Where do smart gas meters get their power source from as conventional gas meters unlike electric meters have no power source. If it's from a battery, how long do those batteries last? If from an electrical point, what is the typical setup?
Smart Meters - Gas
- Thread starter Mr_T25
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They have a battery inside..
Lithium ion batteries last very long time, designed and capacity chosen to last 10years , it is the same for prepayment gas meters, where the battery also opens a gas valve to let the gas out, and operate the display and all its electronics, I am sure the prepayment card has a chip that can feed back to the paypoint if battery is near its end and the appropriate body can then replace or change the meter.
I'm used to disposable 10-year life smoke alarms having lithium batteries but I would not have thought that such batteries would have the life or the power to open and close valves as you describe for a pre-payment meter (assuming that people who have such meters might experience more temporary outages due to non top up)?
Similarly, I thought smart meters communicate with the provider wirelessly so that would also put a huge demand on the power usage to drain the battery quickly?
Similarly, I thought smart meters communicate with the provider wirelessly so that would also put a huge demand on the power usage to drain the battery quickly?
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The thought of a modern Lithium Ion battery entering self destruct mode inside a gas meter does not inspire me to have a "smart" meter fitted on my gas supply.
Is this just a pointless observation, or do you seriously doubt the presence of a battery?
On older PP meters. the big ones as opposed to the bricks, there is a screw at either side near the bottom. Behind this panel sits a battery pack.
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Yes Bernard.... It happens all the time.
More often than you might imagine.
No, it's a valid question otherwise I wouldnt be asking it. Laptop or phone batteries and other moderate power devices that use power seem to drain after 5-6 hours of usage. Now I know a meter wont be constantly consuming as much as power as that, which is why I am asking how motorised valves or frequent communication with GSM networks wont kill the battery. Maybe not in a few days but maybe in 6-12 months. What is the capacity of the battery in the meter anyway?
Your mobile phone has a small battery, runs apps all the time, and communicates with the base station every 5 to 10 minutes.
The RF power output is only a few mW.
In contrast the smart meter only needs to send the data every few days.
They have a suitable sized battery to accommodate their very small consumption.
Tony
The RF power output is only a few mW.
In contrast the smart meter only needs to send the data every few days.
They have a suitable sized battery to accommodate their very small consumption.
Tony
Back in the 1980's ( and maybe before ) there was the idea of reading meters using wireless similar to radio paging. The meter reader would walk along the street with a paging transmitter programmed with the identities of the meters in the street. This would page the meters one ofter the other and record the replies which would be the meter readings.
The meter would behave like a radio pager receiver with a talk back transmitter. To conserve battery power it's receiver was switched OFF for 90% of the time. It would turn its receiver on for a short period every 20 seconds or so. The meter reader's transmitter would transmit 30 seconds of blank pre-amble before transmitting an identity. If the meter received the pre-amble signal from the meter reader's transmitter it would then remain ON until either (a) it heard its own identity when it would reply on a different frequency or (b) until there was no more signal.
I recall that experiments did suggest it would work but logistics and comments from meter readers meant the idea was shelved in the UK.
The meter would behave like a radio pager receiver with a talk back transmitter. To conserve battery power it's receiver was switched OFF for 90% of the time. It would turn its receiver on for a short period every 20 seconds or so. The meter reader's transmitter would transmit 30 seconds of blank pre-amble before transmitting an identity. If the meter received the pre-amble signal from the meter reader's transmitter it would then remain ON until either (a) it heard its own identity when it would reply on a different frequency or (b) until there was no more signal.
I recall that experiments did suggest it would work but logistics and comments from meter readers meant the idea was shelved in the UK.
No Agile when the battery fails it shuts off automatically .
Bernard most standard meter fitted from the the early eighties had that capability a little module plugged in just under the meter index and from what i remember the meter readers van could just drive past slowly and collect the data .It was trailed in leicester amongst other places but never caught on
Bernard most standard meter fitted from the the early eighties had that capability a little module plugged in just under the meter index and from what i remember the meter readers van could just drive past slowly and collect the data .It was trailed in leicester amongst other places but never caught on
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