Will a smart gas meter interfere with my automatic garage door working?

SallySunshine

Just been notified by e-mail from Octopus Energy (our supplier for under a year) that my gas meter is is reaching its end of life. Our house and meter is 17 yrs old.
The old meter will be replaced by a Smart Meter, old style meter replacement apparently  is not an option.
I’m not really adverse to a smart meter but have read that the frequency used could interfere with my remote controlled garage door.
Has anyone had any problems with this happening?

[Deleted User]

The gas meter only transmits data once every 30 minutes to the comms hub that sits above the smart electricity meter. This is designed this way to protect battery life.

I have a number of Zigbee connections around my home, and I have seen no evidence of interference. This includes a Zappi EVSE in my garage. My garage door open/close without any issues. 

Reed_Richards

[Deleted User] said:

The gas meter only transmits data once every 30 minutes to the comms hub that sits above the smart electricity meter. 

... so the garage door will only open twice an hour, no problem! 

Tallerdave

If your garage door opener uses an unregulated proprietary protocol, it's more likely to cause interference to other equipment.  But unless you operate the door continuously, you'd never see a problem!

MWT

Legal garage door openers are nowhere near the frequencies used by Zigbee so should not be an issue.

Also note that if you do not already have a Smart electricity meter they will need to change that at the same time as the gas meter needs the electricity meter to power the comms hub.

... and of course if you already have a smart electricity meter then you'd know if it affected the garage door opener...

SallySunshine

Thanks for all replies, I don't have an electric smart meter, although they always ask if I would like one.
Actually never even thought about the gas meter needing changing.
Seems like I'll have to have them both changed at the same time?
Might contact Octopus and see if that is the case.

tim_p

If either or both are being changed then make sure you record / photograph the readings at the point of changeover if possible.

brewerdave

SallySunshine said:

Thanks for all replies, I don't have an electric smart meter, although they always ask if I would like one.
Actually never even thought about the gas meter needing changing.
Seems like I'll have to have them both changed at the same time?
Might contact Octopus and see if that is the case.

In my experience- a couple of years ago when my then gas supplier decided that I needed a new meter, they quickly lost interest when they found that they weren't my leccy supplier!!

MWT

As long as you do take both from the same supplier, a work order for a gas meter change to 'smart' will result in the engineer turning up with both gas and electric.

SallySunshine

Just booked an appointment in 3 weeks time to get both gas and electric meters installed.
Apparently although readings are taken at half hourly intervals, this can be changed by me to daily or monthly readings.
Also when the change over happens I will be given the old meter readings then as well as the new ones
didn't realise it can take 2 weeks after new installation to actually connect?

[Deleted User]

SallySunshine said:

Just booked an appointment in 3 weeks time to get both gas and electric meters installed.
Apparently although readings are taken at half hourly intervals, this can be changed by me to daily or monthly readings.
Also when the change over happens I will be given the old meter readings then as well as the new ones
didn't realise it can take 2 weeks after new installation to actually connect?

They are connected the moment that the installer leaves your property (provided he doesn’t leave before the installation process has been completed). Octopus cannot pull data from your meters until the database has been updated. They also have to send out security certificates to each of your meters. You should be able to see data on your IHD the same day.

You can change nothing. Suppliers are required by Ofgem to move to half hour data as all industry payments are made in half hour chunks. You can ask Octopus to change to daily or monthly readings but in my view there is no point. Half hour does not mean that your comms hub is constantly in contact. Octopus pulls the half hour data file from your meters once every 24 hours. 

In the future, PCWs will, with your permission, use your actual historic data to show you the cheapest time of use tariffs. I can also see in detailed daily graphs, how much energy I am using and, more importantly, when it is being used.