Smart Gas Meters

[Hysteresis]

I had a smart Gas Meter fitted in August 2017 and the units of Measure are indicated as M3. My old meter was calibrated in Cu Ft. Since installation of the meter I have recorded a usage of 1000M3. This equates to approx 35,000 cu ft. I have lived in my present house for 17 years and in that time my old meter recorded a usage of 36,000 cu ft in that 17 years approx 2100 ( approx 24,000kwh per annum) cu ft per annum.
The only explanation I can come to is that the new smart meter records in Cu Ft and not Cu Mts as indicated.
I am familiar with the Correction and conversion factors for Cu Ft to MJ then to kwh, but clearly there will be a different conversion factor if M3 is the unit of measure, but this would be only converting M3 to Cu ft.
The base problem is if the meter is calibrated in M3 then I have a serious issue as since my smart meter installation my gas consumption has risen by a factor of 35 !!!!!!!! (note this is very near the number of Cu Ft in a M3). This leads me to the conclusion that thew Smart meter is actually recording Cu Ft and Not M3 as indicated on the meter.
Can anyone help with respect to the calibration units on Gas Smart Meters.

 

[bernardgreen]

Been several instance of this failure by the billing department to ensure the unit of volume they use in their calculation of the bill is the same unit of volume that the gas meter is registering. In many cases it has been the fault of the meter installer who has not programmed the meter to report in Cubic Feet to match the meter that was replaced.

 

[Hysteresis]

I think you are right and the meter is in fact calibrated in Cu Ft not the Cu M indicated on the actual meter.
I am presently in dispute with my new energy supplier and what they insist is that my meter is reading M3. If the are correct then my consumption of gas has gone up by a factor of 35 which is clearly ridiculous. In my argument with my new energy supplier they quote a calorific value to use with my meter reading which is the conversion from volume to MJ and the figure they quote for CV happens to be the same calorific value I used for my previous Cu Ft gas meters. This confirms to me that the Smart meter is calibrated in Cu Ft NOT cu M as it indicates.
The guy I am arguing with at my energy suppliers does not seem to understand the Difference between CU Ft and M3. I think I must be dealing with an Accountant and therefore plugs numbers into formulas and comes up with an answer , the derivation of which seems to be a complete mystery to him.
If my meter is in Calibrated in Cu Ft then all the number crunching seems to be approximately compatible, but that is only the case if the meter is in Cu Ft and Not Cu M.
In the end it all balances out because if indeed the meter was calibrated in M3 then the CV would have to be approx 35 time bigger for a calculation but as they are using what appears to be the CV for Cu Ft then the Meter MUST be calibrated in cu ft.
Try explaining that to a number crunching accountant is next to impossible.

 

[D_Hailsham]

A pic of your smart meter display would be helpful.

 

[FiremanT]

Been several instance of this failure by the billing department to ensure the unit of volume they use in their calculation of the bill is the same unit of volume that the gas meter is registering. In many cases it has been the fault of the meter installer who has not programmed the meter to report in Cubic Feet to match the meter that was replaced.

Bernie Bollicks again.
The installer does not and cannot programme the meter. I cannot be 100% sure, but I do not think the metric meters Can read imperial . Why should they be able to?
OP: The regular and much documented problem is that the new meter reads in Metric, but the bills do not have the calculation completed properly. Are you sure you are not in this position?

 

[FiremanT]

I had a smart Gas Meter fitted in August 2017 and the units of Measure are indicated as M3. My old meter was calibrated in Cu Ft. Since installation of the meter I have recorded a usage of 1000M3. This equates to approx 35,000 cu ft. I have lived in my present house for 17 years and in that time my old meter recorded a usage of 36,000 cu ft in that 17 years approx 2100 ( approx 24,000kwh per annum) cu ft per annum.
The only explanation I can come to is that the new smart meter records in Cu Ft and not Cu Mts as indicated.
I am familiar with the Correction and conversion factors for Cu Ft to MJ then to kwh, but clearly there will be a different conversion factor if M3 is the unit of measure, but this would be only converting M3 to Cu ft.
The base problem is if the meter is calibrated in M3 then I have a serious issue as since my smart meter installation my gas consumption has risen by a factor of 35 !!!!!!!! (note this is very near the number of Cu Ft in a M3). This leads me to the conclusion that thew Smart meter is actually recording Cu Ft and Not M3 as indicated on the meter.
Can anyone help with respect to the calibration units on Gas Smart Meters.

Assuming your meter is a "normal" suze-G4 or U6, it has a capacity of 6m per hour. This equates to 52560 PER ANNUM

 

[lightning]

Is it an Eon smart meter

 

[Hysteresis]

