Gas usage mega increase

rjmiller

Have an update.

I've just been booked in for a Meter Accuracy Test next week. I've asked if this is done on site or if the meter is taken away. (I believe it could be either?)

If undertaken on site does anyone know how thorough it would be? As I've said, some days it appears to be fine but then there'll be a significant (incorrect) overnight jump.

I just want to be sure a quick on site test would pick up any fault and that it won't just be a quick cursory once over.

Thanks.

[Deleted User]

Gas meters are usually removed and sent to a Government-approved independent testing centre. For electricity, I believe that they just fit a check meter alongside your existing meter. 

rjmiller

[Deleted User] said:

Gas meters are usually removed and sent to a Government-approved independent testing centre. For electricity, I believe that they just fit a check meter alongside your existing meter. 

The reply I've just received from Bulb says the (gas meter) test will take place at my property.

Zandoni

I was a government Gas Meter Examiner for nearly 20 years.

A disputed gas meter was removed from the house and replaced with a new one. When it arrived at our office it was left to acclimatise for a day or so. It would be tested for leaks with a manometer, then it would be tested at a very low rate for unregistered passing of gas. Assuming there was no major leaks it would be connected to a calibrated holder and a known quantity of air would be passed through the meter at its maximum flow rate and 1/5 of its maximum flow rate. The results were all noted and at the end of the test the seal was broken and the index was visually examined. A certificate was then prepared with a copy going to the consumer and the gas supplier.

I've never tested a disputed electronic gas meter but I supervised 1000s of test on the manufacturers premises. They were manufactured with an index reading of about 99997, this would allow them enough space for the tests. If the meter was found to have gone past zero it would be rejected, if this happened to often I would cancel all testing until the fault was found.

There is no way a gas meter can be accurately tested on the premises.

rjmiller

Zandoni said:

I was a government Gas Meter Examiner for nearly 20 years.

A disputed gas meter was removed from the house and replaced with a new one. When it arrived at our office it was left to acclimatise for a day or so. It would be tested for leaks with a manometer, then it would be tested at a very low rate for unregistered passing of gas. Assuming there was no major leaks it would be connected to a calibrated holder and a known quantity of air would be passed through the meter at its maximum flow rate and 1/5 of its maximum flow rate. The results were all noted and at the end of the test the seal was broken and the index was visually examined. A certificate was then prepared with a copy going to the consumer and the gas supplier.

I've never tested a disputed electronic gas meter but I supervised 1000s of test on the manufacturers premises. They were manufactured with an index reading of about 99997, this would allow them enough space for the tests. If the meter was found to have gone past zero it would be rejected, if this happened to often I would cancel all testing until the fault was found.

There is no way a gas meter can be accurately tested on the premises.

Thanks for this; useful to know.

Just the +22 units used yesterday according to today's reading. That 5 minute shower must have been more like 5 hours...

[Deleted User]

It sounds like the engineer being sent out by Bulb is going to do nothing more than a gas meter safety inspection.

From The Government OPSS website:

If you have contacted your energy supplier (the company sending the bills) about your gas meter readings but remain unhappy at the outcome, you have the right to request an independent test of your meter.

Although the test is free, you may have to pay your energy supplier for organising it if your meter is found to be working correctly, which was the case for the vast majority of meters tested in 2021.

The process

1. Ask your energy supplier for an independent test of your meter. You will be contacted to agree a time for its removal and the installation of a replacement.
2. It’s best to note your meter reading and serial number on the day it is disconnected.
3. Your meter will be securely packaged and sent to an approved laboratory for testing by an independent examiner.
4. The examiner will post you a certificate with the test results. A copy will be sent to your energy supplier and the meter owner if this is a different company.
5. If your meter is working correctly, within the legal limits, the certificate will say it is accurate.
6. If your meter is faulty, the certificate will say it is a failure, either stating how far it is outside the legal limits or noting that its readings are unreliable. Your energy supplier will contact you to sort matters out. This may involve compensating you for over-billing or agreeing a payment plan for under-billing.

rjmiller

[Deleted User] said:

It sounds like the engineer being sent out by Bulb is going to do nothing more than a gas meter safety inspection.

From The Government OPSS website:

If you have contacted your energy supplier (the company sending the bills) about your gas meter readings but remain unhappy at the outcome, you have the right to request an independent test of your meter.

Although the test is free, you may have to pay your energy supplier for organising it if your meter is found to be working correctly, which was the case for the vast majority of meters tested in 2021.

The process

1. Ask your energy supplier for an independent test of your meter. You will be contacted to agree a time for its removal and the installation of a replacement.
2. It’s best to note your meter reading and serial number on the day it is disconnected.
3. Your meter will be securely packaged and sent to an approved laboratory for testing by an independent examiner.
4. The examiner will post you a certificate with the test results. A copy will be sent to your energy supplier and the meter owner if this is a different company.
5. If your meter is working correctly, within the legal limits, the certificate will say it is accurate.
6. If your meter is faulty, the certificate will say it is a failure, either stating how far it is outside the legal limits or noting that its readings are unreliable. Your energy supplier will contact you to sort matters out. This may involve compensating you for over-billing or agreeing a payment plan for under-billing.

Cheers for this. I quoted the post from @Zandoni in my email to Bulb which appears to have prompted them into arranging a 'proper' test.

(The price has subsequently gone up from 120 to 160 quid, too...)

Even though the meter is doing its own thing the pessemist in me is having a field day in visualising the test showing there's no fault. I just can't account for how 15 units were registered, for example, on Saturday when I was staying elsewhere. I really hope whatever 'this' is is picked up in the test.

It's a tad stressy.

rjmiller

The meter's being taken away tomorrow for testing. 

After being told it'd cost £120 on several occasions (if found to be not faulty) Bulb moved the goalposts and said it'd actually be £169 for my "legacy" meter.  (Does legacy just mean 'old', I wonder?)

I managed to get them down to £120 as per their original quote.

So here we go, providing the engineer turns up.

It's still doing the same good day/bad day (+22 units one day last week) so hopefully this gets to the bottom of it.

I'm guessing that the interim replacement meter will provide an accurate reading of actual usage.

I shall report back.

EssexHebridean

Fingers crossed OP - I know I'm not the only one waiting eagerly to hear how things turn out on this. 

QrizB

EssexHebridean said:

Fingers crossed OP - I know I'm not the only one waiting eagerly to hear how things turn out on this. 

You're definitely not the only one!