Smart meter installation

Toots84

A word of warning after our recent experience having a smart meter fitted by Siemens on behalf of First Utility:

The engineer fitted the gas meter, but there was no earth bonding in place already, so it was left unsafe and for me to sort out.

I was told 2 different things when I complained to Siemens:

- I needed to pay for an electrician to come and sort it out because it was my responsibility as the meter is on my property.

- I needed to get in touch with the National Grid for them to come and sort it out (!).

Both of these pieces of "advice" are wrong - the meters are owned by the utility company. No domestic electrician worth their salt will touch the meter because it's the utility company's responsibility. Even the National Grid's website states this!

Luckily, First Utility's customer services were great and are on the case to have the meter made safe.

It's unbelievable that Siemens is prepared to walk away from their responsibilities and leave customers with an unsafe piece of kit in their homes because their engineers aren't "qualified" to complete the job (aren't being paid to do it, more like).

The real cherry on top is the rubbish recommendations they then make. Don't do what they're currently advising customers to do - it'll leave you out of pocket and for no good reason!

AndyPK

So rather than just leave it alone? or until bonding was in place.


they fitted a smart meter and left you without gas????




I think its the home owners responsibility to fit the bonding wire between the gas meter and fusebox. An electrician can do this. (should be a continuous length and needs to be thick. approx/e.g 10 or 16mm2 if fitting now) But houses from the 1960's won't have this... so not sure what happens there.

MeterMan

Earth bonding of the gas pipe is the responsibility of the homeowner, not the gas supplier/transporter.

The only wrong piece of advice is asking national grid to install it.

Jonesya

The earth bonding you are referring to is part of your house's electrical installation, it's there to ensure that all conductive metalwork entering from outside the house is bonded to the earthing system for safety.

A metal gas pipe is just one example, it can also include metal water pipes, metal oil pipes.

The bonding is part of the electrical system and is the responsibility of the person who owns the building - the water company isn't responsible for the bonding to the water pipe and the gas supplier isn't responsible for the gas bonding.

You're correct that electricians won't work on gas meters, but normally they should never need to because they connect the earth bonding cable to the metal pipe using an earthing clamp that loops around it, so no need to interfere with the meter.

One point - if your gas pipework isn't bonded you should also check your water pipework in case it too is not bonded.

spiro

Changing the meter did not make it unsafe, it was unsafe due to the failure of yourself or a previous occupant to ensure the electrical system was complaint. I think k it also forms part of a gas safety check.

[Deleted User]

This is very worrying for me as I have just changed over to First Utility for my energy supply.As yet there hasn't been any talk of smart meters being fitted but I know most companies are keen to get them done

spiro

JackieO wrote: »

This is very worrying for me as I have just changed over to First Utility for my energy supply.As yet there hasn't been any talk of smart meters being fitted but I know most companies are keen to get them done

Check your tariff, some require you to have a smart meter as a condition of the tariff.

AndyPK

IF there is a green/yellow wire connected to the pipe, near the meter (or just inside the house, you should be ok)

System

JackieO wrote: »

I know most companies are keen to get them done

Keen or not, this is is what Ofgem has to say on the subject:

Energy suppliers are required to take all reasonable steps to roll out smart meters to all their domestic and small business customers by the end of 2020.

While consumers are not obliged to have a smart meter installed, suppliers should consider appropriate re-contact strategies based on customers’ preferences, contact history and reasons for not previously accepting a smart meter. Overly repetitive and coercive approaches to consumer engagementas opposed to innovative and tailored re-contact strategies, can be counterproductive to the successful achievement of the rollout obligations.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2018/05/2018.05_open_letter_-_observations_from_rollout_plans.pdf

robti

This should be checked on your yearly gas service and you should be notified of it in writing from the gas service engineer

AndyPK

its should be checked if the house is rented out.

If it is owner occupied its doesn't get checked