Gas usage mega increase

rjmiller

Have a LIVE UPDATE.

The Siemens engineer is here to begin the impartial testing process on the Siemens meter.

Bit odd?

rjmiller

The engineer tells me he's been sent to do a "tighness test", nothing about taking the meter away for accuracy testing. To his credit he is on the phone to someone to suss out what to do.

He said he could take the meter away but can't fit another because he doesn't have *something*. Can't remember what.

The Bulb email said clearly that the meter would be taken away for testing and replaced with an interim meter.

rjmiller

Well this is all very exciting. He's spoken to somebody who confirmed that it is a MAT so he's going to change the meter and leave the original regulators in place. (The regulators being what he didn't have in the van.)

I queried if these could impact the readings but he said not. Something about leaks?

I think this may be progress. If nothing else the brand spanking new smart meter should at least give me a measure of my actual usage while the original is sent for testing.

Bulb did hint that if the original is deemed to be fine they'll bring it back and reconnect it which seems a little churlish.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

good at least things are moving.

Take photies of old and new meters, engineer should leave a card with both readings on it.

Would think new meter will be left in situ after meter test result.

victor2

Very important to get pictures of the old and new meters. Particularly if the new meter doesn't start at zero - smart meters could well start at zero though.

Many years ago, before the days of smart meters, my gas meter was replaced and the new one didn't start at zero. There was a card attached to the new meter showing the reading from the old meter and the starting reading on the new one, but that information never got through to the supplier. To their credit, the supplier contacted me before the next bill was due, as their records showed I had used about £5,000 worth of gas in one month. It did get corrected!

[Deleted User]

rjmiller said:

Well this is all very exciting. He's spoken to somebody who confirmed that it is a MAT so he's going to change the meter and leave the original regulators in place. (The regulators being what he didn't have in the van.)

I queried if these could impact the readings but he said not. Something about leaks?

I think this may be progress. If nothing else the brand spanking new smart meter should at least give me a measure of my actual usage while the original is sent for testing.

Bulb did hint that if the original is deemed to be fine they'll bring it back and reconnect it which seems a little churlish.

Leaks? If the Regulator is leaking then it will not impact your meter readings as the Regulator is normally located between the stopcock and the meter: that is, on the supply side of the meter.

The only reason that I can think of as to why Bulb might want to re-fit your existing meter is because they do not want the hassle of updating databases etc with the new meter serial number. If this is their policy, then I cannot see how they can charge you for energy indexed on the new meter.

rjmiller

The good news: a new SMETS 2 meter has now been installed.

The not so good news: the engineer was told to keep it in dumb/dummy mode.

As such the display is currently 99999 and not 00000 as it would be if connected to the Smart system. I'm not sure how I'll be able to monitor daily usage.

He said he could have fully connected it within a couple of minutes but was told not to. 

rjmiller

[Deleted User] said:

rjmiller said:

Well this is all very exciting. He's spoken to somebody who confirmed that it is a MAT so he's going to change the meter and leave the original regulators in place. (The regulators being what he didn't have in the van.)

I queried if these could impact the readings but he said not. Something about leaks?

I think this may be progress. If nothing else the brand spanking new smart meter should at least give me a measure of my actual usage while the original is sent for testing.

Bulb did hint that if the original is deemed to be fine they'll bring it back and reconnect it which seems a little churlish.

Leaks? If the Regulator is leaking then it will not impact your meter readings as the Regulator is normally located between the stopcock and the meter: that is, on the supply side of the meter.

The only reason that I can think of as to why Bulb might want to re-fit your existing meter is because they do not want the hassle of updating databases etc with the new meter serial number. If this is their policy, then I cannot see how they can charge you for energy indexed on the new meter.

Somebody else did suggest that if the reading remains at 99999 until the situation is resolved, and then Bulb try to charge me for usage over that period, perhaps I might have lived elsewhere in that time...

rjmiller

Have a picture.

victor2

At least it's got a sticker on it with the old meter reading.

Also, you'll now be able to monitor your usage with the new meter. If the reported figure drops significantly without you changing anything, it does indeed suggest a fault with the removed meter. The new one may not be reporting to the DCC/supplier, but they will be able to charge you for gas used when they either change it back or tell you to keep it, simply by getting a current reading from it.