I've been contacted by the gas people saying they need to change my meter
- strange as it's not that old. Phoned them to confirm the date and asked the very pleasant guy just why they wanted to change it so soon, and he said the new ones can be remotely read. By that I take it to mean some form of radio link. So where do they get the power for that from?
It's a passive chip in the meter. It doesn't need power. It's like the chip in your credit card you use in the shops (or probably like "your" credit card that your wife uses in the shops :-P)
The little man comes round with a reader / scanner thing, and holds it up to your front door. It activates the chip in the meter and sends him back the data. He doesn't even have to knock to see if you're in.
Presumably enclosing the meter in a Faraday cage would thwart such a system?
Interesting. I had a fairly new digital gas meter with LCD display, and they replaced it with a mechanical one. Their story was that the company was worried about battery life.
Chris
lithium battery (~10 year life). funny but they are removing them around here as the remote reading trial wasn't very successful.
I think enclosing it with a house causes problems.
I'd be interested to know how that works - the meter is some 5 mtr from the front door and in the cellar.
They've been trying to change mine for about 4 years. I stayed at home for the day, and they didn't show up. A couple of days later I got a letter saying would have to cancel the visit (posted after the visit). About every
6 months they try again, and I just say I won't be in. Their offer to change to another day never works as they don't ever have any other days. So this will just go on until they happen to pick a day I happen to want to spend at home. I'm not taking another day off just for them to not turn up again, and not tell me in time.
My gas meter has been changed twice in 18 years (the electric meter not at all). I can't rememer how they organised the first swap, for the second swap they just turned up with no prior notice and said "we're here to replace your meter gov, didn't you get the letter?" as I was at home replacing the garage roof it didn't matter.
When I had my gas meter replaced they came on the day and time I wanted.
A friend of mine just happened to be working for BG at the time, in the meter replacement department :)
This is the third letter so I decided I might as well let them do it now as I'm quiet work wise. I've told them that there somewhere between 0800 -
2000 is no use to me during the week as I have to use one car during the resident's parking only hour. So the guy gave me an afternoon appointment. If they don't turn up for that I'll adopt your stance. ;-) There's absolutely no way I'd give up a day's pay for them. They get quite enough of my money already.
Hah!
Siemens have been trying to change my battery powered digital one for the last 12 months.
1st. appointment nobody turned up. 2nd. Man took one look, said he couldn't do the job and went. 3rd. Man arrived knowing he was dealing with a medium pressure supply but still couldn't do the job. National grid man joined the party but refused to get involved. 4th. Meeting with senior manager who agreed to call off the 5th. appt. pending a discussion with his engineers. 6th. Not yet happened as the meter box is secured by the piping and an agricultural post due to the demolition of the supporting building...........regards
For the Corgi men.... the issue appears to be that the National Grid bit (isolating valve, pressure reducer etc.) does not suit the particular meter Siemens are trying to fit.
In message , "dennis@home" writes
My meter was installed in 1995. Still displays OK.
regards
Electric meter is 22 years old, gas meter older but I don't know how much older. Until 6 months ago, the electric meter hadn't been read for 20 years (other than by me), but a meter reader happened to come around when I was in 6 months ago. Gas meter is outside.
Like this?
In message , Andrew Gabriel writes
level external box but same concept.
regards
>
Ummm, that's like the whole day anyway is it not?
You've snipped the bit that explains why...
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