Southern Gas left us without enough pressure?

[mike42]

Hi

They are upgrading the pipe in the street and all connections to it. I was out when they did ours but apparently they were there all day trying to replace our steel connection (from the meter to the main pipe in the road) with a plastic one. When they'd done, the guy that got the pipe through thought the pressure was on the low side.

Then they're gassafe guy came for the final check that our house was connected ok etc. He said that he measured "19" - I assume that is 19mb. I don't know where he measured - I assume on the niple of the meter but I'm just guessing.
I just looked at the spec for our Ideal 3100RD1 and it says a minimum of 20mb required.

He also asked my wife if we have a gas cooker and "are you sure you don't". We don't currently. So the main question is, have we been left with enough pressure to run a gas cooker when we get around to upgrading the kitchen? If not, the guys are still working in the street at the moment, should I (do I have any right to) ask them to increase the pressure?

Thanks for reading and any thoughts on this as ever.

 

[oph]

19mbar is within the tolerance's SGN are required to give you and that will be working pressure at the meter not the appliances. Its up to your RGI to size pipework according to loading not them

 

[gas112]

Bet they have twisted it they might even have got some cr#p in it inserting it through your existing pipe

 

[Agile]

It may be just adequate for your CURRENT gas appliances. You should have taken the name and GS details of the guy who advised it was OK. NG people and their contractors don't like giving those.

But fit a combi boiler and particularly a higher power one and it will be woefully inadequate.

But the main problem is that you will probably find it impossible to get them to upgrade it without paying a lot.

I dont know what the legalities are but my view is that you should expect a supply capable of the maximum throughput of the meter which is 6 cubic meters per hour.

You may be best advised to make an official complaint now that the capacity of the supply is inadequate so that at least there is a record of your concern.

If it makes you feel better I am currently going through the same problems myself and one supply has been off for about 25 days now and all the daily promises of calls don't materialise!

Tony

 

[simond]

If the supply is running at 19mB with the appliances you currently have, then it is OK.

If you subsequently fit a combi or a gas cooker and the supply turns out to be inadequate, they'll have to dig, which is what they've been trying to avoid.

The supply demarcation point is the gas meter, so the sizing of the supply pipe is the Gas Transporter's problem, not yours*.

*Assuming you are a domestic customer using under 6m3 per hour = approx 64Kw.


For the Gas Transporter, it is a numbers game. They know that inserting a liner will in some cases not deliver enough working pressure, but across thousands of households, it is a cheap and effective solution which will usually be OK. Where it isn't, they will take a hit putting a new supply in.

 

[Agile]

Yes, Simon.

But can you point to anywhere where it says that a domestic consumer is entitled to a full 6m3 per hour?

I heard of a situation in Slough were an installer got into a problem with gas safe and the customer because he fitted a 36 kW combi to an inadequate gas supply and the suppliers wanted a lot of money to upgrade. I don't know the full details though.

112 Gas would be able to comment on this!

 

[mike42]

Thanks for the replies - esp simond which made the situation clear.

 

[FiremanT]

IIRC, the supplier is required to provide a gas supply to a degree that it will support a demand "reasonably expected/required" by the householder.

It is clear that the suppliers do not routinely comply, and there seems to be little pressure to force them.

 

[gazfen]

15mb anything less they'll be digging up

 

[dilalio]

Is this yet another case of profit over performance, I wonder!

I have a similar case going on with Affinity Water, for a customer.
She has very poor pressure and dynamic flow & shares the main with at least 2 of her neighbouring properties.
AW are currently rolling out a meter install programme in the area and I suggested that she approach them to see how far they would go to improve her supply, whilst installing the meter. Their response was that they plan to install the meter in the kitchen, under the sink! How lovely that will look in her new kitchen, I will be installing!
They also went to the extent of digging up the road and replacing the main stopcock and testing pressure/flow there... Two day work schedule involving several teams, as usual!
One wonders they didn't just put a dedicated supply in for her... Same effort in my opinion, and a happier customer to boot?!