End of life meters that need to keep going

Spoonie_Turtle

AIUI, electricity meters are the ones with set certification periods (unless they're smart meters subject to the MID as mentioned above), whereas gas meters don't have a set period, just need changing if they become faulty or unsafe (but the supplier can choose to replace it before that, just like they can with the electricity meters, but in practice rarely do).

Non-smart electricity meters have their certification periods listed here, you just have to find what year your individual meter was certified (or recertified if it's particularly old)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schedule-4-uk-nationally-approved-electricity-meters

MikeJXE

Property built 2007

QrizB

That's a mechanical meter, fitted in 2014. It could have another 20 years of life, or more.

@Zandoni was a gas meter tester, he might have an opinion when he's next here?

MikeJXE

QrizB said:

That's a mechanical meter, fitted in 2014. It could have another 20 years of life, or more.

@Zandoni was a gas meter tester, he might have an opinion when he's next here?

That will probably out live me then 

Netexporter

British Gas had a campaign on corroded meters, some years ago. That one would have been reported as potentially unsafe.

Scot_39

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.

Many newer pre-smart digital and smart meters only have 15 year certification - some 20 - but possibly many common UK models (or at least brands)  also as low as 10 - so it's entirely possible that a 2007 build - 17 yrs ago are going or actually are out of certification.

My first RTS replacement - only lasted a few years before being pulled for either another digital brand or smets1 smart.   Not sure why - but in past models have been pulled due to higher than acceptable failure rates.

But the old black mechanical digit reading display but analog measurement (spinning dial) meter at my parents house was put in in late 70s AFAIK; replacing an old coin meter. My sis who still lives there - had it upgraded to smart about 2 years ago - easily 40 yrs old.

How accurate it was - anyones guess.

Ildhund

MikeJXE said:

So what does end of life actually mean ?

Good question. IANAL, but this is what I think:

1. The Electricity Act 1989 says in Schedule 7 §2 (1) that meters must be certified, putting the onus on the supplier;
2. Certification means that the manufacturer guarantees that the meter will work to the required precision only for the certification period. It may well still meet the standards after the certificate expires, but the supplier won't have any claim on the manufacturer if it doesn't.

So, if your meter's certification has expired, the supplier is legally obliged to have it either re-certified or replaced with a certified one. Since re-certification is likely to be much more expensive than replacement, you'll have to accept having a new meter installed. 

Qyburn

Ildhund said:

MikeJXE said:

So what does end of life actually mean ?

Good question. IANAL, but this is what I think:

1. The Electricity Act 1989 says in Schedule 7 §2 (1) that meters must be certified, putting the onus on the supplier

See also ..

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/1566/introduction

MikeJXE

What has the Electricity Act got to do with a gas meter ? 

Zandoni

QrizB said:

That's a mechanical meter, fitted in 2014. It could have another 20 years of life, or more.

@Zandoni was a gas meter tester, he might have an opinion when he's next here?

Yes there’s plenty of life left it that meter, I’m pretty certain it will be as accurate as the day it was made.