Advice about my Gas Meter

efunc

Hello good people,

first of all, I know this is not a technical forum, and this is obviously a very technical issue, however I can't find a single UK forum that discusses Gas issues after 2 weeks of searching the internet!

To cut to the chase I'm fitting a new garage door in my garage and the current position of the Gas Meter is slightly close to one of the rails so I'd like to drop it by 2-3 inches. Simple you'd think! I have spoken to TRANSCO who have confirmed that there is no special permission required to do the job and it can be done by any CORGI registered gas fitter. However after a month of trying I can't get a single Corgi engineer to comit to coming to see it. Most claim that it's not possible to do, some say that it is possible for around £55, but they only have tools to work on copper pipes, not steel(!), and some have quoted anything from £400 - £700 including planning permission, etc! And to top it all, one Corgi engineer told me today that Transco will do the job for me for FREE, for some reason!

Now I just don't know what to think, and I've wasted 4 weeks researching this. Here's some pictures to give you all a better idea.





Basically I need to shorten (or replace) that short steel extension pipe located between the Valve on the Gas Main and the actual meter itself. The meter is not secured to the wall, it is only supported by this pipe, so hopefully it will then be positioned 3 inches lower down. If the engineer doesn't have tools to cut the pipe and re-threed the end I'm happy to just purchase a shorter pipe or even a flexible hose if this is possible, but I need to know what kind of pipe and the gauge, etc. I've been told it must be low-carbon steel. I've seen some stainless steel pipes available from plumbing supply stores and will try and find a link later.

Anyone have any ideas?

I'm in NW London, btw.

thanks all!

Razor

Hi,this is a relatively simple job requiring the pipe to be removed, cut down and rethreaded, most engineers should be able to do this, however if you are stuck look for one that does domestic and commercial gaswork, they will have the correct tools.
BTW personally I would get them to sort out that dogs dinner thats on the outlet side of the meter, the flexible connector is bent far to tightly and is not designed to be repeatedly bent as it will be when the meter is repositioned, a bit of earth bonding wouldn't go amiss either.
£55 seems cheap but anything over £150 seems excessive for a rough guide

efunc

thanks for that, very helpful. I actually had a guy who's called me back a few times and seems very friendly, but he claims that he can only work on copper pipe and that re-threading steel pipe is not something he has tools for. shame. That's why I thought I'd just order this replacement pipe for him to fit, but I don't know if it's the correct part:

http://www.bes.co.uk/products/036.asp

Someone else has just quoted me £155 for the job though which seems to chime with what you've just writen.

ormus

simple enough. swap A for B so no cutting involved. then cut and thread at approx the green line, and connect the rest.
or just change C for an elbow. if its ok to have the service pipe sticking up?

ormus

ps,
http://www.hss.com/g/68410/Ratchet-Die-Stock.html
hire a pro pipe threader for 22 quid per day.
or search ebay for pipe threaders. from 24 quid and up.

needaspirin

As you first posted efunc, you merely need to shorten the inlet section that you circled by inserting a schedule 80 ¾” bspt nipple. There is no need for any cutting or threading whatsoever as the outlet pipe is connected by SS flexible. Suitable jointing compound should be used to eliminate leaks and tightened securely. All joints should be leak tested after job completion.
The meter will be lowered by the difference between the original and replacement nipple lengths.

As the meter should be secured to the wall by the attached bracket but is clearly not, why not contact North Thames and raise the matter with them as a safety issue. They may come and do the job for you. Failing that the work should be carried out by a competent person.

efunc

very good point! I don't know why the meter isn't secured to the wall. I guess the installer was just lazy, but it can't be good to have the weight hanging off that elbow.

Regarding the bspt nipple, I'm guessing this is just a pre-threaded pipe I can use as a replacement for the current pipe. I'll look into this and see if the corgi guys agree.

thanks all for your help and advice!!

efunc

A big thanks to the forum! Following advice in this thread I finally had this fixed today. I got National Grid to come out to check the meter for safety, given that it was supported by pipework only and that the flexible hose looked suspect. I also enquired about the possibility of lowering it but they said that was a seperate job which, if it isn't deemed 'unsafe' would cost £500 and take 6 weeks to apply for. Anyway, the engineer arrived today and said it was perfectly safe and secure and he was not obliged to touch it. But after an awkward silence and a bit of badgering from yours truely he broke down and agreed to fit all new regulators, pipework and lower it, for free! Yipee! Thanks for all your advice, I wouldn't have chosen this route without your information.

Razor

From £700 quote to £0.0000, now thats moneysaving! Well done:cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy:

rockin_plumber

Did he pick up on the fact there was no bonding near the meter

ormus

well done. youre very lucky to get it done for free.
although the original job was a real dogs dinner. i would have been ashamed to do/leave a job like that.
the engineers quote of its "perfectly safe" may be good enough in a practical sense. but in "best practice" its an appalling comment.
im sure the chief engineer at transco (and at corgi) would be embarrassed at such a statement.

again is shows the govs pathetic methods to stop diy in your own home by making new regs is deeply flawed. when work like this goes on by so called pros.
and by quoting 700 quid to a customer, it is asking for trouble. the poor and useless/diyer homeowner may well have a go himself, at doing the job.

all the new regs have done is make it a licence to print money for corgi fitters. its done virtually nothing for safety.
there are an estimated 40000 unregistered "corgi men" in greater london alone!
as for the incompetant diy chap doing a dangerous job? they are still doing it!
no gas/electric regulations is going to stop idiots putting lives at risk.