an Electrician authority to possibly overload the phase & the electrician won't do the work as it is.

    Is the ombudsman my only way forward?
     
  2. retiredsparks

    retiredsparks Super Member

    Couple of experienced power guys on here might be able to advise.
    Where Sinewave when you need him ?
    lol
    Rs
     
  3. nigel willson

    nigel willson Screwfix Select

    If you’ve to much load for single phase , nothing u say is going to change that! Send us a pic of setup we need info to decide on course of action.
     
  4. KipperSarnie

    KipperSarnie New Member

    I'll try & get a photo for you but basically each meter has a radio switch one meter supplies an 8 way consumer unit & a 4 way Off Peak unit.
    The other meter just supplies a 4 way Off peak unit only.

    I understand about not overloading a phase but am I being penalised for using too much electricity by paying 2 lots of service charges 2 x £118.41 = £236.82 a year which is my grief along with NPower not understanding the meter readings to the Off Peak only meter even when they read the meter?
     
  5. nigel willson

    nigel willson Screwfix Select

    Well c when u post pics!
     
  6. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Change to a supplier that charges a single service charge for a there phase service. Depends on supplier, an if domestic of commercial, but I would say you should find a supplier, or negotiate your existing to a single service charge - its' under one MPan I assume?
     
  7. Bob Rathbone

    Bob Rathbone Screwfix Select

    23 kW is the most your 100A service fuse will take. One of the main issues here is that you cannot apply any diversity as all of the heaters and the water will come on simultaneously when the teleswitch tells them to. Your supply will be a Bi phase supply taken from a single phase 11kV supply through your local transformer. To be able to use one meter only you need to reduce the loading or to make arrangements for the smaller storage heaters to switch on later when the larger ones have charged, provided that the restricted supply time will allow. Have you considered heat pumps for heating, you should be able to reduce your demand to 30% of existing, that will fit on the 100A supply.
     
  8. KipperSarnie

    KipperSarnie New Member

    Thank you to everyone for their input, it looks like I'm stuck with this charge, although I think it wrong & a penalty for using too much electric.

    We're both nearly 71 so don't really want to buy into a new system at this time in our life.

    Thanks again.
     

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