I am sure I am not in that position. My supplier is using Imperial values for the calorific value of the gas and that is 39.5 MJ per per unit of measurement and that 39.5 is the MJ per cu ft of Natural gas, There is 35.31 times more MJ per Cu M, so the suppler is using Imperial conversions. Also if I average my annual usage over the last 17 years I come up with a figures which corresponds to about 2000 cu ft of gas per annum so approx 1000 cu ft for 6 months, which equates to 24000kwh per annum. The Smart Meters were installed in August and have totalled 1000 M3 in that time. Now that is over 35.000 cu ft and it has taken me 17 years to use that much gas. The number 1000 is very close to the number of CU FT I would have expected to consume, For this reason I am as sure as I can be that the Meter is calibrated in Cu FT although M3 is shown in the display. My supplier effectively confirms this as they are using imperial conversions i.e. 39.5 MJ per unit of measurement and that unit therefore must be cu ft. The 39.5 MJ figure was always the number used with my old imperial cu ft meter. If it were cu M then the conversion would be 1394.745 MJ/m3 (39.5x35.31 as there are 35.31 cu ft in 1 m3)
My supplier representative who I think is an accountant who plugs numbers into a predefined equation which a 10 year old child could do, still considers my Smart Meter is calibrated in M3. if that is the case then My gas consumption has gone up by a factor of 35. As historical figures agree with my Smart Meter only if it is calibrated in Cu Ft, I am certain as I can be that it its total is cu ft.
The supplier calculation are what I expect only if the Smart Meter is Cu Ft calibrated.
The whole thing is a Pigs Ear.

 

[John D v2.0]

I don't think you need a plumber, you need a clue sick to go and hit them with.
Just get them to send someone out, usually the meter operators would know how things work. They can test and confirm to the co.
Remember, they need a court order to cut off your gas and no judge will grant that if you have evidence they're charging wrongly and they spot a load of waffle.

 

[FiremanT]

JzD. They don't need to send someone out, and almost certainly will not.An RGI could work it out by running the boiler for 2 minutes and calculating the gas rate and comparing that against the expected consumption.
I am pretty sure a metric meter will not be calibrated in cu ft.
There us clearly a problem. They WILL remove the meter and have it sent to a test house. Unfortunately you have to pay a deposit, returnable with compensation if proved faulty.

It is easy for a householder to use the boiler to do a rough test on the meter. If you are interested then let us know the make and model of the boiler.
A pic of the bill would be helpful.

Beware JD and Bernie. They are 2 of a small but well-known for writing garbage, and apparently believing it. Bernie in particular can sound knowledgeable, but is not
Meter fitters DO NOT set the meters to metric or otherwise. The meters are factory calibrated. My money is on the calculation.

 

[John D v2.0]

Thanks fireman t, I think you're great too

As I say, this is not a technical problem, it's a lack of customer service problem.

If they don't need to and almost certainly won't send someone out, how are they going to send the meter for testing?

 

[bernardgreen]

Beware JD and Bernie. They are 2 of a small but well-known for writing garbage,

Better make that 3 of a small band, add ofgem

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/fil...n_metricimperial_indicator_charging_error.pdf

 

[FiremanT]

Where does Ofgem say that installers set the meters to cu ft or cu mtr ?

 

[FiremanT]

Thanks fireman t, I think you're great too

As I say, this is not a technical problem, it's a lack of customer service problem.

If they don't need to and almost certainly won't send someone out, how are they going to send the meter for testing?

You know perfect;y well what I meant. They will not send someone out to check the meter in the sense you meant. In fact, the supplier will not go to the meter to have it tested. That will be contracted to Cadent, who replace the meter, the "suspect" one being packed and transported in a controlled fashion to the test house. I(t is obviously important that no damage is done to the meter in transit, so is packaged in a specific manner, and sent via carrier)

 

[FiremanT]

I am sure I am not in that position. My supplier is using Imperial values for the calorific value of the gas and that is 39.5 MJ per per unit of measurement and that 39.5 is the MJ per cu ft of Natural gas, There is 35.31 times more MJ per Cu M, so the suppler is using Imperial conversions. Also if I average my annual usage over the last 17 years I come up with a figures which corresponds to about 2000 cu ft of gas per annum so approx 1000 cu ft for 6 months, which equates to 24000kwh per annum. The Smart Meters were installed in August and have totalled 1000 M3 in that time. Now that is over 35.000 cu ft and it has taken me 17 years to use that much gas. The number 1000 is very close to the number of CU FT I would have expected to consume, For this reason I am as sure as I can be that the Meter is calibrated in Cu FT although M3 is shown in the display. My supplier effectively confirms this as they are using imperial conversions i.e. 39.5 MJ per unit of measurement and that unit therefore must be cu ft. The 39.5 MJ figure was always the number used with my old imperial cu ft meter. If it were cu M then the conversion would be 1394.745 MJ/m3 (39.5x35.31 as there are 35.31 cu ft in 1 m3)
My supplier representative who I think is an accountant who plugs numbers into a predefined equation which a 10 year old child could do, still considers my Smart Meter is calibrated in M3. if that is the case then My gas consumption has gone up by a factor of 35. As historical figures agree with my Smart Meter only if it is calibrated in Cu Ft, I am certain as I can be that it its total is cu ft.
The supplier calculation are what I expect only if the Smart Meter is Cu Ft calibrated.
The whole thing is a Pigs Ear.

The link supplied by Bernie is interesting, (and probably the first useful contribution that I have seen from him) and this is updated from when I was aware there were problems. But (in the Ofgem example) it is not the meter causing the fault, but the backroom calculation, which is what I said initially.

Have YOU actually taken readings off the meter, or are you going on that written on the bill? TBF, it is generally much more difficult to read a SM than a dumb one. Try

TBH, your posts are unnecessarily complicated and difficult to follow.