Gas meter - what happens when battery dies?

jfc72

Hi..

I've got one of these delightful gas meters in my house...and i just had a thought that the battery hasn't been changed in !!!!!! years...like 15yrs.  So...I suppose i should organise a replacement meter or something?

Anyway, my actual question is...if the battery does indeed run out (and i haven't changed the meter or whatever, yet) does it cut off my supply?  I read somewhere that, some meters do that...some don't, but it keeps registering gas consumption even with dead battery.  I assume that if it's the latter..when the replacement battery is put in, it will start showing an updated consumption figure.

Just trying to ensure I suddenly don't end up with no gas, whilst i sort something out.

Below is a stock phot of the exact meter I have.

cheers.

[Deleted User]

Based on this link, I think that I would ask for the meter to be replaced:

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8410789/eurometers-model-e6-ultrasonic-gas-meter-gas-meter

SAC2334

These meters use Lithium Thionyl batteries . They re about £20 each. I have changed them on older prepay meters .It did nt take long but nowadays they prefer to waste money and swap the meter .The meters are supposed to shut the valve off once the batteries died.
It was quite a big fiddle on older prepay meters to tamper with the battery as sometimes the valve would stay open . I don t know how reliable the shut off valve will work with more modern digital meters and smart meters .Customers are expected to inform the supplier if they notice that the battery has died but the meter carries on supplying unregisted gas .

Verdigris

It isn't a smart meter. It's a dumb electronic one, like many electric meters.

Now would be a good opportunity to get actual smart meters. They will give you access to much more flexible tariffs, that can more accurately meet your consumption patterns and, potentially, save you money.

wild666

If the meters are so smart then they should send a low battery warning to the supplier just like many household appliances tell the user the battery power is low when they use them.

Gerry1

It seems the low battery warning the user gets is the smart meter recording heavy usage even when the gas lever has been used to shut off the supply !

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6071198/faulty-meter

QrizB

wild666 said:

If the meters are so smart then they should send a low battery warning to the supplier just like many household appliances tell the user the battery power is low when they use them.

and

Gerry1 said:

It seems the low battery warning the user gets is the smart meter recording heavy usage even when the gas lever has been used to shut off the supply !

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6071198/faulty-meter

As Verdigris said:

Verdigris said:

It isn't a smart meter. It's a dumb electronic one, like many electric meters.

Verdigris

That's a standard G4 meter that has a wheezing set of bellows within. No battery required.

Gerry1

QrizB said:

wild666 said:

If the meters are so smart then they should send a low battery warning to the supplier just like many household appliances tell the user the battery power is low when they use them.

and

Gerry1 said:

It seems the low battery warning the user gets is the smart meter recording heavy usage even when the gas lever has been used to shut off the supply !

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6071198/faulty-meter

As Verdigris said:

Verdigris said:

It isn't a smart meter. It's a dumb electronic one, like many electric meters.

Both @wild666 and I were clearly referring to the general case of gas meters with batteries, and it's been established that they can fail and do strange things.  The OP's meter is electronic and has a battery, so it may well be even more likely to misbehave if it can't phone home before it expires.  It may well shut off the supply if it can't record usage.

The point at issue is that fitting batteries into gas meters, whether smart or simple, has introduced reliability problems that can adversely affect consumers.

[Deleted User]

My gas meter looks like this and was only installed in 2014. This is the type you want.

(Image removed by Forum Team)

red_flump

Deleted_User said:

My gas meter looks like this and was only installed in 2014. This is the type you want.

Stop saying don't get a smart meter,  it is not helping.