End of life meters that need to keep going

MikeJXE

Octopus email me to say my meters were end of life and I should book a smart meter which I did

The engineer arrived today, after walking round the block to show him where the gas meter was he said a smart meter won’t work so I will only get the electric.

He said he saw 2 other smart meters in the block of 7 and neither are working for the gas supply.

 

So what happens now I ask as end of life is either end of life or it’s not.

There is a new smart meter dual band but it’s never in stock and he don’t think that would work either.

My electric is under the stairs in the lobby, the gas meter is ground mounted 8 meters away but through a stud wall and an external wall, millions of houses are like this. 

So what does end of life actually mean ?

 I wasn’t given the option of a smart dumb meter so I still have the old gas meter that apparently still needs to read my gas usage.

I’m not complaining it makes no odds to me but why say it’s end of life when it still needs to keep giving readings ? 

DullGreyGuy

Thats odd, our gas meter won't work as smart as it's too far from the electric meter but they still installed it. The electric sends its own reads and I have to send the gas ones. 

Are you sure both meters were end of life? its certainly possible for both to go beyond their service date at the same time but every place I've had they've been years apart. 

EssexHebridean

It certainly sounds like by "it won't work" what he actually meant is "it won't send readings" - but that's not really a good reason not to install it if the meter it was replacing was nearing end of certification period.

MikeJXE

I have no idea if only one meter reached the end of life, Octopus informed me my meters have reach end of life and asked me to apply for a smart meter. These flats were built 2007.

I know what the engineer meant when he said it wouldn’t work, I have seen enough threads on here to know there are many problems with smart meters not sending readings 

It wasn’t an Octopus engineer and he stated because it won’t work I’ll only be doing the electric, who am I to argue ?

Like I have already said I’m not fussed either way, smart or dumb I will still send readings in for both for the next 2 months and then drop to gas only readings. My spreadsheet will still be kept up to date monthly

QrizB

To be honest, a smart electricity meter is the more useful of the two. There aren't many options for smart gas tariffs.

MikeJXE

QrizB said:

To be honest, a smart electricity meter is the more useful of the two. There aren't many options for smart gas tariffs.

That wasn’t really my point, or is end of life for meters just a con to get you to swap ? 

If my meters were at the end of life why has the gas not been renewed ? 

I wouldn’t like to be on a boat or in a plane that had reached end of life 

QrizB

Meters have different lifes. It's entirely possible that your electricity meter had reached EOL but your gas meter might be good for another decade.

What make/model of gas meter is it, and when was it installed?

jimjames

MikeJXE said:

I have no idea if only one meter reached the end of life, Octopus informed me my meters have reach end of life and asked me to apply for a smart meter. These flats were built 2007.

That seems insanely short period of time to be end of life. Our house was built in the 1930s and we've been in it for nearly 30 years with the same meter. From the design I suspect the meter is from the 1960s or 1970s at the latest.

QrizB

jimjames said:

MikeJXE said:

I have no idea if only one meter reached the end of life, Octopus informed me my meters have reach end of life and asked me to apply for a smart meter. These flats were built 2007.

That seems insanely short period of time to be end of life. Our house was built in the 1930s and we've been in it for nearly 30 years with the same meter. From the design I suspect the meter is from the 1960s or 1970s at the latest.

15 years isn't that unusual for an electronic electricity meter, and might be too long for a battery-powered gas meter. Hence my qurestion re. the make/model/age.

DullGreyGuy

MikeJXE said:

QrizB said:

To be honest, a smart electricity meter is the more useful of the two. There aren't many options for smart gas tariffs.

That wasn’t really my point, or is end of life for meters just a con to get you to swap ? 

If my meters were at the end of life why has the gas not been renewed ? 

I wouldn’t like to be on a boat or in a plane that had reached end of life 

No, the Gas Act and Electricity Act (cunningly named) contain the laws on meters having a certified life etc. Normally it's not hard to tell as it's printed on the meter itself. 

Some do mention that in certain circumstances the certificate can be renewed and so the end of life may be later than the sticker on the meter. 

It may just be the job wasnt described to him properly and he assumed it was an elective change rather than end of certification hence no point changing it if it won't work. Why not either check the date on the meter itself or contact Octopus and check with them?

mmmmikey

DullGreyGuy said:

MikeJXE said:

QrizB said:

To be honest, a smart electricity meter is the more useful of the two. There aren't many options for smart gas tariffs.

That wasn’t really my point, or is end of life for meters just a con to get you to swap ? 

If my meters were at the end of life why has the gas not been renewed ? 

I wouldn’t like to be on a boat or in a plane that had reached end of life 

No, the Gas Act and Electricity Act (cunningly named) contain the laws on meters having a certified life etc. Normally it's not hard to tell as it's printed on the meter itself. 

Some do mention that in certain circumstances the certificate can be renewed and so the end of life may be later than the sticker on the meter. 

It may just be the job wasnt described to him properly and he assumed it was an elective change rather than end of certification hence no point changing it if it won't work. Why not either check the date on the meter itself or contact Octopus and check with them?

I believe the relevant legislation now is the Measuring Instruments Directive and meters no longer have a fixed lifespan. Instead, a sample of each meter type deployed is tested each year and a decision is made on the basis of those tests as to whether the meter should be replaced.