If you utilise gas power in your home, it’s essential that you understand how to read your meter. Without this information, gas bills are simply based on estimates of what the energy supplier thinks you’ve used. The decrease in pressure, or pressure drop, across the channel is measured using a differential pressure sensor. Another option is to use a smartphone app or top up your gas credit online – the best method will depend on your supplier. Multiply your figure from step 1 by 2.83 to convert your reading to cubic meters. The second is the peak demand for gas you require at any given moment. The charging device is then inserted into the front of the meter. As with the case of smart electric meters, smart gas meters allow you to view your gas usage in real time as the various gas appliances in your home use it. We carry all gas meter models and sizes IN STOCK! Smart meters are a new type of gas and electricity meter which provide up-to-date and accurate information on how much energy you use. The direct measurement of volume is the major advantage and the superiority of volumetric gas meters (like drum-type gas meters) over other measurement principles, which determine gas volume using secondary measurable variables such as speed, heat capacity, hot-wire resistance or similar.That means that the condition and the composition … Premium utility meter Manufacturers for the commercial & Domestic sectors. Once you have your total usage figure in cubic meters, the next job is to multiply this figure by the gases calorific value. You’ll need to adjust your reading for accuracy after you’ve written down the numbers. Like electric meter boxes, gas meter boxes are installed recessed or surface mounted. They generally come in two different types; either metric or imperial, with metric generally having five main numbers and imperial having only four main numbers. Generally, the older-type imperial gas meters measure in cubic feet and the newer digital metric meters measure usage in cubic meters. Types of gas meters There are five main types of gas meters: standard meters, dial meters, digital meters, smart meters and prepayment meters. Gas is measured with calculations called the calorific value (CV), which simply means heating value. Over 50 years of experience!. The first port of call should be your online account or most recent bill. By taking a gas meter reading on a quarterly basis and submitting it to the supplier, you’ll avoid both underpayments and overpayments. What is a smart meter? There are a number of gas meter types on the market, all of which vary slightly in their basic design. Standard meters record the gas or electricity you use on a single rate. In general, reading a gas meter is very similar to reading an electric meter, but as we have discussed above, as opposed to being in kWh, the usage is stated as cubic meters or cubic feet (M³ or ft³), although it’s later stated as kWh on your bill. If after looking you are still unable to locate your gas meter there is still a few things you can do. OFGEM approved SC6, U6 and U16 fireproof to 650°c manufactured to BS EN 1359 Diaphragm gas meters for natural gas and LPG Maximum pressure 75 mbar Meters available with pulse plug and 2 metre lead-option UPULSE – Pulse output plug and 2 metre lead MWA Code Bosses Distance Connections Type Max m³/hr SC6 152.4mm ¾” … Continue reading Itron U (MDA) Diaphragm Gas Meters → Here follows a few rules on how to read a dial gas meter: If you follow the simple rules above then reading a dial meter is as easy as reading any other type of meter. You’ll need to top up a card or key to do this. Imperial gas meters commonly come in dial form, while metric meters are almost always digital. There are several ways to submit the reading. Our meter range is suitable for domestic and industrial applications including diaphragm, rotary, turbine, thermal mass flow and electronic gas meters. All rights reserved. Failing this, your next port of call should be your landlord or letting agent. After you’ve recorded your meter readings depending on the types mentioned above, there are a few things you can do with them. Prepayment gas meters include designs with digital or standard displays, but what they have in common is that you’ll need to pay for your gas in advance. From dial to digital (unless it’s a smart meter which automatically sends its readings to your supplier), you must write down these numbers along with the date and time they were taken and submit this information to your energy supplier. The latest generation of smart meters are known by their model number, SMETS2. The government is in the process of rolling out smart meters across the nation, offering households an easier way to measure gas and electricity readings. A supply pipe is run from the main supply pipe up to the property where it is then connected to the meter. As we know the volume of the pump, we can now calculate the amount of gas that is consumed. Meters can be sent away to an independent laboratory or tested at your home, depending on the case. To find out more about gas safety, see our project here. Meter displays are available in either digital or analogue. Although their main function might be the same, there are a few gas meter types to be aware of. Domestic and commercial gas meters, BES have a long history of supplying specialised products to the gas industry including gas meters. If you have read through all of the