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Viv1966
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April 17, 2026
Solved

New heating system but struggling to get the right tariff

  • April 17, 2026
  • 131 replies
  • 1024 views

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to all those who helped last year regarding Air Source heat pump as my oil boiler went down and i was having trouble with my housing association about when it was going to be installed etc. That was in May last year.

 

Fast forward to this year we now have a heating system ....its Storage heating and I spoke to OVO regarding all this being changed in January this year apparently yes then at the last hour it was no. Ok so I tried to look for a different company that do Economy 7 tariff.

 

Found one but now OVO don't want to let me go due to a huge bill which I have due to it being wintertime and having to use electric heaters due to no heating system can anyone advise  me what to do obviously I didn't really want to leave but ....its a case of having to but then if OVO did Economy 7 or something similar I wouldn't have to.

Best answer by BPLightlog

​... will Viv1966 be able to get a duel tariff like Economy 7 with the meter setup they have ?
  

If you’ve been advised that we can’t switch you to Economy 7 (which is generally the case) 
 

We can’t tell whether this meter is capable of switching an offpeak circuit on and off. Even if it did have the internal switch necessary, there would have to be an external contactor to do the actual power control.

…

It seems that the magic use-excess-solar-generation-to-charge-heaters system only works if the heaters are wired to a constant circuit (i.e. not having the charging bit separate from the control bit so charging only happens during offpeak hours). Again, we can’t tell whether this is Viv’s arrangement. It involves installing some extra bits and bobs including a CT clamp, all included in the optional Solar Box.

 

 

As ​@Firedog suggests, a separate supply is not needed for these 

So that should mean that a traditional 4 terminal smart meter should work with these heaters.

The balance would then be how much energy is needed during the day for other appliances and how the units are connected 

 

131 replies

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Viv1966Author
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April 25, 2026

 

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Viv1966Author
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April 25, 2026

Junction Box for Solar the figures fluctuate

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Viv1966Author
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April 25, 2026

Heater info ​@BPLightlog  Solar info ​@juliamc 

juliamc
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juliamc
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April 25, 2026

Any sign of an inverter in that cupboard ? What is the App you mentioned?

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Viv1966Author
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April 25, 2026

​@juliamc  i have looked where the boiler was there is nothing there. What are those fluctuating figures in the junction box? Is this the amount of Solar we are using? I am guessing the inverter is in the loft, but will contact the installer on Monday to ask him.  The App i downloaded on my phone was the Elnur Gabarron App ( the name on my heaters).

Also my Solar Panels are registered with Octopus, how wili know its all up and running and coming off my electric? 

  

 

 

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
April 25, 2026

Heater info ​@BPLightlog  Solar info ​@juliamc 

Ok, so you do have the ‘solar’ versions 

I know there’s been mention of a box and CT but surely there’s some connection to the solar panels?

I'll try to go through the user guide

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
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Viv1966Author
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April 25, 2026

No they aren't the Solar ones  thats what the installer is saying, but to quote " the heating is connected to the electricity and the Solar covers the electricity during the day and then the heaters charge at night." This is what he said to me in a text message.

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Viv1966Author
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April 25, 2026

"The solar will then send extra or unused electricity back to the grid which u will be paid for if the SEG is active saving you money on your bills."

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
April 25, 2026

No they aren't the Solar ones  thats what the installer is saying, but to quote " the heating is connected to the electricity and the Solar covers the electricity during the day and then the heaters charge at night." This is what he said to me in a text message.

Ok, so the Solar HHR20 is different to the HHR20.

But I don’t get how solar is directed to these and it certainly won’t do anything overnight (without batteries).

Perhaps the solar panels are only wired to supply the heaters 🤷‍♂️

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
April 25, 2026

"The solar will then send extra or unused electricity back to the grid which u will be paid for if the SEG is active saving you money on your bills."

Have you got SEG set up now ​@Viv1966 ?

As Julia mentioned, generally you can have a SEG account separate to your energy supplier if you want 

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
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    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement

    OVO Energy Ltd, Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ, (Company no. 06890795) registered in England and Wales.

    OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ.

    OVO (S) Gas Limited is part of OVO Group Ltd