Heures Creuses

[littlebandit]

Hi I'm a new owner of a holiday cottage in the Dordogne and learning fast, but I can't fully understand the electricity billing and operation. Would some kind person put me right.

I've been put on Heurses Creuses but without any explanation of what it means.

Does EJP apply?

The water heater can be set to manual or automatic, if I set it to automatic how does it come on at the cheaper times becasue I can't see a clock to set?

The first bill I have received includes a fixed charge of 56 euros, does this have to be paid monthly or with every bill which appears to be every two months

Regards

Littlebandit

[suein56]

Hi

Welcome to the forum.

Heures creuses in France is similar to off-peak in the UK in that during certain period(s) electricity units are charged at a lower rate - though you pay for the privilege with a higher standing charge. Our HC are 2h to 7h and 14h to 17h. Newer installations where I live have only I period overnight ie 23h to 7h.

There is no need for a time-clock as the changeover to HC is automatic.

There is a separate auto setting for the water-heater but you can also switch the chauffe-eau off or to have it on all the time.

The fixed charge of 56 euros is a one-off charge.

Can't help with EJP.

Sue

[Bernice]

The times of the off peak rate is shown on your electricity bill.  It's on the back of the bill at the bottom "Caracteristiques de votre tariff". 

Bernice

[Sunday Driver]

Just an additional point...

In order to benefit from the automatic switch-on during HC hours, you need to have had a control wire installed in your system - the electricity supplier sends a signal down it to activate/deactivate your appliance(s) at the appropriate times.  Without this, you'd need a manual timer.

 

[Benjamin]

It would be interesting to know who "put you on" this tarif.

As others have said this is a bit like off peak (white meter?) in the UK and may not be suitable for your usage pattern as you say it's a holiday home.

If possible you should visit your local EDF office where they can do a simulated costing based upon how long you expect to be using the property and what appliances you have.

[suein56]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Just an additional point...

In order to benefit from the automatic switch-on during HC hours, you need to have had a control wire installed in your system - the electricity supplier sends a signal down it to activate/deactivate your appliance(s) at the appropriate times.  Without this, you'd need a manual timer. [/quote]

Ahhh - thanks SD - so that's what the EDF man was talking about when I rang to complain one afternoon that my HC hadn't started automatically that day.

I did wonder how EDF controlled the timed changeover on/off.

Sue [:)]

[nomoss]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Just an additional point...

In order to benefit from the automatic switch-on during HC hours, you need to have had a control wire installed in your system - the electricity supplier sends a signal down it to activate/deactivate your appliance(s) at the appropriate times.  Without this, you'd need a manual timer.

 

[/quote]

The control wires have to be connected to a relay in the distribution panel which controls the supply to the circuit breakers (/fuses) for the appliances which you wish to use only during the off-peak period.

The relays are available from electrical and some bricolage outlets, but should only be installed by a qualified electrician.

If you have a "Tempo" meter, this has provision for two control wires, one for the water heater, the other for the house heating system, and six tariffs.  This meter option may now no longer be available, the settings for it have disappeared from EDF's website, but if you have one, you should probably hang on to it, especially if you have air conditioning.

 

[Chancer]

To expand on the "control wire"

There is actually a "volt free" or "dry" relay contact on the EDF compteur that changes state from normally open to closed during the heures creuses.

To make use of it you run not one, but two wires from your tableau, the first takes mains voltage from a 2 ampere disjoncteur to one leg of the single pole relay contact, the second wire brings back the voltage (during HC when the contact is closed) to activate the contacteur jour/nuit on the tableau which in turn feeds the hot water heating element via its own disjoncteur.

You would need to buy if they are not already present the 2 ampere disjoncteur and the contacteur, it is not that hard to do if you are reasonably competent at electrics, if you are not sure than leave it to a proffessional.

I actually have a second triphase contacteur wired in parrallel that I use to supply 3 seperate night storage heating circuits, it cost less and takes up less space on the tableau than 3 seperate ones.

[nomoss]

[quote user="J.R."]

To expand on the "control wire"

There is actually a "volt free" or "dry" relay contact on the EDF compteur that changes state from normally open to closed during the heures creuses.

To make use of it you run not one, but two wires from your tableau, the first takes mains voltage from a 2 ampere disjoncteur to one leg of the single pole relay contact, the second wire brings back the voltage (during HC when the contact is closed) to activate the contacteur jour/nuit on the tableau which in turn feeds the hot water heating element via its own disjoncteur.

You would need to buy if they are not already present the 2 ampere disjoncteur and the contacteur, it is not that hard to do if you are reasonably competent at electrics, if you are not sure than leave it to a proffessional.

I actually have a second triphase contacteur wired in parrallel that I use to supply 3 seperate night storage heating circuits, it cost less and takes up less space on the tableau than 3 seperate ones.

[/quote]

 

And if you don't understand that you should get an electrician to do the job.

[littlebandit]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I had wondered if this was the correct tarif, now I'll have to do more research when I return to France next week