information and tips above, you should now be familiar with exactly how your supplier produces your gas bill, how you can work out your gas usage yourself and check your bills are accurate and also how to read all the common gas meters to get a reading. Note: Gas is extremely dangerous so care must be taken when working around any gas appliances or supply pipes. © 2019 SaveOnEnergy and its licensors. Give us a call if you need help deciding which gas meter is best for your application. You’ll need to submit this to both the old and new suppliers to adjust your bills and pay off any old debts. Read the figures from left to right; Ignore any red numbers If you are in rented accommodation then your tenancy agreement should state it’s whereabouts. In either case, to read your meter and provide your supplier with a meter reading simply note down the 4 (imperial meter) or 5 (metric meter) numbers to the left of any numbers in red, spaces or decimal points, reading them from left to right and adding them to your suppliers online meter reading facility of on the provided form if using a paper form. Check with your supplier to find out the easiest way to record and submit gas readings. It could be right for you if you're out during the day for most of the week. If you have just purchased the property then the estate agent or previous owner should be able to guide you in the right direction. Once you have located it, multiply the previous figure by this value. In the meantime, you can contact your supplier to find out when this technology will be available in your area. If this is the case then they will contact you with date and time of when they have either one of their own or contracted Gas Safe (information on Gas Safety and Gas Safe engineers can be found in our project here) engineers in your area to undertake the work. To do this, multiply the figure you arrived at above by 1.02264 (this figure is stated in the regulations linked to above, just in case you wondering how we arrived at it). In terms of the actual display itself, the standard meter utilizes dials that rotate to display a number as gas is drawn through the meter. Numbered dials on the front of a digital gas meter showing meter reading. One point to note is that the calorific value figure stated on your bill will most probably be an average figure of the quality of gas supplied to you over the given billing period. A supply pipe is then taken from the meter into the property where it is then connected to any appliances that require gas to run. Keep up to date with our DIY projects, tips and latest deals, © DIY Doctor Ltd 2021 All Rights Reserved. The first thing to do is establish exactly what type of meter you have. Another reason you might need your current gas meter reading is when you’re switching suppliers. If there are any figures that begin with a 0.1, ignore these. Credit (standard) meters are the most common type of meter in the UK. Equipping yourself with this information also makes it easier to get a better rate when you switch suppliers, since you’ll have the most up-to-date data for comparison. Here are some facts about how gas is measured, as well as how it impacts your bottom line. Just choose the type of meter you have - imperial meters show readings in ft³ while metric meters show readings in m³ - and input the figure in the box. SaveOnEnergy is a trading name of Uswitch Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 03612689). You’ll see the numbers clearly displayed on the front. As specialist gas meter suppliers we stock a wide range of domestic gas meters, commercial gas meters and gas meter parts and accessories. If you do want to work out your usage using your gas meter reading and supplier cost you will need: Most energy companies these days will detail on the actual bill how they have arrived at the stated charge, so it’s always a good idea to check this out first as it will give you a good idea of what gas you’ve used and what they’ve charged you for. Also, one final point to note is that on the odd occasion, the original installation location of a gas meter can indeed be changed. To calculate what size gas meter you require will depend on two things. Let’s find the right one(s) for you. The pump is then connected to a counter that tallies how many times the pump contracts and expands. Compare your calculated cost to the one on your bill, do they match? In general, your gas meter should be in one of the following locations: In a lot of cases, gas meters are usually located on the outside of a property as this ensures that your gas supplier can easily access the meter to take their own readings. If your meter only has 4 numbers to the left of any numbers in red then your meter is an older imperial-type meter. SaveOnEnergy services are provided at no cost to you, but we may receive a commission from the suppliers to which we refer you. Traditionally, dial gas meters were used before the emergence of the more common standard meters, so if your property is fairly old, chances are that you may have one. Compare the estimated reading to your actual reading – if you’ve been overpaying, you’re entitled to a refund from the energy supplier. This type of meter can be expensive, because the unit rates on prepayment meters are usually higher than for standard credit meters and direct debit customers. A semi-concealed meter box must be installed in an area where it won’t cause any obstructions