Pipe from ECV to gas meter

[ralphius]

Background:
I have a 1920's terraced house that has had gas (to a single gas fire) at some time in the past, but the previous owner has had the appliance & meter removed. Some of the gas pipework is capped and still in place.

I'm installing central heating so have done a DIY install of radiators and copper pipe for them. I'm going to get a gas-safe engineer to install a combi for me. Before I do that I need a gas supply so have had the ECV on the outside wall tested and it is connected to the gas main. I've also put a standard gas meter box on the outside wall.

Attached photo shows front wall of house with ECV. Red pipe is the old capped gas pipe that used to go to the appliance inside.


Problem:
On the phone, British Gas say they will only install a meter to an existing box with all pipework ready for the installation. Wales & West Utilities have quoted me £400 to put a 1 metre length of pipe on the end of the ECV. This seems high, is this my only option or can I reduce this cost somehow?

Many thanks,
Ralph

 

[stardanny]

They are right, and I think what they meant is they have to dig down and extend main gas pipe to new location ( where the meter box is ) and fit an ECV in there.

There is no other way, I'm afraid.

Daniel.

 

[FiremanT]

Build a brick housing around the existing?

 

[bernardgreen]

Maybe consider a semi conceal meter box next to the ECV. May not save much installation cost and would leave you with a redundant white box. But far less instrusive

 

[ralphius]

Thanks for your replies so far, I wasn't aware of the semi-below ground meter box, looks interesting.

So can I just move my meter box across and down until the bottom of my meter box is level with the ground and the ECV is poking into it? If the anaconda to the gas meter connects directly onto the ECV then this should solve my problem right? I assume it's British Gas, not Wales & West that installs the anaconda along with the gas meter?

 

[bernardgreen]

So can I just move my meter box across and down until the bottom of my meter box is level with the ground and the ECV is poking into it?

Most probably no. The meter has to be high enough above the ground for the meter reader top readi it without bending down. The dials on the type of meter that goes into the white wall box face forwards. The dials on the type of meter that goes into a semi-concealed box face upwards.

 

[Razor900]

I would've thought the ECV couldn't be left exposed anyway??

@gas112 is your man for this one!

 

[FiremanT]

Razor, that's why the suggestion pf a brick enclosure in existing ECV position, fitting the white box on the ground (I am sure there is a mi height to stop water ingress, or the contractors digging down, connecting and extending to new position. The semi buried box won;t save any ££'s as the ECV will have to be re positioned, so changed.

OP: Is the ECV definitely live?

Personally, I would knock up a brick enclosure, depending on space and appearance conditions.

 

[Razor900]

Razor, that's why the suggestion pf a brick enclosure in existing ECV position, fitting the white box on the ground (I am sure there is a mi height to stop water ingress, or the contractors digging down, connecting and extending to new position. The semi buried box won;t save any ££'s as the ECV will have to be re positioned, so changed.

OP: Is the ECV definitely live?

Personally, I would knock up a brick enclosure, depending on space and appearance conditions.

That's because you read the thread properly, I've had a long day

 

[Dan Robinson]

Have you feck.

 

[Agile]

I suspect the OP might find an RGI who would extend the supply from the existing ECV into the new wall box.

Getting BG to connect to it might be a little more difficult and a bottle or two to the meter fitter on the day might be needed.

 

[FiremanT]

Sure, Tony. The meter fitter is going to risk a failed audit and a major *******ing for a bottle of Lambrini.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

That ECV looks like its fitted to a reducing bush in the end of a steel pipe. The £400 could include insertion of a new plastic service through the steel, and connection to the main, if they're unwilling to put the steel service back into use, (assuming it is still live), in which case £400 could be quite cheap!

 

[ralphius]

OK, I've gone with FiremanT's suggestion of putting the white box on the ground although I haven't had time to do any masonry. For the moment I've lowered the ground level by about 9" and reassembled the meter box so that the ECV is sticking up into it. If BG are happy with that and will fit a meter into that box then I reckon I've saved myself £400

(Note that the ground slopes away from the front of the house slightly, and on the other side of that wall is my under-floor crawl space that is about a meter deep so I highly doubt that water will collect in the bit I've dug out, but I'll keep an eye on it)


Anyone see any major problems before I ring BG to put a meter in it?

 

[BigSnoopy01]

your first position was to close to the air brick vent anyway, tell anybody who asks that all you have done is changed the box as the old one was damaged. Any issues with existing supply should get reported and sorted for no charge.