Christchurch power plans that don't limit hot water heating?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Christchurch power plans that don't limit hot water heating?

avocados

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#296303 6-Jun-2022 16:42

Can somebody recommend a power plan in Christchurch that doesn't excessively limit hot water heating?

For the last year and a half, my hot water has only been heated for a few hours in the night, and not at all during the day. I understand that this is cheaper than heating water all day, but I am in a rental so can't get a better hot water cylinder/ insulation, and I am sick of the water being cold by mid-afternoon. I would rather pay more and be able to have showers in the evening.

1 | 2

3762 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2923269 6-Jun-2022 16:46

You simply have an electrician install a switch so that you can manually switch the cylinder to Economy 24 or Controlled Night at will.

Note: This may not be allowed if you don't have a night store heater.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

nickb800

2719 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2923274 6-Jun-2022 17:06

It's just your ripple control relay configuration. It will be the same with any retailer.
Call your retailer and ask for a different tariff option. There's a common option that gives you like 20 hours heating per day which is normally heaps. Should cost around $200 and will involve a visit from a meter installer (which the retailer will arrange)

avocados

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2923275 6-Jun-2022 17:09

Is there a way I can modify it myself? $200 is pretty steep, and I never asked for it to be like this. It has been like this for the entire year and a half that I have been here and it's awful.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#2923276 6-Jun-2022 17:09

got a thermometer? check what temp the water is actually getting to. it may be someone has installed a small element or its a dual element and one half has failed.

it may simply not getting hot enough during the time the power is on. a sparky could measure the current draw. obviously check that the thermostat is set correctly.

the water should not be getting that cold in that short of time even with a old cylinder.

avocados

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2923277 6-Jun-2022 17:13

Interestingly, the water actually does seem quite hot first thing in the morning. It just seems to cool very quickly. Especially if I use hot water to do the dishes in the morning (i.e. one small sink worth of hot water), the rest of the water then cools even faster. Could it actually be putting cold water in and cooling the remaining water immediately?

nickb800

2719 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2923282 6-Jun-2022 17:28

avocados:
Is there a way I can modify it myself? $200 is pretty steep, and I never asked for it to be like this. It has been like this for the entire year and a half that I have been here and it's awful.

Someone will have paid that to have it configured that way, perhaps a previous tenant.
Assuming it's ripple control then there's nothing you can DIY at all - it's dangerous, there's a tamper seal, and there's programming involved.

You could share some photos of your meter box to help confirm. And confirm what tariffs are on your power bill

Spyware

3762 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2923283 6-Jun-2022 17:51

Choice is Economy 24 for both water and other or as I stated above. Ripple control still applies but includes a day time schedule with cylinder being charged at Economy 24 rather than Controlled Night (22 cents per kWh vs 14).

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Spyware

3762 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2923286 6-Jun-2022 17:57

avocados:

Could it actually be putting cold water in and cooling the remaining water immediately?

Yes, as hot water goes out cold water goes in.

Oblivian

7300 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#2923288 6-Jun-2022 18:13

Using the key word 'ripple' hearlds the many threads of people trying to skirt it, or find one who doesn't

I believe all have the same similar answer.. it's ultimately grid controlled. And in cases like last year/before with everyone at home and the grid at capacity it made little difference when it comes to shedding requirements and switching off an entire region at a time. It just 'happens'

nickb800

2719 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2923302 6-Jun-2022 19:06

Spyware:
avocados:

Could it actually be putting cold water in and cooling the remaining water immediately?

Yes, as hot water goes out cold water goes in.

Yes cold water goes in as you draw out hot water, but no it doesn't cool the whole cylinder. The water stratifies in the cylinder so you still have fully hot water at the top of the cylinder (assuming the whole cylinder was heated overnight.

michaelmurfy

meow
13254 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2923318 6-Jun-2022 19:35

Have you actually been in touch with your current power company? What did they say?

I'm on a controlled plan (via Electric Kiwi) and they're pretty good. But I always recommend everyone check https://www.powerswitch.org.nz/ and do their own research on power plans.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#2923328 6-Jun-2022 19:53

avocados:

Interestingly, the water actually does seem quite hot first thing in the morning. It just seems to cool very quickly. Especially if I use hot water to do the dishes in the morning (i.e. one small sink worth of hot water), the rest of the water then cools even faster. Could it actually be putting cold water in and cooling the remaining water immediately?

check your vent pipe isn't dripping water.

if the pressure is set incorrectly or the valve diaphragm is split, it will leak hot water out. that would certainly cool down the tank.

t92300

81 posts

Master Geek

#2923332 6-Jun-2022 20:06

What size is you hot water cylinder?

How many people in the house?

Have you got any leaking hot water taps? or hot water leaking anywhere else, some one has already mentioned the vent, it may not be on your roof if your cylinder is newer.

The ripple control will be in your supply contract with your lines company. You or your land lord may need to call a sparky to get your contract altered(thats how it is where I am). The other way around it is to shift some where else with out ripple control.

The other thing with the ripple control is the relay could have failed, you will need an electrician to verify this.

everettpsycho

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2923353 6-Jun-2022 21:28

I have a question about this situation as well, we have ours on the day night relay, which more than 99% of the time is fine for us as a family, but if we have adult guests we wouldn't have enough water for everyone to shower. Is there something like an override you can implement or request from the power company? It's very very rare we have guests that we'd even need it but it would be nice to know if people come to stay we have a way to all shower.

k1w1k1d

1526 posts

Uber Geek

#2923355 6-Jun-2022 22:01

It used to be possible to get a switch installed that bypassed the ripple control so you could heat the cylinder whenever required. Not sure you can still do this though?

Just have to remember that you would be paying full daytime rate to heat the cylinder.

EDIT.

Just found this on Orion site.

"5.9 Override or boost switches
To improve customer satisfaction, we support the provision of override switches (wired in
parallel with the night-rate relay) to enable customers with day/night pricing plans to manually
boost their hot water during the day. Modern ripple functionality can also provide customers
with direct access to switch on water heating when extra is needed for a programmable period
(eg 3 hours, or the rest of that day).
Where this functionality is provided, we recommend wiring it via a second emergency control
relay, or including functionality so that an emergency control off signal will again interrupt the
load."

1 | 2