Gas Meter Size ??

[sturharv]

I have received a shocking quote off Fulcrum for increasing the gas meter to a U16 and repositioning it to a kiosk (the meter in at the moment is a domestic U6).

The reason for this is that its a very large house which had a 50kW boiler. It now requires a 65kW boiler and therefore an increased capacity gas meter, also the aga is abit bigger now.

However, the builder has been on to Vaillant and Corgi who 'appararently' have said that the old meter could still be used provided that the boiler is turned down low and has labels stuck all over it. I assume they mean so it stays below their recommended 73200 kwh per. annum

What are your thoughts on this. PS the quote was £6K !

 

[ChrisR]

Last one I had changed cost £450.
Meters will pass something like 100% over their rating, but Somebody would object. I guess that woiul d be the gas carrier - ask them. Never heard of Fulcrum.

Never heard of "provided that the boiler is turned down low and has labels stuck all over it" being acceptable for anything, and what's the point of having a bigger boiler if you're going to turn it down!
Remember condensing boilers use less gas...

One of the problem using a meter near its rated flow is that the resistance across it becomes more significant, and can be enough to stop a boiler working.

 

[sturharv]

Thanks ChrisR, I agree.

It was Scottish Power who use Fulcrum in this area to do the works.

The upgrade and installation has been quoted at 6k (but I would of expected nearer £500 too.

 

[doitall]

Probably got to upgrade the service pipe as well. More details on the work they have priced would get a better opinion

 

[Biggles..]

Fulcrum are our installers in Notts this is because they specailise in larger meter supllies. £6k is not too bad.

 

[doitall]

Fulcrum are our installers in Notts this is because they specailise in larger meter supllies. £6k is not too bad.

What for an U16 meter I think its terrible if the service pipe can supply

 

[GforceJames]

Just had to have an old peoples home upgraded from a u6 to a u16 they had a 70kw boiler, a 30 kw boiler, a 35kw water heater, and two commercial ranges.

It cost the customer 5.5K to have a new service run as the existing will rarely be big enough, and two have a meter fitted. Although they did have to supply and fit there own meter box first.

James

 

[Biggles..]

Considering transco charged £4200 for a bungalow where we installed meter box and PE from box to road and they only dug the last meter that cost seems in proportion.

John, iasked on the RGI forum and got no answer, in the past we used to have one large meter that supplied secondaries all internal pipework and secondaries would be done by us but the primary would be fulcrum.

Recent enquiry for RPD or U160 was told you cant do that anymore each secondary would actually have to be a primary installed and supplied by Fulcrum at a total estimated cost of £23-30K(11 primaries)

Priced with us doing internals from one large primary would have been around £10K.

The Mech and Elec specifiers didn't seem to happy in the cost difference.

 

[doitall]

Considering transco charged £4200 for a bungalow where we installed meter box and PE from box to road and they only dug the last meter that cost seems in proportion.

John, iasked on the RGI forum and got no answer, in the past we used to have one large meter that supplied secondaries all internal pipework and secondaries would be done by us but the primary would be fulcrum.

Recent enquiry for RPD or U160 was told you cant do that anymore each secondary would actually have to be a primary installed and supplied by Fulcrum at a total estimated cost of £23-30K(11 primaries)

Priced with us doing internals from one large primary would have been around £10K.

The Mech and Elec specifiers didn't seem to happy in the cost difference.

What happened to the One property one service pipe.

Gforcejames, I don't know what pressure you are running at, but around here it's 75 mb or 2bar for commercial properties, there are a few exceptions where they have had to turn it down a tad because of problems, I have a condensation pit complete with a vent in the garden, service pipe was around 35mb

 

[GforceJames]

Round this way it is mainly all still low-pressure, well in the majority of the smaller commercial premises.

Only just started getting medium pressure in some new build areas.

James

 

[Doctor Drivel]

Last one I had changed cost £450.

Was that just replacing the meter, no re-positioning?

Never heard of "provided that the boiler is turned down low and has labels stuck all over it" being acceptable for anything, and what's the point of having a bigger boiler if you're going to turn it down!

Could have two boilers. One doing CH and the other DHW. A switched interlock to cut out the CH when DHW is called may keep the consumption under 212 cu/ft/hr. A priority system.

Or have a large thermal store and the CH run off this, with low temperature rads, set to 60-40C temp diff across them. This stores energy in off peak periods and when heating is on part load. If a gas main and large meters is going to be many £1000s go thermal storage - store the energy for use in peak times. It will work out cheaper and the boiler will be operating more efficiently.

 

[bengasman]

If your old model 50 kW did the trick, considering how much more efficient new ones are, I can’t see how you could need anything over 40 to replace the old one, probably need even less than that.
40 kW boiler will be able to deal with about 50 metres of standard radiators, or even more if the rads are old models that pump out less heat per metre.
When you add up all the rads, is it really more than 50 metres? 150 feet in old money.

 

[Agile]

As usual this OP has only given us half the information.

How can a house suddenly need 30% more heating power?

A cheaper alternative to increasing the gas supply would be to upgrade the insulation!

In any case if the existing 50 kW boiler is not condensing then a replacement would produce at least 15% more heat from the same gas input! 30% if its an old open flue boiler.

Tony

 

[sturharv]

A cheaper alternative to increasing the gas supply would be to upgrade the insulation!

Cheaper than 6K in a 200 year old house, I dont think so (would you dig all the floors up and add insulation to the walls in every room. Maybe in the loft, but that has plenty.

Think before you write eh Tony ??

 

[Agile]

You do not seem to be very polite! Why dont you spend a few minutes explaining the situation if you want us to continue to give you free heating consultations?

We find that as someone doing the job of a design engineer you seem to have very limited knowledge of heating systems.

In any case if the existing 50 kW boiler is not condensing then a replacement would produce at least 15% more heat from the same gas input! 30% if its an old open flue boiler.

A competent engineer would measure the power input to see at what level its actually running rather than blindly following whats on the data plate.

Tony