I know that lecky meters are supposed to be replaced by the suppliers every so often, but how do I find out how often (Google just tells me about 'certifiable life')?
Is it enforceable?
I ask specifically because I rent out a house which still has an old dial meter - how old must that be? (we bought the property about 12 years and it looked pretty old even then). My main issue is that the dials make it hard for a lot of tenants (notably the youngsters) to read, and I'm often ending up having to sort out issues as a result. I'd love to know if I can demand someone takes it out!
I think they can fit refurbished meters provided they have passed tests. Plenty of dial meters out there. If you want it changed, then maybe join a supplier who will fit smart meters.
Ofgem? I think it's supposed to be every ten years. We've been here
15 and not had a meter changed, one has "gone around the clock".
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Certification life for newly approved induction meters is 10 years after which they must be removed from circuit. Note the word must...
Is the number between the letters at the start of the meter number the year it was refurbished/calibrated? We have S67M K80M and F96M which would sort of loosely tie in with the install years of each supply.
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Flippin heck those numbers are the calibration/certification year! F96M is an electronic one so may have a 20 year certification but the other two mechanical, so now 38 and 25 years overdue for replacement.
If it hasn't been changed you can probably jump up and down with your current supplier (ie the company you pay for electricty) to get it changed as the meter is their responsibilty. The DNO is only responsible to the main cutout and MET.
I suspect that routine meter replacement has fallen through the cracks with the opening up of the market. The suppliers don't want the cost of replaceing a meter when the customer can jump ship next month...
Humph, they ought to learn, it ain't difficult FFS! Wonder how they'd get on with a proper dial telephone?
We've been in this house for 33 years and on our third meter. only the latest one was electronic.
So 10 years plus on average. Only just had the gas meter changed for the first time last year. New one is still mechanical and creaks and wheezes when gas is flowing.
Well, they changed mine when I needed to have the old economy 7 put in here. They normally seem to not change them unless they are no good. There have been claims that power factor fiddling on half cycles etc, has caused misreading, but I'm not sure how valid that is.
I still cannot read mine, even though its electronic. It has no voice or way of getting the data out, it still needs a bloke to come around and read it. Brian
Mine is prehistoric dial type and has been in the house for 20 years that I know of and it was old when we moved in. It is quite hard to read as it is installed at ceiling height narrow entrance hall close to the ceiling. I'm 6'2 and even I need to stand on a stool to read it.
Can't you give them a crib sheet that explains how to read it?
It seems that, legally, they have to change them every ten years.
It seems that, routine meter changing is now a bit hit and miss with a bias towards miss.
Our electronic one has an optical interface of some sort. Circular depression about 0.5 mm deep and 30 mm dia. Might be another 10 mm dia mark centered inside that but is other wise smooth. Meter reader just needs to hold a gizmo to this port and the reading(s) are transfered.
I'm pretty sure the meter readers have only ever used the port once, guess which reading was wrong...
There is luggage tag type label by the meter here that says it was changed in June 1985. There is also some sort of sticker on the meter face glass as well saying 05/85 - so presumably this is the same meter as the label refers to.
Actually, thinking about it, some contractors where going to replace it a couple of years ago. but there was a bit of a c*ck up (mine) re the appointment time.
They were supposed to come back but they never did.
The split arse at BG asked the best question ever when they "tried" to swap my 20 year old gas meter.
They never turned up on the appointed day so I called them to see what was wrong. The woman on the phone said "The driver says he cannot find your house, is it a new build?"
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