Smart gas meter

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:49 pm

Info: "smart gas meter?"

I hadn't thought anything about it until today as B. Gas have offered us one, then I was thinking what powers it? so I did some reading and it turns out it has batteries. (I wondered did it have a wall wart) but the odd thing I was thinking is, what happens when the batteries go flat, the answer it seems is they can and do cut your gas off (They can't let you have free gas can they) Reading more, it seems the first ones installed the batteries were expected to out last the meter, but they are not, so that means you have to wait ? long for new batteries. One case I read of, the gas bloke had no batteries, so he changed the meter to a non smart meter.

Question
Do any of you have a smart gas meter, if so any problems, and how long have you had it?

We don't have either, and don't want either.

I also think they are a waste of time and money, and even a con, as they do not save you any money what so ever.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:16 pm

suspect it keeps registering even though not displaying
i also dont like the idea off remotely "accidental " disconnection
and yes a meter saves you zero money but may encourage some to panic and some more indeed try to cut down

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:20 pm

I would avoid any smart item, they are often not smart and just complicate things even more!

Specifically for gas and electric meter’s, they offer no benefit to the end user, but benefit the energy companies! I’ll be resisting any form of smart meter being installed in my home.

In fact I think that living off grid is the future, you only need to look at what is happening right now with energy bills, they have been increased enormously, so much so that the energy companies are raking in billions of pounds whilst everyone else struggles.
The government are doing jack schit to protect people from the clear profiteering. I got an email the other day from my MP about “help with cost of living”, they are giving people –
• £400 grant for energy bills which will not have to be repaid
• £150 cash rebate for homes in Council Tax bands A-D, equivalent to 80% of all households
• £144 million of discretionary funding for local authorities to support those not eligible for the council tax rebate
• £650 one-off cost of living payment for those on means tested benefits such as Universal Credit, job seekers allowance and pension credit.
• £300 one-off pensioner cost of living payment for pensioners in receipt of the Winter Fuel Allowance.
• £150 one-off disability cost of living payment for people in receipt of disability benefits.
A fuel duty cut of 5p for a full year across all fuel duty rates

I’m so happy that they put my tax money to good use!

It’s all Putin’s fault, of course

toolbox · Post by **toolbox** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:33 pm

They do save you that panic to clear all the c**p out under the stairs when the reader tuns up out of the blue!

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:45 pm

ultimatehandyman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:20 pm It’s all Putin’s fault, of course

Despite the initial HUGE rises being before Russia invaded Ukraine...

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:53 pm

wine~o wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:45 pm
ultimatehandyman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:20 pm It’s all Putin’s fault, of course
Despite the initial HUGE rises being before Russia invaded Ukraine...

I was being sarcastic, hence the

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 3:39 pm

ultimatehandyman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:53 pm was being sarcastic, hence the

Yep, got that hence my use of the ellipsis, (...) Putin is being blamed for everything, including some bloke from Blackpool having Piles...

Neelix · Post by **Neelix** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:13 pm

"Gas meters
These are powered by a battery that’s built into the meter, due to safety reasons you won’t be able to access it. The battery is designed to last over 10 years before a replacement is required and when it is, the gas meter will alert our systems. When this happens, we will contact you to arrange an appointment to replace the battery."

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:49 pm

Still waiting for an answer to my question.

(I already know:
They are a waste of time / money
Run on batteries)

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 5:05 pm

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:49 pm Still waiting for an answer to my question.

I had first generation "smart (cough) meters" installed summat like 12 years ago. The guy that installed the first time couldn't get the gas meter to communicate with the electric meter (which is where the mobile phone type signal is sent to the energy provider comes from) 2 weeks later another bloke turns up to sort the issue, condemns our gas boiler because he says there is a leak... his manometer showed a slight loss (It was in full sun) Got our local RGI out and he turned everything back on. Still no signal from the gas meter. We were with BG at the time then switched. New company can't connect to first gen meters, ...

As for switching gas off remotely it can't be done at your meter, it's a physical action. Does that answer your question ?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:17 pm

Thats the sort of thing I was after wine~O

One odd thing, though, one case I read of, the meter battery did go flat and did cut his gas off. Thinking about it, if the gas was not cut off by the meter, the gas co. would have had no idea how much gas the person used while the meter had flat batteries, so to solve that problem, it cuts the gas off, yes its not fair, but I do see what they are saying.

Razor · Post by **Razor** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:46 pm

When the battery goes flat the gas supply will cut off and it can be a nightmare to get them replaced as the meter is now owned by your supplier and not Cadent.

It's not just smart meters. The smaller E6 meters also have batteries but these do last a lot longer as they aren't transmitting. Personally I won't have smart meters