Smart meters - a question

This will be one of the joys of IoT .

Hmmm......tempting......

Cheers

Dave R

P.S. I think that the non-changeable batteries are to reduce the temptation to the user to mess around.

I'm also intrigued how the modern PAYG card gas meters are powered too; these not only have the (back-lit) display and metering but appear to power a solenoid gas valve, that gives a satisfying 'thump' more credit is added. But no mains elec connection.

So does this poor battery have to hold the solenoid open continuously (while in credit) for years?

I'd have thought the solenoid would latch the disconnection valve in either the on or off position, and only need energy to change position?

Would it be that difficult to fit it in a compartment that couldn't be opened by the average wally?

You'd use some form of stepper which switches off after moving. A bit like the relays in a battery operated programmable thermostat.

Chris Green formulated the question :

As I understood it, it was an option, rather than being essential. It still used the mobile network to report home, it just gave you access to the data for your own purposes.

And iThings.

Pretty sure the batteries are changeable separately from the meter as a whole. Mine has a sticker telling the part number of the battery required while saying no user serviceable parts inside, I'm not about to go piggling the screwcaps off seeing what bits come apart revealing the battery!

Given how they like to use infra-red ports for any possible interfaces in/out of gas meters, instead of electrical connections, I'd expect the battery compartment is well sealed from the gas carrying/measuring parts.

But there's nothing stopping me e.g. changing batteries in my torch while stood next to the meter which would be similarly likely to produce sparks etc, so I doubt changing the battery for the meter would be required to meet "intrinsically safe" or "explosion proof" requirements.

Well mobile network is no good here either! :-)

Depends what events it phones home with, I'd expect opening battery compartment or opening it up enough to access the circuit board to generate alerts, I doubt it lives in a "cage" like the security element of a phone or cryptoprocessor in a cash machine, cutting it open with a dremel would be pretty obvious, why go to the hassle of de-capping chips and reverse engineering the meter rather than just bypassing it with 6" of pipe?

Not a smart meter but mikeselectricstuff put up a video on the strip down of a modern gas meter

Just to re-cap I was referring to the early electronic gas meter. I've no experience of the latest types. Hopefully, they'll have used a better battery.