Gas conversion on a smart metre

Elliot_J

Hi All,

ive recently moved to a smart metre and noticed a discrepancy in my readings vs when I didn’t have a smart metre. 

Now I find the conversion extremely confusing but what I have noticed since my smart metre was installed is that my multiplier of 2.83 to convert hundreds of cubic feet to cubic metres (units consumed) has disappeared and my ratio of about 32kWh to ever unit consumer has dropped to around 11:1 purely because that 2.83 multiplier is no longer on my bill statement. Anyone have any idea why this is. The 32:1 unit ratio was consistent for the last 18 months through all seasons. It’s not a bad thing but I’m curious why.  

Old formula example

9 x 2.83 x 1.02265 x 39.3  / 3.6 = 284KwH

new formula

9.8 x 1.02265 x 39.3  / 3.6 = 109.9kWh

So why is the 2.83 conversion missing?

thanks 

lindatoo

Not an expert but I'd say your new meter is reading cubic metres rather than cubic feet. so it doesn't need to be converted.

[Deleted User]

Spot on.  Smart meters record in cubit meters so don't need the conversion factor.

Elliot_J

lindatoo said:

Not an expert but I'd say your new meter is reading cubic metres rather than cubic feet. so it doesn't need to be converted.

Thanks for replying. The two above formulas are from like for like periods this year and last so would expect a similar end result in KWH?. I pay by the kWH like everyone else so my bill has been slashed by a third in regards to KWH obviously gone back up due to increased rates

lindatoo

Maybe its the smart meter effect or maybe we're all being extra careful in the face of the current price increases.I don't have a smart meter for my gas but I've reduced my use this month by two thirds, down to the mild weather and a greater awareness of rising costs. 

pochase

Are you sure you had a ft3 meter before? 

Would not be the first time that a wrong meter type is been used.

macman

Deleted_User said:

Spot on.  Smart meters record in cubit meters so don't need the conversion factor.

It would have to be a very old gas meter indeed if it measured consumption in cubits...   

BUFF

Elliot_J said:

lindatoo said:

Not an expert but I'd say your new meter is reading cubic metres rather than cubic feet. so it doesn't need to be converted.

Thanks for replying. The two above formulas are from like for like periods this year and last so would expect a similar end result in KWH?. I pay by the kWH like everyone else so my bill has been slashed by a third in regards to KWH obviously gone back up due to increased rates

if the period included Winter then it was a mild Winter compared to previous & many people's heating use was significantly down.
If you have adjusted any behaviour in such a fashion as to reduce usage that will just compound it.

jbuchanangb

If you are saying that last year you used 9 units of gas, which was billed as if the units were cubic feet, i.e. 284kWh, and in the same number of days at same time of year this year you used 9.8 units, billed as cubic metres, i.e. 109.9kWh then there is a strong probability that your old meter was also measuring in cubic metres, but you were being billed a multiple of 2.83 times what you should have been. Have you got any photos of the old meter you could look at to investigate this?

Glum

If you want to get a rough cost per cubic metre (inc VAT) based on my tariff after 1 October 2022, I use:
£Cost = Cubic metres x £1.1533
Plus standing charge.

Also handy: kWh = Cubic metres x 11.307

FYI the calorific value varies a little every day but the value on your bill should be correct for the month.

BTW My brother had a gas meter replaced but was billed as if it was metric. It took him a long time to claim back thousands.  

wild666

Smart meters read electric in kWh but gas in M3 so only the gas is needing converting and I use 11.3 kWh per unit on my conversion rate and this works out pretty close to the actual usage