Gas meter

[Carol Anne]

Can anyone explain to me how a gas (credit) meter works. Ours has the date 1992 on it and says : max rating 12v dc 10 mA. Does it have a battery in it ? if so would it need replacing to keep the meter accurate? No one has been near this meter in years, apart fron the occasional reader. There is also like a blue plastic insert with a rounded top and bottom next to the dials with a crown and MP stamped on it, is this where batteries would go?

[BillyBB]

Some meters had a radio link to provide readings without needing to see it, that's why the electric rating is on there. These systems are not really used any more. By law the shipper has to visually inspect the meter every couple of years for safety reasons anyway. Any maintenance of the meter is the responsibility of Transco/National Grid. If you smell gas call them, if not don't worry. Meters are rated for twenty years use before replacement.

This is a certified measuring instrument and has to be tested and approved under the Weights and Measures Act. The Crown seal shows that nothing has been tampered with and you haven't been trying to obtain unmetered gas!

[Carol Anne]

Thanks Billy, Hubby want's to know if it had had a transmitter ,would there still need to be a battery in it and where would the signal need to travel to be picked up?

[BillyBB]

Many different systems have been trialled, most commonly there was a data socket on the bottom of the perspex part which contains the dials. You would see a wire going from this if anything was connected.

Idea was, a van could cruise down the street picking up the low power radio from all the meters. Most had 9V PP3 battery. With privatisation any remaining trials were scrapped but many meters were still manufactured with data outlets.