such as people tripping over it, vehicular damage, etc. As we have now finally obtained our usage figure in kWh, the last job is to now multiply this figure by the kWh unit cost that your supplier should state on your bill. If the supplier sends someone out to test your meter and finds it to be faulty, it can be fixed or replaced. This is particularly important if you’ve made any strides towards saving energy in the home, as these lifestyle changes won’t be reflected in estimated rates. The gas goes through a pump (or a pair of pumps), which contracts and expand as gas passes into the pumps. Pressure is another natural force that changes the volume of gas, which means properties placed at lower altitudes tend to get more for their money. Semi-Concealed Gas Meter Box. Keep in mind that although the testing is free, some suppliers will charge for the cost of replacement. In the list above you may have noticed that we have mentioned the legislative regulations that govern the conversion factors used when calculating thermal energy, the “Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) Regulations (SI 1996/439).”. To take a reading, write down the five black numbers ordered from left to right. The first thing to do is establish exactly what type of meter you have. They are also provided with spare parts like hinges, lock and key. Here are the main types of gas meters and their functionning: Diaphragm meters: these meters are the most widespread in the US. It's your energy usage tracked and displayed, as it happens, in pounds and pence. Problem was, if you changed supplier, many of these types of meters stopped sending automatic readings. Unlike the traditional meters, these connect to your supplier directly to submit regular gas smart meter readings. Numbered dials on the front of a digital gas meter showing meter reading – Image courtesy of gov.uk. Don't fancy doing this project yourself? Upgrade to a smart meter. The digital or older imperial gas meter is arguably the most common type of gas meter found in UK homes and in terms of reading is pretty straightforward. Similarly to electric meters, there can be quite a few different types of gas meter and the particular meter that is used for a given property will very much depend on its age. Smart meter showing gas usage – Image courtesy of British Gas. Understanding credit meters. The calorific value of the gas that has been supplied to you should be stated on your bill. CV calculations will change from day to day and can fluctuate depending on what part of the country you live in. This is why I have reviewed Coriolis meters, diaphragm meters, rotary meters, and ultrasonic meters, and here I discuss turbine flowmeters. Grab your copy now for all the DIY help you need right at your finger tips! Readings are shown as numbers, either in dial or digital form, depending upon the age of your meter. The first is to check your most recent bill. As a result, the UK is divided into 13 different local distribution zones, with your bill based on your particular zone’s daily CV during the latest billing period. The exception would be if you have a smart meter, which automatically submits gas smart meter readings on your behalf. Energy suppliers use a basic temperature of 15°C, but if your meter is located outdoors, you’ll have lower bills due to the lower temperatures. The gas holders can store up to two million cubic feet of gas – enough to supply 2,400 homes for a full day – but are no longer needed due to developments in gas pipe technology. Advantages. In the event that an energy supplier is unable to get an accurate gas meter reading they will produce an estimate bill of what they think or project you have used. Any changes such as new firmware destined for the gas meter are transferred to the "Gas Mirror" first and then sent to the gas meter … In some cases if your meter is particularly old you energy supply company may choose to renew it. Generally the first and third dials will run clockwise and the second and fourth will run counter-clockwise. You’ll be alerted to any unusual trends in your energy use, which could be due to a fault in the meter. Velocity. Our registered address is The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London, SE1 2LH. If your meter already measures usage volume in cubic meters, you can skip the above and move straight on to step 3 below. Due to these very slight differences, the read out dials on each type of meter present the usage information slightly differently in that the metric meter displays part units as decimals and the imperial meter displays them in red and slightly separated from the full units used. As you can physically view the gas that’s being used in your home at any given time, this it a fantastic way of seeing what appliances are the worst offenders for gas use and allow you to reduce their use, which is much kinder on the environment and better on your pocket! Old type imperial gas meter measuring gas usage in cubic feet, Dials displaying meter reading on the front of a digital gas meter. According to Ofgem , in August 2020, the cheapest prepaid tariff, at £982, was almost £100 more expensive than the cheapest standard credit tariff (£883). Firstly, locate your previous gas meter reading and also your most recent reading. Smart meters. However, your gas meter gives the most accurate insight into your day-to-day use. 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