Smartmeter usage rise

[Argentum66]

Just identified a massive rise in my smartmeter gas usage today. It has gone from a reasonably steady 12 KWH per day to 50 KWH today and had the heating on maybe an hour more than yesterday (6 hours rather than 5). Has anyone any idea why this has happened? Can it be a smartmeter fault? Do smartmeters occasionally get behind and catch up on one day? Or could it be a boiler fault (heating is on a timer not a thermostat).

 

[Old Salt]

Been colder today could be using more gas to get up to set temperature?

 

[Argentum66]

@Old Salt I appreciate its been a bit colder today but the readings show 4 times as much energy for 1 extra hour usage....seemed a bit extreme.

 

[foxhole]

smart meter record gas in the same way as any other meter

 

[flameport]

Do smartmeters occasionally get behind and catch up on one day?

Yes. Gas meters do not send data all the time, as they are battery powered.
Typically they send data once every 30 minutes, but intervals could be longer particularly if the signal from the gas meter is weak or blocked.

If you are using the in home display, that can show incorrect information in some circumstances, even though the actual meter readings are correct.
Electricity usage should be near-realtime, but gas will never be due to the delay in information being sent from the gas meter.

If you want accurate info, then it should be available from your energy suppliers' website or phone app.

 

[ericmark]

Most modern gas boilers modulate. So running time means nothing. The output can vary from 6 to 28 kW with some. It depends on the return temperature of the water, which in turn is controlled by the TRV on the radiators, I use programmable TRV heads to turn off rooms not in use.

 

[Argentum66]

Just tested it this morning and put the boiler on for half an hour and it has used 7 KWH. It is just a sudden jump from the 12 KWH for 5 hours heating on Monday.